Page 9

Ziggy

Ziggy twisted his head side to side to release the tension that came from sitting next to Silas who, for the most part, did his best to put as much distance between them.

After the initial shock of Laken coming to ask him to go to Silas’s office, Ziggy had blocked most, if not all, of his concerns about being in the office with Silas while the others were present.

Ziggy could act professional, and he’d damn well proved it over the last three hours while they’d worked to fix the issue.

Coordinating the drivers to the places they needed to go to ensure that by Monday, at the latest, Hales would have the stock promised to them was like a jigsaw puzzle.

They needed to ensure the best usage of the trucks to minimize cost and travel time.

All the while, Ziggy pretended Silas hadn’t shut him out after s nakegate.

It was how Ziggy now referred to what had happened, with how Silas made sure they were never alone together.

Endless lists of tasks emailed to him had kept Ziggy glued to his own desk, working long into the night.

The avoiding game that had abruptly come to an end just as Ziggy was preparing to finish for the day gave him an opportunity to address what was going on between him and Silas.

Because in no universe was it the adult thing to hide from the disaster.

No.

Life had taught Ziggy this the hard way. It led to miscommunication and heartbreak, and Ziggy was way past fed up at being ignored when his snake nagged continuously at him about the distance Silas put between them. They’d agreed—eventually—to give Silas the space he needed to figure his shit out.

Today, the universe had given them a sign, and his snake was eager for some close contact.

Talking. Talking is the only thing going to happen between us.

Ziggy’s reminder to his other half about them needing this job, one he loved and really wanted to keep, fell on deaf ears.

He’ll not sack us.

Hollis would be the one to sack us. He is our boss, not Silas. How many times do I have to say it?

His snake quit and sulked.

As Hollis had made no mention of an issue and hadn’t asked him to switch brothers, Ziggy had worked his ass off to be up to speed on everything, just in case.

The effort had proven useful when his hard work had paid off today.

He didn’t miss the shock and then respect Silas had shown about his knowledge and organization, which had given Ziggy a nice gooey warmth at the time.

But after three hours of being ignored—on purpose—he just wanted to grab Silas and demand he stop being an ass.

“We’re done, you can head off Ziggy.” Silas didn’t take his gaze off the laptop he hunched over.

“What about the rest of us?” stated Laken. “Don’t we count?”

Silas continued to tap at his computer. “You never needed me to spell it out before.” He flicked his brother a grin that got Ziggy’s heart bumping against his ribcage. It was pure devilment. “But I can start now, if you like.”

“You ain’t ever gonna be the boss of me!”

Silas finally lifted his head fully, laughing so hard he shook. “Thank fuck.”

Ziggy stared at Silas’s transformed expression. He should really laugh more often. Serious Silas was hot, so was the intense side of the man, but right now Ziggy agreed with his snake, he was fucking gorgeous.

When Isley watched the brothers, showing no signs of getting ready to leave, Ziggy searched for a way to get them all to leave.

“Whatever, are we done?”

“Looks like.” Silas rolled his shoulders back, groaning just as his stomach let out a loud grumble. “What time is it?” he asked no one in particular.

“Late,” Laken replied, as he gathered up the pile of papers off the coffee table in front of him. “And time for food. Anyone up for ordering pizza? I’m too hungry to wait till I get home.” Laken spared them all a quick glance.

Ziggy’s smile didn’t have any genuine enthusiasm. “Thanks, but I’ve got leftovers that need to be eaten.”

“You sure?” Laken persisted, giving him a smile that altered the hard-looking man into one who—if he floated Ziggy’s boat—was way more appealing.

“Didn’t you hear what he said?” Silas growled and got up, basically forcing Ziggy up with him or he’d have fallen off the end of the sofa.

“What’s with you?” Laken questioned, not paying attention to Isley, who stiffened, then rose, jerkily bringing what he held in front of him in a defensive move before walking to the door without a backward glance.

Ziggy hesitated, watching Isley as he disappeared through the door.

Fuck!

“Night,” Ziggy muttered and did what any friend would do and gave chase. He caught up with Isley at the elevator. “You okay?” he asked, slightly out of breath.

Isley gave a jerky shrug, not meeting his gaze. “Tired is all.”

“I feel you. Wanna come to mine and eat leftover pasta?”

The lift quietly dinged, and the doors opened.

“Ziggy, can you come back? I’ve still got a few things to tie up.”

He cursed under his breath before he glanced back down the long corridor to see Silas’s head disappear back into his office.

Isley, who hadn’t answered him, stepped inside the elevator and sighed unhappily. “You better go back.”

The doors closed before Ziggy could consider his next move. “Shit!”

Ziggy had got the impression Isley could have done with the company, but it was too late to chase after him.

He spun around and marched back to Silas’s office, pasting a fake jovial smile in place as he stomped into the room.

“You told me I was free to go.” His gaze swept the room, finding no sign of Laken, and didn’t immediately notice where Silas was because he was behind the door.

Ziggy’s brows arched. “What do you need?” he questioned, holding Silas’s gaze.

Moving deliberately, Silas locked the door.

Ziggy’s body responded to the challenge the man in front of him was issuing. Playing with fire!

