Page 4 of Hitting the Jackpot (Las Vegas Littles #4)

Jesse smiled.

Lake had to swallow hard. Jesse was just so attractive.

It wasn’t fair that anyone could fill out a suit the way that Jesse could.

Lake had never seen him dressed down and often fantasized what Jesse hid under those perfectly tailored suits.

Not that he’d ever find out. No matter what Lake’s friends said. Jesse was far out of Lake’s league.

“I have a gift for the house and one for you too,” Jesse told him. It was only then that Lake noticed Jesse was holding two beautifully arranged bags with colorful tissue paper.

Lake glanced at Remi.

“I need to get Dom to bed,” Remi said. “Why don’t you open both gifts and we can tell Dom about it in the morning.”

Glancing at his sleeping friend, Lake nodded. Dom needed his rest. “I can do that.” Lake wanted to force the little mindset away, but he found it difficult when he was in his favorite room and knew he was safe.

As embarrassed as he was for Jesse to see the new playroom, this wasn’t the first time Jesse had been around when they were all regressed. Eric had remodeled their entire basement into a huge space for their little time. Since before Christmas, Jesse had been visiting more often.

It was quiet as Remi lifted Dom from the beanbag chair then carried him out of the room.

Lake was still holding a fairy and only noticed when Jesse looked down and smiled.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt your playtime,” Jesse said.

He shrugged. It must be getting late if Ezra and Brandon went home. Now that they shared a humongous backyard, it was so easy to have playtime. Both houses had the best playrooms, after all.

Jesse sat beside Lake.

Lake peered nervously up at Jesse through his lashes. Dressed in a loose pair of jeans and a hoodie, he wasn’t wearing anything revealing but he still felt exposed sitting next to Jesse and his expensive suit.

“This is for the house,” Jesse said, handing over the bright blue bag.

Lake eagerly yanked out the soft paper, getting to the box inside the big bag. He shoved the tissue and bag away to Jesse’s quiet chuckle and drew out the heavy box. “What is it?”

“Well, open it and find out,” Jesse told him with amusement evident.

Lake rolled his eyes but placed the box on the carpet in front of him. He carefully opened the side tabs then pushed the lid up.

A gorgeous white porcelain tea set was nestled in foam.

Lake gasped.

“I figured the tea set you all played with probably stayed at the other house,” Jesse said. “You need one for here too.”

Lake’s hand trembled as he ran a fingertip over one of the cups. “So pretty!”

“I spotted this set when I was visiting my brother. I just knew that you all needed it,” Jesse told him.

“It’s too much,” Lake whispered. It killed him to say the words but there was no way that was a gift Lake could accept. It was too expensive.

“I think it’s perfect.” Jesse wrapped his fingers around where Lake was still resting his on the cup. “A pretty tea set for a pretty boy.”

Lake flushed hot but he was too shocked that Jesse was touching him that he couldn’t move. Jesse never touched him! Jesse was also nice and polite but very hands-off. “I…”

“Please accept this gift,” Jesse said softly. “It would make me very happy to think of you boys having a proper teatime when playing.”

It was for all of them, not just Lake. Turning down the present would just be silly. “Thank you,” Lake said. “I’ll make sure that we play with it right away.”

“That’s great.” Jesse shook the other bag. “This is for you.”

“You already gave me something!”

“That’s for the housewarming,” Jesse said. “This is for you.”

“But why?” Lake didn’t understand why he got something special when it was Remi and Dom who’d bought the house. All Lake had done was move into his own room and buy the things he’d always wanted but never had the nerve to own when he lived with family. His pretty room.

Jesse set the bag in his own lap.

Lake nearly grabbed his present because he wanted it. Instead, he twisted his fingers together. No touching. He knew that.

“Are we friends, Lake?” Jesse asked.

The question threw off Lake’s thinking. He had not expected that. “Umm…” How did he answer that? Jesse was his boss or sort of his boss. Jesse was Lake’s boss’s boss’s boss. That counted, right?

