Page 31 of Shaken and Stirred (Bottle Service Boys #1)

RYDER

After serving drinks until two a.m., coming my brains out on Alex’s tongue, and jerking him until he flooded my hand, you’d think I’d have passed out the second I got home.

Instead, I’d laid flat on my back, staring at the ceiling for an hour, tense.

My skin felt sensitive and irritated, as though I’d developed an allergy to sleeping under my father’s roof.

The thought of spending another night there had me wanting to scream, so I got up, grabbed my laptop, and searched for apartments until the sun came up.

As soon as the business offices opened at eight, I called my top five and decided to rent one right then and there.

Tonight, I’d sleep in my own apartment in a building my father did not own.

At some point, I would have to speak to him.

I couldn’t expect to avoid him forever, but today wasn’t the day.

I needed some time to determine the best way to approach the conversation and assert myself in a way he’d accept and respect.

I didn’t really think he’d cut me off. My mother would have a fit if he tried, but on the off chance he did, my bank accounts were fat enough to sustain me for years, thanks to investments I’d made once I turned eighteen from money my grandparents left to me.

I didn’t plan on running into Alex today, but what a fun surprise.

Helpful too. Corvin and I had been friends for years.

Sure, we’d hooked up two or three times when we’d met, but he wasn’t my usual type, and I wasn’t into him in that way.

Unfortunately, he felt differently and had expressed his desire for a repeat performance a few times since I’d returned home.

Turning him down gently didn’t seem to be working.

Maybe it was shitty of me, but I hoped he finally got the message after I asked Alex to join me while I signed the lease.

And if I played my cards right, maybe we could get each other off again.

After putting my car in park, I pressed my hand over my cock, which had been half-hard from the second I glimpsed Alex in the restaurant.

Feeling his gaze flick my way every few seconds hadn’t helped the situation, and I’d had to walk away from the table, holding my winter hat over my crotch.

The move didn’t fool Trevor for a second—Corvin either by the crushed look in his eyes.

I sighed. That did the trick, and my cock deflated. At some point in the near future, I’d have to endure an uncomfortable conversation with my friend.

Alex pulled his old beater in next to me. He climbed out of his car with the same sour expression I now realized was his thinking face.

“You good?” I called out as I opened my door.

“Yeah.” He glanced up at the brand-new luxury apartment building. “Place looks fancy.”

I shrugged. “I guess.” It looked normal to me. Rarely did I think of things in terms of fancy or not. “Let’s go in. The leasing agent is going to meet us in the apartment.”

He craned his neck and looked up. “How many floors is it?”

“Sixteen, I think. There is everything from studios to three bedrooms. The top two floors have penthouses.”

He frowned. “Ryder, which floor are we going to?” The suspicion in his tone had me glancing his way, and his deep frown made me chuckle.

The guy was clearly out of his element, and I had no idea why I found his discomfort so endearing. I winked. “Guess,” I said as I strode toward the entrance.

“Shit,” he whispered, hustling to catch up to me. “Maybe I should just go. I don’t really fit in here or know how to talk to all these fancy people.”

I stopped and spun around on the spot. Alex would have crashed into me, but I put a hand on his chest, halting his progress.

“First of all,” I said, shaking my head.

“You work at Top Shelf. You deal with fancy people four nights a week.” Then I curled my fingers into his puffy jacket and pulled him so close I could smell his fresh aftershave and feel the heat coming off his face.

“Second, I got hard just sitting next to you at lunch, and I suspect you did as well. I plan on doing something about it right after I sign the lease and kick the agent out the door. Don’t make me take care of this alone,” I whispered as I thrust my re-awakened dick against his leg.

“Christ,” he bit out, squeezing his eyes shut. “You play dirty.”

“Mmm, I do a lot of things dirty.”

His nostrils flared as his eyes opened, so dark and stormy with lust, I almost shoved my hand into his pants right there.

“All right, I’ll come… go,” he said as though realizing I’d run with that slip. Then he reached down and adjusted himself. “Just… shut the fuck up, or I’m going to scar the leasing agent for life.” He shoved me away as he spoke.

My head fell back as I laughed. The times Alex joked were my favorite, especially when he did it in that growly tone. I caught a peek at the noticeable bulge in his worn jeans and swallowed hard. My dick responded in kind. Maybe his jokes were my second favorite thing.

