Sebastian
For a few glorioushours that morning, Seb was actually able to get some work done. His coffee brought him a few flashes of inspiration, and all at once, the equations and strings of code he had been squinting at all week seemed clear again, the problems exciting and fresh.
And then, right after polishing off the salad he had for lunch, everything got cloudy again.
It started with an itch in the back of his brain. Had Seb and Declan really done what Seb remembered them doing? He would have expected to feel embarrassed about it, and it was only once he was alone in the shower that he realized he should have offered the same to Declan, instead of just humping his fist like a horny teenager.
But somehow, the way Declan acted, Seb didn’t feel embarrassed. When he stumbled out of the shower, Declan had already whipped up some breakfast for the both of them, and they chatted easily about the day ahead. Almost like he hadn’t just held a handful of Seb’s cum, Declan kept his eye steady when he explained the plan for Ellie, how he had arranged some dog food with the morning’s delivery and a visit from a vet while they tracked down her owners.
And just like magic, Seb had eased into Declan’s confidence and felt a little more confident himself.
The afternoon wearing on, he sighed and flipped through a few pages in his notebook. Seb had always thought Alexandria was being ridiculous when she claimed that she needed to have sex in order to clear her head, but now he was wondering if there was actually something to that.
Not that Seb and Declan had actually had sex with each other. Not exactly, at least. But Seb had never gone any further than masturbation with another guy, so the release he felt with Declan’s hand around his cock was still pretty mind-blowing.
He flattened his palm against the desk, and he spread his fingers. He thought again about Declan’s arm, wrapped across his chest and holding him still. And Declan’s hand, rough and callused, but somehow, with the leak of precum, perfect against Seb’s tender skin.
Seb shuddered, then closed his notebook. It was ridiculous to pretend he was going to get any more work done, now that the fantasies had started filling his brain again. Instead, he decided a friendly visit to Ellie was in order.
Declan answered the knock on the doors to his wing immediately, Ellie yipping at his feet. Seb dropped down to his knees to offer his hand to the puppy, who immediately nipped at it and then stuck her nose out, begging for a pet.
“Hey there girl,” Seb laughed. “We find your parents yet?”
“Not yet,” Declan answered, then glanced over his shoulder.
Seb looked up and noticed that Declan was distracted. “I’m sorry if this is a bad time. I didn’t mean to disturb.”
“No problem,” Declan said. “Just left the stove on. Here, you want to come in?”
“Oh, sure,” Seb said, heat pinking his cheeks.
Of course, Seb owned that wing, just like the rest of the house. It was filled with his furniture, his towels and blankets and vases, or at least the ones that an interior decorator had picked out for him. But as he followed along, he felt very much like he was entering into Declan’s home and seeing the rooms for the first time.
It was a little messy, but still organized. There was a pot of water boiling on the stove in the small kitchenette, and when Seb peeked, he saw a few eggs rolling around and clattering at the bottom of the pot. Across the room, the television was on in the lounging area, but muted, and the military men on the screen fired their guns and fled explosions in silence. Seb noticed that a blanket was spread on the ground for Ellie, and based on the additional blanket hanging to dry near the window, Declan had been working behind the scenes to clean up after her.
Seb turned to his bodyguard. His hair was swooped back and still a little wet from his shower. A plain black sweater fit snugly over his muscles, and Seb was struck by how handsome Declan looked in it. The sharp lines of his face and the silver of his stubble caught his attention all over again, twisting his breath tight.
“None of the neighbors are claiming Ellie,” Declan said. He dropped to his knees to pet the puppy, who licked at his hand. “If you’re comfortable staying here by yourself, I can put some posters up, or we could call someone else to do it.”
Seb nodded quickly. “I’m fine alone for a bit,” he said, forcing his voice to keep steady. He’d thought clearly through the situation and knew he was safe. Now that he was closer to Declan, he felt it was important to show he wasn’t some scared kid, even though anxiety still gripped him from the inside when he thought of being alone. “Thanks for checking, though.”
Declan nodded quickly, then rose to his feet. “I’ll take care of her, so you can focus on your work,” he said with a nod. “How’s it going, by the way?”
Seb shrugged. “Fine, I guess. I made a little progress this morning.”
Declan gestured to the small dining table, set against the wall with a couple of chairs. Seb took one of the chairs, then leaned down to pet Ellie and give her some attention while she was still around.
“I saw those guys from your dad’s company sent some boxes over yesterday,” Declan said, taking a seat himself. “The delivery man acted like it was pretty important.”
Seb wondered if, beneath his rough surface, Declan was also distracted, thinking about that morning. “Yeah,” he answered. “It’s just some new lab results, though, nothing too exciting. People like the delivery man just get excited because my dad’s name is involved.”
“Must be something else,” Declan said, leaning back in his chair.
“How do you mean?”
“Growing up with a man like your father. You must see all kinds of things.”
Seb shrugged. “I guess. It just seems kind of normal to me. He’s been that way my entire life. I don’t remember a Christmas that didn’t include at least one senator or a family dinner that went uninterrupted by his assistants.”
