Page 1 of The Boss (Roosters #7)

Maxwell

Fucking traffic. Even at this hour of the day, the streets were as jammed as my calendar.

Doesn’t matter what I drive. My Mercedes-Maybach won’t get me to the office any faster than a Prius, but my ride got a lot of looks.

It commanded the eye as well as the road.

I imagined the other drivers were wondering what VIP was enjoying all this luxury.

The thought ignited me. Being the center of attention was a turn-on. It was better than sex.

At last, my building came into view. It was an impressive sight.

The Barnes Building was a soaring glass tower, twenty stories high, and one of the most prestigious addresses in the city.

I helped design it myself. I demanded a seat at the table with the architects and builders, and my input resulted in a stunning building that met my needs.

If you want something done right, do it yourself. ‘Nuff said.

I turned into the parking garage and pulled into my reserved spot, savoring the rewards of success.

My car, my building, designer duds, a Rolex, they were all symbols of my wealth and status.

None of it was due to luck. I worked damn hard to get where I was, long hours, high-profile court cases, good investments…

I was on top of the world. Now I was ready to enjoy myself.

For years work had overshadowed everything else in my life.

I had made a name for myself and accumulated stuff , but I had neglected the hedonistic pleasures that shaped my life.

It was time to focus on the thing that lit me up.

BDSM. Erotic play made me feel complete.

It energized me. I just needed the right partner.

Lately, I had wondered whether the man I wanted even existed. It was a tall order to fill.

I knew who I was and what I wanted -- single, gay Dom looking for a playmate, not a relationship.

Nothing serious or exclusive. I wanted a man who was submissive because he loved the way it made him feel, but finding a compatible play partner wasn’t easy.

In the past I’d had partners who played at being submissive so they could gain access to me.

They were only interested in my prestige and money.

I liked a man who was willing to work hard and make it on his own.

Someone who was constantly learning and wanted to challenge his limits.

Even with my connections, it was difficult to meet men because my kink was a well-hidden secret. Submissives who were looking for a Dom wouldn’t know how to find me. It had been a long time since my Dominant side got any attention, and it had been frustrating as hell.

Until the day Aaron Marshall showed up. We had instant chemistry.

Chemistry counted for a lot, but it wasn’t everything.

There had to be more to it than attraction.

The big question was, could we build something on that chemistry?

This was such an improbable match, I couldn’t believe it was more than a fluke.

But what if it wasn’t? I intended to find out because I was used to getting what I wanted, and I wanted this man.

I took the private elevator to the top floor.

My suite was bright and modern, a stark contrast to my public office one floor down.

There it was all cherry wood and leather, the warm traditional look I presented to the public.

But the private penthouse was my home when I was working on an important case so it was all me, a personal office, sitting room, kitchen, bedroom, and a large bath, even a walk-in closet stocked with some of my favorite paddles and floggers.

I listened to my voice mail and found a message from Brett Holiday, my best friend. No need to answer it. I’d be seeing him tonight. I went into the bathroom to check my appearance before taking the back stairs to my office.

Before settling in, I walked out to the front office to greet Aaron, who was now my newest paralegal. My current office manager was teaching him the ropes, a task I planned on taking over shortly. Pun intended.

Aaron always clocked in ahead of everyone, even me. He wanted to make a good impression, and he had. The man was a quick study and very professional, but he had other assets that sparked my interest.

I never forgot our first meeting. I liked his looks immediately -- dark blond hair, hazel eyes, slim build, but his stance was what caught my attention.

Aaron stood in front of my desk, his back ramrod straight, arms at his sides, head up, eyes down.

His deference was flattering to the point of overkill.

I saw it as a tendency to yield to the will of another. He was hard-wired to be a submissive.

We made eye contact and it was hot as hell.

I pictured us having wild sex and I sensed he felt the same.

The undeniable connection between us was like an out-of-body experience.

That mysterious attraction couldn’t be forced.

It was what I longed for, but seldom found.

Calm down , I told myself. Do not hire this man because you want to fuck him.

“Have a seat, Mr. Marshall.”

“Thank you.”

I decided to test the water. “Thank you, Sir .”

Aaron’s eyes went wide but he responded immediately. “Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir.”

His reaction was beautiful to behold. Being told what to do excited him.

I could tell he wanted me to take control, to dominate him.

Anticipation shivered along my spine. I knew an untrained submissive when I saw one.

Aaron was struggling to recover his self-command, but his desire and arousal shone like a beacon in a storm. I was intrigued.

The rest of the interview hadn’t changed my opinion.

Aaron always deferred to me. He waited for my direction, and then spoke.

He was fresh out of school with only a two-year degree, but he appeared to be honest and willing to take on any task.

I wanted to give him a chance, but there was more to it.

The boy was aching to hand over control to the right Dominant.

I wanted to be that person, and it had been a long time since I wanted anything that badly.

Halfway through the interview, I knew I’d hire him.

I made a note to have Brett investigate his background.

My personal life hadn’t been completely devoid of passion.

I was part owner of The Playhouse, an exclusive BDSM club.

Brett Holiday was the face of the club. He did background checks on the members and matched me with a good sub when I wanted to play, but the sessions were unfulfilling and disappointing.

Something was always missing. My needs weren’t being satisfied.

I had yet to find a man that inspired a second play date.

The day Aaron showed up in my office struck a nerve.

Ever since, I had wanted to see him on his knees at my feet.