“Let’s go,” I said as I turned back to the entrance. This was going to be the fastest apartment tour and lease signing in history.

We rode the elevator to the sixteenth floor in silence, standing on opposite sides of the ascending box.

I could see him clearly in the elevator’s mirrored doors.

He stood stiff in his spine and those fucking jeans with his legs slightly spread.

His eye smoldered, and he breathed low and deep as though working to control his inhalations.

Around floor eight, he reached for his denim-covered dick, massaging himself through his jeans.

I groaned. “Fucking tease.”

He smirked and continued to fondle himself until the elevator beeped at the penthouse floor. The doors required a code to open at this level, so I keyed in the four-digit guest code given by the leasing agent, making sure to rattle off the numbers for Alex to hear. Never know when he’d need it.

“After you,” I said, gesturing as the door slid open.

He grunted a half-laugh. “Don’t trust me behind you?” he asked as he strode past.

“I do. I just want to stare at your ass while I imagine all the things I want to do to it,” I whispered, which made him stumble.

“Oh my goodness.” A petite blonde woman with a sharply angled bob and lavender power suit rushed our way. “Are you okay, sir? Did you trip on something?”

I couldn’t help but laugh as Alex scowled my way.

Payback was a bitch.

“No, ma’am, I’m fine. Just clumsy.” His face turned as red as the stripe in my Burberry scarf.

“You must be, Charlotte. I’m Ryder.” I stepped forward with my hand outstretched to put the poor guy out of his misery, especially since I was the one to cause his embarrassment. No way would I risk pissing him off and jeopardizing my orgasm.

“Yes, hello, Ryder. So nice to meet you.” She shook my hand, having short, manicured nails that matched her suit.

“Likewise.” I gestured to Alex. “This is a coworker and friend of mine, Alex.”

He stepped forward to shake her hand with a nod, then returned to my side. It was nice having him there. It felt nice not to have to sign the lease alone, but also having his presence by my side.

I liked it.

“I know you said you’re all in and prepared to sign the lease and pay the security deposit and first month’s rent today, but let me give you a tour before we get to that, just in case.

” She chuckled a light, tinkly laugh. “Trust me, it’s much easier to change your mind now rather than after we’ve signed.

So, follow me.” She turned and click-clacked her way down the hall in beige, heeled boots.

I nearly groaned out loud. All I wanted was to sign the damn thing and send Charlotte on her way so Alex and I could get down to business.

He must have sensed my urgency because he snorted a laugh. “Chill,” he muttered too low for Charlotte to overhear. “You’re going to live here. You need to at least look at the place. And I’m not going anywhere. You made me some promises I plan to collect on.”

“Well, if you’re going to be all logical and mature about it…” I strode after Charlotte with the sound of Alex’s dark chuckle at my back.

“Holy shit,” he muttered as we turned left into a spacious kitchen. “This is insane.”

White marble countertops, rows of light gray cabinets, and gleaming Wolf appliances greeted us.

Everything screamed brand new, never used, and costly.

The space was modern with clean lines and an airy feel.

The kitchen opened on one end to a dining area with a six-person wooden table surrounded by windows with a gorgeous view of the snowy city far below.

The opposite end of the kitchen flowed into a sprawling den with a massive television, tan leather sofa, and roaring electric fireplace.

The vibe was completely different from my parents’ ornate look, which included dark wood, heavy furniture, and patterned wallpaper.

I loved it.

“This place is insane.” Alex’s eyes were twice their normal size as he did a slow turn, taking it all in.

“It’s perfect.”

He snorted. “This kitchen is humongous. Do you even cook?”

That had Charlotte and me laughing. “No, do you?”

He nodded. “Some.”

Huh. I never would have guessed.

“But never in a place a quarter as nice as this. My whole kitchen could fit in that refrigerator.”

I glanced at where he pointed. Yeah, the Sub-Zero refrigerator was quite large.

“And look at that fucking television.” He cringed. “Sorry. That freaking television.”

“That’s quite all right. The place is incredible and requires a strong reaction.” Charlotte chuckled, seeming charmed by Alex’s awe.

“Now you’re going to want to get a TV that big to go there,” he said, shaking his head.

Charlotte glanced down at her notebook. “Didn’t you say you were interested in the furnished option?” she asked.

I nodded. “Yes, I am.”

“Then the apartment comes with everything you see, television included.”