Page 16 of Just Business

“Good.” Eli picked up a stack of files from farther down his desk and dropped them on Justin’s open laptop. “Enjoy. I certainly will.”

Walked right into that. “Been putting those off for a while?”

“I always do, for as long as I can. Thank you for getting hired before the quarter ends.” Eli’s grin was infectious.

Justin couldn’t help the laugh. “Now I know the true reason you didn’t veto me.”

That earned him a chuckle. “Back to your own office.”

Justin stood and gathered his laptop and his newly acquired files. “I’ll make sure I come by every five minutes with a question.” He gave Eli his slyest smile and fled for the door, but not before Eli’s reply caught him.

“You do that, and I’ll turn you over my knee and tan your bottom.”

It took every ounce of control Justin had not to spill the laptop and the files all over the hallway. He made it to his desk, but barely.

He wouldwhat?

Justin looked across the hall and Eli smiled back.

Maybe he shouldn’t have made that “challenge accepted” crack after all. More than anything, he wanted to test Eli’s threat. Every nerve in Justin’s body begged for release.

Bent over those knees? That hand on his ass? Justin collapsed into his desk chair. An hour more of work. Then three hours of lecture.

Would Eli really...?

There went any hope of concentrating in class.

As the day wore on, every time Justin looked out the office door, Eli was there, across the hall, most of the time intently working, thankfully. But the last time Justin looked, right before five, he met a wicked smile. Eli casually held up a ruler—an old-fashioned wooden one.

Goose bumps rose on every inch of Justin’s skin. There must be a sign on Justin that pointed out every one of his buttons, because Eli pushed themall. The casual way Eli slipped his gloves on after he’d set the ruler down stiffened his dick even more. Justin turned away, because if he looked much longer, he would forget to breathe—and, fuck, did his balls hurt. Biking would be a torment. Maybe the pain would take the edge off the mind-boggling amount of heat and desire andEliswirling in his head.

“Mr. White.”

That didn’t help. “Yes?”

Eli stood in the doorway, gloved hands on top of his silver-capped walking stick. “How are you coming...” Eli paused, just long enough that Justin knew the word choice had been intentional.”... with the reports?”

“It’s been quite frustrating, actually.”

Eli raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“I’m lacking quite a lot of information.” Justin let his own pause sink in. “You were right about needing the correct paperwork.”

“If you ask, you’ll usually get what you want.” Eli tapped his cane on the carpeting. “See you tomorrow, Justin.”

“Good night.”

Then Eli was gone.

Justin lowered his head until his brow met the edge of the desk. He was pretty damn sure Eli wasn’t straight. “Fuck.”

A very quiet chuckle came from the inside office.

Holyshit.He’d forgotten about Sam.Oh, fuck.Hey, Mercy, I got a new job. Lost it on my first day, too.

Justin lifted his head and pushed back from the desk. Time to get out of here and down to campus. Get his head screwed on straight or this would be the shortest job he ever had. He grabbed his backpack and bike helmet and steeled himself to say good-bye to Sam.

If Sam was angry, he didn’t show it. He looked up from the paperwork and smiled.