Chapter 21
CHAPTER 21
HARRISON
S crew lunch, I’d rather fuck Aaron. In this boardroom, over this table.
Watching Aaron at work, taking ownership of that meeting, turned me on. I didn’t pay attention to anything the CFO said and I’m sure I missed terribly important updates. Whatever. I’d read about in the follow-up email.
There was only one thing on my mind, and he was standing right in front of me.
Aaron rounded the table, and I was about to manhandle him when I realized the door was still open and anyone walking by could see us.
Unfortunately, Aaron kept walking past me, right out the door. Fuelled by lust and determination, I quickly followed him. He headed down the hallway towards the elevator and when I finally caught up to him, I leaned in close.
“You ruined my fantasy,” I whispered.
He stopped short and stared at me.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Fucking in the boardroom.”
Aaron grabbed my arm and yanked me into the nearest alcove.
“I thought corporate men didn’t do it for you,” he quipped, recalling our first conversation.
“I’m entitled to change my mind. And you, taking charge in that meeting?” I groaned. “Forget lunch, let’s go back to your office and work. And by work, I mean, my dick will work its way into your ass. Or, you can have mine.”
“Harry,” Aaron hissed and looked around. “Stop.”
“Does the idea of fucking in your office make you hard? I can barely walk at this point.”
“Of course I’m—” Aaron gave a frustrated sigh. “We could get caught.”
I didn’t care. No, that wasn’t true. If anyone found out, he’d stand to lose. A lot. And I didn’t want that to happen. Holy fuck, I cared about Aaron. I had actual feelings for him. Feelings that weren’t just about sex.
I placed my hand on the wall to steady myself before I fainted from shock.
“I won’t deny that your offer is really, really tempting,” Aaron confessed as he looked into my eyes. “But I can’t.”
His calm response ticked me off. I wanted him, badly, so bad that I was ready to combust on the spot. Aaron was obviously not as affected as I was. And I was acting like a goddamn fool.
“How about my place?” I blurted out. “Tonight?”
Now I was inviting him to my home? I couldn’t believe the words pouring out of my mouth.
“We’re late. And Shane’s waiting,” Aaron replied, stepping away from me. “But, I’ll think about your offer.”
I nodded, taking a deep breath, gathering myself.
“Fine,” I bit out, steeling my emotions. Or, trying to. I was a hurricane about to let loose. “But it’s a one-time deal.”
“Isn’t that what we said three days ago?” Aaron replied with a small grin.
Was it only three days? “Feels like a lot longer than that.”
Aaron nodded and started off for the elevator. I behaved myself, acting like a model employee, keeping to my side of the elevator and avoiding any flirty glances or comments. Not that it was easy. Then again, nothing about Aaron, or my reaction to him, was.
When we arrived back at Aaron’s office, we met up with Shane and headed out for lunch. The longer we walked, the more familiar the neighborhood.
I laughed out loud when we walked up to the front entrance of Fin.
“What’s so funny?” Aaron asked. “Is there something wrong with this restaurant?”
“No, not at all,” I chuckled. “It’s just that my brother co-owns it with my best friend.”
“Seriously?” Shane commented. “Wait, your brother is Morgan Ducker?”
“That’s right, you know him?” I asked.
“Uh, sort of.”
“Oh God,” Aaron groaned and covered his face with his hands.
“No, not like that,” Shane added. “He catered an event for my father.”
“Oh.”
I opened the door and motioned for Shane and Aaron to go through first. We entered the restaurant, which was packed with the lunchtime crowd, and I spotted my brother working the line. The place had an open kitchen, so you could see everything being prepared. Morgan looked up, surprised, and I waved at him. Like me, Morgan had jet black hair, but instead of an undercut, he rocked a man bun and a beard. He barked something to his sous chef, grabbed a towel to wipe his hands, and walked around the counter to greet us.
“Haz! I was expecting you next week for dinner, not today for lunch.”
I pulled my baby brother in for a hug. Not so baby at six feet tall.
“Business thing,” I turned to Aaron and Shane. “This is my boss, Aaron Taylor-Ladner, and this is his friend, Shane Lofton.”
“The artist. I know your father.” My brother nodded at Shane and then offered his hand to Aaron. “Nice to meet you, Aaron. I hope Haz isn’t talking your ear off.”
Aaron gave my brother a rare smile.
“He’s tried, but I’ve discovered a few ways to silence him.”
I coughed into my fist and Morgan stared at me with concern. I was shit at hiding anything from him. But thankfully, someone in the kitchen called out my brother’s name, and the questions that I knew were coming, would wait.
“Unfortunately, I gotta get back in there. But you guys enjoy lunch. It’s on me,” Morgan insisted. “Haz, text me?”
I nodded in response.
My brother spoke quickly to the hostess, and then headed back to work. We were shown to a prime table with a view of the busy streetscape.
“Harrison, Patrick was telling me that you went to Delaney University,” Shane commented as we sat down. “Never mind LA, I’m surprised we didn’t meet at college.”
I glanced at Aaron, who shook his head.
“Oh, we did,” I replied. “Aaron didn’t tell you yet?”
“Tell me what?” Shane grinned and looked at Aaron.
“The night of that infamous party—” Aaron started.
“Your naked college debut?” Shane quipped.
Aaron gave his friend the finger, but Shane kept smiling.
“I was the one who, in my drunken state, announced that water wasn’t his dick’s friend,” I admitted.
“That was you?” Shane replied with a shocked expression. “Are you serious?”
“Unfortunately,” Aaron griped.
“Oh my God!” Shane shook his head. “And now you’re working together. How did this happen?”
