Chapter 17

Darren arrived at Aiden's office with forty seconds to spare, earning himself a totally-not-sarcastic comment about his timeliness. It comprised something along the lines of an asteroid almost annihilating the station just because he'd been too slow to initiate the shielding protocols. He snorted and took his usual spot on the couch, noticing that only the wall lamp was on. It gave the room a dim ambience more appropriate for sleeping than working, but it provided sufficient illumination.

"So, what am I helping you with today?" Darren asked once he was comfortable.

Aiden stood up and handed him the tablet without a comment. Judging by the checklists that needed organizing and printing off, this was for tomorrow's inspection of the renovated areas.

Still, Darren suspected there was more to him being here than just menial tasks, though he didn't voice that suspicion and focused on his work, conscious of the fact that he'd pushed too far last time. Yet, he was somehow still the warden's secretary.

Later, when he was done and about to put away the device after staring at the screen blankly for some time, Aiden said, "Mr. Howe, I take it you are done?"

Darren blinked, feeling the tug of a smirk. Aiden must've been observing him for a while if he was making such a comment. "Yeah, just so."

Aiden inclined his head at the pile of paper sitting on the copier tray. "Fetch me the printouts, maybe?"

When Darren brought them over and placed them at the front of the desk, he half expected a pat on his head and a ‘good boy'. He got neither. The disappointment that hit him pulled an amused laugh out of him that had Aiden scrunching his nose as he looked up from the screen.

"What is so funny, Mr. Howe?"

Darren considered the pros and cons of replying honestly, ultimately deciding to roll with it since it felt like Aiden had given him an opening anyway. "Nothing. I just wondered whether I'd get a pat on the head and praise from you for a job well done," he said, planting his hands on the desk's edge and leaning forward.

Aiden threw him a stern look, narrowing his eyes behind his thick-framed glasses. "Mr. Howe, if I am understanding you correctly, you'd like me to… pet your head?"

"Amongst other things," Darren dared to add. He wasn't sure he should have, but he wanted to test the waters, to see where they stood since the accident in the storage area. His dick was already half-hard just from thinking about it.

"Do I venture to ask what those other things might entail?" Aiden challenged, leaning back in his chair with a sigh.

Darren bit on his bottom lip, pulse skyrocketing when Aiden's gaze cut to his mouth without a fail. "I don't know Warden Kesley. I'd say it depends on whether or not you are ready to hear what those other things might be."

Aiden made a face—his version of rolling his eyes—and reached out to take the printouts, but Darren clasped his wrist, doing so before he'd thought the impulsive action through.

"Mr. Howe?" Aiden said, his voice coming out a little huskier, like he'd breathed in and not gotten enough air.

Darren propped his thighs against the desk and leaned even further, bringing the back of Aiden's hand to his lips. He let out a few exhales, the soft puffs of air crashing against the cool skin of the warden. When Aiden didn't pull away but just kept glaring at him with a mixture of disapproval and anticipation, Darren jutted his tongue out and ghosted it over Aiden's knuckles, allowing just for the barest of touches.

A thrill of desire ransacked his body when Aiden's eyes fluttered closed for the briefest of moments. His heart raced, reveling in the way the warden was giving control away. Aiden's body was surrendering, giving in. Shivering at the touch. He tried to mask his reaction, but Darren felt the restrained tremble he'd provoked anyway, taking that as enough of a cue that his tongue was welcome to further explore Aiden's slim fingers.

He enveloped it around Aiden's index finger, then slid it down along the inner side, taking the tip in his mouth. Aiden's nostrils flared, and the sound went straight to Daren's cock, making it throb. When he tilted his head and looked up, he sucked in a sharp breath at the way those golden hazel eyes were laser-focused on him, on every stroke of his tongue.

"Should I stop… Warden Kesley?" he said, his voice hoarse even to his own ears.

"You should," Aiden breathed out, the dark spark in his gaze turning molten. "Probably." His expression changed from neutral to strained.

With the dim ambience, his face was half in shadow and half in light in a way that made him look even more alluring. Ethereal, like some illusion sent here to tempt Darren. To trick him. To play with him. To rip him open and dig out all his secrets…

Or was he projecting? Looking for things that weren't there when all Aiden wanted was to have some fun?

"Something tells me you don't want me to stop," Darren pointed out and then regretted it immediately when it seemed to break the spell.

