Page 31 of Too Good to Be True

Seth

T he next morning, I woke up to the sound of the kids’ voices coming from the kitchen. I slowly get up, still sleepy, and put my feet on the floor. I walk barefoot to the kitchen. It’s only when Rowan’s eyes lock with mine that I realise that last night had actually happened.

Oh my God.

I slept with my lawyer.

What about the case? Of the kids? My already fragile heart?

Could I be any stupider?

“Good morning, Uncle Seth,” Emily greets me. “Come and sit down. Rowan made pancakes pro… What do you call them?”

“Protein pancakes,” Rowan suggests before joining me. “But these are regular pancakes.” He hands me a cup, then gives me a mischievous smile. “There’s some for you too.”

“T-Thanks.”

He comes close to my ear. “Don’t panic, please.”

Easy for him. I was born to panic.

How can I stop now?

“I have to go,” he says, looking at his watch. “I’m already late.”

He walks away, leaving me lingering in his perfume. He picks up his jacket and briefcase and turns to the kids. “See you tonight.”

The kids wave to him as he walks past me again and pauses for a moment. It's clear he intends to give me both a heart attack and a panic attack. He leans in and whispers in a husky voice, “See you tonight.” To me, it sounds like a promise and ignites a thrill of pure lust within me.

I stand in the kitchen doorway for a few moments, the kids thankfully returning to their pancakes.

“I must... I forgot...” I slowly back away, joining Rowan on the landing before he descends the stairs.

“Hey, Mr Kennedy!” Rowan turns. “You’re not running off again, are you?”

“I have to go to the office. I got up late this morning.”

“Oh yeah? How come?”

He comes back to me, his hand on the wall above my head.

“I spent the night with a man.”

“Oh, really? I hope it was a… uhm… pleasant night.”

“The best of my life.”

“Really?”

“I can’t wait to come home to…”

Mr Yang’s door opens before Rowan can finish his sentence, and we both jump.

“Mr Yang… good morning…” I say nervously.

Mr Yang looks at me, then at Rowan, then crosses his arms over his chest.

“It’s not what you think,” Rowan says.

Mr Yang gives him a look that says more than a thousand words.

“Don’t mess around,” he says. “There are three children in there who need a home.”

We both nod, then Mr Yang walks past us to disappear down the stairs.

“I don’t think he likes me very much.”

“He’s very protective of all of us. He’s not mad at you.”

He’s just afraid that you’re like everyone else, I think, but I don’t say that to Rowan.

“I’d better go now.” Rowan trails off. “But I meant what I said.”

“Mmm?”

“I can’t wait to come home.”

“I’m working at the club tonight.”

“There’s always bedtime.”

My body reacts immediately to the thought.

“Or maybe I could stop by the club and say hello.”

I bite my lip, already too excited to spend a whole day thinking about him.

“Come whenever you want.”

Rowan laughs. I only realise my double meaning later.

“I’m a mess.”

“A mess I like more and more.”

WHEN I SEE HIM enter the club I immediately spill the two beers I was carrying to a table, and right onto me.

We are off to a great start.

“Hey,” Rowan smiles at me, his amused eyes shining in the club lights. He’s wearing just a shirt and trousers; no jacket and no tie.

“You arrived at one of my best moments,” he says.

He laughs and leans closer to my ear. “I brought someone with me.”

Only then do I realise that Paul and Vanessa are with him.

“When they heard I was dropping by the club, they wanted to join me. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all,” I reply, looking at him. “I like your friends.”

“And I like you,” he says.

I don’t have time to fully process his words before Paul and Vanessa join us.

“Hey there!” I greet them with a wave. “I’m not hugging you because, as you can see…” I gesture to myself. “I’m all wet.”

“Don’t worry!” Vanessa says with enthusiasm. “I love it here!”

I look around at the lights, the people, and the familiar, carefree atmosphere.

I love it here too.

“Why don’t you sit down? I’ll go change and be right back with you.”

I walk away towards the back while they take a seat at a table. I reach into my locker in search of a spare pair of shorts when his hands grab me by the hips. My whole body recognises them, as if it has only been touched by them for its entire existence.

“Couldn’t you wait?”

His mouth on my neck, his erection pressing against my buttocks.

“Are you kidding? I thought I wouldn’t make it to tonight.”

His hands move up my chest, then up to my neck.

I turn my head to the side, Rowan captures my mouth in a powerful, demanding kiss that almost throws me off balance.

I lean back against him, my back against his chest, his hand on my throat, his tongue creeping into my mouth, greedy and needy, my body melting in his hands.

“Wow.” I turn in his arms. “That’s a proper kiss, Mr Kennedy."

“Consider it an advance.”

I tilt my head, curious.

“I can't wait to have you in my arms again.”

A thrill of pure lust shakes me.

