“I’ve put notes on where you need to negotiate edits with his team, as well as places to sign.”
“Thank you. I’ll make a start now,” I said, pulling the file towards me. There was no point in typing anything. I could at least let my eyes scan the report and try to take the information in.
I had an hour of sleep last night, at most. I was too wired to do anything but lie there after another session with Molly. I came twice during the night, and once this morning, rereading sexts and trying to relive the best moments I’d shared with her before she left for Norway. But I still couldn’t see her face when I came. And I was stuck with the look Dom gave me at brunch three days ago.
Guilt was already gnawing at me anyway, even if it was for a reason other than not being able to focus on potentially life-saving projects.
“Are you sure?” she said. “How long have you been sitting at your desk?”
I frowned. She was right, of course. I hadn’t stood up for over four hours, though from the way my hips ached, it could have been the entire day. But I knew without a doubt it was because I had spent at least five nights spreading my knees wide enough that the muscles in my thighs screamed as I came.
“Long enough,” I replied. “What else is there to do?”
“Do you honestly want a list?” The corner of her mouth hitched. “Or shall we skip to the part where I tell you to rest for an hour so that by the time Lord Hastings arrives, you don’t look dead on your feet?”
I added a sofa to the bathroom a year ago for exactly that purpose. A nap did wonders for me, though I felt like an old man whenever I said it out loud.
I threw a longing glance at my private bathroom on my right. The door was next to a hidden closet that contained emergency suits, and they were incredibly useful for a quick change if I needed to hop from a meeting straight on to a party. Which is why my grandma had it installed in the first place.
“Make it half an hour,” I said with a shrewd look. “I’m not going into the meeting unprepared.” It didn’t matter if Lord Hastings had been a family friend since before I was born; he was still slippery. If I didn’t stay on my toes around him, he’d rope me into agreeing to things I’d later regret: like allowing Mum to sit on the Board if the vote went my way.
Anita nodded briskly, her sharp grey eyes dropping to the tub of salad in front of me before sweeping back up to meet mine.
“Yes, yes. Fine.” I rolled my eyes, reaching for the tub and popping the lid as she folded her arms again. “Well, are you going to stand there and watch me eat it, too?”
Her lips curved into a smile, and she shrugged. “Just making sure.” She chuckled. “I’ll be back in later.” She turned and headed towards the door.
If I didn’t have Anita, Cat, and other heads of departments keeping an eye on all the threads that made up the tapestry of The Foundation, I couldn’t see how I’d run it.
The moment the door closed, desire quietly rose in my body again. It had been waiting under the surface for my mind to drift and remind me how much pleasure was waiting for me if I just gave in. Tonight would be the seventh time we did it, if Molly actually responded.
It seemed rather mad that I’d gone from being hesitant about sexting her to spreading myself out before she was even ready. I was so eager for it, and I kept telling myself it was because I wanted to connect to her, even though I felt more distanced from her each time I came.
I looked down at the swirl of lettuce, chicken, raw vegetables, and seeds in front of me, sighing at the sorry state of the thing. I knew it was good for me. I just didn’t want it to be.
Pulling out my phone, I shot my fiancée a message before I picked up my fork with a grimace. The quicker I ate it, the quicker I could lie down and let sleep take me, even if it was only for half an hour.
Already thinking about tonight. Can’t wait to hear from you. Love you.
Harry
Iwoke with a start. I was suddenly and horribly aware of my hard cock pushing against my briefs. Though I was hidden underneath a thin sheet, cloaked in semi-darkness with the door to the bathroom locked, I was still at work. And there was the smallest chance someone could come looking for me.
I moved from my back onto my side on the sofa, cracking my neck as I yawned. I fully intended to throw the sheet back, get up, and straighten myself before returning to my desk. But the weight of the past week hit me like a speeding truck. It was the same sluggish tiredness that I experienced every day.
It had been like this for years. Unless I slept for a full day, there was no way to rid myself of the exhaustion, especially with The Foundation playing a major part of my life. At least at the hospital, I was on my feet. It was harder to focus when I was trapped behind a desk.
It had been going on since I was a teenager. I’d spend months simply napping for an hour or two at random times during the day and night. Then, one day, without warning, it would all catch up on me, and I would crash. I wouldn’t be able tofunction for days, and I had to lie in bed for however long it took my body and mind to decide we could move again.
I’d been mostly stable recently, but add in Molly’s confusing ‘break’ and the subsequent sexting on top of the late nights, and I could already feel this was too much for me.
I had no idea how long I had slept. My phone was on the small table right beside me. I could have reached out and checked it, but I didn’t want to break the illusion that I could stay here for another hour and not have to think about the world.
I groaned at the hard surface of the sofa. I deliberately ordered a rock solid one so that I didn't fall into a deep sleep, and every time I woke up, I regretted it.
Even shifting to find some relief from the heaviness of my body before returning to work was unsuccessful. I pushed back my shoulders, brought my knees to my chest, curved my back, and arched my neck. I'd do anything to feel that pop and crack of my joints that told me again I was unfit and overweight.
With each languid movement, my cock responded, and I found myself rolling my hips to stretch them out.
