Noah's New Plan - 19. Chapter 19

"He what?"

Eli froze mid-cut. He stabbed the knife into the loaf of bread, and turned to stare at Noah.

Noah nervously twisted his lips, then pushed his glasses up his nose. "I shouldn't have told you."

"You're damn right. Because now I have to kill the smug bastard."

"Eli--"

Eli cut him off, shaking his head. He refused to hear it. The dick had gone too far this time. "No, Noah. He does not get to come to your job and threaten you." He cursed under his breath, mumbling to himself, "I should have known he wouldn't have stopped."

Noah narrowed his eyes at Eli. "What do you mean, you should have known."

Shit.

Eli hadn't intended to tell Noah about Derek coming to pay him off. Now that Noah was looking at him with those pretty brown eyes, he couldn't bring himself to lie. "He came to see me a couple of weeks ago. He offered me money to dump you."

"He what?" Noah shouted. "I'm going to kill that bastard!"

Eli scrunched his face, mimicking Noah's earlier response. "I shouldn't have told you."

Noah laughed, and smacked Eli's arm. "Stop that. Be serious."

Eli grabbed Noah and pulled him close. "Just trying to lighten the mood."

When Noah rested his head on Eli's chest, Eli just held him. Damn, he loved the way the little man felt in his arms.

"Why doesn't he want us seeing each other?"

Eli thought about it for a moment. "I'd say it's because he's jealous. He doesn't want anyone else having you."

"But he doesn't even want me. He left me."

"Now that someone is showing interest in you, it's making him crazy. Basically, he's a dick."

"So, what are we gonna do about him?" Noah caressed his hand across Eli's chest. He slid his fingers across Eli's uniform shirt, then under the collar of his undershirt, toying with the hairs there.

Eli's cock started to go hard. It pressed against his zipper, bending at an uncomfortable angle. He had to reach down and adjust himself. They were supposed to be making dinner, but he couldn't think straight with Noah touching him like this. He'd been asked a question, but he couldn't remember what it was.

"Forget about that asshole," Eli growled.

Noah licked his lips. "Make me."

Hell yeah he would. Eli picked Noah up, and carried him off to the bedroom.

* * * *

"So, when are you going to bring your young man around again?" his mother asked.

Noah was actually older than him, though he had a vulnerability that made him seem younger to Eli. For someone in his early forties, he looked good. Eli supposed all those years of staying healthy--to keep Derek interested--paid off.

"Well, I think you all overwhelmed him at Christmas. Besides, we're trying to keep things casual."

"Casual? You don't spend Christmas with 'casual'. Have you told him you love him yet?"

The woman didn't beat around the bush. "Jesus, ma."

"What?"

"He just got out of a long-term relationship. I don't want to push him. We're letting this happen naturally."

"Bring him over for Sunday supper. I'll work on him for you."

"I'll try to set up something. But no working on him."

"Of course, dear."