Page 83 of Making It Burn

The footsteps grew closer, steady and unhurried, and my entire body went rigid.Beau’s hand tightened on my waist, his breathing shallow.We stood there, pressed against each other, waiting.

The footsteps paused right outside the door.

Fuck.

My mind raced through explanations—we were looking for files, we needed supplies.Oh, we were having a completely professional conversation in a completely professional closet—but none of them would explain why Beau’s cock was sticking out of his pants.

The footsteps moved on.

We waited another thirty seconds before either of us moved.

“That was close,” Beau muttered, exhaling hard.He reached down and stuffed his dick back in his pants.I frowned, stepping back to adjust my tie.That warm, fuzzy feeling evaporated, replaced by something cold and uncomfortable in my gut.

Too close.

“Yeah,” I mumbled.

Beau was re-buckling his belt, his movements quick and practiced—like this was routine now.As if sneaking around in supply closets was just part of what we did.And maybe it was.Maybe this was all we’d ever be: stolen moments in dark spaces, always one footstep away from being caught.

I hated it.

Not Beau.But the secrecy.The constant vigilance, and the way my shoulders tensed every time someone said our names in the same sentence.The way I had to watch myself, monitor every glance, every word, every accidental touch.

I was so tired of hiding.

But what choice did I have?Coming out at the firm would change everything.People would look at me differently, treat me differently.They’d wonder about Beau and me, speculate about our relationship, turn us into office gossip.

And my father—

No, I couldn’t think about that right now.

“What are you doing for lunch?”Beau asked, smoothing down his shirt.

“Meeting Caroline.”

“Your future stepmother Caroline?”

“The one and only.”I couldn’t quite keep the sarcasm out of my voice.“She wants to get to know me better.Bond.Pick my brain about what to get my father for Christmas.”

Beau’s expression softened.“That’s...nice?”

“It’s performative.”I checked my reflection on my phone screen, making sure I looked presentable.“She’s trying to play the role of concerned stepmother, but we both know she’s just going through the motions.”

“Maybe she really does want to get to know you.”

“Maybe.”I doubted it.“We’re meeting at Happy Chen’s.That place in Shockoe Slip.”

“I love Chen’s.Their kung pao chicken is incredible.”

“I’ll let you know how it is.”I moved toward the door, then stopped.“You should go first.”

“Right.”Beau hesitated, like he wanted to say something, then just kissed me quickly.“See you later?”

“Yeah.My place tonight?”

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

He slipped out of the closet, and I stood there in the dark, counting to sixty before I could follow.