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Chapter One

Chapter One

J

onathan’s eyes eased open slowly and he inhaled deeply. The room still smelled like

him

—Dustin, the guy he was seeing. He eased his head over and gazed at the man lying next to him. The only thing that separated Dustin’s marked body from his was a sheet wrapped around that pert little ass of his. His hand fell onto the man’s back and traced the teeth marks he’d left behind. He hooked the sheet around his finger and eased it down slowly. Every beautifully chiseled part of Dustin could be seen as the black sheet fell from the man’s tanned skin. The handprints on his ass that Jonathan had left behind made him smile.

His eyes ventured back up his body, all the way to his disheveled red hair.

Jonathan smiled as his fingertips drifted up Dustin’s spine. He loved the man’s fair skin, the freckles that coated his body, and the long red hair he could fist and use to command his every move. He ran his fingers through the sleeping man’s hair, relieving it of the tangles and knots he had created during their debauched night.

Then his eyes drifted beyond Dustin’s body. All the way to the digital clock on his nightstand.

“Oh, shit!”

Jonathan leaped out of bed and stumbled on the sheet that tangled in his legs. He pulled the damn thing clear off the bed while Dustin continued to sleep. Jonathan caught his lurching body on the wall of his bedroom, his mind spinning at a thousand miles a second.

He had to be at work in less than an hour.

Jonathan kicked Dustin’s clothes out of the way as he headed for the bathroom. He enjoyed his studio flat—one bedroom with a king-size bed that made it easy to tumble around in with his flavor of the month. Beautiful hardwood floors lent a sophisticated air to the grayscale walls and the pops of color Jonathan had around his apartment. He lived in an area of New York City where abandoned warehouses had been turned into chic, industrial studio apartments, sixteen hundred square feet of open space, except for the wall that separated his room and bathroom from everything else.

He loved his apartment. It was why all his escapades were brought back to his place.

Oh, the memories his walls held.

Jonathan slid into the bathroom and turned on the sink. No time for a shower, so washing off with a washcloth would have to do. He used the sink soap to wash his armpits, his chest, his mouth, and his dick. Quickly, he wiped himself down in all the pertinent places before he slathered deodorant in the crevices of his body. His boss, Debra, would be furious if she smelled a man on him and he was late for work.

Well, not furious. She’d merely follow him around all day and beg him for details until he coughed them up.

He at least wanted to give her the juicy details over lunch this time.

Jonathan tossed his uncapped deodorant into the bathroom drawer and slammed it closed. He winced at how loud it was, then peeked out from around the doorframe of the bathroom. Dustin moved and shifted his beautiful body in bed. He groaned as he watched every muscle roll beneath the man’s beautiful skin. Instinctively, he reached out for him but clenched his fist in the air. How he wanted to wake the man up with a great blow job and the promise of another great time before breakfast.

Unfortunately, he had slept way too late.

He put some water onto his comb and slid it through his hair. Jonathan fingered the bags underneath his eyes before busting out his caffeine roller. He got it every time he ducked into Charity’s little boutique. She had the best things to help tired eyes in the mornings, complete with eye drops that soothed the redness away. Jonathan rolled the caffeinated tightener under his eyes before putting in the eye drops. Ten minutes later, his face looked refreshed and ready for the day.

Jonathan lowered his voice to a whisper. “Charity, you’re a damn lifesaver.”

He threw his closet door open and took stock of his wardrobe. The bright colors greeted him in a rainbow formation, fading from one color to the next. He ran his fingers over the suit jackets. A nice tan color appealed to him this morning, he felt. He pulled the khaki-colored suit out and hung it up, then held up various shirts against it. Light pink. Pale blue. A rich, deep mauve.

“I kind of want to see the yellow against it.”

Jonathan whipped around, taking in the sleep that still hung in Dustin’s eyes.

He grinned. “You like yellow on me.”

Dustin chuckled. “It brings out your hazel eyes beyond those black-framed glasses of yours.”

“Don’t play like you don’t enjoy slipping those off my face.”

The man grinned. “Or ripping them off.”

Jonathan pulled the yellow shirt out. “Yeah, we need to talk about that. You break ’em, you buy ’em. And I don’t think you’ll enjoy the price tag on those bad boys.”

“It’ll be worth it if I get to tie you to the bed next time.”

Jonathan slipped on some boxer briefs. “In your dreams.”

He heard Dustin slip out of bed before a pair of warm lips hit his neck. He always enjoyed men who were taller than him. They were easy to find since Jonathan only stood at five feet six. Dustin wrapped his arms around him and pulled him close as their bodies pressed together. Jonathan groaned as the man nibbled, sucked, and licked his way up to his ear.

He whispered close to his ear. “Why don’t you get back in bed?”

Oh, how Jonathan wished he could. He spun in the man’s arms and pecked him on his lips. Then, he pulled away and continued to get dressed. Dustin sat on the edge of the bed, spread his legs, and tried to entice him with his growing girth.

Jonathan licked his lips. “Why don’t you stay like that until I get home?”

He snickered. “For all I know, I’ll be sitting here until ten o’clock tonight.”