He could admit this was what he’d wanted, what he’d dreamed about all week, as he met Silas’s challenge with one of his own. All his good intentions flew the fuck out the window.

Was it a mistake?

Possibly.

Could he stop himself from repeating it?

He lazily dropped his gaze down to Silas’s groin. “Oh, I see. You’re hungry for me,” he rasped huskily.

It seemed not.

Silas nodded, pupils so blown his eyes were dark, fathomless pools when he removed the remaining distance between them.

“We talk first.” He could see Silas was going to refuse, and he shook his head. “If we don’t talk first, this isn’t happening. Do I make myself clear?”

The seconds ticked off as a range of emotions came and went from Silas’s face, the conflict the most obvious. Ziggy didn’t push. He knew how to use silence and waited for Silas to decide.

“I’m not looking for a long-term relationship. Work is my priority right now and for the foreseeable future. I’ve tried to work past this attraction between us, which is…”

“Potent.”

Silas’s eyes glittered with lust. “Yes. But nothing works.” He ran his hands through his hair, appearing frustrated with himself. “So are you interested in no-strings sex? Fun? Causal fucking ?”

No.

His snake’s response jarred, but Ziggy ignored it, seeing just how serious Silas was as he emphasized what was on the table. He could do fun, no-strings sex, for sure. If he was a little disappointed, he would deal.

Don’t do this.

He closed out his animal, his hands going to the buttons of his shirt. “On two conditions.”

“What are they?”

“I’m always in charge of what happens, no matter what.” It was a failsafe for him. It would stop—hopefully—any kind of intimacy forming between them. Hot, sexy time he could totally do, if he was in control. He was good at it.

The way Silas’s slacks bulged answered for him. And their few days together in the heat club reinforced exactly how much that condition would appeal to the sexy fucker.

“I can live with that. And the second?” His voice was so deep it was hardly more than a rumble, sending shivers through Ziggy.

“If we fuck anyone else, we’re honest ‘bout it.” It might only be sexy fun but that didn’t automatically make it less complicated if there was miscommunication when they worked together.

A dark stain of color rode over the bridge of Silas’s nose as his whole body went still. The silence in the room felt suffocating for a moment before Silas replied. “Okay.”

The disappointment returned before Ziggy could stop it.

He worked at not second guessing himself as he unbuttoned his shirt, peeling the edges apart to reveal a fitted black silk basque beneath.

It was one Ziggy had worn to improve his mood but now he could see most it definitely had a second benefit by the wide-eyed, hungry gaze roaming over him.

“Holy fuck!” Silas gasped, his hand going to the front of his slacks.

“No touching until I say you can,” Ziggy crooned with authority.

Silas’s groan came out pained as he let his hand slowly fall away with obvious reluctance.

“Come here and kneel for me.”

He tripped over his own feet in his haste and landed at Ziggy’s feet.

“Take off the rest of my clothes.”

Unsteady hands reached for the belt buckle, and the sounds of harsh breathing came with leather sliding from the loopholes.

Silas whipped out the belt and dropped it to the floor.

The intense look of concentration he wore left Ziggy’s insides burning.

Silas worked to undo the button, sliding down the zipper to expose the black silk thong.

His groan came out tortured, then his tongue traced over his lips as he swayed closer.

Ziggy cupped the sides of his jaw, holding him steady. “Do you want to suck the pre-cum off the silk of my thong like the dirty cum-slut you are?”

“Yes,” Silas gasped, and Ziggy felt the warmth of his choppy breath through the damp fabric.

“Show me how much you want it.”

The next tortured groan sent a thrill through Ziggy.

The eagerness Silas displayed, sucking and lapping at the silk until it was so soaked it stuck to his cock, left him far too close to the edge of madness.

“Such a needy little cocksucker,” he hummed in delight, because Silas loved dirty talk.

He mewled, sucking harder, drawing the silk and Ziggy’s cock into his mouth.

After a week of erotic dreams, it took no time at all for Ziggy to want to shoot his load.

His fingers tightened as he mashed his groin into Silas’s face until his large body shuddered and quaked, although Silas never pulled away. If anything, he pushed in tighter.

Ziggy slipped a hand to the front of Silas’s throat, and gently squeezed.

The sounds of Silas’s desire made more pre-cum leak from him. “That’s it, suck the come from me. Show me how much you want my come inside you.”

Silas’s visceral moan vibrated through Ziggy, and he came in a violent burst, his cock throbbing at the unexpected rush.

He arched back, spouting filth until he scented Silas’s pending release.

He yanked his face away, got down on the floor and shoved Silas onto his back.

Cock freed seconds later, he sucked the cum from Silas forcefully.

Then, holding the salty richness in his mouth, he crawled over a stunned-looking Silas, mashing their mouths together to share his bounty.

Passively, Silas took it as Ziggy licked his way around Silas’s tongue, smearing the cum while swallowing Silas’s moans and whimpers.

“Such a good cum-slut,” he murmured against his lips, “but I don’t remember giving you permission to come.”

Silas’s breath hitched as Ziggy withdrew to look at the stormy, passionate eyes begging for everything Ziggy could give him. “Whatever should I do about that? Spank your cock until you’re hard and then edge you until you lose your mind… begging?”