Page 39 of The Devil’s Detail (The Greystone Family: Greystone Brothers #2)

Jackson

He must hop on the next plane home, as I’m meeting a client in the Daisy Cafe the next day when Carter calls and says he’s home and can we meet.

I call Evie as soon as I’ve hung up the phone.

“He’s back in LA, and on his way to meet me at the Daisy Cafe.

” I can hear the panic in my own voice. What the fuck is wrong with me?

I’m a forty-one-year-old man. Loads of relationships behind me, in all shapes and sizes. And I’ve already said yes to him.

“Chill, brother. It’s just coffee. What can happen at the Daisy Cafe?” she asks with a laugh in her voice. “It’s certainly a venue for excitement. I might talk Kell and Xan into a date night there. Should be fun, if you’re anything to go by.”

“Stop taking the piss. What should I do, though? He wants to date, not have sex. I’ve never dated a man.” I hear the groan in her voice. As if I’m a five-year-old.

“Well look, it’s just a drink of coffee. I’m sure whatever the gender, it doesn’t matter. A get-to-know-you chat is just that. A clear-the-air chat is also just that.”

“You, better than anyone, know that is not true. You went for a clear-the-air chat with Kell and look what happened to you.” My voice is rising in a bit of panic.

It’s a good job I’m on my own, the client having gone to the toilets.

“Look, I better go. This guy is coming back and I’ll just hang here and wait for Carter.

How hard can that be? I’ll just have to contain myself til we get home. ”

“You’re supposed to be taking it slowly. No funny business on a first date, Jackson. Don’t you know the rules?” She’s serious about it.

“Rules, shmules. I’ll follow your rules, Kitten. I.e., no fucking rules. See you tomorrow, baby sis.”

“Jacks—” I cut her off, laughing, and declining all the ring backs she does as my latest client comes back out to sit at the table.

I’m just agreeing to terms with Ron, my latest sign-up, when Carter rocks up, looking a million dollars and every inch a fucking movie star. I have to try and not let my jaw go slack as he confidently strides in. He is on it.

Cocky, gunslinger stride, straight out of one of his western movies.

Every eye in the small café zeroes in on him, and he isn’t even trying.

I can tell the moment they realise who it is.

They were initially just looking at him, as his charisma hits them before reality.

The noise level goes up. It’s a reaction I’m well familiar with.

It’s the same with my brothers-in-law and my nephews, although my nephews are usually followed by screams.

I wonder what he’s going to do. I wonder what I’m going to do. But I find myself pushing out of my seat to greet him. Ron, the client I’m just signing up, is staring up at Carter and me as we stand nose to nose in the tiny café.

“Hey, Jackson. Good to see you, sugar.” Carter’s standard greeting.

His hand comes out to be shook, but I can see his eyes roving over every inch of my face. I shake his hand. But caress my thumb slightly over his skin.

His eyes widen, but he still manages to calmly say, “Shall I join you? Or are you still talkin’ business.

” He then looks at Ron. “Hey, I’m Carter.

” He holds out his hand to Ron, who also has gone for the slack-jawed and wide-eyed look.

Clearly the celebrity status has rubbed off on him.

He’s looking starstruck, and slightly bewildered.

“C- Car- Carter Maywood. Wow. Um, I’m Ron. Please, sit with us. We just finished up.” Ron stumbles out his polite invitation, and I smile and tilt my head at Carter, encouraging him to accept.

I can see that Carter doesn’t need asking twice, but puts on a good show of trying not to intrude.

“I don’t want to impose, honey. I have some business to attend to with Jackson, but I can wait my turn. He’s a popular guy. You’re in safe hands with whatever you need him for.” He blasts Ron with his movie star smile.

And I now see the difference. When I compare this smile to the one I watched bloom on his face the other day on FaceTime to me, the contrast is stark. It’s like night and day. I feel the hairs lift on my arms as I think about it.

I catch Carter watching me and do a double take, giving him a come and fuck me look as I hold his stare. He’s struggling to keep a coherent conversation going with Ron as he sits next to me. And when he pushes his muscular thigh into mine, I practically sigh.

Ron’s jabbering about how much he and his kids love Carter and his latest film. Carter is lapping up the attention as usual. But I see the polite movie star facade. I hear the platitudes, and the well-rehearsed one liners—the amazing but superficial conversation that Carter verbally spills out.

