Perfect

7. Clinton

C h a p t e r S e v e n

T A Y L O R was called by Jane. Maybe they were going to have a talk about Chester. Taylor went to where Jane was, at the veranda where he first had a conversation with Bernard. Jane cracked a smile when she saw Taylor and motioned him to sit on a wooden chair opposite to her.

Jane was not the mother Taylor expected her to be. She was a caring one, but she had this very intimidating aura that surrounds her. You would look like a bird trapped by a fierce lion when you locked eyes with her especially when you didn't know her. But inside that façade, Taylor could see that Jane has a little bit of crazy and happy-go-lucky attitude like the way she called Xander as the Earl. Taylor tried so hard to stifle his laugh that time as Xander slightly blushed when their eyes met.

But Taylor was facing the Jane who was ready to jeopardize everything if ever who would oppose her decision.

"I will speak directly, Mr. Harrison." Jane said formally.

Why so formal? Taylor thought but he couldn't voice it out.

"Call me Taylor." Taylor said in a friendly voice.

She smiled. "Okay, Taylor. I know you know that this is about Chester."

Taylor nodded. "Of course."

"Can he stay the night here?" Jane said folding her hands on her lap.

"Absolutely, he can." Taylor pursed his lips.

"Thank you, Taylor." Jane reached for his hand and held it. "For taking care of him."

"He's my nephew after all—" and my only family left, Taylor said in his mind "—so it's normal for me to take care of him."

Jane nodded and let go of his hand. "I know this is so sudden but did you and Alex discussed if who will take custody of Chester?"

Come to think of it, inside those two weeks that Xander knew about Chester, he never mentioned about that matter which was unusual.

"No, he never mentioned things about it."

° ° °

When Alexis came back from work they went outside and had their dinner to an Italian restaurant. They talked about how Xander found Chester and so on. Claire and Trav left ahead after dinner and leave Joshua to the Dobson's care. Taylor eyed Xander before he excused himself to the rest room. Taylor wanted Xander to follow him in the rest room because he had something to say.

He washed his hands, dried it with a tissue snubbing the hand drier when Xander appeared and also washed his hands. They were the only person inside the rest room.

"What did mom told you when she called for you?" Xander said turning off the faucet.

"She want. . . Chester. I mean, custody."

"I knew it." Xander murmured.

Taylor wrinkled his forehead. "Do you even want Chester in your life?"

"Of course." Xander answered instantly.

"Then why. You're the father, and you have the right. Inside those two weeks you didn't made a move and just go with the flow. You should have filed for your custody of Chester. Then I know you knew that I will fight for him so you should have threatened me. That's what a normal father would do!"

"Do you want me to?"

"No! But. . . you should have tried because it looked like you were pitying me."

"I don't pity you, Taylor." Xander's voice was serious.

"Or did you just gave me time with Chester before you will take him away fro—"

"I'm not taking him away from you!" Xander placed both his hands on Taylor's shoulders. "And I'm not pitying you because if I was then I shouldn't have told my parents about him and stayed that way like how we were doing inside those two weeks. What's wrong with you? You're thinking differently."

Taylor inhaled and exhaled sharply before he brushed Xander's hands off his shoulders. Xander was right. He wasn't thinking straight and nonsense things were sprouting from his mouth. What's with the pity word? He himself didn't understand what he was saying moments ago.

"Jane wanted Chester to stay the night." Taylor said and went outside the rest room and he almost bumped to a waiter who was carrying an empty tray.

"Where's the back door?" Taylor asked the waiter glancing at the name plate on the waiter's chest. It writes Ben.

Ben taught him the direction and thanked him before Taylor walked to the back door. The moment he stepped outside that restaurant, he felt like he could breathe again normally because he felt like he was suffocating inside.

"Aren't you going to say anything to Chester before you go?" Taylor heard Xander.

Taylor didn't turned around but he stopped walking and shook his head no.

"He won't let me leave if I tell him and he might end up going home with me. So, no." He exhaled and closed his eyes for a second before he stepped forward. "Thanks for the dinner and. . . see you later."

° ° °

I T was already eight twenty-seven when he arrived at his unit. He was about to enter the passcode when the door suddenly opened and he saw a grinning Clinton who was waving his hand.

"Hi!" Clint said while smiling widely. "Ella let me in."

"Hey." Taylor said in a voice as if all his energy were drained and walked passed Clint inside. He slumped at the sofa and removed his shoes and threw it to a corner. Then he remembered about his appointment with Clint.

"You forgot." Clint said and sat beside Taylor.

Taylor raked his hair with his hand closing his eyes and leaned his head on the backrest. "I'm sorry. I forgot to inform you that mffm!" Taylor opened his eyes snappily when Clint pressed his hands on Taylor's mouth. He always do that every time Taylor annoys Clint. He pushed Clint's hand away.

"I understand." Clint said. Taylor just noticed that Clint was wearing a uniform like those of a bartender or a waiter.

"You looked like a bartender." Taylor said scanning him.

Clinton chuckled. "I am one, idiot." Clint flicked Taylor's forehead lightly.

"We can do it here, if you want to."

"Ha? Do what?" Clint said confused.

"Photoshoot, moron. What else?" Taylor stood and went inside his room and turned the lights on. He was hoping that Chester was there sleeping but the bed was empty. He sat at the edge of the bed near the small cabinet and pulled the second drawer. Taylor grabbed the black camera.

"Your room didn't change a single bit." Clint said.

"I think so too." Taylor said nonchalantly and pointed the wall near the door. "You stand there, I will edit the background tomorrow." He stood and positioned himself.

"Don't make it too fancy, this is just a photo memoir of my first day of this new job." Clint stood in front of him.