Except Jesse knew Lake’s secret and was not only accepting but also supportive. Jesse had been around enough since Christmas that Lake was getting used to seeing him with their friends. Friends. Lake nodded slowly. “Yes?”

“You don’t sound so sure, but I’ll take it,” Jesse said. “I want us to be friends.”

“Okay.” Lake wasn’t certain how that would work.

Jesse chuckled. “It’s funny how things work out.”

Lake’s gaze drifted to the wrapped present on Jesse’s lap. “What do you mean?” he managed to say. Lake really wanted to know what Jesse would buy for him. What did the man who could buy anything get for Lake?

“If I hadn’t suspected my own security team of selling drugs, I wouldn’t have hired Eric.

If Eric hadn’t worked undercover here, he wouldn’t have met Ezra.

Eric and Ezra opened a whole new dynamic for us.

Their connection brought us closer together, even though you and Dom had been working here for years. ”

Lake nodded. That was true.

“And even though you and Dom both went to the club, it wasn’t until recently that the two of you have become more comfortable,” Jesse said.

“It helps having more friends in the lifestyle,” Lake offered. He wasn’t sure that was the full truth. Lake could admit that the reason he was exploring more was because of his friends but it was the specific friends that made the difference.

Lake liked to believe that he had lots of friends at the club.

He worked hard to be nice to everyone, especially the subs.

It wasn’t easy to be new exploring a kink.

Lake hoped he offered new members a little bit of braveness with being extra-kind.

His friend group was different. Dom, Ezra, and Brandon didn’t push Lake out of his comfort zone.

They just enticed him into being more himself.

“I’m sure it does,” Jesse agreed. “It’s also helped me.”

“It has?”

“Meeting Remi, Eric, and Dane has shown me what I’ve been missing,” Jesse said.

“Missing?”

“A boy of my own,” Jesse told him.

It didn’t surprise Lake that Jesse was looking for a boy. That was why most people went to the club. Lake didn’t expect the pang to his heart when he thought about Jesse with someone else.

“Did you know that I thought you were attractive the first time we met?”

Lake jerked. “What?”

A faint blush highlighted Jesse’s sharp cheekbones. “I thought you were beautiful.”

Lake had to swallow hard. “Um…”

“I told myself you were off-limits,” Jesse said quietly.

The same as Lake thought. The two of them wouldn’t work even if it appeared that they were both attracted. Dang it, did this mean that Dom was right? Lake didn’t want his sassy friend to be right. Dom wouldn’t shut up about it.

“You started to change,” Jesse said.

Had he? Well yes, but Lake was proud of the man and little that he was turning into. Even if it lost him the chance with Jesse, Lake wouldn’t go back to before when he lived in fear all the time. When Lake hid every part of himself.

“You’ve blossomed before my eyes.” Jesse placed a hand on Lake’s knee. “It’s been amazing seeing you find yourself.”

Wait! What? “You like the new me?” He didn’t mean to ask that out loud.

“I don’t think it’s the new you.” Jesse patted his leg. “I think you’re just showing us the real you. Maybe showing yourself too.”

Lake nodded. “Maybe.” More than likely.

“I’m blessed to be a part of your journey.” Jesse lifted the bag then set it in Lake’s lap. “That’s why I got this for you.”

“I can open it now?” Lake asked.

“Please do,” Jesse replied.

This time Lake carefully removed the colorful tissue paper. He set it to the side until he could reach into the bag and pull out a sheet of paper. He lifted it.

“An adoption certificate?” he said.

Jesse nodded.

He had tried really hard to use his manners and take his time but now Lake was dying to know what he had…adopted? Lake shoved both hands inside and yanked out the big soft stuffed animal.

“Oh!” It was the most beautiful stuffie that Lake had ever seen! A bright rainbow zebra. The zebra was dressed in a pink shirt, rainbow tutu, and even had sparkly pink bows on its ears. It even had a hot pink tail and mohawk. “Mine?” Lake loved it already.

“Yes.” Jesse petted the top of the zebra. “A pretty baby for a pretty baby.”

That was sweet. Lake hugged his new friend to his chest.