How different he is from the man I walked on the beach with, the man who I did yoga with.

The man I made dinner for. I see it all so clearly.

The difference is there in black and white terms. I realise he’s shown me the man, not the actor.

He’s trusted me with Carter, and I’m hooked.

I need to see more, I want more. I want more of Carter.

“Shall I order us a coffee?” he politely asks us all.

Ron is looking from Carter to me and back again. God knows what he sees, but he shakes his head and grins at me.

“No, I’ll head out. Thanks, Jackson. I’ll sign the contracts tomorrow and email them over.”

“You don’t have to leave on my account, sugar. I’m happy to hang on if you still need Jackson,” Carter drawls out.

“No, it’s fine, Carter. And thanks for the advice about my girl. I’ll get her enrolled in that acting school.” Ron is nodding and smiling like a fool. The hard-headed business mogul reduced to mush.

“I’ll have tickets to a premier, if you think she’d be interested,” Carter offers, blowing my contract terms into the sky. Ron’ll sign just for that.

“Well, yes, that would be incredible. I’ll win dad of the year if you can swing that.” Ron’s all breathless at the prospect.

“Sure, sugar. Can I get your details from Jackson? I’ll get my people on it for you.”

“Ye-yes, that’s great.” Ron stands and I stand with him.

“Look, Ron, if you get home and have a change of heart about our contract, there’s a cooling off period.

I’m sure Carter will still get you the tickets even if you decide not to go ahead with my company.

Isn’t that right, Carter?” I look at Carter and his face has blanched.

He thinks he’s overstepped the mark. He covers it well, though, and I see the A-list face back in play.

“Gawd, of course, honey. Your girl will be going no matter what you decide, Ron. No pressure, man.” He waves his hands around expressively, like it’s all just no big deal.

Ron and I shake hands again and he leaves, but not without one more peek back at Carter as he walks out the door.

“Am I in trouble already? I didn’t think, I just bulldozed in. Don’t spank me too hard, baby. I swear I can behave.”

I focus on his face, and although I see the jokey exterior, I also see and hear the panic underneath. Instead of responding, I point to some sofas in the corner. “Shall we sit there? They look more comfortable.”

He looks into my face, which is totally impassive, and sighs. “Okay. Whatever you want, baby.” He sounds so resigned, I almost break cover and smirk at his behaviour.

It takes an age to get to the sofas, he’s besieged even in the tiny cafe.

Signs autographs, and does a few photos.

But Ash comes over and asks everyone if they can wait to take pictures until they’re leaving.

Carter smiles his professional smile, but that worried look is still in his eyes over thirty minutes later when we finally plonk onto the seats, next to each other.

“Is this always going to be the same?” I ask with no emotion in my voice, my face is stoic.

He blows a big breath out, and hangs his head backwards, closing his eyes as he does.

His leg presses into mine, and I can feel the heat pouring off of him.

I take in the column of his throat, the cut of his jawline as his head is laid backwards.

His collarbones peeking out from under his T-shirt.

I can’t take my eyes off him. I’m panting, and I want to bite that fucking throat.

Run my tongue over those collarbones. Lick that jawline.

I’m not sure if my body is calling his, but he opens his eyelids, and turns his deep ocean blue-green eyes on me. My panting stops, as all the breath is knocked from my body. It feels like a physical punch. His tongue runs over his full lips as he continues to stare at me, staring at him.

“Fuck, Jackson, if you keep that up, we won’t even finish a coffee date.

” He shutters his eyes from mine, saying, “I’m so sorry.

I never thought about your contract with the man.

I’m fuckin’ sorry, baby.” His voice is low and husky.

My balls tingle and my cock starts to throb, hardening behind my zipper.

“It’s fine, Carter. I never said it to embarrass you. I just needed Ron to think about it. And he’d lost the plot, you’d reeled him in. You don’t even know you’re doing it. It’s just who you are.” I stop for a beat and then say. “A bit like me, now.”

I hear the intake of breath. His eyes regarding me as I smirk at him. “You fucker. You play too good a game. I thought my goose was cooked. I thought you were going to tell me to fuck off.” His voice is lazy, a hazy summer day.

I raise an eyebrow at him. “You can’t read me? You can’t read when I want to kiss those fucking lips. Bite that jaw you’ve just shown me, and lick every ounce of sweat from that throat.”