Aiden pinched his eyebrows together, yanking his hand away as if bitten. The spark in his eyes vanished and his expression lost its allure, morphing back into that mask of neutrality which Darren wanted so badly to tear off. To break and rip off, so he could see the real man beneath it who couldn't cling so well to his own imposed self-control.

Darren mourned the loss of physical contact between them as Aiden closed his eyes and worked to gather himself. Shit. He had been too direct, too tactless, pushing his luck again because he simply couldn't resist the little openings Aiden Kesley was giving him. He was repeating the same mistake from the storage area, approaching this as if he was the one in charge. It wasn't because he didn't know not to do it, but because he simply couldn't stop himself.

He was addicted to Aiden at this point, way way past just being interested in sex. And he realized he needed to put out whatever this was. There were too many unknowns, too many flags that could be red. He needed to control himself in that same way Aiden was trying to, but he just couldn't fight the attraction, couldn't resist the pull even if he should.

Because he wanted to see where this was going. He wanted to crack open Aiden, to understand why he couldn't resist this man, what it was that compelled him to go out of his comfort zone and throw away all his rules. One look… Fuck. One look had been enough to lure him, one glimpse at Aiden's soul-robbing eyes on that first day. The light-swallowing abyss that peeked out from them had entrapped him, chaining him to this chest-clutching sensation of being alive after simply existing for so long.

"Mr. Howe," Aiden said in a leveled voice that made Darren wince. He took a slow, deep inhale and schooled his expression, the stern authority firmly back in place. "Sit on the couch."

Darren shuddered, feeling icy prickles mixing up with the heat all over his skin. Yep. He'd messed up. He could see it, he could feel it, so he didn't argue and did as told. Squaring his shoulders, he watched Aiden pile the documents neatly on the desk. He circled around to the front when he was done and perched his ass there, pinning those mesmerizing eyes on Darren.

Mustering up what he hoped was an apologetic smile, Darren raked his hand through his short hair. "About the other night… and my actions now, I—"

"Don't," Aiden interjected, his tenor low and rumbly. Darren's pulse catapulted high, tiny sparkles sliding down his back as blood rushed to his cock anew. Nerves squeezed his stomach as he waited for Aiden to say something, turning to zapping electricity when Aiden crossed his legs and gave him an unabashed once-over. "Mr. Howe, spread your legs and pleasure yourself."

Darren gasped, his jaw dropping. His cock jumped in his pants, eager despite the shock rippling through him. He swallowed hard and licked his lips, needing a moment before he could respond.

"You want me to… masturbate in front of you?" he asked carefully, heart banging against his ribcage as he dug his fingers into the sofa's faux-leather seat. This… was crazy. Couldn't be happening.

Aiden tilted his head to the side like a perplexed puppy. "Yes, Mr. Howe. I want to watch you while you masturbate," he said in that detached, leveled voice from earlier that made everything sound like an order.

Darren's dick gave another twitch, dying to be freed. Fuuuck, this was hot. Dangerous too, because Darren simply didn't play this way, didn't care to.He was the one usually driving the other man crazy, he didn't allow things to go any other way because that made him vulnerable, opened up those parts of him he kept buried and locked. Yet with Aiden…

Darren bit his bottom lip so hard he tasted the coppery tang of blood. He should put a stop to this, end it after tonight. It was the right course of action—the only one really, if Darren wished to retain his sanity—but when he met those potent eyes and found in them the suppressed, haunted want that spoke to his soul without being asked to, he knew he'd lost the fight. He couldn't just walk away, not when he saw in this man a kindred soul, someone who offered him what he had been searching for without even knowing it.

The sound of fingers tapping against the wooden desk pulled Darren out of his suffocating thoughts before he'd managed to lose himself in them.

"Mr. Howe," Aiden drawled, folding his arms. Or sort of crossing them, because he grasped his right elbow. "Is that too hard a task to achieve on your own? Should I offer you my help?" He hopped down from the desk and crossed the room, planting his suited ass in front of Darren.

Darren could only gape in shock, his heart in his throat and his blood pounding in his head.

"Well?" Aiden said, bending down until his mouth was right by Darren's ear. "Is that it then?"

Without waiting for a reply, Aiden slid his fingers along Darren's arm, fraying nerve-endings, then across Darren's stomach until they were grasping his hard dick through the jumpsuit. Darren threw his head back and moaned obscenely, his eyes rolling back.

