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Chapter Six

After he'd gone inside,Kell stood by the closed front door and listened to the sound of his pounding heart. Had hereallyjust told Parker that they should meet here? What the hell happened to not wanting to have himover?

Inexplicably,in the matter of just a couple hours, things had changed. Having spent that tiny bit of one-on-one time with the alpha, he was beginning to learn how Parker operated. He was learning that it wasn't exactly that he meant to be so harsh, he just didn't have much tact in the way he dealt with people. Saying something like "this sucks" meant more like "I know you can do better." It still stung, but now he was definitely sure of one thing—Parkerdidactually think highly ofhim.

And that'd givenhim another startling realization about himself—he'd been craving Parker's approval this whole time. That was why he'd always taken his criticisms sohard.

But what hereally hadn't expected was the growing attraction he felt for Parker. Over the brief time they'd spent together, it felt like he was constantly receiving electric jolts of excitement to his system. Every bit of physical contact with Parker had been oddly amazing. It'd made him want more, and he had the strangest feeling that Parker was indulginghim.

He droppedhis bag and stumbled over to his mattress. He had to get this under control. What he was feeling was ridiculous. Of course Parker's admiration would feel good—he was such an amazing artist. But to suddenly be into him? The things Parker did that Kell had once found irritating and repelling now seemed to captivate him. The snips of anger, the domineering attitude, his unwavering confidence... Kell suddenly was finding it all to be incredibly hot. When Parker had grabbed him in the studio, there'd been a startling reaction down in his pants. It'd happened again in the car, and in the restaurant. Every bit of physical contact that day had elicited a rise to attention down below. He hadn't been able to do anything to stop the embarrassment from coloring his cheeks, and he prayed that Parker hadn't noticed the stiffened bulge between histhighs.

Kell's facewent hot just thinking about it. Sitting there next to him in the restaurant, crossing his legs tightly together as Parker sat next to him and drew in his sketchbook, trying his hardest to extinguish his erection. Was he in heat? Was that all it was? Or was there something more? If Parker were to burst into the door and satisfy his itch, would there still be attraction there the nextday?

Kell had no idea.He'd never felt like this for anyone before, and as his mind continuously recalled each moment he felt his cock twitch with want. He popped open the button of his jeans, unzipped himself, and pushed his hand down into his underwear to meet his waitinghardness.

He closedhis eyes as he tightened his fist around himself. What would it feel like to have Parker do this to him? It was so weird to be fantasizing about him, but the thought was turning him on so damn much. He pushed his underwear down to his thighs, just enough to free himself. His cock stood tall and ready, and he began to stroke himself, imagining that it was Parker who was doing the work. He imagined Parker's warm scent, drawing in intoxicating breath after intoxicating breath of it, the feeling of his fist around his wrists, holding him pinned down while he stroked his dick. He recalled the imagery of his dream, the feeling of being taken by him. It didn't matter how he did it, how rough his was, he just wanted Parker's body on his. He wanted to feel him inside of him, filling his ass and his mouth. He wanted to know what he looked like naked, and what his hardness tastedlike.

Kell moanedas he stroked himself, squirming on his mattress as he imagined pleasing Parker, taking his cock into his mouth and sucking it down deep. He knew he would be terrible for him. He knew he was still a jerk, and he didn't like jerks, but it didn't matter. The desire that was raging through him overpowered everything else. Any common sense that he'd once had, all thoughts of reservation for the type of alpha he thought he'd be attracted to, all gone. He flipped onto his knees, his cheek pressed into the sheets as he continued to stroke himself, pushing his ass up to an invisibleParker.

"Fuck me,"he murmured. And he imagined getting filled up, getting his virginity taken and the ache eased with the alpha's cock. And then when he imagined what it might feel like to have Parker come inside of him, to leave his hot semen inside, to impregnate him... That was when the unstoppable force of his orgasm burst over him. He came hard, the waves beating over him again and again, and when it was finished he slowly relaxed onto his side as he tried to slow hisbreaths.

"Damn,"he muttered. He reached over to the box of tissues sitting on the ground by the mattress and cleaned the mess off his sheets. He had a problem, and it started with a capitalP.

Just get through this assignment,he thought.After that I won't have to spent time with himanymore.

But somehow,it didn't feel like it would be that easy. Somehow, it felt like this desire for Parker was here tostay.

He wonderedwhat Parker was doing at that moment. Was he also lying alone in his apartment, thinking about him? Maybe he also was touchinghimself?

Kell groanedand got up to the go to the bathroom.Don't be ridiculous. There's no way he thinks of me thatway.

* * *

"Warranties,"Montrell said, tapping the brochure hanging on the shelf next to the laptop computer displays. "Warranties, warranties, warranties. I don't think I need to remind you allagain."

Kell was only half listeningto his manager's daily pep talk. He stood in the back of the group of his co-workers, a glazed look on his face. He was thinking about the project design. He and Parker would be working on finalizing it that evening so that they could move on to the actual productionrendering.

"Kell!"Montrell said, snapping his fingers and pointing at him. "Did you get what Isaid?"

He blinked."Uh, upselling. We need to sell morewarranties."

"That's right.Corporate is on our ass about this stuff, guys. Our store is not performing up to snuff, and the DM is on my ass about it. So let's get focused on selling more of theseservices."

"When arewe going to get some new help hired?" a coworker asked. "It's hard to focus on our departments when we're being forced to run around all over the place to fill in thegaps."

"Don't worry about that.We've got some people coming in for interviews soon, we'll have help on the floor before you know it. Alright? Alright, let's get to work!Warranties!"

The group dispersed,each one of them looking miserable. Kell meandered around his department, adjusting things on the shelves in an attempt to look like he was doing something. He wished he could be at the studio at school working on the project with Parker. This was just a big waste of precious time, and every moment spent here drained his creative energy like leeches drainedblood.

His thoughts wentfrom working on the project with Parker, to just of Parker. As he walked through the store, it felt like every computer monitor and TV screen was playing those few, extremely vivid moments he'd had with him. They were taking over his mind, and they'd been such tiny, nothing moments, too. Why did have to feel like this about Parker? Why couldn't it have been someone less difficult? Someone he actually got along with? Someone who was nice to him, who was actually intohim?

But then...perhaps he wouldn't have felt this strongly if it were someone easy. Maybe the reason why he was feeling this way about Parker was because he was such a dick. Somehow, it made those moments when he was not so dickish feel that much more amazing. Parker hated everyone, so if he could get along with him... then he had to bespecial.

Parker was earlyfor class that day, already seated in his corner of the room when Kell walked in. He considered for a moment going over to sit near him, but in the end decided against it. He went to his usual spot next to Jessie and found himself wondering if Parker might come over to speak with him or show some kind of evidence that he felt any kind of new affection for him—but he didn't even glance over at Kell once, not one hint ofacknowledgement.

Professor Young was givinga presentation on color, and he turned the lights in the room down so that he could show a series of slides on the projector. In the darkness of the classroom, Kell stole glances at Parker from of the corner of his eye. The light of the projector screen rimmed Parker's face in soft colors and shadows, like a vision from a dream. Somehow, he'd managed to get even hotterovernight.

When class ended,Kell was surprised to see Parker disappearing out the door. He was sure he'd at least come over to talk to him after to class, if anything just to discuss the project. Jessie started to talk to him about something, and he stopped her. "Hold on a second," he said, and he jogged out of the classroom. Parker was at the end of the hallway, about to leave thebuilding.