“Good job, Mr Kennedy. Tell me, now, how do I get these shorts off?”

Rowan looks down, then laughs.

“Get away from me, or I won’t be able to change.”

“Can I stay and watch?”

“If you don’t stop saying such things, I will be forced to cut them off.”

Rowan laughs again, then slowly walks away towards the door. “You’re hot as hell.”

“Get back to the others before they realise what is happening.”

“I’ll wait for you.”

“I will be with you as soon as…” I point to my still rather happy erection. “As soon as I can.”

“ARE YOU TELLING me that the uniforms and costumes are all your doing?” Vanessa asks.

I blush to the tips of my ears. “Oh, well… You know, I do my best.”

“Don’t be modest! I can’t even sew on a button!”

I look at Rowan for help. Compliments don’t exactly put me at ease. Rowan lays his hand on the back of the chair behind me, his thumb gently stroking my back.

“He’s great. You haven’t seen the dress he sewed for Emily for the end-of-year school play.”

“Did she show you?” I ask, my hand on my face. “Oh my God!”

“She was proud of it.”

“You make what I do seem special.”

“Because it is.”

His eyes lock onto mine for a few moments.

“Do you think we’re in the way?” Paul asks Vanessa, making us laugh.

“Since when do you worry about such things?” Rowan asks him, then sipping his drink, which fortunately I didn’t prepare. I went on break so I could spend some time with them.

“Why don’t we go dancing?” Vanessa stands up.

“Dancing?” Paul imitates her. “Why not. You, what do you do?” He looks at us both.

Rowan turns to me.

“You know I don’t mind. It’s up to you. If you don’t feel like it…”

He smiles at me before taking my hand. “Let’s go.”

“Are you sure?”

He stands up. “I have no problem dancing with you, Seth.”

“OK.” I follow him down the track, behind Paul and Vanessa. He turns me around in his arms, then wraps me up and draws me to him. “Please don’t tell me you’re good at this too!”

He laughs, then his forehead rests against mine.

“Kiss me.”

A shiver runs down my spine.

“Do you want to kiss me now?”

“Do I look like I have a problem with that?”

“Your friends are here.”

Rowan lets go of his grip on my hips, his hands on my face. His eyes move to my mouth. “I feel like kissing you. I don’t care about anything else. Do you?”

Me?

I’m in love. Totally. With you. I don’t think I had any hope from the first moment. I knew it would happen, and yet, I still fell for it; in fact, I dove right in, headfirst, without a restraining net.

I’m crazy about my lawyer. And I’m desperate for him to feel the same way.

“Seth?”

“Kiss me, Mr Kennedy.”

He smiles on my lips, before I tilt my head and he devours me, in one of those movie kisses that make you blush to the bone, but make you tremble and yearn and fly.

And I’m doing it.

I’m flying.

And I’m doing it holding his hand.

I CLOSE THE DOOR and turn my back. His heavy breathing in the dark takes the last shred of reason left. Rowan turns and presses his body against mine, causing me to let out a little cry of pure excitement.

“You’re killing me.” His voice scratched from alcohol and laughter, mixed with the night's excitement and his suppressed desire. “You’ve been doing it all night.” His hands on my neck, turning my face towards him as his mouth captures mine in another one of those mind-blowing kisses.

His tongue slips in, his fingers gently squeezing, my moan sliding down his throat.

“I just wanted to touch you…” I tilt my head to the side, his teeth branding my neck.

“Mr Yang will wake up at any moment,” I warn him, before we are the ones to wake him up and give him a heart attack.

“And I’ve been drinking,” he says, wincing. “We shouldn’t. Not like this.” He lets go of me and takes a step back. “But God, I do want to.”

I bite my lower lip.

“My senses are muffled and clouded. I don’t want to do something wrong.”

“Wrong, how to sleep with your client again?”

He comes closer again, his hands open on my face, my eyes searching his for something that, until yesterday, was not there but now presses and begs to come to light.

“Like doing something that can hurt you.”

“You are such a nice guy."

“Not so much, so please,” He pushes me away playfully. “Get away from me. You are deleterious.”

I laugh.

“I enjoyed this evening.”

I sigh. Me too, and too much.

“I’d better sleep in the armchair tonight.”

“There is no need.”

“I don’t know if I can control myself if you are so close to me.”

“I’ll take my chances, Mr Kennedy.” I try to pull away, but Rowan holds me back for a few moments, fingers reaching for mine, that gentle, familiar caress, the anticipation, the desire to look into each other’s eyes tomorrow morning and find out it really happened.

“Are you sure?”

“I feel like sleeping in your arms.”

I let go of his hand and then watch him walk away into the darkness of the house. His light footsteps on the floor, his scent lingering in the air we have just shared.

“I’ll wait for you in bed.”