Mixing business with pleasure was probably foolish, but I didn’t give a damn.

My private life was just that -- private.

Tonight, I was going to do as I pleased, and it was nobody’s business.

* * *

Aaron

It had been a long walk to the office that morning.

The streets were wet and slippery from a passing shower, but I walked by the bus stop with no regrets.

Fuck public transit. It sucked. I didn’t like sharing my space with people who didn’t bathe.

Besides, I was on a tight budget. I was saving so I could go back to school.

I wasn’t complaining. I was lucky to have a good job, but I could do it on autopilot.

Being on the bottom of the totem pole, I did the grunt work.

Eight hours a day of legal research, drafting documents, and maintaining files paid the bills, but I would rather be in court arguing a case.

That’s why I moved to New York. I was sure I could make my dreams come true and discover opportunities that I wouldn’t find anywhere else, but the competition was sky-high.

New York was a tough city to navigate, especially for a kid who grew up in Punxsutawney, PA, best known for being the home of a groundhog. In small town America, everybody knew everybody. That could be a good thing, but not so much for a kid like me who knew he was gay from the get-go.

Everybody else knew, too. Gossip traveled faster than the speed of light, and I was always a target. Being blond, scrawny, and un-athletic didn’t help. I couldn’t count the number of times the bullies gave me wedgies and stuffed me inside my locker. They called me pretty boy and cocksucker.

Needless to say, my social life was non-existent. Not only did I like men, I liked dominant men. I don’t know why, but part of me itched to go outside the boundaries of what most people I knew considered normal. Being a na?ve kid and having no one to talk to about it, I turned to the Internet.

That’s where I discovered porn and BDSM.

I saw pictures of men being bound, gagged, spanked…

The sexy photos excited me. I kept imagining what it would feel like to give in to a strong man.

What would my master do to me if I misbehaved?

Would he spank me? Fuck me hard? I would never find out in Punxsutawney.

As soon as I got my high school diploma, I moved to New York, got a job waiting tables and enrolled at a community college.

In my free time, I explored the world of BDSM and looked for a likeminded partner on the Internet.

Unfortunately, I was still a na?ve kid, and things didn’t turn out like my fantasies.

The idea of giving control to the right person still drove me wild, but I was afraid to try again.

These days I concentrated on work and I only submitted in my masturbation fantasies. Mostly they were about my boss, Maxwell Barnes. The forbidden has always tempted me and fucking the top dog at the firm was about as taboo as it got.

I wanted to be a lawyer, but I didn’t have the financial means. Instead, I earned an associate’s degree in paralegal studies. When I graduated, I realized I was screwed. Most lawyers wanted their paralegals to have a bachelor’s degree and experience. Every firm I applied to turned me down.

Barnes, Inc. had just lost one of their legal assistants.

I almost didn’t apply for the job. It was a topnotch firm and Maxwell Barnes was a legend in his own time.

He had an extraordinary reputation as a lawyer and his philanthropy was well documented in the papers, but rumor had it that he was an arrogant and self-centered man.

I didn’t have much hope of being hired, but I couldn’t afford to ignore any leads, so I sent in my résumé.

I was shocked to get a call back. And even more stunned to discover that Maxwell Barnes himself would interview me. He was just the type of man who excited me, and terrified me. I was scared shitless and sure that I would screw up any chance at a position.

When I walked into his office, I was done.

My gaze locked on his brilliant green eyes and the room blurred around me.

Maxwell Barnes was probably the most sought-after bachelor in the city, and with good reason.

He was super rich, extremely intelligent, and hot as hell.

Tall, dark, and square-jawed like Superman.

His picture was always in the papers but the photos didn’t do him justice.

The still shots didn’t come close to capturing his personality.

I wasn’t prepared for how he commanded a room with his presence.

His posture, his eye contact, his movements…

the man was a force of nature. One glance and I was smitten.

I wanted to impress him. More than that, I wanted to submit to him.

When Maxwell told me to have a seat, his sexy voice got me flustered. Strong, deep, it was the tone in my head when I imagined a man forcing me to do forbidden things. I tried to hide my feelings, but I was all sweaty palms and weak knees.

I sat through the interview trying not to react while all the time his look, his voice, the way he smelled gave me goose bumps.

All nerves, I saw myself naked and on my knees at his feet.

With those lustful thoughts in my head, I could barely get two words out in his presence, but for some reason he decided to take a chance on me.

I had been at Barnes, Inc. for six months, but I hadn’t made any friends. I was afraid if my coworkers got to know me too well, they’d find out I was different and look down on me like the people back home. It was easier to have two personas, one for work and one for my private life.

Lately my two identities had been overlapping in a dangerous way.

When work was interesting, I could keep my kinky side buried until quitting time, but when boredom set in, my mind wandered down devilish paths.

It was hard to act professional when I pictured myself over Maxwell’s knee, his big palm delivering a spanking to my naked ass.

It would never happen, for more than one reason.

He was my boss. He probably didn’t share my kink and I was fairly certain he wasn’t gay, but that didn’t stop my lustful, taboo thoughts.

Today they were especially bad. When Maxwell entered the front office to say good morning, my heart started pumping faster.

Dressed in a Brioni suit that had to cost at least ten thousand dollars, he exuded power as he walked over to me to discuss the day’s appointments.

We made eye contact and suddenly I had a raging hard on.

It was going to be a long day. Hopefully, I would be able to release some of my frustration tonight.