He Shelved My Designs, Then Crashed Into My Bed novel · Chapter 17 of 24
Chapter 17: Interest in Kind
"Stay where?" Ward said.
"Here." Rett held out a hand. "On the floor."
"Rett, it's two in the morning."
"I know what time it is."
The shop floor was swept clean and strewn with canvas drop cloths from the afternoon's finishing.
Rett took Ward's hand and led him down to them.
They knelt face to face on the soft heavy canvas, in the pool of the single lamp, with a smell of linseed and cold coffee in the air.
"I'm paying it back," Rett said. "The loan. Every cent."
"You don't have to," Ward said.
"I do. It's a loan," Rett said.
"Rett..." Ward said.
"A loan with interest." Rett's hands came up and began to unbutton Ward's shirt. "I'll take the first payment tonight."
"What's the interest?"
"In kind."
Ward's breath left him.
He understood it all at once, and his eyes closed, and his hands came up to cover Rett's.
"You're making this a trade," he said.
"I'm making it ours."
"Rett," Ward said.
"Hold still."
He pushed the shirt off Ward's shoulders and slid it down his arms.
The lamp painted the broad chest gold, and he bent his head and put his mouth to the hollow of the throat.
Ward made a low sound.
His hands, which had come up to hold, fell to his thighs and stayed there.
"Good," Rett murmured. "You remember."
"I remember," Ward said.
"What's the rule?"
"I don't touch until you say," Ward said.
"And tonight?"
"Tonight I don't want to," Ward said.
Rett lifted his head.
Ward's face was open, unguarded, with the grey eyes huge and a little frightened.
"I want you to take all of it," Ward said. "I want you to take what you want, and I won't ask for anything."
"Not even a please?"
"Please is all I have."
Rett kissed him, slowly, with his tongue.
The rest of this chapter is part of the paid portion of the series. Chapters 1–6 of He Shelved My Designs, Then Crashed Into My Bed are free to read — start from the beginning, then unlock the rest with coins in the app.
← Chapter 16 · All chapters · Chapter 18 →
Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend