He’ll be insufferable if he ever figures out how much I love it when he pushes my buttons.
“I loaded some orders into your work queue. They are just for practice right now, so they aren’t real orders. But treat them like they are,” I tell him.
He gives me a mock salute. “Aye, aye, boss.”
Grumbling under my breath before sliding my reading glasses on, I pointedly ignore him while turning to my own computer. Moving the mouse around, I pretend to work for a few minutes. But the entire time, I can feel his stare boring into the side of my face. Sneaking a glance from my peripheral vision, my pulse speeds up at the heated look he’s sending my way.
“Get to work, Luke.” I mutter the command without taking my eyes off the computer screen, my chin propped onto my fist.
He quickly spins around and starts working, completely missing the goofy smile I can’t suppress.
Luke
“You’re not as much fun as Finn,” I mumble hours later under my breath as I forcibly click the mouse.
Click, click, click.
Alek releases a long, drawn-out sigh. He sounds exhausted and extremely put out by my antics, and it makes my lips twitch. Resisting the temptation to turn around so I can drink his annoyance in, I continue moving the logo around on the bookcover I’m currently working on. A low groan rumbles from my throat, true frustration welling in me as I slump in my seat.
I just want to get it right.
“What’s wrong, Luke?”
From the corner of my eye, Alek is peering at me over his glasses. His eyebrows are furrowed, looking genuinely concerned. I gesture towards my computer screen. “This logo you want me to use looks stupid, and it’s messing with the vibe.”
His lips purse together, but I think he’s trying not to laugh. “The customer included it in their order.”
I give him a pointed look. “Youincluded it in the order. Can’t I just leave it off? It looks better without it.”
Alek shakes his head, giving me an admonishing look as he stands up. My heartbeat quickens as he rounds his desk until he’s towering over me, a hand in each of his pockets as he arches an eyebrow. “Maybe that’s the whole point of the exercise, hmm? Authors come to us with a certain vision, and it’s our job to put it together. This particular author—”
“You meanyou,” I mutter.
“Thepretend customer,” Alek emphasizes, “wants a logo on his or her book cover. Just because you as the designer don’t like it, doesn’t mean it gets thrown out the window. You find a way to make it work until they are happy.”
I scrunch up my nose. “How?”
He jerks his chin towards the screen, motioning me to turn back around. I suck in a lungful of air as he crowds my space, those sexy as sin forearms on either side of me as he bends over the screen. A delicious heat radiates off his body, and the scent of mahogany and black teakwood invades my senses.
The familiar scent reminds me of hiking in the woods, campfires, and flannel shirts.
He takes over my mouse, his hand guiding the cursor around the screen while I swallow and try to discreetly regulate my breathing when what I really want to do is let my tongue loll from the side of my mouth and pant.
“This cover is coming along really nicely. I can tell you’ve been working hard on this one. Once we find a nice placement for the logo and the surrounding text, we’ll be ready to sign, seal, and deliver. Good job.”
The compliment, paired with his proximity, fires up something in my brain. Endorphins shoot off inside me like fireworks, heat curling in my stomach. I’m mesmerized by his rumble as he drones on, showing me a trick with the program I hadn’t discovered. My cock begins to swell, arousal coursing through my blood, demanding friction.
I shift in my seat, my breaths quickening. After eight months of wondering why my body reacted so viscerally to Alek’s—after one mere handshake and a brief introduction—the idea of finding out why I feel this way around him is making that impulsive part of my brain itch. He’s right here and I…I could find out, couldn’t I? As they often do, my thoughts get carried away like a runaway train. Maybe that’s why I don’t notice right away when Alek pauses and there’s a long stretch of silence.
“Is that…for me?” Alek murmurs, his voice raspy now.
I peer up, his ravenous expression making my stomach swoop as I follow his line of vision straight down to my hard cock, the bulge pressing against the crotch of my skinny jeans. Just knowing Alek’s gaze is locked onto it has a drop of precum sliding from the tip, and I resist the urge to buck my hips forward.
I open my mouth to speak—to say what, I don’t know—but I miss my chance.
Alek clears his throat, stepping back and taking all that mouth-watering heat with him. “I think that’s enough for today. Take the rest of the day off, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
His voice is strained, and when I turn to face him, he whirls around so his back is to me. His right hand moves along the vicinity of his crotch, and even though I can’t be sure, I think he’s adjusting himself.
