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MORTON

Blue-green eyes blinked at me, feather-soft lashes fluttering, full pink lips puckered up… His skin was light, like rich cream, with a delicious blush covering his cheeks.

Jamie.

He teased his nipples with his fingertips as he took my dick inside him and stared at me with untamed lust in his beautiful face. A yellow light coming from the side made the softest hairs on his cheeks glimmer.

I bucked. The tingle in my knot spread up my shaft and burst into waves of pleasure.

The orgasm was short. I felt like a teen when I used my boxers from last night to catch my cum.

I dropped them on the floor and lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling.

Jamie was single. The realization threw my perfectly organized life upside down.

I hadn’t been able to think about anything else since yesterday afternoon when he so casually dropped the bomb.

I’d called off a hookup I had planned to let off steam.

Instead, I spent the night dreaming about my assistant.

They broke up a fucking month ago! Argh!

Not that it changed anything.

With a groan, I rolled off the bed.

I began sorting the mess of clothes on the floor. My luggage stood ready by the door, but the bedroom looked like a tornado had been through it. My poor housekeeper shouldn’t have to pick up dirty socks and cum-stained underwear.

My phone rang just as I was about to step into the shower. I winced when I saw the caller ID.

With a sigh, I answered the call. “Morning, Gary. I have a train to catch. What do you need?”

“I’m good, thank you for asking. I got worried when you canceled on me so abruptly yesterday.”

I canceled on Gary because… Jamie was single. Which didn’t make any sense! Just because he was suddenly free didn’t mean he would ever consider dating his own damned boss.

I’d spent months, years , lusting after my much younger assistant.

When he’d gotten engaged, I decided enough was enough.

I’d actively worked on erasing him from my system.

Gary had been a part of the plan—as my casual, willing fuck buddy.

And just when Jamie brazenly mentioned his breakup, Gary decided to get clingy.

I dragged my hand down my face. “Gary…”

“You’re going to burn out, Morton. You need someone to take care of you.”

Jamie takes care of me . “I’m in a hurry this morning.”

“How long will you be gone?” The needy whine in Gary’s tone was more annoying than ever.

I stretched my back and eyed the vanity. I’d forgotten to pack my toiletries. “Two weeks,” I mumbled.

I began throwing random things into a bag. Toothbrush and toothpaste. Anything else was a bonus, right?

“I’m going to miss you.”

Razor. Comb. Shaving cream. “I’m sure you’ll find a pleasant distraction.”

“I will.” His voice held a challenge. “Alain has been chasing me to go out with him again. He’s back in town.”

Was Gary trying to make me jealous?

“I hope you’ll have fun.”

“Morton, I’m not enjoying our casual arrangement as much as I thought I would.”

Not now, dammit! I’d just told him I was in a hurry, and he wanted to discuss our relationship.

“Well. I’m sorry to hear that. Take these weeks to think it through, and we’ll talk when I get back.”

“We’re good together, Morton. The sex is amazing, and we’re compatible in other ways as well. In the beginning, I enjoyed the freedom you gave me, but lately, I realized I only fucked around to make you jealous.”

Shit.

“And I know you haven’t touched anyone but me for months,” he added. “Why is that, hm?”

Because I don’t have the time to date! And now Jamie…

“Gary, please, not now.”

“You don’t have to worry about our schedules because I’m willing to compromise. You’re worth it for me.”

“I have twenty minutes to leave the house. Can we do this when I get back?”

“It takes one second to say yes, darling.”

I heaved a sigh. There went my easy lay. “I think you should take Alain up on his offer. I’m not ready to commit.”

The phone was silent for a heartbeat. “I’m tired of waiting around for you to grow up.”

Growing up wasn’t an issue, and I wasn’t commitment-phobic. But Jamie was single now; he wasn’t going to marry Brian or Liam, and I… Was I a hopeless fool?

“I’m sorry.”

“You will be,” Gary said ominously and ended the call.

The interaction with Gary left a sour taste in my mouth. Why did he have to push? He wasn’t in love with me. Gary wasn’t the romantic type at all. That was one of the things I liked about him. I didn’t have to worry about hurting him.

Except I’d underestimated his ambition. He’d made a calculation and was pleased with the prospect. He deemed me a suitable match, but then I went and ruined his plan. Of course he was pissed, on top of being humiliated.

It was for the best. I’d been ignoring Gary’s annoying traits because I needed a regular outlet for my sexual frustration. Maybe he was right. Maybe I should grow up and start dating people seriously.

But who would want to have a meaningful relationship with a nutcase like me? I was hung up on a guy twenty years my junior, whom I spent hours with on a daily basis. I was basically married to Jamie already, except I wasn’t allowed to touch him.

He was my employee, too young for me, and not interested . I wouldn’t put him in an awkward position or even endanger his livelihood by propositioning him. He didn’t deserve that.

I should have fired him. Wiped him out of my life for good.

I should have done that during those first few months. God, he’d been only twenty then, and I’d jerked off in the office bathroom to fantasies of him bent over my desk. I’d felt like the most disgusting creep who’d ever crept.

And I’d only gotten worse since, hadn’t I?

As soon as I saw him, the now familiar longing swelled in my chest. He stood on the train station platform, craning his neck. He was looking for me. His face brightened with a sweet smile as he spotted me. He waved.

Was there anyone in the entire wide world more beautiful?

He had this soft, fragile quality about him that made me want to wrap him in a blanket and hold him tight.

Then he would give me a mischievous smile, a dimple in his cheek deepening, his large turquoise eyes sparkling, and the alpha in me wanted to bend him over a desk, slap my hand over his sexy mouth, and fuck him so deep his stomach would bulge.

“Mr. Hartley, you’re almost on time.”

“Almost?”

“It’s nine thirty-two.”

“The train is still here.”

“Because it leaves at nine forty-five.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You said nine thirty.”

He blinked innocently. “Did I? I must have misspoken.”

A porter jumped to grab our luggage. I’d booked an entire car, the last one on the train, so we’d have privacy.

It had two bedrooms, two en suite bathrooms, and a compact coupé in the front that we’d use as an office.

I climbed the steep stairs behind Jamie, not staring at his ass in his thin slacks.

“This is cozy,” he said as he looked around the front coupé.

“I believe the bedrooms are back there.”

Jamie peeked through one of the open doors. “I call dibs on this one.”

My lips twitched with a smile. I loved how easy and playful he was with me. Jamie had always been impeccably professional when the situation required it. He was also warm and kind and kept me on my toes with his sharp wit.

Finding another Gary wouldn’t help. I needed someone I’d actually like. I’d been comparing everyone I’d met with Jamie, and they fell short.

He frowned at me. “I mean, you can have it. You’re the boss.”

I shook myself mentally. I’d been staring at him again. “I believe the bedrooms are identical, just mirrored.”

“Okay.”

Jamie tilted his head to the side, scrutinizing me. “Are you alright, Mr. Hartley?”

“Yes. Sorry. I guess I didn’t sleep well.”

“You can take a nap. We’re stuck in here for four days anyway.”

“I might do that later. We have work to do. I’ll meet you here in twenty minutes.”

He gave me a brisk nod and a military salute. “Yes, sir.”

I’d be holed up in here with him for four days.

Lord, have mercy.