I let my gaze drift toward Rick. He was watching Mitchell, who was presenting something I was ignoring. I wasn’t really risking anything, was I? If Rick and I stood up right now and announced that we were sleeping together…
At that thought, I had to clench my jaw to keep from chuckling. I couldn’t believe it had taken me this long to realize it, but my bosses wouldn’t can me for this. They stopped just short of offering to suck Rick’s and Dion’s dicks. My job was probably more bulletproof than it had ever been, because they were hardly going to fire the man who was sucking his dick. Or getting his dick sucked.
A tingle ran up my spine. Tonight.
As subtly as I could, I pulled my attention away from Rick and looked down at the notes in front of me, but the damage was done. The letters on the page may as well have rearranged themselves into a pornographic sketch of everything I had in mind for this evening with Rick. For the things I planned to do to the man who was so cool and collected now, but would be wide-eyed and pleading later.
Fuck. I’m never going to be able to concentrate around him.
Unless we’re naked. Then I’ll… Oh God. Is it five o’clock yet?
Maybe this would wear off eventually. The novelty of our dark little secret would fade, and he’d be The Rich Client again, not my after-hours submissive. Then I could hear his voice without feeling the hot, mid-orgasm release of breath beside my neck, or the—
“Jon.”
I blinked and looked up. My boss glared at me like a schoolmarm, eyeing me over her frameless glasses.
I cleared my throat. “I’m sorry, what?”
She exhaled sharply, a breath that screamed impatience. “I asked for an ETA for the models for this project.” She gestured over her shoulder at the artist’s rendition on the screen.
Beside her, Rick smothered a laugh.
Oh, you’re going to pay for that tonight, Pierce…
I sat up, clearing my throat again as I quickly rifled through the specs on the table in front of me. “If the rest of our calendar is clear, I’d say about…” I paused, running it all through my head. “Two weeks.”
In the same instant, Teagan said, “Three weeks.”
Marie’s eyes darted back and forth between us before she nodded sharply. “Two weeks, then.”
Under the table, Teagan kicked me, the heel of her boot hitting my ankle just right to nearly make me curse aloud. I shot her a glare, and she sent it right back.
As Marie went on with the meeting, I fought the urge to mutter a few obscenities under my breath, and they weren’t directed at Teagan or Marie. I knew better. I knew damn well to always overestimate lead times for everything, because Marie would take the lowest estimate and hold us to it. In fact, we’d barely get started on the project before she’d start shaving hours and days off the allotted time. Shit.
Rick turned to me, and his eyebrows flicked up. Everything okay?
I nodded subtly. He was still going to pay for that little snicker, though.
“Well.” Marie clasped her hands together. “That about wraps us up. Jon, are you still going to have the Rainier model completed by noon tomorrow?”
“Barring any unforeseens, yes.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Just get it to me on time.”
“I’ll work it in,” I said through gritted teeth.
On the way back to the NSFW Zone, Teagan elbowed me. “What the fuck were you thinking? Two weeks for something that involved? Are you insane?”
“We can do it. We always do.”
“Yeah, we can, but that gives us zero room for error.”
“I know,” I muttered.
“Christ. You know she’s going to staple our balls to that deadline.” She put her hand on my arm and stopped us both. “Jon, I’m serious. Are you okay today?”
I ran a hand through my hair. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.”
“You sure? You’ve been out of it all morning, and then…” She gestured back down the hall. “You spaced out during a Horizon meeting. I thought you were just getting laid, but…” She shook her head. “What is wrong?”
“Teagan, I’m fine.” I showed my palms. “I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”
She eyed me skeptically, her piercings catching the light as she furrowed her brow.
“Everything’s fine. Just—” I fucked the client. I can’t get Rick out of my mind. I think getting involved with him must have been a mistake, but I can’t decide because it was that damned hot. I cleared my throat. “Some personal shit.”
The piercings rose a little higher. “Jon, are—”
“I’m fine.”
She watched me for a moment, then sighed as if she knew there was no point in pushing. “I doubt that, so whatever it is, if you need to talk, let me know.”
“Will do.” We resumed walking, and I added, “So, think we can get that sucker built in two weeks?”
“Don’t have much choice, do we?” She glared at me, but a smirk played at her lips.
I laughed. “Then I guess we should get to work on it.”
*