“He came in for an interview and my father insisted on hiring him,” Aaron replied with a sigh. “You know how he is. The board decided they wanted Harrison and that was it.”
I bit my lower lip. “Aaron, of course, wanted nothing to do with me but I had no idea why. At first.”
“This is so freaking hilarious,” Shane chuckled.
“No, it’s not,” Aaron grumbled. “Especially considering that picture of me.”
“I told you, I didn’t do that,” I insisted.
“He didn’t,” Shane blurted out.
“What?” Aaron and I exclaimed at the same time, staring at Shane.
Shane sighed.
“I know who posted your picture.”
“You’ve known all this time, and you didn’t tell me?” Aaron hissed.
“What was the point? Once the picture was out there, it was out. I figured it was better to let it go than to tell you and get you upset.”
“Who?” Aaron demanded. “Who was it?”
Shane bit his lower lip. “It was Weston.”
“Who?” I repeated.
“A guy in one of my classes,” Shane explained. “He was the one who invited me to the party.”
“The first guy we talked to,” Aaron muttered, shaking his head.
“That’s right. About a month later, we were hanging out, smoking pot in my room, and he admitted that he was the one who posted your picture.”
“That rat bastard,” Aaron growled.
I grabbed Aaron’s forearm. “I told you it wasn’t me.”
“You created the tagline,” Aaron snarked.
“Feel free to return the favor at the next all-staff call, okay? Or, I’ll introduce myself as Harrison Fucker at every meeting and then we’ll be even.”
Aaron finally let out a smile. I realized, too late, that I was still holding on to him. Shit. I yanked my hand back but not before Shane gave me a knowing smirk.
“I can’t believe you two are now working together.” Shane shook his head. “This is wild.”
No, wild was fucking my boss and wanting to do it again. Wild was inviting Aaron back to my place. Wild was wanting more than just sex.
Suddenly, I had to get out of here. I needed to get away from Aaron before I did something stupid. For the umpteenth time.
“I just remembered that I have a, uh, I have an important call to make and I need to get back to the office.” I stood up abruptly. “I’m gonna take a rain check on lunch.”
Aaron stared at me with confusion in his eyes.
I offered my hand to Shane. “It was nice to meet you, again.”
“Likewise,” he replied. “Maybe next time I’m in town, we can all have dinner.”
“Sure.”
“And I hope Aaron doesn’t ride you too hard.”
I shook my head, ignoring the blush creeping up my cheeks.
“You know these corporate types. Play hard and work harder,” Shane added with a wink.
Had Aaron told him or had he guessed? I glanced at Aaron, but he was busy mangling his napkin with anxious hands. Yeah, it was for the best that I was leaving right now.
“Oh, Aaron,” I added. “About that meeting tonight, I’ll have to cancel. I forgot I made other plans before I left for Banff. Let’s catch up on the pipeline discussion in a few days, okay?”
Aaron finally looked up at me. I saw resignation in those dark eyes of his. Was it disappointment? That was probably just wishful thinking on my part.
Aaron
“You like him.”
“I do not,” I grumbled as I stared at my napkin. Better that than staring at Harrison as he walked away. “I’m not a teenager and this isn’t a crush.”
“I never said it was,” Shane added. “Crushes aren’t usually complicated.”
I rolled my eyes. “There’s nothing complicated. We had sex. It’s done.”
“I don’t think so.”
“I know so.”
I sounded confident, but inside I was confused as hell. I’d never been so churned up over a man. With others, I’d fuck and forget, but Harrison? That wasn’t possible.
I looked over and spotted Harrison near the kitchen, speaking to his brother. Then, he was gone. Why did he get up and leave us like that? I guess I should’ve been grateful that he’d saved us from an awkward lunch, but still, it left me with a horrible feeling. My appetite was now long gone.
“And that bullshit about a meeting tonight?” Shane shook his head. “You were going to hook up.”
I shrugged. There was no point in denying it. “It was a bad idea. And thankfully, he gave me a way out.”
“He likes you. And I’d say he’s trying to protect you.”
I jolted at my friend’s declaration.
“Protect me? He’d sooner throw me under the bus. A literal one.”
Just then, our waiter returned with several glasses of water and a basket of warm bread and honey butter. I thanked them, grateful for the distraction.
“I don’t see that,” Shane replied. “What I do see is the sparks between you. They’re so hot I’m surprised you didn’t set this restaurant on fire. And, it’s okay to want more, Aaron. Not every relationship is doomed like your parents.”
“There’s no relationship, there’s nothing,” I protested. “I don’t want that. I’ve never wanted that.”
Shane smirked. “That’s what everyone says until it happens to them.”
“You’re one to talk. Your longest relationship was two months.”
“True. I’m happier on my own. But I think you’d enjoy having a partner. Someone to come home to. Someone to build your life with. A guy who challenges you and supports your dreams. It’s okay to want those things, you know? To fall in love.”
“At this rate, I won’t have any appetite for lunch,” I snarked. “Could we please talk about something else? Your latest fuck buddy? Your next gallery showing? Anything.”
I gratefully reached for the water and took a long sip to cool down.
“The issue is, Harrison works for you,” Shane continued. God, he was like a dog with a fucking bone. “If you want him, you’ll have to fire him. Or, you could?—”
He paused and stared at me intently.
“Or, I could what?” I asked.
“Marry him.”
I choked on my mouthful of water and spewed most of it over the table. Shane laughed, reached for his napkin, and mopped up the mess.
“Marry him? Are you insane?” I croaked. “That is not happening. Ever.”
Shane reached for a chunk of bread, ripped a piece off, and stuffed it in his mouth.
“If you say so.”