"Just how many family members do you have because I'd like to know how many more times we're going to be interrupted before we actually get to finish something. I'd like to be prepared, you know? Are we talking aunts and uncles, cousins, grandparents, what?"
Tommy chuckled and pulled Elliot into his arms. Elliot rested his hands on Tommy's hips and rested his head against the man's muscular chest. "Oh, Elliot, I have more family members than you really want to know about."
Elliot groaned.
"However, after we speak with my father, I do believe we will not have any more problems. He is the final authority in my family. Well, except for maybe my mother, but if my father tells her to leave us alone until tomorrow, she will."
"Yeah, you promise?"
"I promise, pretty baby."
Elliot decided to let go of his disappointment when he felt Tommy plant several small kisses on the top of his head. Being prickly when meeting Tommy's father for the first time wouldn't be good. That was assuming he was actually meeting Tommy's father. Elliot tilted his head back to look up into Tommy's eyes.
"Am I meeting your father, or would you prefer me to wait in here?"
"You're going to have to meet my father. I don't plan on letting you out of my sight."
Elliot grinned. He was okay with that. When Tommy reached down and took his hand, Elliot let the man lead him from the room. He started to feel a little apprehensive when he heard Tommy's father pounding on the door. Exactly why was the guy even here?
He held tightly to Tommy's hand and stepped slightly behind him when Tommy opened the door to reveal a very tall, very intimidating, and very angry looking man. Elliot swallowed past the sudden lump that had taken hold in his throat and prayed he'd be able to keep his mouth shut.
They really shouldn't have opened the door.
"Dad," Tommy said as he stepped back and allowed his father into the house. "It's a little late and as you can see, I have company. What can I do for you?"
Daniel Nash stalked into the house. He turned to face Tommy and Elliot. His eyes raked over Elliot hard enough that Elliot wondered if he'd have bruises in the morning.
"Is this him?"
"Is this who, Dad?"
"Don't be flippant with me, Thomas. Your brother called me. You know exactly who I am talking about."
Talking about was right. Elliot bristled a little that he was being talked about like he wasn't even there. Besides, it was rude. Elliot gathered up his courage and stepped forward, holding his hand out to Tommy's father.
"Hi, Mr. Nash, my name is Elliot, Elliot Spencer. Tommy likes to call me pretty baby, but I'm not sure if that's appropriate for you to call me pretty baby because I don't want to have sex with you. I just want to have sex with your son. So, you probably should call me Elliot, although I suppose you could call me Ell or Spence like I told Tommy back in the bar. Either would fine with me."
Elliot wasn't sure it was a good thing when Tommy's father just blinked at him. He waited for the man to say something, but he just stared. Elliot started to get nervous. He knew he'd said more than he should have. He probably should have just kept his mouth shut. Now Tommy was going to be mad at him.
Elliot dropped his hand and stepped back, wishing that the floor would open him up and swallow him. He could feel his fantasy of having Tommy fuck him against the wall slipping away in the silence that filled the room.
"I made some phone calls, Thomas," Daniel Nash finally said when he looked away from Elliot, much to Elliot's relief. He felt exposed under the man's tight gaze. "His father is Philip Spencer, CEO and founder of Spence Corp, one of the largest financial investment corporations in the country."
"And?"
"This does not concern you?" the man shouted. "Do you not see the trouble this could bring down on us? Philip Spencer is a very powerful man with a lot of resources. He won't stop until he knows everything."
Elliot felt his heart start to crumble as he listened to father and son argue over him. He didn't understand what he had done, but it was becoming more obvious with every word Tommy's family spoke that they didn't want him around.
"Is it because I'm a man? Is that why you don't want me with your son?" Elliot cringed when Daniel's silver grey eyes snapped over to him. Maybe he really should learn to think before he spoke.
"I have no issue with my son's sexual preference."
"Then it's me you don't like?" Elliot dropped Tommy's hand to clench his fists at his sides. "Why? You've never even met me. How could you possibly know whether you like me or not based on who my father is? I don't automatically dislike you. If Tommy is your son, even if he is supposed to be the black sheep of the family, I would think you had something to do with him being the man he is and that means I need to give you a chance before judging you. Why are you judging me before getting to know me?"
Daniel tilted his head slightly to one side and seemed to regard Elliot for several moments before speaking. "Do you always talk this much?"
"Yes," Elliot said truthfully. It wasn't like the man wouldn't find out eventually. "I do talk a lot, but Tommy likes it so it doesn't matter. He says that if I open my mouth and talk that obviously I have something to say and I do. I think you're being very unfair."
Elliot wasn't sure if the eyebrow that arched up on Daniel's forehead at his words was a good thing or not until Tommy started chuckling beside him. Elliot was relieved when he felt Tommy's arm encircle his waist. It made him feel just a bit more comfortable.
"Isn't he adorable, Dad?"
Now it was Elliot's turn to blink. Tommy thought he was adorable? No one ever thought he was adorable before. Again, Elliot wished Tommy saw him as sexy but he would happily settle for being adorable. It was much better than annoying.
"Thomas, I understand your attraction, believe me, but you need to consider all of the ramifications if you choose to become involved with this young man."
"What makes you think this is a choice?" Tommy snapped, surprising Elliot with the vehemence in his voice. "He's mine, Dad."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
Elliot frowned, glancing between the two men. He felt like they were talking in a language he didn't understand. Elliot had never been accused of being the brightest bulb in the pack, but even he could tell something was going on that he didn't understand, especially when Daniel Nash cursed and rubbed his hand over his face.
"Very well, Thomas, I'll inform your mother," Daniel said before planting both hands on his hips and looking over at Elliot. "We'll expect you and your mate at the house in the morning. We need to discuss the situation with Philip Spencer and make preventative plans."
"What's a mate?" Elliot whispered as he leaned towards Tommy. He wasn't sure he'd ever actually heard that phrase used in the way Daniel said it.
"He doesn't know?" Daniel snapped, letting Elliot know his words had not gone unheard. "You haven't explained this to him?"
"I haven't had time to, Dad," Tommy replied as he looked pointedly at his father. "Everyone keeps interrupting us."
"Don't you think you'd better do that before this goes any further?"
"It's too late for that." Elliot was shocked when Tommy gripped his chin and tilted his head to one side. He tried to look at Daniel out of the corner of his eye when he heard the man inhale sharply, but Daniel had turned and walked away. He glanced up at Tommy instead, confused.
"Tommy?" he whispered softly.
"It's okay, pretty baby, I'll explain everything to you soon. I just need to talk with my father for a moment." Tommy smiled as he let go of Elliot's chin and slid his hand up to cradle the side of his face. "My bedroom is just down the hallway, first door on the left. Why don't you go on in there and wait for me. I shouldn't be long."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure, Elliot, just go on."
Tommy might have been sure, but Elliot wasn't. There was clearly something going on between the father and son that had nothing to do with Elliot, and then there was something that did. The tension between Tommy and his father was so thick it made Elliot's skin crawl.
Elliot cast a quick glance at Daniel then hurried down the hallway to Tommy's bedroom. He went inside and started to shut the door when the eerie silence coming from the living room caught his attention. Elliot paused, holding the door most of the way closed as he leaned his ear against the small crack he left. He didn't have long to wait.