Page 10 of Heartstrings & Hijinks

Gregory

There had never been a time in my life when I was this happy. I was sure of it. Perhaps when I was a child and things were simpler, or when I was in high school and didn’t think too hard about things. But in my adult life, this was definitely the best time.

My business was doing well. I felt comfortable where I was.

Sure, there was always new corporate nonsense to deal with, decisions to make, and yada yada, but in my personal life?

Absolute perfection. The only annoyance came on the days when Evan insisted that he had overstayed his welcome at my home and went to his apartment.

Sometimes he went for a few hours, but other times he would stay a whole night there. Those nights were agonizing.

At first, I thought perhaps he needed space, and maybe that was true.

Then I thought perhaps I was doing something to make him feel unwelcome in my home.

So, I started including him in decisions about the house.

I needed a new roof—let’s get some quotes.

What did he think about replacing the faucet in the sink with a different model?

What color hanging baskets should we put on the porch? That sort of thing.

He enjoyed all of it but still kept me at arm’s length. It was early in our relationship, and I was a patient man. I was playing the long game here.

A knock sounded at my office door, and I just shouted, “Come in,” not bothering to look who it was. It was rare that I kept my office door closed, but I had been on a phone call earlier.

I grinned when I saw it was Evan. He had his laptop held tight against his chest.

“Hey, sorry. I don’t mean to bother you at work.”

No interruption by Evan would ever bother me. “It’s fine. It’s lunchtime anyways, isn’t it?”

“Thirty minutes past, actually.”

Generally, Evan and I didn’t speak much during work hours.

I preferred to stay with my team or in whatever meetings I needed to attend, and I knew he preferred to keep his head down working with his team.

We worked in very different departments, so we didn’t cross paths much.

In the past, that worked to my advantage so I didn’t see him and risk making an inappropriate move.

Now, however, I would much rather see him more often.

“Would you like to go to lunch?” I asked.

“Oh, no. I already ate at my desk. Actually, I only have a few minutes.”

I got up and came to his side. He snuck a glance out the window, and I stilled. “Worried about someone seeing us?”

He sighed. “I know I shouldn’t be. Everyone has been nothing but supportive. I just don’t want people to think I’m sleeping with the boss to try to get ahead.”

I ached to pull him into my arms. Let the gossips say whatever they wanted. Evan and I knew the truth.

“So this weekend…” he began.

“Yeah?”

He shuffled his feet, nerves rolling off him in waves, which was not like him.

I thought for a moment that he was ending things, and my stomach lurched.

But I knew Evan well enough now to know he would never do that in the middle of a workday, and I would have seen signs.

At least, I hoped I would have seen signs.

We had been together for several weeks now.

We’d had many more dates since that first one, and I went to the last two karaoke Fridays.

“Is something wrong? What’s happening this weekend?”

He sighed. “My parents. They’re having their barbecue that they like to do—one of the mandatory ones where all the kids have to come.”

“Ah, yes, of course.” I nodded. I had been invited to those in the past. It had been over a year since I’d been there, though I had seen Evan’s parents since then. “Are they aware that we’re together?”

“Yeah, I told them. But I told my mom not to ask questions, so we haven’t really talked about it.” He wrung his hands together.

I grinned. I let myself touch him, running my hands down his arms. “Tell me what you need from me, Evan.”

“Will you go with me? As my date.”

“Of course.” I desperately wanted to pull him into my arms and kiss him senseless. “I would love nothing more than to meet your parents.”

He rolled his eyes. “You’ve already met them.”

“Yeah, as your brother’s friend—not as your potential life partner.”

“My what now?”

Shit. I’d gone too fast, too soon. No matter. I was all in. I’d shown my cards.

“Evan, surely at this point, you know I’m in this one hundred percent.”

He snuck another glance at the window, as if worried others were going to overhear. I reached around him and shut the door and clicked the button on the wall that blacked out the windows. Let the people talk. Evan was more important. I crowded his space. His scent was intoxicating.

“I’m moving too fast. I know that. And sure, I’d love to have this conversation someplace where we can be totally alone, but I also don’t want you obsessing over it for the rest of the day, because I know you will.”

