Page 3 of Hiding From Laughter

Ashton

“Hey…this is going to be…”

Sawyer’s voice had me looking up at my office door but his frustrated and slightly embarrassed tone didn’t give me any hint about what he was feeling. He always sounded like that unless it was something he saw as strictly work related. “Howard sent me.”

Trying not to laugh, I nodded in understanding. “Closed door or open door?”

We had the weirdest boss and he had no social skills whatsoever when it came to anything…interesting.

Sawyer sighed, clearly relieved I wasn’t going to be a pain in the ass. “I don’t know. I’m supposed to ask if you know how many extra hours you’ve worked over the past couple of days.”

Looking apologetic and slightly worried, he frowned. “It’s really not my business, but if Howard has noticed then something is up.”

Yeah, he was oblivious to a lot of things.

But the reminder had me glancing down at my computer and wincing at the time before I looked up at Sawyer again.

“And he was worried it might be gay related so he sent you.”

There was no way to be upset with the guy because he generally had good intentions even though nothing ever came out right.

Rolling his eyes, Sawyer nodded after a few seconds. “Yeah, he didn’t exactly say it that way but he talked around it and mentioned we were close in age a few times and that sometimes young people need someone to talk to.”

“At least he’s well-intentioned?”

I wasn’t sure what else to say because the frustrating man wasn’t exactly wrong. “Yeah, I’ve been working too many hours and I’m driving myself and everyone around me nuts, but I’m not as nuts as it’s coming across.”

Cocking his head, Sawyer frowned at me. “That’s not the answer to make me go away quickly. You know that, right?”

The best part about his answer was the way he was trying not to glare at me. To say talking about personal things at work nearly gave him hives would’ve been an understatement. When he’d first started working in the main office, Howard was so confused and worried about the guy he’d come to me asking if recommending therapy would be inappropriate.

He’d been the one to give the entire HR department gray hair until he’d just given up asking them questions.

Asking me, and it seemed Sawyer, got him in less trouble.

“If my brain was working at full capacity, yes.”

I didn’t know what I was doing any longer. “I’m really fine. It’s just some stuff at home. My relationship is good. I’m just overthinking a few things and it’s spilling over everywhere.”

It was like a great big kinky oil leak all over my head.

Sawyer was barely holding back a deep breath and looked like he was so uncomfortable the hives were ready to pop up. “If…if you need to talk about anything, I’d be glad to help.”

Really?

He was nice but I was pretty sure I’d give him a heart attack.

Some of that must’ve shown on my face—mostly because I was tired and frustrated with myself—because he chuckled. “God. How the guy with two partners ends up being the prude in the office is insane.”

Well, at least I hadn’t said it.

Taking a deep breath, he squared his shoulders like he was going into battle. “I promise I am not as easily shocked as I look.”

I wasn’t going to bet on that.

“I promise I am not as nuts as I look.”

I wasn’t sure what I could say to actually make him believe that without giving him a heart attack…or having to talk about all the stuff Micha had said over the weekend.

I wasn’t going to pretend to have done much talking but he kept making little comments.

“Um, do you understand why I don’t believe that? Howard wouldn’t even believe that.”

Sawyer’s duh tone had me trying not to laugh.

“He puts you in the weirdest positions.”

That got another eye roll from the dramatic worrier. “How about I promise to keep to more normal hours, and you just tell him that it seems like Micha and I had a silly argument but we’ve worked past it?”

Clearly liking that idea, Sawyer tried not to show it as he studied me. “If I tell him that and then your life implodes like that guy downstairs who works at the law firm, Howard is going to kill us all with guilt.”

I would never understand how they’d managed to collect so many dramatic nuts in one company. Hell, even the straight guys were ridiculous. It was definitely Howard’s fault in some way but I still hadn’t figured it out.

“Yes.”

I’d done this to myself but I had no idea how to get out of it. “Honestly. This is not going to blow up in anyone’s face. No guilt besides mine at driving my partner insane.”

And everyone at work too.

“Alright.”

Not liking the situation, Sawyer glared at me. “Don’t make me a tattletale and a liar.”

Snickering, I shook my head. “You told me who sent you and I told you what to tell him. No tattletales here, just a boss who doesn’t understand limits or social situations.”

Oops.

There was a flash of knowledge in Sawyer’s eyes and it was enough to have him crossing his arms over his chest. “Limits are very important and should be respected.”

Well, clearly, he wasn’t as vanilla as he came across…two partners or not.

God. Somehow I’d dug myself a deeper hole.

“And sometimes pushing them and figuring out where the limit should be is healthy and frustrating.”

I was hoping that would be enough and relief seemed to hit us both as he nodded slowly. “Howard doesn’t need to know that part.”

“Agreed.”

Shaking his head, Sawyer’s mouth turned up at one corner. “But the offer to talk is still on the table if you need it.”

Since I was starting to think he might actually be able to handle it without dying, I nodded. “Thanks. I appreciate that.”

And I also appreciated someone pointing out I was making my coworkers and boss worry.

I wasn’t sure there was a lot I could do about the worrying in general, but I could make more of an effort to fake it. There was no way that Micha would buy the act, but my coworkers probably would as long as I left at a reasonable time and stopped wandering around at odd moments talking to myself.