Well and truly fuck; he was going to combust. He was on fire, his entire body quivering with need as his hips rolled into Aiden's touch, begging for more friction, needing it like his lungs currently needed air. He thrust up, but Aiden let go as abruptly as he'd attacked him, retreating back to the desk and sitting on its edge again.

The smile on his face was downright evil, self-conceited and mocking and riling Darren up even more. "I asked you a simple question. Or have you lost the ability to speak, perhaps?"

Narrowing his eyes, Darren glared at Aiden and tried to regain some composure. The blond fox was beyond irritating, but, oh, was it turning Darren on like never before, the teasing worse than torture in the way it strained his limits and patience. Being up against a warden prevented him from just taking what he wanted; he couldn't corner Aiden, couldn't simply dart over to the desk and fuck him until he forgot on which planet he was.

With a frustrated grunt and liquid fire in his veins, Darren fumbled with his jumpsuit to unzip it, not dropping the warden's scorching gaze. If Aiden Kesley wanted a show, Darren was going to give that control-freak one.

Locking his attention on Aiden, he slid the pants down and moved on to his underwear. His body temperature rose, sweat trickling down his forehead, and the room closed in on him as his focus narrowed down to his rigid cock finally springing free.

Slowly, he worked the base, occasionally trailing his fingers up to apply a delicious amount of pressure to his tip before sliding back down. He kept his gaze on Aiden, taking in every little reaction, every flex of muscle. Even with the shadows heavy on Aiden's face, he could see the small movements, the way his eyelashes fluttered, the way his lips trembled, even the shimmering of light in his eyes. Aiden's breathing was slow and measured, the rising and falling of his chest controlled in an attempt to make him seem unaffected.

But Darren caught them, the unintentional exhales, the way Aiden's eyes glazed whenever his fingers squeezed a bit rougher, whenever a tiny gasp escaped him.

Aiden liked this just as much, even if he was pretending that he didn't. Or was it that he didn't want to like it but couldn't help himself? Was that what he was fighting?

Darren suppressed a shudder as he rubbed the underside of his dick.

"I'm sure you can do better than that, Mr. Howe," Aiden taunted, his Adam's apple bobbing on a hard swallow.

Teeth pulling on his lip piercing, Darren sped up his movements. He didn't like to be bossed around, but he didn't defy Aiden, didn't challenge him, not when Aiden had his defenses down like this. Not when he was showing more than he probably intended to because he was trying to play a role he hadn't mastered.

This hadn't been planned, Darren could tell. Not fully at least, which was why Darren could see a trace of Aiden's hidden darkness lurking in those lust-laden eyes. He didn't say anything though, too far gone in his own arousal to want to ruin this even if he was sure he could probably uncover what was plaguing Aiden if he pushed enough.

Darren's breathing hitched as Aiden crossed his legs to hide that he was affected. Upping his pace, Darren contemplated calling Aiden out on it, but his need to come won over and so he pressed his mouth shut and just kept pumping, absorbing every little noise and frown Aiden made. Tingling waves of pleasure bubbled up inside him, and before long he reached that peak of ecstasy, letting out a rumbling cry as he came.

The minutes after that were a bit of a haze, but when he finally got his bearings, Aiden was back in his chair, glasses reflecting the glare of the screen. All signs of a reaction to Darren's grand finale were no longer on Aiden's face—a loss, if Darren was being honest—but at least his overly impeccable expression looked a notch too perfect, betraying that he'd not remained impassive either.

Darren smiled, wondering if he should say something. Probably? But Aiden seemed focused on whatever report or email he was handling, so he stayed quiet and simply observed the other man until his hand bumped into a box of tissues left next to him that hadn't been there before.

He must've been so out of it not to notice when that fox had placed the tissues there.

Once he'd cleaned himself up and zipped his jumpsuit, he couldn't take the tense silence anymore. He cleared his throat to get the warden's attention.

"You may go, Mr. Howe. I don't require any more help," Aiden said matter-of-factly, as if he hadn't just watched Darren masturbate in front of him.

‘Help'. Darren snorted under his nose, a grin tugging at his lips. "Should I come by in the morning?" he asked, trying not to sound too eager.