He gasps out and pushes his legs closer to mine. I can feel the muscles cutting into me. Clearly Ash has kept up their regimen even in London.

“You can’t see how hard my cock is for you?” I brush his hand with mine, and every nerve ending in my body fires to life. “You can’t see if you said the word, I’d take your cock out and suck it in front of this whole coffee shop? Because I wouldn’t be able to stop myself. You don’t see that?”

He shakes his head. But I see the fire in the eyes. His breathing, fast and shallow. His pulse pounding at his neck.

I reach up as if he’s magnetic, brushing my fingers across his smooth skin. Touching the pounding pulse. “Just there, that is where I want my tongue.” My voice is a growl now. And I feel him shiver.

“Jackson, I—” he can’t get any more words out. Fanfuckingtastic.

“I see you, Carter Maywood.”

His face takes on a panicked look, as if that’s a bad thing. I hold my hand up, but then take his in mine. It’s the first touch we’ve had like this. I arc my body round towards him, my knee practically hemming in one of his legs, and I can see his hard-on behind his jeans.

“I see you, Carter Maywood. I watched you with Ron.” Again his face takes on the fear and panicked look.

He thinks I’m annoyed with him about it, but I’m not.

“I watched you with him, with everyone here.” I sweep my arm out towards the kitschy surroundings.

“I watched your face, your body, every movement you made. I listened to your voice—how you spoke, what you said, and how you said it.” Again he’s looking uncomfortable.

I can see him going over the conversations in his head, thinking if he’s said anything controversial.

“But I never saw you, Carter. Just Carter. I saw the actor, I saw the celebrity. The guy, the dude, the coolest actor on this fucking planet. But I never saw you, not once.” His eyes are wide, he’s going to go blue if he holds his breath any longer.

I put my finger to his lips. His tongue flicks out, and I feel like he just battery charged my heart. My cock responds with a simultaneous throb. Oh Christ.

“I realise now how much of yourself you gave me. You gave me Carter. In a way, you’ve always given me Carter.

Not the actor, the man. I fucking love that you did.

I want him—that is the Carter I always want.

The Carter from home. I see him, and I fucking love him.

He’s different from this Carter. He’s wild, funny, caring. He’s just… you.”

Tears have sprung to his eyes. And I smile at him, shielding him from view of the café goers. Blocking out the world, so it’s just us two.

“What if I have to be Carter Maywood, actor? Will you hate me for it?”

I grin, and huff out a laugh. “No, I like him as well. He makes me laugh. As long as he’s not touching up other men when I’m there, go for it. I love that he’s loud, and living it large. The louder and more out there the better. I love that he’s a diva.”

He looks gobsmacked. Totally floored by my saying that. “I thought you hated the spotlight, the antics.”

“It’s not the spotlight itself that I don’t like.

It’s all the circus around it. But I’ve decided to manage it.

If I can't, no one can. I’ll tell you if I’m struggling.

But I want to be with you. I want every fucking facet of you.

Him, you, me. I have to be Jackson, security guy at times, and will still be telling you off.

But you’ll probably love that more. I’ll think of things to do to you, as a punishment, if he gets out of control. ”

His tongue is hanging out of his head. His eyes are popping out of his face. “I think he can be very bad. Very, very bad. But know this, in the bedroom, I’m always topping. I told you this before, and I wasn’t joking,” Carter growls into my shoulder.

“We’ll see.” I smirk before changing tact totally, saying lightly, “Are we getting coffee and cakes?”

“No we’re fuckin’ not. I’ve got Victoria sponge at home, just for you, baby. I hope you kiss on the first date. I wanna get to first base.” His eyebrows accompany the words, bobbing up and down like a wayward cock.

“I don’t know if I’m that fast. I don’t want to be too easy.” I bat my lashes at him, widening my big brown eyes, and I can see he’s lost the plot.

“Darlin’, I’m the easiest lay you’ll get all year. I’m a sure thing where you’re concerned. But only you. Only. You.” He nods his head emphatically towards me.

I stand, pulling him up with me. “Let’s go home. Your place or mine?” I grin as I ask it, almost certain what he’s going to say.

“Mine, honey. It’s closer.”

Don’t know what I was worried about. This first date shit is easy, man. Who needs coffee and cake when you’re hook, line, and sinker