Page 20

Chapter twenty

Shit What Did I Do?

Three days.

That’s how long it had been since I talked to Skyler.

I couldn’t believe this.

What the fuck had I done?

I stared out the window above my desk.

I’d set the little table in front of the long, narrow windows stretching floor to ceiling that overlooked the pool.

I’d originally meant it to be a drop zone for towels as it was next to the door leading from the pool to the backyard from my main en suite, but I liked setting up my laptop and working here, since it had the best view in the house.

Today though, I didn’t much care.

I wanted to see Skyler splashing around in that pool and maybe bring him out a frozen drink like a margarita or something.

But Skyler would not answer my calls, and I was sick of leaving messages.

What the fuck was he thinking?

I thought he’d gone to the bathroom at Afterglow, and by the time I realized he hadn’t, he was gone.

And he wasn’t coming back.

And I couldn’t think about anything else.

Had I done something to blow it?

Or was he fucking with me the entire time?

Playing with my heart, reeling me in so he could break me.

Well, it worked, and I didn’t know what to do.

Shutting my laptop, I got up and crossed the room.

I grabbed my keys as I headed out the front door.

The SUV was in the driveway, since I only had room for my Beemer in the small garage, and I wondered for the millionth time why I bought a million-dollar home with only a one car garage.

But fuck it.

I got in and dialed Warner at the same time.

“Yo,” he answered.

“Where are you? I’m heading over.”

“Pushy much?” he made a derisive noise that I ignored.

“Need to talk.”

“Already?” What the fuck did that mean?

I ignored it.

After a moment’s silence, he muttered, “Okay, I’m at home today. Come on over then.”

He only lived a few miles away.

We were always close whether that meant proximity, mentally, or emotionally.

We’d grown up together—best friends—Done everything together.

Including fucking a few guys and one eventful double penetration session, but none of that even compared to Skyler.

I parked and walked into his house, not bothering to knock.

That’s the kind of bond we had.

“Back here,” he called from his office.

I knew where to find him.

The door was open, and I waltzed in and plopped down on his leather sofa.

Warner spun around in his chair and stared at me with his hands on his knees.

“What the fuck, dude?”

“It’s Skyler.”

“So, I guessed. What the hell’s the problem?”

“He won’t take my calls.”

Warner leaned back and crossed his arms over his broad chest.

He wore a crisp white T-shirt and swim trunks, probably headed out to the pool after he finished up whatever he was working on.

That was a normal day for both of us.

Unless he had to go into the office or court, which happened, but mostly, he worked from home.

“Look, Crow. If you like this guy, go get him. I mean, I’ve never seen you like this over anyone. What’s so special about him anyway?”

I glared at Warner.

He’d heard me bitch about Skyler before.

After the trial and after Danny and Lee’s wedding.

He knew how I felt.

“He means something to me.”

“He’s gotten under your skin. Again. You need to either get him on board or forget about him.”

“I can’t forget about him. Have you seen him? Talked to him? He’s amazing. So fucking smart. Sassy, but not in a bad way. And so fucking vulnerable.”

“And what? You think he needs a daddy?”

I definitely thought that.

“If anyone I’ve ever met needs one, it’s him.” I’d thought that so many times now.

I’d even told Skyler what I thought about it.

“I need a drink for the rest of this conversation.” He grunted and got up.

We moved back into his main house.

He had a fancy bar set up between his kitchen and dining room.

“What do you want?”

“Nothing. I’m driving.”

“Fine. Suit yourself.” He hummed as he poured golden liquid, probably whisky or bourbon, from a decanter into a glass.

He dropped a big square ice cube from his under-cabinet icemaker in and swirled it.

“Now…” He motioned to the living room where he had comfortable furniture and a large screen over the fireplace.

His was wood-burning while my two were electric.

His house was overall more traditional than my modern mini-mansion.

Neither were like anything we grew up in.

Our families both lived in the same middle-class neighborhood.

But we grew in station over the years, having not only lucrative careers, but amazing financial investments.

I wasn’t a billionaire, but I had more than a few million to spare, and so did Warner.

Hell, he didn’t have to work for Drew, he simply enjoyed it.

And he knew me better than anyone else.

So when he sat in a club chair and sipped his drink, eyeing me.

“You are a dumbass. What did you do? Take him to Afterglow right off the bat?”

I eased down onto his couch and clasped my hands in my lap.

“Yes. But hey, I’m not perfect. It’s just that, I don’t know, Warner. This is more than a boy under my skin. I mean he’s so pretty with those green eyes and tight bod, but there’s so much more to him than that. He laughs easily. Enjoys the moment.”

“I saw you watching him during the camping trip. When he didn’t know you were looking.” He pointed at me with his index finger on the one holding his glass.

“I had a feeling we’d be having this conversation.” He took a sip.

Then sighed over dramatically.

“Never thought the two of us would ever settle down. But…I can see you long term with him, if you both can get over yourselves.”

“Is this about Cody? Are you serious with him now?”

“Oh, I’m serious all right. Hell, he’s the only one that’s been around more than a fucking minute. He’s adorable, right?”

Not my type, but I could see him with Warner.

“For you, yeah.”

“Well, yeah. Only me. We’re exclusive, and if it keeps up, I’m going to ask him to move in.”

“That’s fast.”

He shrugged.

“When you know you know. But you? What the hell?”

“I can’t let him go. Yes, I took him to Afterglow, but everything was great. Yeah. Until Joey started insinuating himself.”

“You should have never hooked up with him. I warned you.”

“That was a long time ago. I haven’t been with anyone, especially him, in a long time. And he never fucking bothers me, but he saw me with Skyler.” I held a hand up as if that explained it, but it wasn’t the entire story.

