Page 44 of The Pretender

He turns to me, his cheeks pinking slightly as he forces a smile to his face. “Nothing. Just deciding what I want to get.”

“Don’t lie, Deo,” Brogan says, pushing Deo’s arm. “Balt’s your man. Doesn’t he know?”

“Know what?”

Deo looks irritated with his cousin now, giving them a sharp look. He purses his lips as he shakes his head. “Nothing important.”

I tilt my head. “Brogan’s right, Deo.” I use my best authoritative voice. “You shouldn’t keep secrets from me. Tell me what’s going on.”

Deo’s cheeks flush a deeper shade as his lips part. “Um, funds are…”

“Oh.” I chuckle. “Is that all? Babe, come on. I got you. It’s the least I can do.”

“I don’t want you to do that.”

“What?” Brogan exclaims. “Are we even related? Your man wants to spoil you and you’re going to pick right now to be an independent man?”

“Stop it,” Deo hisses.

“Could you give us a moment, Brogan, please?”

Brogan nods, blowing Deo a kiss before they walk to the front of the store. Once we’re alone, I gesture for Deo to come closer and settle in a nearby chair.

“Balt, I don’t think?—”

“Deo, come on.” I tug on his wrist until he plops onto my lap. “Let me do this for you. You saved my ass by letting me stay here. I can afford it and I want to.”

He searches my eyes. “You can afford it, so you could afford to go anywhere. You could stay at a nice hotel or travel to an amazing city. Why me and why Madison?”

I don’t want to lie to him, but it’s necessary if I want to keep him and his family safe. I decide on a version of the truth.

“Have you ever wanted to run away? Just disappear for a little while you got your head together? Become a different person, even if it’s just temporary?”

Deo slowly nods with a thoughtful expression. “I guess so, yeah.”

“Sure, I could go somewhere else, and maybe I will once you get tired of me.”

Deo chuckles.

“But right now, this is perfect.” I gently pinch his chin. “I’m enjoying my time with you and your family and experiencing a city so different from the one I live in. If I was your man in real life, you’d never pay for anything again. Let me do this.”

Deo purses his lips before dragging his hand down my chest. “It sounds nice, it does. There’s just one problem. When you’re gone, the bar will be raised. I’ve never had a guy pay for more than dinner or a drink. I shouldn’t get used to it.”

“Why don’t we focus on the moment? It’s not like we’re going shopping every day.”

“That’s true.”

“Will you let me spoil you, Deo? Just a little bit?”

A shy smile tugs at his lips. “Okay. Just a little bit. Maybe I can find a non-monetary way to show you how thankful I am.” His tone slips into something far more sultry. “Would you like that, lover?”

I nod, swallowing hard as my dick swells between us. “You are so sexy.”

His smile blooms now as he slides off my lap, slightly grinding his perfect ass into me as he does so. “So are you.”

“Gag,” Brogan calls out. “Are you two done?”

I chuckle as I stand, hoping the current situation between my legs isn’t too obvious. “I need to try my things on.”