Chapter 6

The good thing about being the boss was that Justin couldn’t refuse to talk to him even if he no longer was his personal associate. He was still an associate in Peter’s firm. He had to answer if the managing partner called him. Even if Justin were that irresponsible, other associates would start gossiping if he didn’t pick up the phone in his cubicle. But Justin was too responsible for that.

“Yes, Mr. Hayes,” he bit out when he picked up.

It had been three hours and twenty minutes. It seemed his temper hadn’t cooled yet. Pity. Peter had thought he’d waited long enough. It surely felt long enough for him.

Peter frowned, drumming his fingers on the desk restlessly. “Call me by my name. Other associates would think it strange if you suddenly started calling me Mr. Hayes.”

“That’s what all the associates call you, Mr. Hayes. I’m just one of them now.”

Peter pinched the bridge of his nose. “Quit throwing a hissy fit and get your ass over here.”

“No thank you. I’m good here. Loving the view from my cubicle.”

Peter considered several approaches. He wasn’t the best lawyer in the city for nothing. He was good at reading people. Good at giving them what they wanted.

“I need you,” he said.

There was silence on the line.

“You manipulative asshole,” Justin hissed.

Peter grinned. There was a reason he’d tolerated Justin’s attitude for years. He knew Peter, could read him better than anyone.

“Maybe it was a little manipulative,” he conceded. He could easily imagine what Justin looked like right now: he probably had the cutest fierce scowl on his lips, green eyes flashing murder. Peter dropped his voice as he added, “But it doesn’t mean it’s not true.”

“I swear you were a villain in your previous life,” Justin said darkly. “A slimy mafia boss in a Dolce and Gabbana suit.”

“Not my style,” Peter said. “Armani is more me.”

Justin laughed. “God, you’re impossible...” He heaved a sigh. “You have a meeting with the Stanford Group in forty-five minutes. Stop wasting your time on bothering me and get ready for it.”

“I will, once my associate gets his ass over here.”

“I’m not your associate anymore.”

“Says who? It’s not something you get to decide, sweetheart. Unless you’re ready to quit the job altogether, you don’t get to say no when the managing partner chooses you to work with him.”

“It doesn’t work like that, Peter.”

Peter smiled, sensing victory. His name was a good sign. “It does, if I decide that it works that way. It’s my firm. And you’re my associate.”

Justin sighed again. “It’s a bad fucking idea, okay?” he murmured, barely audibly. “Surely you understand that. You aren’t that emotionally stunted.”

Peter drummed his fingers on the desk, considering his response. One that hopefully wouldn’t infuriate his associate. “We are both adults,” he said carefully. “Not teenagers. We can ignore some inconvenient attraction and work well together. We are good together, Justin. That’s rare. I…” He grimaced, not wanting to say more, but revealing needs and vulnerabilities could be beneficial in negotiations. “I trust you the way I trust no one else in this firm. I need you by my side. It’s not the same without you.”

“God, I hate you,” Justin ground out. “I hate you so much.” He sighed and said before hanging up, “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

Peter grinned, triumph coursing through his veins like a heady drug.

Justin was his again.

Now he just needed to figure out how to keep their relationship strictly professional.

In theory, it should be easy. He’d been working with Justin for two years without sticking his cock in him.

He could do it.

He was Peter fucking Hayes. He hadn’t gotten to where he was by making stupid decisions that could ruin his career.

Justin was just his associate. And nothing more.

***

In retrospect, Peter had been a tad too optimistic.

Yes, he had managed to keep his dick out of his associate for two years. But keeping the streak was much harder when he knew how good touching him would feel. When he knew how sweetly Justin would moan and suck on his tongue. How good he would feel in his arms.

Peter did manage to keep his attention on the meeting with the Stanford Group—because he was a professional—but his gaze kept straying to his associate far more often than the situation called for. Thankfully, he didn’t need to speak much. Justin did most of the talking, as usual. He really was the best associate in the firm, smart and eloquent; Peter hadn’t been keeping him around for his pretty face.

Though the pretty face didn’t hurt.

Peter grimaced on the inside. Damn it. If he couldn’t stop thinking about how attractive his associate was during a work meeting, he was in trouble.

“You were distracted,” Justin commented as the door closed after their clients.

“Yes,” Peter murmured, already thinking of possible solutions to the problem.

The obvious one—to get rid of Justin—was out of the question. He didn’t want to get rid of him.

But this kind of distraction was unacceptable in a field where the sharpness of his mind and instincts was paramount.

That left only one solution.

“I’ve changed my mind,” Peter said. “I’ll need to fuck you once to get over this useless attraction.”

Justin blinked at him owlishly before flushing. Like that of all redheads, his blush was very obvious. And pretty. His cheeks were almost as red as his mouth now. “Wow,” he choked out. “That was weird, even for you.”

“Was it,” Peter said, leaning back in his seat and folding his hands on his flat stomach. “It’s distracting me, and I can’t afford distractions.”

“I’m a distraction,” Justin said.

You have no idea , Peter thought grimly, barely resisting the urge to grab his associate and shove him on the desk. “You are. Return to your cubicle and stay away from me. After the workday is over, come up to my penthouse.”

Justin opened his pretty mouth and closed it a few times before huffing and storming out of the office.

Peter made a concentrated effort not to look at his ass.

He failed.

Well, it was a good thing he would get over this soon.

Peter looked at his watch and grimaced.

Not soon enough.