“After Joey came to the table, Skyler simply left.” I motioned to the door.

“Without a word.”

“Sounds like your boy got jealous.”

“But there’s nothing to be jealous of. I can’t even think about anyone else. I’m breathing Skyler, morning, noon, and fucking night. I want to see him smile. Want to show him new things. I want to know everything about him. Want him in my bed and my life.”

“Oh. My. God. Crow. You’re in love with this guy.”

That was it.

Exactly.

“Yeah.” I felt hopeless.

“Maybe tell him that. You closeted asshole.” Okay, he wasn’t wrong.

I was good at being the daddy, taking care of someone, and telling them what to do.

Especially during sex.

But I wasn’t so good at talking and sharing.

And I wasn’t very in touch with my feelings.

I needed Warner to help me with that shit.

That was why I was here.

“I would, but that’s something you say in person. The first time. Right?”

“Uh, yeah.”

“So how the fuck am I supposed to tell him when he won’t see me? Won’t take my calls?”

He made that noise again as if blowing me off.

“You know where to find him.”

Oh.

I did alright.

I called Drew to warn him on the drive over.

I hated that it came down to this, but I drove straight over to Drew’s firm and parked in the visitors’ section.

Then I stormed through the front doors.

A receptionist seated behind the large mahogany front desk asked pleasantly, “Good afternoon, sir. How can I assist you today?” I’d seen him a few times, and although I didn’t have an appointment this time, Drew assured me access when I called.

I was dressed in slacks and a golf shirt, so I didn’t think that would be an issue.

I cleared my throat.

“I’m here to see Skyler Baldwin.”

He slid a pair of readers over his nose and started looking through notes on a tablet.

“And you are…”

“Nelson Crowell.”

“Crowell…Crowell…I have a Crow. Mr. Crow.”

“Yes, that’s me.”

He looked at me skeptically.

“I’ve been here before, surely you recognize me.”

His face pinched up.

“You do look familiar, but I think I need to call Mr. Baldwin.”

“No. Call Drew. Please.”

He cocked his head.

Yep, he was totally suspicious.

But he called Drew and got the okay.

Then gave me directions to Skyler’s office.

Down the main hall, third left and second door on the right.

I repeated that several times and headed out to find him.

And I only made a few wrong turns before stopping in front of his office.

He had a side window along his door, so I could see him sitting at his desk, reviewing paperwork.

And even better, he was alone.

Shoving the door open without knocking, made his head pop up from his papers in surprise, but in the next second, he scowled.

“What are you doing here?”

“You wouldn’t talk to me.”

“For reasons.” He gave me that look he’d had on his face at the wedding as if he thought I should be dropped off with the trash.

“Thank God we used condoms.” He went back to his paperwork as if ignoring me was going to get me to leave.

He was wrong about that.

“Skyler. For real. I haven’t slept with anyone from Afterglow in years. Four to be exact.”

“No way. I call bullshit. You have not been abstinent for four years.”

“No. I haven’t, but it hasn’t been anyone at the club, and you’re not a saint either, are you?”

He scowled at me.

“I work too much. I read when I’m off work. I hardly go out. And the truth is I haven’t hooked up or dated or anything even half as much as I’d like to.”

“I find that hard to believe.” He was so fucking gorgeous; he should have men beating down doors to get to him.

He shook his head.

“I. Don’t. Go. Out. Get it?”

I needed to read between the lines.

I rubbed my face.

“Skyler. I’m clueless. Okay. Here’s what my dating life has been like. Yes, I’ve spent a lot of time at the club and have tried to find a boy, but I haven’t been sleeping with them. Because I discovered that, most of the time, that’s all they wanted. And I was never going to find that perfect guy if I slept with them all. And I still didn’t find anyone. But I haven’t been fucking everything in sight. Yes, I know Joey from Afterglow. Yes, I slept with him, but that was more than four years ago. He was the one that made me realize I was going about it all wrong.”

“Oh.” His face was blank, unreadable.

“You have a way of thinking the worst of me and then disappearing so I can’t clear things up.”

“Oh.”

Not knowing what to think or do, I figured honesty was the best place to start.

And that meant being honest with myself as well as him.

“I want you, Skyler. That’s all. I love you.”

His green eyes narrowed.

“How do you know that in five days?”

“Technically, it’s nine.”

“Whatever.”

“I don’t know, Sky, but I see you, and you need me. And I need you. Can we try this thing out? Without running away every time you get pissy?”

That’s when he smiled.

But he also rolled his eyes.

“Okay. To be honest, I’ve always wanted the daddy thing but was too afraid to go after it. I’m not a Little like Danny, but I…” He tilted his head back and forth as if weighing it out.

“I can be kinky. But there’s so much more that I need besides the sex. Can you do that? All the real relationship stuff?”

It felt like I was on the witness stand.

I had to redirect.

“Skyler…Starting off our dating at Afterglow probably wasn’t the smartest thing for earning trust.” I hoped he would understand.

“I’m sorry. But I feel like we can do this. Do you need a good daddy, Skyler?”

Skyler bit that lower lip, and breathed out, “Yes.”

“Can I be your daddy then? If I can give you more than the sex?”

Danny burst through the door, loudly.

“So help me God, Skyler Liam Baldwin, if you say no, I will beat you to death.”

I was shocked, but Skyler burst out laughing, and so did Danny.

Then he circled Skyler’s desk and hugged him.

After a bit, they settled down.

“Sorry. Couldn’t help myself.” Danny shrugged.

Then they looked over at me.

I held up my hands in surrender.

“Fuck. Yes, okay.” He dropped the pen he’d been holding on his desk.

“Yes, you can, Daddy.”