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“Sam.”
“Please, don’t.” Sam held up a hand. “Not now, Jesse.”
Sam just wanted to get out of the kitchen, to escape and forget that this day had even happened. Seeing Brett had only reminded Sam how big a loser he was. He’d opened his shop with his father’s money, lived rent-free in a townhouse his father had paid for, and drove a BMW that his father had purchased for him.
That was the very definition of loser. Hell, if Gloria hadn’t walked into Pandora’s Box one day and gone gaga over the things in there, asking Sam if he needed any employees, he knew his shop would have gone under.
That had been two years ago. He and Gloria had become fast friends, and Sam wasn’t sure what he would do without her. Not just because she had an amazing business sense but because she was genuine and never held back her affection for him.
Affection Sam had been craving his entire life. She was so open and honest, uncaring what people thought of her, and Sam had been drawn to her free spirit.
“What Gloria told me—”
Sam slammed his hand on the granite. “I just said I don’t want to talk about this! Why can’t you leave it alone? Why are you trying to push me into talking?”
That was the crux of Sam’s problem. Someone was always trying to push him past his comfort zone, and he hated that with a passion. Why couldn’t people accept him for who he was? Why did they feel the need to control him?
“I was just going to say that I didn’t care.” Jesse’s jaw clenched. “I’m not trying to push you to talk. You can stand there and be silent, if that’s what you want. I’d never force you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable, Sam. All I’m trying to say is that there is nothing wrong with how you like sex.”
“I don’t do it with the lights off and missionary.” Sam turned away from Jesse because he couldn’t look at him while he talked and couldn’t believe he was even confessing something so personal to a complete stranger. “I just don’t want to be tied up or whipped.”
Jesse gave a low growl, which Sam ignored. “And Brett tried to force you to submit to him?”
Sam frowned. He never thought of it that way. He just thought Brett was pushy and demanding when Sam wasn’t willing to give in to some things. “I guess.” He spun back around and planted his palms on the counter. “All my life people have been bending me to their will. My father, my brothers, my boyfriends. I’m sick and tired of everyone thinking they know what’s best for me, like I don’t have a brain.”
“And now I’m injected into your life, forcing you to do what I say because I was hired to keep you safe.”
“I…” Sam blew out a deep breath as his anger fled. “That’s different. You’re just doing your job, protecting me from whoever wants to abduct me. Believe it or not, I know the difference. You’re not trying to impose your will on me. You’re just trying to keep me safe.”
“My only priority.”
Why did those words sting? Sam shouldn’t be attracted to a shifter. He shouldn’t want Jesse to hold him and tell him that everything was going to be okay. Sam had worked hard at his shop. His goal had been to make enough money to get out from under Malcolm’s thumb, to be financially independent so no one had control over him.
Hell, Sam wasn’t even looking to become rich. He just wanted to be able to pay his bills and have money left over to do what he wanted. He would be more than willing to find another place to live, one where he could afford the rent, but he wasn’t at his goal yet.
So he had to do what Malcolm asked of him. Sam loved his father, but he hated when Malcolm barked orders at him, as if Sam was another one of his employees.
“Why don’t we take this food into the living room and watch a movie?”
“That would be nice, but you’re not taking control of my remote,” Sam teased. “I don’t like horror movies.”
Jesse gaped at him. “A demon who doesn’t like horror movies?”
Sam glanced away. He knew he was different and hated to have that pointed out.
“Just teasing you,” Jesse said. “I’m not a fan of them, either.”
“You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”
Jesse arched a brow. “Is it working?”
“It might be.” Sam loaded their food onto individual plates and carried them to the living room while Jesse brought their drinks. “Action or suspense?”
“Gentleman’s choice.”
After setting the plates down and grabbing the remote, Sam settled on an action movie with a lot of explosions, car chases, and military men who should have been on a calendar.
He’d settled on one end of the couch while Jesse sat on the other end. Gloria had been right about one thing. There was no way Jesse could be ignored. Sam felt his presence the entire time, like a soft caress over his skin. Sam glanced at him then quickly looked away. Jesse sat back into the deep couch, his feet touching the floor. That was how tall he was. Sam always had to tuck his legs under him because if he sat back his feet would dangle.