Jesse picked up the adoption certificate. “I named him but it’s okay if you want to change it. I might not be the best at naming stuffies.”

Lake glanced down. Zeb. His new friend’s name was Zeb. “Zeb’s a nice name for a pretty boy.” Not what Lake would have chosen but it meant something that Jesse took the extra time to make Zeb even more special. He’d be keeping the name.

“Does that mean you like him?” Jesse asked.

“I love him!” Lake exclaimed. “He can sleep with me every night so he isn’t scared in a new place.”

“That’s a great idea,” Jesse said. “I kept him in my office with me so he wouldn’t get lost.”

Lake nodded very seriously. “That was very nice of you.”

“Thank you. There are more clothes inside the bag in case Zeb needs to change.”

“Oh!” Lake began to dig back into the bag. There were more shirts all in pretty colors and lots of skirts and even pajamas. Lake held up the purple nightgown that said princess . “He loves the clothes he has on the best, but this is his favorite to sleep in.”

“I should have thought about that.”

“It’s okay.” Lake patted Jesse’s arm. He was feeling more little than normal when around someone other than his friends. “You’re new at this.”

“I am new. I hope I did okay.”

“Great!” Lake assured him.

“Maybe I could take you back to the store and we could make Zeb a friend?” Jesse asked.

“Would you like a friend?” Lake questioned Zeb. He grinned up at Jesse. “Zeb and I would like that.”

Jesse flashed a bright white smile. “Cool. It’s a date then.”

A date? Had Lake agreed to a date? Well, yes, he sort of had. “Can Zeb come?”

“Of course Zeb can come. Whatever makes you comfortable,” Jesse replied.

Lake nearly asked about Dom, Ezra, and Brandon but that would probably be too much for a date. But Jesse might have just used the word date and not meant for it to be like a date-date.

“I know you’re back to work tomorrow,” Jesse said. “What are your days off this week?”

They were really doing this? “Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday.”

“Could I pick you up Tuesday? We could have lunch then go to the store.”

“I’m vegan,” Lake blurted out. For some reason his choices in food bothered a lot of people.

They argued with Lake’s reasoning or tried to change his mind.

Lake never forced his choices on anyone else or made them feel bad about what they chose to eat.

Too bad other people didn’t have the same respect.

“I know. I have the perfect place in mind. There’ll be plenty for us to choose from,” Jesse said.

“Okay.” They were going on a date! Maybe. Lake thought it was a date. He was totally going to have to ask Dom. Maybe even get Dom to help pick out an outfit for him and Zeb.

Jesse’s watch beeped and he glanced at it. He groaned. “It’s getting late. How about I help you clean up in here and then walk you to your room?”

Lake looked at the toys they’d been playing with. He'd forgotten what they had been doing. “Sure.” He gave Zeb a quick hug before setting his new friend down. “I’ll be right back, Zeb.”

Jesse smiled at him before rising and offering Lake his hand up.

Lake accepted the help. It didn’t take long for the two of them to clean up the floor.

Jesse put the containers of figurines back up as Lake tossed things into the toy box.

The last thing Lake did was put up the stuffie guard after introducing each to Zeb.

It took longer than Lake had expected but Jesse never hurried him.

Jesse just held the stuffie and then put them back in place.

They left the boxed tea set on the small table so Lake could show Dom tomorrow.

With the room cleaned up, Lake hugged Zeb tight.

Jesse picked up the adoption certificate.

“I should hang that up in my room, so Zeb knows he’s wanted,” he mused.

“I’ll get you a frame tomorrow,” Jesse promised.

“Really?” Lake could buy it himself, but he liked that Jesse wanted to help. Zeb deserved the best.

“Yes, I’ll leave it at the front desk for when you get to work tomorrow,” Jesse said.

“Thanks!” Lake pushed up to his tiptoes and smacked a kiss on Jesse’s cheek.

Jesse froze and Lake was scared he’d crossed a line. He should have asked but he was so happy.

“You’re very welcome,” Jesse said quietly before taking Lake’s free hand. “Let’s get you to your room.”

“Okay!” Lake swung their arms as they headed out of the room and down the hall.