okay if I was just a kinky tutor of sorts to Corey. My original intention had been to get him to unlock a
piece of himself he tried to hide away. I still wasn’t even sure when or how an innocent offer had
morphed into this all-consuming need that left me feeling unsettled and out of sorts if I went more than
a day without talking to him.
“I know you didn’t.” Jack laughed, shaking his head. “You’re the last man I expected to fall for
one of my employees.”
“And yet you’re very carefully not asking me to accept a management job?” It didn’t make any
sense. Even without rules in place, that was just asking for trouble. There were all sorts of landmines
we’d have to navigate.
“Yes, because you’re here more than I am lately, and I know you. You wouldn’t do anything to
jeopardize the club any sooner than I would.”
“That means a lot.” It never ceased to amaze me how much Jack trusted me.
“Does that mean you’ll think about it?” he asked hopefully.
I shrugged. I didn’t want to say yes. I wouldn’t make a decision about this without talking to
Corey first. If he wasn’t comfortable with it, I wouldn’t. The current set up worked just fine for me,
and even without the paycheck or title, I could still keep an eye on things.
The hinges on the back door squeaked, sunlight streaming down the hallway. Jack thumped my
shoulder again. “For what it’s worth, I think you could be good for him. Just remember, if you fuck
this up and I wind up losing one of the best bartenders I’ve got, I’ll have your ass.”
“You think so?” I quipped, barking out a laugh. “You ain’t so tough and you wouldn’t want to do
anything to wrinkle those fancy suits you wear.”
It felt good to get back to our typical banter. I was probably one of the few people who could get
away with teasing him about always showing up in a three-piece suit. The man even carried a pocket
watch, for Christ’s sake.
“Remember what I said,” Jack said in parting. He rapped his knuckles on the bar twice, before
disappearing into the office. Mere seconds after his office door closed, Corey stepped out of the back
hallway.
“You’re here early,” he said, walking straight into my outstretched arms. He rested his head on my
shoulder, letting out a soft sigh. This was our routine. Corey still took his naps every day before his
shift started, but now we had the comfort of the playroom. Jack’s interception as I got here kept me
