Chapter Five
“ALL RIGHT,Richardson, you’ve put us off long enough. When are we going back to the club?”
Zach glanced up from the brief he was editing to see Kevin leaning against the doorframe, wearing a determined expression, and he smiled guiltily. In the two weeks that he’d been seeing Asher, he’d put Kevin off twice about trying the club scene again. Of course, they didn’t know he had gotten involved with someone, and he wasn’t sure he could tell them—or even if he should. But Kevin was a friend, and Zach owed him an answer.
“Um… how about tonight?” he asked. He’d been disappointed when Asher said he had a prior engagement for the evening that he couldn’t get out of, but now Zach could keep his promise to Kevin and Erik without taking any time away from Asher.
“Tonight? Really?” Kevin looked startled, but then he nodded. “Sure, that should work. Let me double-check with Erik and I’ll text you. Did you want to meet at our place or at the club?”
“How about at the club? I don’t need you to dress me this time,” Zach replied, smiling as he recalled how much Asher had liked the jeans Kevin forced him to wear the last time.
“Sounds good. How about six? That should give us time to get home, change, and still beat the crowds.”
“Six works,” Zach said. He could probably beg off by nine or so, which meant he’d be available if Asher’s appointment finished early.
“Okay. I’ll text you. Later!”
After Kevin had departed, Zach stared down at the brief, biting his lip pensively. He should probably dress up, since Kevin and Erik would be expecting it, but he wasn’t looking to attract a man this time. He didn’t want anyone’s attention except Asher’s, although sometimes he wondered when Asher was going to get tired of him and either move on to someone else or go back to using escorts to satisfy his needs.
As if summoned by his thoughts, Asher appeared in his office door and knocked on the frame. “How is the brief coming along?”
For a moment, Zach didn’t answer, his attention riveted on Asher and how gorgeous he looked in his Armani suit and tie. Sometimes he found it hard to believe Asher was dating him when Asher could have anyone he wanted. No doubt Asher would wake up one day and realize Zach wasn’t anything special, and the dream he’d been living for the past two weeks would be over.
“I’m still working on it,” he replied, feeling a bit guilty at not having given the work his complete attention. “I’ll get it done before I leave for the day.”
Asher stepped into the office and closed the door. “I’m sure you will,” he said as he approached Zach’s desk with a predatory gait. “But the truth is, I’m less interested in the state of the brief and more interested in giving us both something to tide us over.”
Zach’s mouth went dry, and his breathing sped up in anticipation. Asher was a bold and demanding lover, and Zach’s appetite for Asher was as strong as Asher’s seemed to be for him. “What did you have in mind?” he asked, his voice low and breathless.
“Nothing too distracting this time.” Asher skirted around the desk and bent over, cupping Zach’s face between his hands. “But I didn’t want to leave for the day without this,” he murmured before kissing Zach, slow and deep.
Zach closed his eyes and parted his lips, returning the kiss as his body tightened with desire like it always did when Asher kissed him. He rested one hand on Asher’s neck and gave a soft moan. Asher stroked Zach’s cheeks gently with his thumbs as he explored Zach’s mouth at a leisurely pace, seeming to enjoy taking his time. When he drew back at last, his blue eyes were warm with affection, and he smiled as he let his gaze roam over Zach’s face.
“Now I’ll have something to think about while I’m stuck having dinner with my father’s old cronies. If I thought I could get out of it, I would, but it’s good networking,” he said with a little grimace.
“I understand,” Zach replied, his own smile sympathetic. “You have to do what you have to do. As it turns out, Kevin Anderson stopped by, and he wants me to go out with him and Erik, so I won’t have to sit around pining for you.”
Asher straightened, a flash of worry in his eyes. “You aren’t going out to meet men, are you?”
Zach’s eyes widened. “What? No! Of course not! I’m only going because Kevin is my friend and I made a promise. I’ll just tell them that no one appeals to me, which will be the truth anyway.”
“Okay,” Asher said, and there was no mistaking the relief in his voice. “It’s just that the last time you went out with them, they were trying to set you up, and they don’t know we’re seeing each other yet.”
“No, they don’t,” Zach replied. “I could tell them I’m interested in someone and I don’t need their help anymore. That also happens to be true.”
“Yes, it is,” Asher said softly, reaching out to stroke Zach’s chin with his thumb.
Zach leaned into the touch, wishing Asher would say it was all right to tell Kevin and Erik they were seeing one another. But it was probably too soon, given how short a time they’d been together, and while Zach was falling hard for Asher, there was no guarantee Asher would ever feel the same way about him. He summoned up a smile.
“So there shouldn’t be any problem, right? I’ll go out, we’ll have a couple of drinks, and I’ll be home early.”
“Don’t cut it short if you’re having fun,” Asher said, bending to press a lingering kiss to Zach’s lips. “I won’t get to escape early, so you don’t need to rush home on my account. I’ll fuck you extra long and hard tomorrow to make up for it.”
“Promise?” Zach asked, a curl of desire tightening within him. He hoped Asher didn’t think he was too needy, but he couldn’t help how much he wanted Asher.
“I promise,” Asher said, a hint of a growl underlying his voice, and there was banked heat in his eyes as he moved away from the desk at last. “Just don’t wear those tight jeans tonight, okay? Otherwise, you’re going to drive some poor man crazy, wanting to feel those long legs of yours wrapped around his hips, but he never will because those legs are all mine.”
Zach swallowed hard, forcing away the images Asher’s words evoked. “Yes, they are,” he agreed huskily. “No tight jeans, I promise. Those are only for you.”
