Page 20 of Just Business

“They’re ratherlovelyknots, Mr. White.”

Sam opened the door. “Out, both of you. We have work to do.”

They both obeyed—but not before Eli caught sight of just how tight Justin’s jeans had become.Excellent.

***

“I’m heading out, J.” Sam stopped in the doorway to their office, holding the leftovers from lunch. “Have a nice weekend.”

“Thanks. You too.” Justin was still full from lunch—and a bit breathless. Too many bits of information about Eli rattled around in his head.

Sam nodded before he vanished down the hall.

Justin shook his head to clear it. The weekend needed to be about Financial Engineering. Plus, he’d planned to meet with his capstone group. The management game was heating up and they had to up their strategy if they wanted to win. Or at least have their company survive.

Justin exhaled, saved the spreadsheet he’d been staring at, and closed the laptop. Time to head to campus. He grabbed his bicycle helmet and bag.

The whole building rumbled.Shit, no. Really?He peered though the door into Eli’s office and out the window. Black sky. Sheets of rain. Eli studied the window, hands poised over his keyboard.

“Fuck!”

Eli started and whipped around. No anger—just shock.

Damned if it didn’t look good on him, the tinged cheeks and wide eyes. “Sorry. It’s just...” He held up his helmet.

Eli folded his hands into his lap. “Not the best timing.”

“I’m supposed to meet with Don at six.” And soaking wet was not really a look he liked, outside of a pool or hot tub.

Eli studied the clock on his laptop before closing the machine. “Would you like a ride down to campus?”

Yes. No. That close to Eli?Fuck. “Sure, that would be great.”

Eli looked like a cat when a bird hopped by. That thought zapped through Justin, raising goose bumps. Like everything else he refused to think about, he pushed it out of his head.

Work. Classes. Bills. Mercy.

Eli pushed it right back in when he stood and pulled on his tight leather gloves—slowly—before grabbing his jacket. “You’re in luck. I normally walk, but I have errands to run this evening.”

“You live that close?”

“On Wightman. A few blocks.” He grabbed his cane—steampunk today. “It helps, the exercise.”

One of the few times he’d acknowledged the injury. “That’s good. I mean, the exercise.” God, what a dumb thing to say.

Eli pulled something from behind the door. “My car’s on Hobart. Did you bring...?” He held up an umbrella.

No. He hadn’t. “It’s only a couple of blocks.”

He wasn’t sure which was worse, the rain sheeting against the window behind Eli, or that raised eyebrow that seemed to say,Are you really that much of an idiot?

“Come on,” Eli said.

Justin tossed the helmet back onto his desk and slung his messenger bag over his shoulder and across his chest. Eli shut off all the lights before they descended the stairs. Big fat drops plopped mockingly against the sidewalk.

“The umbrella will fit two,” Eli said. “If you don’t mind getting close.”

Just what he needed, to be pressed against Eli. It was either that or get soaked in two seconds flat. “I don’t mind.”