Aiden lifted his eyes from the screen and propped his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. A knowing glint in his gaze told Darren he'd failed to hide his post-orgasmic bliss. "No. Have a good night," he said, effectively dismissing Darren.

Seeing no point in overstaying his welcome, Darren wished Aiden good night and left the office, returning to his cell. He slinked inside quietly and leaned back against the door, crossing his arms as he watched Matt's right shoulder move up and down.

"What you up to?" he asked over a snort, startling his friend.

"Jesus, Darren!" Matt sprang up from his chair and held his crotch with one hand, throwing the crumpled porn mag he'd been jerking off to at Darren. "Ya scared the shit outta me, man."

Darren wiggled his eyebrows, grinning like an idiot because he couldn't hide his own good mood.

"Oh, oh?" Matt caught on immediately. He slid back into the chair and smirked, zipping his pants while his bulge still tented his underwear. "Looks like ya got to do more than office work, hmm? Do tell."

Darren unbuttoned the upper portion of his jumpsuit and let it hang over his ass before tossing himself on the lower bunk. He crossed his hands behind his head and stared at the metal support boards.

Matt snorted, kicking him in the leg. "Well? Ya gonna spill or do I have to make ya?"

The lingering tendrils of his orgasm made Darren smile. "You are awfully nosy tonight."

"Ya see yer expression in the mirror and ya would be too."

Chuckling, Darren turned his head to the side and faced his cellmate. "I might've violated his fingers with my mouth." He let his tongue dart out, making a show of licking his lips.

"Pfft, ya for real? I thought I told ya to be careful with the warden." Matt shook his head, clicking his tongue in disapproval. "So, he kicked ya out or something?"

"He made me masturbate in front of him."

Matt's eyes went wide and he let out a wolf's whistle. "He did what?" He settled into the chair and threw Darren a scrutinizing look. "Really now?"

"Mmhm…" Remembering the stern tone with which Aiden had said—no, ordered it had Darren slide his hand inside his jumpsuit and adjust himself. His dick was already semi-hard again, making his underwear feel tighter around him.

"That the only thing he made ya do?" Matt smirked, gaze dipping to acknowledge Darren's hard-on before returning to his face.

Darren rolled to his side and propped his head on one hand while the other busied itself by pulling out stray threads from the blanket. "Unfortunately." He smiled wickedly. "And the smartass just stood there watching me and pretending it didn't turn him on."

Like watching Darren jerk off and liking it was beneath Aiden. Like it meant nothing when it so clearly did.

But the tension in Aiden's jaw, the flicker of hunger in his piercing hazel eyes, the undeniable want making his features taut had been there, if fleeting. Betraying the truth he'd tried so hard to mask.

"Sounds like he really stirred ya up, man." Matt cocked his head toward Darren's crotch, where a full erection was already bulging his pants. "In more ways than one. Ya sure he's not just messin' with ya?"

In truth, Darren had no idea what to think. Aiden's behavior was confounding. Not in a bad way necessarily, if he didn't count that budding need to understand a man he likely wasn't going to see ever again after his term as temporary warden ended. But he kind of liked it. Because as much as Aiden was still a mystery, there was something in him that called out to Darren, some familiarity he couldn't quite grasp yet but could feel with his entire being.

Besides, now that he wasn't thinking just with his dick, he could come up with numerous perks fucking the warden could get him. And it was no one's business if he wanted to pretend it was the only reason behind his interest in Aiden.

"Nah, just playing hard to get," Darren offered a half-truth.

"If ya say so. I'm not the expert here."

Aiden Kesley was just as interested as he was, Darren was sure of it. But he couldn't deny that it felt like the warden was trying to deny that to himself. To rein his reactions in. Which was… strange, given he didn't strike Darren as a man who wasn't versed in the pleasures of the body. Or as one who was against pursuing them.

Then why? Why was Aiden fighting what they both wanted anyway? Was it simply an innate need for control, or was there more to it? Was there a reason he didn't want to allow things between them to progress beyond simple teasing?

There was more to Aiden's behavior than playing hard to get. Darren didn't have a clue what it was yet, but after the way tonight had played out, he needed to figure it out. He needed to make a move of his own, to get to the core of who Aiden Kesley was, so he knew what he was up against… or if any of his worries were warranted.

"I wonder what he's got in mind for tomorrow," he ventured, talking to himself, then turned his back to Matt and closed his eyes, drifting off with his erection still bulging his pants.