Several hours ticked by, and having grown tired of staring at the computer screen, Mason switched on the television. He’d never watched TV on the yacht. There was no opportunity, not when you worked for a man who demanded your attention whenever and wherever he was.
Mason settled deeper under the covers and finished his second beer. Drowsy from the alcohol and lack of sleep, he allowed his mind to wander back to his days on the superyacht. The smirks from the people visiting them on board or the staff at the hotels didn’t escape his notice, but he’d ignored them. They assumed he was nothing more than Warren’s boy toy, but Mason knew exactly what he was doing. Was he proud of it now? No, and that was why he had no intention of ever telling Jude.
God, I can only imagine what that tight-ass would think.Mason fluffed up the pillow and yawned. Speaking of tight asses…damn, but Jude had a beautiful body. It had been years since Mason had been with a man near his own age, and Jude’s strength and power had shocked him. When Jude had grabbed him inside his hotel room, kissing him so deeply, so intimately, a surge of lust like he’d never known rocketed through him, and he blew up like a fireball.
Mason threw off the covers, revealing the large, finger-shaped bruises on his hips and thighs. Similar marks were scattered all over his body, and his ass still hurt. At six one and one hundred and ninety pounds, Mason wasn’t small by a long shot, yet Jude had tossed him around in bed like a sack of flour. His dick stiffened as he recalled Jude’s hands and his lips licking and sucking every inch of him.
One mistake is all I’m allowing myself.Ignoring his erection, he opened another beer, guzzled half of it down, and set it on the night table.I’m gonna show him. It’s strictly business from now on.He closed his eyes.
Chapter Five
“Of course. I expected nothing less.” Jude spoke to his empty office as he paced and checked his watch. Eight thirty in the morning and no Mason. But should he really be surprised? He hadn’t believed Mason when he’d stated he’d be at the office early. Still, he couldn’t help the little sting of disappointment. “At leasttryand make an effort.”
His phone dinged with a text.Can you let me in? I don’t have the key.
Jude strode to the front of their offices, where Mason stood shifting from foot to foot.
“So much for getting in early,” Jude said after unlocking the doors.
“I stayed up late studying the client list, and after the little sleep I had the previous night, I guess it all caught up with me.” Mason breezed past him, and Jude held the door open as Miriam, their receptionist, exited the elevator on their floor.
“Good morning, Miriam.” He’d save his choice words for Mason for when they were in the safety of his office.Never lose control in public. Never lose control at all.
“Morning, Jude. All recovered from the wedding? It was so beautiful.” With athumpof her large purse on the long reception desk, Miriam took her seat.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it, and I know Ilana and Doug had a great time. They landed in Paris and are probably sleeping now.” He’d gotten a text saying they’d arrived, and it only made him more acutely aware of how far away they were and how alone he was now.
Mason chuckled. “No way. Ilana is probably dragging Doug to every museum.”
Miriam stared at Mason, then shifted her gaze and raised her brows, and Jude remembered she and the rest of the staff had no idea why Mason was there.
“Mason is joining us to take over for Deirdre. I came in yesterday to get him set up, but can you call Jeffrey in Personnel and let them know to expect him sometime today?”
“Of course. Well, it’s becoming a real family affair. That’s wonderful. Welcome aboard, Mason. I’m sure your parents are happy.”
“Not as happy as I am,” Mason countered with a laugh.
Jude gave an inward sigh of relief. Hopefully she hadn’t seen the two of them together at the reception. “Mason will need keys to the front door. Can you get him set up with that? He’ll be in the office down the hall from me until Deirdre’s gone.”
“Don’t worry about it.” She paused. “How’s your head, Jude? You were hitting the tequila pretty hard. Both of you were.” She smiled at him sweetly, but he saw the twinkle in her eyes, and his heart sank. Equal parts of shame and annoyance surged through him, the latter directed at himself, not Miriam. He hadn’t gotten much sleep himself, having spent half the night wondering what the hell he’d been thinking, getting so wasted that he’d practically jumped Mason in the hallway. Unfortunately, that led to him wishing he had Mason under him again.
He’d lied to Mason when he said he’d forgotten their night together. He couldn’t, not when every touch, every kiss had been exquisitely burned into his brain. But like the excellent faker he was, Jude forced out a smile.
“I’m fine, thanks. No problems at all.” He abruptly walked away. Yes, it was rude, but he couldn’t wait there, a sitting duck, with Miriam’s knowing eyes pinned to his. The last thing he needed was for her to run back to the Reiners with gossip. “Mason, let’s go. I have some things to brief you on before we start the roundtables.”
He heard Mason’s, “Nice to see you again,” then his footsteps. Jude entered his office, and Mason took a seat at the conference table.
“I really am sorry. I must’ve been more exhausted than I thought, and I slept through my alarm.” Mason pulled out a laptop. “But I took lots of notes last night.”
“First of all, I’m not looking for excuses. I can’t say I was surprised when you didn’t show up early. I expected it.”
Mason’s eyes narrowed. “I was still here before nine, and I did a lot of work after I got home.”
“Good. Get ready to do more. Show me what you’ve got.”
Mason opened the laptop, and for the next half hour, spoke to him about trends and influencers and where to spot new prospects. To his surprise, Mason hadn’t lied. He’d done much more than Jude had expected.
“I’m impressed,” Jude said when Mason finished. “You weren’t kidding.”
