Chapter Eleven
The next few weeks passed with little change. Now Christmas and New Year were over, the entire British nation was hit with a sense of melancholy that often accompanied the month of January.
Rowan and I had not managed to get together again, so had made the most of rushed kisses and secret embraces where we could at work. To say I was beginning to feel frustrated and pent up was an understatement and judging by the ever-increasing feverishness of our make-out sessions, I doubted I was alone in feeling that way.
“God, Max,” Rowan groaned in my ear as he walked me backwards across his office. My legs collided with the desk, shunting it across with a loud screech. I lost my balance and fell down to sit atop it, pleased when Rowan followed and pressed me down firmly into the various papers and files that were open beneath my back. I gasped as he wormed his hand beneath my tunic and over my abs. My hard-on pulsed hungrily against the tight material of my work trousers.
“I can’t take much more of this,” I growled, taking Rowan’s bottom lip between my teeth. “It’s been, like, a month of foreplay. I’m losing my mind.”
Rowan simply moaned in agreement, kissing me passionately. As he moved to suck at my throat, I shuddered.
“Seriously.” I pushed against his shoulders, and he begrudgingly allowed me to shove him away. Rowan eventually stood up, taking a few steps back from me, as if he couldn’t trust himself to be too close. I knew the feeling, desperately wanting to rip his shirt off him and stroke my hands over the amazing chest that I knew lay beneath.
Rowan cleared his throat and tightened his tie back up. “Please tell me you’re free this evening?”
“I planned to head to the gym, but it’s nothing I can’t put off,” I replied, my heart thumping faster with excitement.
“Good, put it off. I’ll pick you up at six.” He paused. “Unless your roommate happens to be out of course?”
I grinned. “I think he’s in tonight, but I might have a way to convince him to stay away – at least for most of the night, if not until tomorrow.”
A heated expression crossed Rowan’s face. “That would be ideal.”
“Leave it with me.” I stood up and straightened my tunic. Rowan grabbed a fistful of it, dragging me forward and into yet another blistering kiss.
“Stop,” I whined between kisses.
“Sorry, I can’t help it,” he murmured. “You drive me crazy.”
Though it took every ounce of my self-control, I managed to push Rowan from me once more. This time I rushed past him and back out into the dental room, knowing I was somewhat safe from his advances there.
“Coming to lunch?” I asked him, perhaps applying far too much emphasis on ‘coming’. Rowan shot me a knowing look and I grinned back at him.
“Yeah, I’ll be coming alright.”
I laughed and slipped through the door. “Goodness, if I didn’t know better, I’d be sure you were talking about something else entirely,” I teased, allowing the door to click shut behind me. I barely resisted jumping up and down with glee before taking a deep breath, steadying myself and heading downstairs to the break room. As I passed reception, I heard Becca call out for me and I faltered, turning back to pop my head around the door. She was just getting her lunch from her bag.
“Wait up.” She smiled.
“Sure,” I replied, hesitating before adding. “Hey, what’re you doing tonight?”
“Nothing, what did you have in mind?”
“Oh, not for me. I’m going to the gym. I just wondered if you’d be up for entertaining Oliver for the evening. I take it you’re still chatting?”
Becca cocked a brow, gesturing for me to follow her into the break room. “Yeah, we’ve been texting. Why? Has he asked you to ask me?”
I grinned. As good an excuse as any. “Yeah. He wasn’t sure if you’d be up for going on a date with him. He’s been a dickhead, and for once, he knows it. He wants to ask you but isn’t sure you’d want to.”
Becca fought a smile but failed. “I wouldn’t be opposed to the idea.”
“Great. I’ll let him know.” I grabbed my phone, opening up WhatsApp and silently praying that Oliver was as amicable. Was it underhanded? Probably, but Rowan and I desperately needed to get off before we did something stupid and lost our jobs.
MAX: Hey, you busy tonight?
A reply came through quickly.
OLIVER: Nah, what’s up?