"I know, you always do this every time you change job." Clint smiled and Taylor didn't dig any deeper about it because he already knew the reason why and it would only make Clint sad and he would just hide it with a smile. "Okay," he snapped his fingers. "First shot."

"By the way, where's Chester?" Clint asked after the first shot.

"He's with his father. You know, the one I told you." Taylor said. He already told Clint about Xander.

"Oh! The one who looked like a businessman?" Clint said crossing his arms on his chest.

"He is one, idiot." Taylor grinned and Clint groaned. "I got you!" He shouted while pointing at Clint and laughed.

Clint chuckled. "I know. Dammit!" He stomped his feet on the floor like a kid.

"You dig your own shit." Taylor stifled a laugh.

"Yeah. Yeah. We're quits."

"Okay, moving on to your second shot." Taylor said who was still grinning.

"Can I have a picture with the handsome photographer? I'm a fan." Clint said after the second shot.

"Sure." Taylor smiled. "Wait, I'll go get the stand." He went to his closet where he hid the stand and grabbed it. He positioned it and place the camera adjusting the settings. "Five continuous shot every two seconds." Taylor said.

"'Kay." Clint walked and stopped in front of the camera. "Let me fix your hair first." Taylor let Clint fixed his long messy hair.

"This feels wrong." Taylor said.

"Yeah, I know. You're the one who always fix my hair but now I'm fixing yours and it grew longer. You should cut this already or else you'll look like an old hermit." Clint chuckled.

"I was planning on cutting it but I always forget."

"Okay, done."

Taylor pressed the capture button and ran beside Clint. They stood side by side in front of the camera and smiled. Taylor could feel Clint's hand around his waist on the second shot. The third and the fourth was a wacky pose.

Clint glanced at Taylor and leaned his mouth to his ears. "You should visit the bar tomorrow and bring the pictures there. Your drinks are on me"

"I'll do that." Taylor said.

The fifth shot was wasted.

"I'll pay you tomorrow."

"No need." Taylor wrinkled his forehead when Clint wrapped his arms around his waist. "What are you doing?" He said alarmed.

"A kiss goodbye and goodnight?" Clint started swaying.

Taylor rolled his eyes. "We're over already about things like that."

Clint pouted his lips."C'mon! C'mon, c'mon!" He said like a kid. "You're single."

"And you're in a relationship." Taylor lift a brow.

"He won't find out."

"That's cheating, Mr. Wade. Did you also do this when we were still together?"

"No!" Clint said instantly. "No, I didn't and I guess I wasn't really serious about Louis. We're just playing around."

"You'll catch any disease."

"No, he doesn't have any plus we're having safe sex."

"Whatever, you shouldn't do this."

"We used to do this."

Taylor frowned and scratched his head. His phone buzzed from his back pocket. Clint pulled it from his pocket and raised it above. "That's my call!" Taylor exclaimed.

"It's Xanderella? Nice name. Who's this?" Clint read the screen between chuckles and Taylor bit his lower lip to stifle his laugh.

"It's the father. Gave me that." Taylor reached the phone but Clint waved his hand away.

"Do you really hate Xander-ella for him to deserve such name."

"It's not that bad and besides his name fits."

Clint gave the phone to Taylor and he snatched it and stared at it for seconds. All the frustrations rushed again in his system while staring that the screen. His heartbeat accelerated and he needed to breathe through his mouth. Taylor narrowed his eyes before he reject the call and shoved it back on his pocket.

"Why did you reject it?" Clint said and he shrugged his shoulders. Taylor grabbed the collar of Clint's uniform and pulled him closer to him.

"I guess a kiss won't hurt after all." Taylor leaned his lips to Clint's and he could feel Clint smiled between their lips. The touch was familiar to Taylor but nothing more than familiarity. The sparks were already gone.

"I know you can't resist me." Clint said between the kiss.

"You're free to dream on." Taylor said and Clint once again captured his lips and deepened the kiss. He was pushing him backwards.

No, Taylor thought. Please not on the bed.

Clint pushed him backwards without breaking the kiss until the back of Taylor's knees hit the edge of the bed.

"Let's stop here." Taylor said and pushed Clint's chest away but he was stronger than him.

"Not so fast." Clint pushed Taylor at the bed and he fell on his back.

"Wait, wait Cli—" Taylor tried to stand but Clint sat on his stomach. "Ugh. You're heavy." He should be panicking but he wasn't. He trusted the guy.

"You need it." Clint said.

"Need what?" Taylor said crossing his eyebrows.

"This." Clint bent down and kissed him at the neck slowly, sucking him and ground his hips. Taylor bit his lower lip hard to kept from moaning.

Maybe he needed it? For what? Was it to distract himself.

"This feels like I'm using you." Taylor said.

"I'm a friend so you can't just use me, you can even abuse me." Clint said smiling. Of course he was joking.

"Friend? With benefits?" Taylor frowned.

"You can say that."

° ° °

T A Y L O R woke up when the warm rays of the sun hit his face. The first thing he noticed was that he was at the wrong side of the bed. He glanced and saw Clinton Wade's sleeping face. Then he suddenly felt like all the muscles on his body were aching.

We did it, Taylor thought and raked his hair. I had s*x with my ex! And it was breaking my rule not to do it ever again with ex's.

Clint was always wild in bed and it was good but it felt wrong. Wrong.

Taylor slapped Clint's shoulders that made a red hand print on white his skin and woke him up with a groan.

"Wake up!" Taylor said and Clint opened one of his eye and smiled sleepily and mouthed good morning and closed his eyes again.

"Don't get back to sleep!" Taylor sat and inhaled sharply when pain shots on his back, ass, hips and shoulders. Clinton always gripped so hard.

"Let me sleep."

"It's already seven thirty!"

"My shift starts at one PM." Clint said and dozed off.

Taylor snort before he stood. "Lucky bastard."

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