“Dustin, don’t do this.”

“You know you work insane hours for that woman, right?”

Jonathan sighed. “‘That woman’ is Debra Stone.

The

Debra Stone. And she’s a great friend of mine. She pays me well. In fact, I’m the highest-paid—”

“Personal assistant in the country. Yada yada yada.”

He smoothed his hands down his suit. “I gotta go. I’m sorry. I’ll call you tonight, okay?”

Dustin puckered his lips to be pecked quickly, then swatted at Jonathan’s butt. And while the need to go back to that bed and pin the man down was strong, he had to get to work. He picked up his wallet and rummaged around for his cell phone. Jonathan tossed couch pillows around and fluffed blankets out. He raced into his kitchen to see if maybe he’d set the damn thing in the refrigerator while getting him and Dustin some wine last night.

“Looking for this?”

Jonathan turned and saw Dustin’s naked form standing in the doorway of his bedroom. Wiggling between his fingers was the cell phone. He chuckled as he made his way to Dustin, but the man held it up over his head.

He groaned. “I’m going to be late because of you.”

Dustin grinned. “One kiss, like you mean it.”

And when Jonathan wrapped his arm around him and cupped the back of his head, he gave the redhead exactly what he asked for. So much so that he had to rearrange himself as he walked out the damn door.

Jonathan closed his apartment door behind him and got his suit coat caught up in the seam of the door. He opened it again and saw Dustin shaking his head at him. He shot him a look before he chuckled and tried to close the door again. Jonathan hated feeling rushed. His klutzy ways always got worse whenever he felt rushed. He strode down the hallway and made for the stairs, practically tripping down them to try to get to the lobby.

Without thinking, he ran straight into the metal door before he saw the word, “pull.”

Jonathan sighed. “You’d think I’d know that by now after living here for a solid year.”

Without a doubt, he hated messes. That was the only thing about Dustin he couldn’t stand. It was also one of the reasons why they never went to the other man’s place. One look at the bachelor pad and Jonathan was ready to put on a hazmat suit. And every time he came to stay the weekend, his apartment ended up in a shambles. Every single time. No matter the kind of cleaning Jonathan did behind him in the kitchen or the bathroom or the bedroom. Shit ended up everywhere.

He held his arm up and flagged down a cab. When he glanced at his cell phone, he knew he would be late. One of these days, he’d purchase himself one of those million-dollar-view condos that were within a five-minute walking distance from the Dabria headquarters. But until he could save up for the down payment, he had his studio apartment that was twenty-five minutes across town. And with the traffic they were already hitting, he’d be late for work.

Jonathan pointed. “Pull over into this coffee joint. I need to pick up some things.”

If he had to spill the juicy details immediately, he at least wanted something to eat first. And hopefully, bringing Debra her favorite coffee and muffin would put her off until they could get to a decent lunch hour. He had too much on his schedule already to postpone it for a conversation.

Although it was one he was itching to have.

After the pit stop and the long cab ride, Jonathan stepped into the elevators of Dabria. He rode all the way up to the top floor, hoping beyond all hope that the coffee and the muffin would put her off. The doors opened and he stepped out into the hallway, and all eyes were on him. People ogled at his suit as he walked down the hallway and made his way to his small office right next to Debra’s.

She waited at his door with a grin on her face.

Jonathan held out the coffee carrier. “I brought you your favorite. A double shot caramel latte with a splash of—”

Debra quirked an eyebrow. “Dustin again?”

He sighed. “Soy milk.”

“Oh, come on. Did you really think I wouldn’t know? Jonathan. You have a hickey on your neck.”

He dropped the muffins and Debra reached out to catch them. Instinctively, he slapped his hand against his neck and felt around until the small welt rumpled beneath his fingertips. He rolled his eyes before he moved to unlock his office, and Debra was hot on his heels as she carried the muffin bag she’d caught in midair through the door.

She kicked his office door closed. “So, is the breakfast your way of apologizing for being late? Or for getting me to postpone this little discussion until lunch?”

Jonathan set the coffee down on his desk. “I’m hoping both. I have a lot to do this morning.”

“Then you shouldn't have been late.”

“Debra. I love you. But I have to—”

She set the muffins down in front of him. “Have you eaten yet?”

Jonathan panned his gaze up to her. “Breakfast?”

Debra grinned. “I mean other than the sausage.”

Jonathan rolled his eyes. “I didn’t have any of that either. I guess I sleep a little too hard when I spend the weekend with Dustin.”

“The entire weekend?”

He smiled. “Yes. The entire weekend. And speaking of, I heard John was back in town. Were you a little busy this weekend?”

“Depends. Are we talking about this now or over lunch?”

“Depends. Is there anything to talk about?”

The two of them grinned at each other before Debra lowered herself to lean on the edge of his desk. Jonathan sat in his office seat as she pulled out her blueberry muffin and handed him his chocolate chip one. The two unwrapped the muffins and found a couple of forks from the bag, then they each took one long sip of their coffee.

Jonathan swallowed with a grin on his face. “Okay. You first. When did John get back into town, and what position did he put you in first?”

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