That was probably what caught Howard’s attention, but I was glad he hadn’t explained that to Sawyer. Having Howard think I was losing my marbles was enough. But was telling Sawyer I was having a limits crisis any better?

I still wasn’t sure as he left, but I was glad I hadn’t killed him.

Howard really liked him and he was a hard worker.

“Time to go home.”

Before someone else came to check on me. “But first I need to apologize to Micha.”

And distract him.

I wasn’t under any delusion that he’d gotten distracted or had decided to leave the whole new kink conversation alone. But I was hoping our odd stalemate would last a few more days so I could have more time to ignore it before he made me talk about it again.

It was only Tuesday and that was a long time away from Friday, so I’d know what to say before then.

Hopefully?

Ugh.

I needed more caffeine to be able to handle reality.

But first, I picked up my phone and studied it for a few seconds. “Text.”

He’d hear the stress in my voice if I tried to call and that wasn’t what I was going for. Stress meant I’d end up on his lap talking.

No.

Hey sexy. I lost track of time so how about I take you out to dinner?

Six was generally on the later side for me leaving the office but that was because we both went into work early. Micha’s job as a Special Ed teacher meant early mornings and late afternoons, so I wasn’t sure if he was still slogging through the endless paperwork or if he was home.

It was taking him long enough to respond that my guess jumped to driving as I saved the plans I’d been working on and headed toward the parking lot. I’d spent so much time at work avoiding stupid shit, I was up-to-date on all my projects and had even spent time on a few this would be cool type plans.

A lot of landscape architecture companies would’ve gotten frustrated with my fantasy projects but Howard encouraged it because he knew most of us were a bit more creative than average. He liked creative types which was probably why the confused straight guy had ended up with so many interesting employees.

When Micha finally responded back, I knew I’d guessed right.

I need a good bribe. It was a long day and I had two IEP meetings that went completely off the rails.

Well, on one hand that sucked, but on the other, it meant he didn’t have the bandwidth to poke at me.

It also meant it was my turn to take care of him.

Pub burgers and ice cream it is. Meet you there in about ten. If you get there before me do your meditation app.

He was much better at nagging me to take care of myself than he was actually taking care of himself.

Micha’s only reply was an emoji that seemed to be waving at me.

As I decided how to respond to the I heard you but I’m not listening response, I headed toward our favorite burger restaurant and the place where we had what Micha considered our first date. He was crazy, but I was going to let him keep his delusion since he was stressed.

He was also being a good Dom and making healthy choices, because as I pulled in beside him, he had his eyes closed and he was relaxed back in the driver’s seat. The low hum of whatever the app was saying was barely audible outside the car, but I’d timed it fairly well because it went quiet after a few seconds.

Micha let out a deep breath and opened his eyes, rolling his head so he focused on me as he smiled. “Hi, baby.”

I was mostly reading his lips, but I winked and blew him a kiss. He laughed, shaking his head and smiling wider as he turned off the car. I stepped back as he opened the door, but I stayed close enough to give him a hug as soon as he was clear.

And since it looked like he still needed to let out some stress, I patted his head and smiled. “Good job. You listened. Good Dom.”

Rolling his eyes, he tried not to look serious but it didn’t work. “I’m not a puppy.”

Nope. He was fully grown in every way.

“You’d be cute.”

Giving him a wiggle and wide eyes, I kissed his cheek. “We’ll get you a big tail to wag.”

I knew he’d dated pups in the past, but he’d understood right off the bat when I’d explained I couldn’t picture myself doing that at all. If anything, he’d said I would be a sloth who wanted to be carried around and sleep all day.

That sounded like a great life, but not practical.

Even Micha couldn’t carry me around that long.

“You going to lead me around on a leash?”

Wrapping his arms around me tighter, he narrowed his eyes and glared at me.

He knew it made my knees weak, so he had to work at the expression to keep himself from laughing. Me, on the other hand, had to work at breathing and remaining upright. He was sexy as fuck. “With a big studded collar.”

Letting out a low growling sound he knew would do wicked things to me, his hands tightened to almost painful as one dug into my ass. “I think I need to remind you who’s the Dom and who’s the sub.”

Oh yes.

And luckily for me, it would count as helping my Dom let off some steam.

“What if I told you that you’d look sexy?”

Aiming an innocent wide-eyed look at him, I did my best not to moan. “I’ll let you pick out what color the collar should be.”

Oh yes.

The pinch he gave my ass had my eyes rolling back in my head and I rocked my hard cock against him without thinking about it. “Any…any color you want.”

“I think it’s time to dig out the clamps again.”

His rough tone made it sound like that should be a threat, but we both knew it was the best kind of pain. “You’re going to be singing out promises to be good for me before I’m done with you.”

That was music to my ears.

“Promises. Promises.”

I tried to shrug and look unconvinced, but the breathy tone in my voice made it unbelievable.

Oh well.

If I was lucky, that would make him even more eager to put me in my place.

“You’re pushing your luck.”

His expression looked stern and like people shouldn’t walk past him in a dark alley.

But he pinched my ass again.

Best Dom ever.

And I was the best distraction ever.