Chapter 7

The day dragged on painfully slowly.

Or perhaps it seemed to drag more than usual because Peter wasn’t used to working alone. More than once, he found himself turning toward the empty couch, a sardonic remark on his lips—and no one to share it with.

It made his mood absolutely foul. Not Justin’s absence in itself—how much Justin’s absence was souring his mood. He told himself there was a difference. If there was, it was elusive.

Finally, his last meeting was over, and Peter left his office a little after nine.

Justin wasn’t in his cubicle. He must have already been waiting for him in the penthouse. He had his own keycard.

The thought gave him pause.

He couldn’t even remember why or when he had given Justin a spare keycard to his apartment. Perhaps he’d sent him upstairs to grab something from his apartment and forgotten to take it back. That must be it. Either way, Justin was likely already there.

Peter pressed his keycard to the private elevator’s panel, and the elevator began rising to the top floor.

He stared at his reflection in the mirror. Besides the tension at the corners of his mouth and the glint of impatience in his eyes, nothing betrayed that he was less than calm.

Frankly, Peter wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. The evening could go a few ways. Justin might be resentful and moody and would have to be talked into it. Or he might be eager and excited and would throw himself at him as soon as Peter walked into his apartment.

The reality proved different.

He walked into the penthouse and looked around, bemused. It was quiet. Justin was nowhere to be seen.

Frowning, Peter dropped his briefcase to the floor and walked deeper into the apartment.

He pushed his bedroom door open and went still.

Justin was asleep in his bed.

Slowly, he walked closer and stared at the boy.

The first thing he registered was that Justin was under the sheets. He hadn’t just fallen asleep waiting for Peter. He’d undressed and gotten under the sheets either with the intention of waiting for Peter naked—or with the intention to sleep. The cheek.

Chuckling, Peter considered waking him up. But it wasn’t worth the fuss. Justin loved his sleep and hated being woken up. And frankly, with this job, they never got enough sleep. He could always fuck the boy in the morning.

Sighing in disappointment, Peter finished his bedtime routine, undressed, and got into the bed beside his associate.

Justin mumbled something sleepily and rolled toward him, nestling under his arm. His hair seemed completely red in the yellow light of the lamp, the contrast striking against his alabaster skin. Soft lips pressed to the side of Peter’s chest, and Peter inhaled sharply, trying to will his arousal away.

This was ridiculous. He was nearly forty. He’d survived two years without sticking his cock into his associate. He could survive a single night.

It was still strange. Peter couldn’t remember the last time he’d shared a bed with someone without having sex with them first. This was... odd. A travesty.

The boy would pay for this in the morning.

The thought didn’t help his erection. Nor did the warm, naked body snuggled up against his side.

Peter sighed through his gritted teeth and slipped his hand down to wrap around his cock. He’d have to deal with it if he wanted to get some sleep anytime soon.

He stroked his cock slowly, leaning down to bury his face in Justin’s hair. Christ, he smelled so good. Was it perverse that he was getting off on this closeness while Justin slept peacefully? Maybe. On the other hand, the boy had known what he was in for when he’d gotten into Peter’s bed naked.

Peter wondered how long his associate had wanted him. Justin had alluded to it not being a new thing, but how long? Months? A year? Since their first meeting?

Peter still remembered their first meeting.

Their firm had been working on a very difficult case, and Peter had been desperate enough to send a memo to all the associates, saying that anyone who found a loophole to win the seemingly lost case would be granted the position of his personal associate. And never mind that he’d never had a personal associate, preferring to bully whoever was available into doing the grunt work for him.

When a few hours later, a redhead arrived at his office, claiming that he had the solution, Peter listened with a great deal of skepticism. The boy looked too young and green—and completely unfamiliar, which meant that he was one of the new guys. Turner was the one who handled the associates, so it wasn’t surprising that Peter hadn’t met this one yet.

He would have remembered him.

Judging by the starstruck expression the boy was trying and failing to hide, he knew Peter by reputation only. They’d never talked before.

The boy was pretty, all high cheekbones and striking features, with a lush mouth that seemed very bright compared to his pale skin.

Peter could easily imagine him on his knees sucking on a thick cock—

He quashed the thought ruthlessly, appalled at himself. He was hardly a saint, but he never thought about his subordinates in such a way. Never.

Until then, apparently.

Even as it became obvious that the boy’s solution really could work, the thought of that pretty mouth wrapped around a cock still lingered at the back of his mind.

Over the following years, Peter had learned to ignore Justin’s attractiveness—for the most part.

But now he wondered what would have happened if he hadn’t suppressed that filthy thought during their first meeting.

What if he’d rewarded the clever boy with his cock?

“Good boy,” he could have told him. “Now come over here and get your reward.” He would part his legs to make it clear what he meant.

Justin would flush, of course, his pale cheeks staining red with angry disbelief, embarrassment—and arousal.

“I—that’s sexual harassment, Mr. Hayes,” he would say, licking his lips.

“No, it’s a reward,” Peter would tell him, holding his gaze. “You can walk out now and we’ll pretend it never happened. Or you can come over here and have the privilege of sucking my cock.” It wasn’t arrogance. He knew his reputation in lawyers’ circles. For many young lawyers, sucking his cock would be a turn-on.

The boy would hesitate, but then he would kneel down between his legs and open his pretty mouth for Peter’s cock, looking up at Peter with hero worship in his eyes. Peter would grab his bright hair and fuck into the associate’s mouth, fast and hard, abusing his power over him and forcing him to take it, owning him completely—

Peter groaned and, turning onto his side, slipped his aching cock between Justin’s thighs. His skin was so soft… Fuck, it felt so damn good… A few rough thrusts between Justin’s thighs was enough to push him over the edge. He came with a low moan, muffling it against Justin’s neck.

Breathing hard, Peter pressed his lips to Justin’s throat. Justin mumbled his name in his sleep.

His chest tight with affection, Peter kissed him on his warm cheek. Justin didn’t awaken, only smiled a little and squirmed even closer to him. He looked so damn endearing. Peter kissed him on the forehead, breathing him in.

He froze, realizing what he was doing.

He didn’t kiss people on their foreheads or cheeks. He most definitely didn’t grind against them like a teenager while they slept.

Fuck. He couldn’t believe Justin had reduced him to this.

He would pay for this in the morning.