“No need,”I replied before I could stop myself.“I can help.”
Tristan’s gaze tracked me as I crossed to him, his brow quirking as if he wasn’t sure he’d heard me right. Reaching him, I gripped the edge of the door, careful to avoid touching his hand. I still hadn’t quite recovered from the way my heart had raced at the briefest touch yesterday when I took my coffee from him.
“You sure? It’s a heavy door. I don’t want you to hurt yourself,”Tristan said, a hint of what I thought was concern lacing his tone.
“I’m sure, Bug.”
He snorted.“Thatnickname’s sticking, huh? I kinda like it. It’s cute.”
I narrowed my eyes on him.“It’s not meant to be cute. It’s meant to remind youthatyou’re nothing but an annoying insect to me.”
His grin widened.“Sure, sure. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were flirting with me.”
Before I could stop myself, my free hand whipped out and wrapped around his throat. To my frustration, the smirk didn’t disappear from his lips.“What the fuck is wrong with you? I’m not fucking flirting with you, I’m not into men.”Flashes of memories from my past burst into my head like a firework display. I quickly extinguished them with the black hole I perpetually lived in. Releasing his throat, I took a step back, craving airthatwasn’t polluted with his scent.“Do you want my help or not?”
Fucking finally, the smirk fell from his lips, yet amusement still sparkled in his eyes.“You’re notreallya people person, are you?”
I released my grip on the door, prepared to leave him to figure out how to hang it on his own.“I swear to fucking God, Bug-”
His hand whipped out and grabbed my arm; his touch sending a path of fire along my skin, and I instantly regretted rolling my sleeves up earlier.“Okay, chill, dude. I wasjustmessing, I’m sorry. I couldreallydo with your help.”
My jaw clenched as I scowled back at him, seconds away from reprimanding him for calling me dude yet again. Instead, I nodded, indicating for him to tell me what he needed me to do.
Surprisingly, when Tristan stopped pissing around, he wasverygood at his job.
Patient too.
He learned quicklythatI didn’t have a bone in my bodythatknew how to do DIY, and he didn’t mock me when I kept holding the door at the wrong angle or when I said the incorrect name for one of his tools.
His patience was needed, particularly when he moved on to screwing the lower hinges in place. He’d crouched down sothathis head was level with my cock, and my brain decidedthatwas the ideal opportunity to create an image of Tristan on his knees as I fucked his throat.
It had taken all my effort not to drop the door and storm out so I could drink bleach to remove the image from my head. Instead, I shuffled awkwardly, trying to convince my boner to deflate and hoping like hellthathe didn’t notice it.
If he did, he was good enough not to mention it.
“All done,”he said, standing and grabbing the handle to open and close the door a few times, checking his work.“We make a good team.”
His grin was back on his face, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to wipe it off or tell him to never stop smiling; hereallywas breathtaking.
With monumental effort, I tore my gaze away from his mouth.“Right. Well, I’d best get back to work.”
“Thanks for your help,”he replied. I started to turn, but paused when he spoke again.“Before you go, Mr. McScroodge, there was something I wanted to ask you.”Curious, I faced him again, my brow raised.“I have something planned for tomorrow evening, and I was wondering if you’d mind me finishing an hour early. I’m ahead of schedule anyway, but I can stay another hour tonight to make up for it, or-”
“No.”
His eyes widened as if the simple word had stung him.“Dude, come on. I’ve worked my ass off these last few days, I haven’t taken any breaks-”
I narrowed my gaze.“Youseemto be under the impressionthatyou’re doing me a favor. Have you forgottenthatthe only reason you’re here is because you broke into my house and smashed the place up?”
He looked away, a flush covering his cheeks, and for the first time since meeting him, there was genuine remorse in his tone.“No, I haven’t forgotten.”
“Good. I’m glad you remember your place.”
His head whipped back to me, the flush on his cheeks deepening.“You know, if you weren’t such an asshole, you might actually have friends.”
“What makes you think I want friends?”
He scoffed.“Sorry, for a moment there, I forgot who I was talking to. Of course, you’re happy to go through life being insufferable and lording your money over people. Heaven forbid you admitthatyou’rejusta lonely, sad man.”