His eyes were drawn to my mouth, and he let out a little squeak, one I recognized as arousal. I loved learning all his noises and what they meant.

“Evan, this is a serious conversation.”

He rolled his eyes. “Then I need space. I can’t think with you so close to me.”

“See, those are the words I like to hear,” I said. “I can’t think with you so close to me either. That’s what happens when you’re in love with someone.”

I expected surprise, shock, maybe denial. But instead, he melted against me, leaning his head on my chest.

“It’s too soon for that.” I wasn’t sure if he was trying to convince me or himself.

“Is it, though? It’s how I feel.”

“I feel the same.”

I jumped back in surprise. “You do?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Wasn’t that obvious?”

“No, not to me. I worried that you were just trying this out as a casual thing. I hoped that it was more, but I didn’t know.”

He grinned. “I bet you hated not knowing.”

“More than anything.”

“I love you, Gregory ‘Don’t call me Greg’ Alton.

You were literally my knight in shining armor.

You remembered a random, tiny detail about something I wanted to do and took me there for our first date.

You go to karaoke with me, even though I know you don’t like it.

” He placed his hands on my chest, his fingers crawling up the lapels of my suit jacket.

“I don’t hate it. It’s just not my idea of the best time.” It was growing on me, simply because on karaoke Fridays Evan smiled a lot. I’d endure anything if it meant seeing Evan smile. I still wasn’t getting on stage, though.

“Exactly. But you do it every three weeks—for me. I’ll bet if I asked you to let us do karaoke at our wedding, you would.”

I shrugged. “If that’s what you want.”

Evan laughed. “It’s not. And also, you didn’t even bat an eye at the fact that I just alluded to us getting married.”

“It’s the natural progression of things,” I said. “Though I’d like you to move in with me first.”

“It’s so soon.”

“By whose timeline? Is that why do you go home so often?”

“So often? I haven’t been home in five days! I’m not wearing any underwear today because I’m out of clean ones at your place.”

I glanced down, as if I was going to be able to see any indication that he wasn’t wearing underwear.

So there was nothing separating his cock from me except for a pair of suit pants? Fuck, that shouldn’t be so hot. It was one thing to picture the lacy material he and I loved so much, but to know that nothing was there? I wasn’t going to be able to do any work the rest of the day.

“Fuck, Evan. You can’t tell me things like that. Move in with me. Marry me in a couple of years. Let’s start talking about kids.”

His eyes grew wide, then he smiled and patted my chest. “Let’s start with the barbecue this weekend. And also, I’ll box up some things and move them to your place. I only have a few months left on my lease, and I just won’t renew it when the time comes.”

I was about to offer to break the lease for him. Being that I owned the building, all I would need to do was make a few calls and there would be no penalties. But in this moment, he probably didn’t need to be reminded of that.

“Perfect.” I reached for the waistband of his pants and tugged him closer to me. “And I might have a little something that can help with your other problem.”

Evan tried to push away from me, but I held him tighter. “Gregory, we cannot mess around in your office. As much as I want to get down on my knees and suck your dick, and trust me, I’ve fantasized about getting fucked over your desk a lot, but we cannot.”

I chuckled. “Hold that thought, we’ll revisit those fantasies sometime.

Maybe over a weekend. I have some of my own.

I was actually trying to tell you I have a gift for you.

” I reluctantly let him go and reached under my desk to grab the black bag with bright blue tissue paper sticking out the top.

“This was for later, but sounds like you might need them now. And I like the thought of you putting them on right now. Then I can think all day about what you’ll look like in them. ”

Evan grabbed the bag from me, his cheeks turning the most beautiful shade of pink. It looked a bit like his ass did when I pounded into him and placed a few careful slaps on his cheeks.

Evan peeked into the bag. He gasped. “Gregory. How did you know I wanted these.”

“I might have stumbled upon your wish list. I wasn’t looking for it, I promise. But I used your laptop the other day and saw that website was saved, and I couldn’t help myself.”

“You saw the whole wish list?” He raised a brow.

I nodded. “I sent it directly to my email. So now I’ve got a copy of it.”

“You spoil me.”

“Damn right I do. And I’m going to keep spoiling you. Forever.” It was as close to a promise of forever that I could give him for now.