Page 28 of Just Business

Justin shuffled sideways, opened the cabinet, and slid the file home. Eli tried not to notice the way Justin’s arms trembled when he pushed the cabinet shut.

Justin clasped his hands together at the small of his back. “Is there anything else I can do for you, Eli?”

That stance spoke of training.Shit. Not what Eli needed to know. “No, thank you. I should return you to Sam.”

“In one piece.” He sounded disappointed.

Eli couldn’t help the smile. “This time.”

Justin parted his lips and leaned forward. Every inch of Eli’s skin crackled with energy. All he needed to do was lean down and if Justin sat up, they might meet lip to lip. From Justin’s wide eyes, flush skin and thrumming pulse, he knew it, too. They hung there until they both moved away.

Justin climbed to his feet, dick thick in his jeans. “If you need me to file anything else...”

“I’ll let you know.” Eli nodded toward the door. “Sam’s waiting.”

That seemed to wake Justin out of a haze, out of the subspace.

“Right.” He licked his lips and headed for the door.

“Justin?”

Hope blazoned across Justin’s body. “Yes?”

“Would you mind closing the door? I have a call I need to make.”

His expression crumpled. “Sure.”

To see Justin deflate like that hurt down to Eli’s bones. Had he been that unforgiving this week? “I’ll open it when I’m done. I promise.” Keeping it closed had been a mistake. Whatever happened now, he wanted Justin as a friend, even with the snark and the eyeliner.

“Good. I mean—”

Eli pointed at the door. “Sam. Go.”

Justin grinned. “Yes, Eli.” He left, closing Eli’s door behind him.

God.Eli pressed his hand against the length of his cock and stroked. Wasn’t the first time Justin had left him hard. Probably wouldn’t be the last—but he needed another outlet, one that wasn’t so complicated and full of pitfalls.

You could ask him out.For a moment, he even considered it, but no.

You may find relationships hard, his therapist had said. Both true and false. The affection he had for Sam and especially for Michael ran deep and had come without hardship. Even the subs he played with, he was fond of them. But fuck if he wanted his heart wrenched out of his chest and used as a bargaining chip.

He’d been right about Justin. So verymessy. He’d sunk straight into Eli’s soul. But whythisman?

Because he’s not afraid of you in the same way Noah never feared you.Eli scrubbed his face, rotated to his desk, and woke his computer.

One e-mail from Sam. No subject.

I have no issues with it.

Eli did. Eighteen years of issues. He picked up the phone and punched out a number he knew better than his own.

“Hello?” A deep voice on the other end.

“Lyle. It’s Eli.”

“E. Good to hear from you.” A pause. “Does this mean you’re going to grace us with your presence this weekend?”

“If you’ll have me, yes.” Lyle’s parties always provided a distraction and an outlet.