10
CHASE WAS DOING HIS absolute best to stifle his laughter, but it was getting harder with every decoration Mrs. Malloy, Abby’s mom, placed around the gym.
The place was unrecognizable, with colorful balloons decorating mostly table surfaces, but also some of the gym’s squat racks.
And with every decoration added, Tobias grunted and scowled like the latex was physically torturing him.
An image of Tobias begging for Chase to torture him with his latex-wrapped cock popped into his mind, but he rushed to erase it. Now was not the time to get distracted by his unhinged fantasies. Instead, he was in caretaker mode, trying to make sure Tobias didn’t lose his shit before the party guests even arrived.
When he made a break for his office, Chase followed and shut the door behind him.
“C’mon, boss. It’s just a party. Even you can handle a little celebration here and there. And Cole promised to clean everything so it’s like no one was ever here.”
Tobias sank into his chair and was rubbing a tiny ball of yarn with one hand while the other pulled at his own hair.
“It’s not the party, okay?” he said, exasperated, his entire body deflating, his head falling to the desk.
Chase warily took the seat across from him and leaned forward, setting his elbows on the desktop. “Then what is it?”
Please don’t say me.
Please don’t say me.
Please don’t say me.
Sure, Chase was pushing it with his texts on New Year’s Eve. Texts to his freaking boss about how he liked to control men bigger than him in the bedroom. He seemed to have no filter around Tobias, but he hoped he wouldn’t get fired over it.
With those fears in mind, he never expected what Tobias was actually stressed about.
“I’m nervous, okay?” he said as he swung his head up and glared at Chase.
“Nervous about… socializing?”
“No,” he snapped. He bobbed his head back and forth in thought and then blurted, “Sort of. I’m nervous because I want to talk to Abby’s sister about setting upthe legal requirements for the kids’ classes.”
Chase fell back in his chair as he absorbed the information.
“Maybe I can help. I know my way around kids’ fitness classes and can help you with some talking points.”
Tobias dropped his eyes to the desk, evidently needing to think about Chase’s proposal. Maybe he didn’t trust Chase with the information. He hadn’t even been working there a month, after all. Not a lot of time to develop much trust.
“That would be so helpful. I just hate that I need the help,” he admitted, and Chase’s heart broke for him. Tobias had the weight of the world on his shoulders and there was no one there to help him carry it? Well, fuck that. Now, there was.Me.
“There’s nothing wrong with asking for help.”
Tobias took a deep breath and gazed at Chase, his expression annoyed.
“I shouldn’t need it,” Tobias grunted. “I let Cole throw this party in my gym for two people I barely know just so I could talk to this lawyer.”
Chase furrowed his brows. “Why didn’t you just call her office?”
Tobias gaped. “Just call her on the phone out of nowhere?”
“No,” Chase said slowly. “You’d probably get her receptionist or something. Her office probably expectscalls from potential clients.”
“See, that’s the thing. I don’t know how to explain to you how hard that is for me. I get ready to make the phone call and I just freak out about all the possible ways I can mess it up. Then it’s like my body can’t make the call anymore. Maybe you didn’t get it before, but I know this is pathetic. However, if Alyssa is standing in my gym and I just have to wait until she walks by to speak, then it’s way easier. Not easy because I still might fuck it up beyond repair, but easier than dialing the phone.” Tobias huffed and shook his head. “Go ahead, you can say it. I’m pathetic.”
Chase’s mind was a tornado of thoughts and emotions, taking in everything Tobias was saying. The one emotion overwhelming the others was anger.
