Remington (The Theriot Family 1)

He looked at the ice cream and then at me. “Oh, yeah. Sure.”

“Or I can look around to see what else Remington has.”

“No, really. I shouldn’t eat all this.”

He snorted. “You have to deal with my brother, so you probably need every bite.”

“Did he send you here?” I asked.

“Yes. He asked me to stay with you until he returns.”

“So you’re not… involved in whatever’s going on tonight?”

“Fuck no. Remington won’t let me in on it. He thinks I’m still a kid.” Corbin scoffed as he got himself a spoon and dug it into the ice cream.

I knew we were basically the same age, but he seemed younger, probably because he hadn’t been forced to take on the responsibilities of life like I had, though in his case it sounded like no one was giving him the chance to prove himself. I wasn’t sure what I should say. I shouldn’t involve myself in Remington’s family issues. “I’m sure he’s trying to protect you.”

“I know that’s part of it,” Corbin said before digging in for another big scoop of ice cream. After he licked the spoon clean, he tapped it against his lips. “But it’s more that he doesn’t trust me.”

“Do you want to tell me why?”

Corbin studied me for a moment, then grinned. “Yeah, I do. I see why Remington likes talking to you.”

“Talking is not the reason we got together.”

Corbin grimaced. “I don’t want to think about my brother that way, but just so you know, he would never stay with a man as long as he has with you if he didn’t enjoy the time you spent together out of bed.”

Was that really true? I wasn’t going to let myself believe it. Remy had hired me. It wasn’t like he’d gone on a date with me and decided he really liked me. This was a professional arrangement.

However, it was true that he seemed to enjoy the moments when we lay in bed cuddling or chatted by the fireplace or read together, and the day he’d taken me around the city had been magical, even if he had worked from dawn to dusk almost every day after.

“Remington is a control freak,” Corbin said. “He thinks he has to be in charge of everybody and everything. I’m sure you’ve noticed.”

“I… um… I’ve noticed.” Heat filled my face as I thought about the ways Remington had shown me his need for control. I was a rent boy who blushed when I thought about sex. What the hell had I been thinking going along with my cousin’s scheme?

If Remington hadn’t come along when he had, God knows what would’ve happened to me. I was so fucking glad I’d had a chance to be with him. Even if I never saw him again after our time was up, he’d have given me an amazing two weeks and taught me what good sex was like, what real pleasure was all about.

“I don’t like being told what to do,” Corbin said. “So I haven’t always followed Remy’s orders precisely like he wanted me to. I fucked some things up, and yeah, my mama spoiled me. That doesn’t mean I can’t ever grow up, but no matter what I do, Remy won’t believe I have.”

I could see the pain in Corbin’s eyes, and I wished I could do something to make the situation between him and Remington better. I had a feeling they were both at fault, Remington for not allowing or accepting change in his brother and Corbin for not following directions. Something about Corbin’s protest that he had been trying his best to show Remington how mature he was felt overly defensive. I didn’t think he’d tried quite as hard as he wanted me to believe.

After a huge spoonful of ice cream, Corbin asked, “Have you got any tips for me about how to get through to him?”

“I’ve only known him a short time, so I…”

“He trusts you more than he trusts me.”

He had to be wrong. “What makes you think that?”

“He told you things about what’s going on tonight.”

I shook my head. “No details. I only know a little.”

“I have to fight for every bit of information from him. He gives me assignments, but he won’t tell me the full story about what’s going on.”

I felt ridiculous giving Corbin advice. He was my age for God’s sake, and I was hardly an example of how to succeed. Yes, I’d taken responsibility for my mom when she’d gotten sick, and I’d had a job since I was fifteen, but I’d still fucked up and ended up living in a filthy apartment with my cousin and three other guys I didn’t know, making money by selling myself on the streets.

“I need another drink if we’re going to keep having this conversation.”

Corbin frowned at my glass. “I don’t think lemonade is going to help.”