Chapter 6
Griff
It was nearly impossible to concentrate when the only thing I could think about was Taylor and the time I had spent with him on Friday. The evening had been mind-blowing, amazing, everything I’d ever dreamed of and more. If I was the swooning type, I would have.
The need I had to keep him locked in my home for the rest of our lives was strong. Of course, that was insane. I couldn’t kidnap the man. Unless of course, he was into that sort of thing, then I supposed a little bit of primal play wouldn’t hurt.
Perhaps we’d book a cabin in the woods for a weekend where we could play predator and prey. I’d chase him through the forest and take him back to my secluded cabin.
I had a feeling if I told him all those things, it would spook him. Instead, I needed to play the long game.
We had exchanged numbers. Even though I was incredibly tempted to set up a repeat for Saturday night, maybe even Sunday, I didn’t. The entire weekend was an exercise in patience. Taylor needed the utmost level of care, like a wounded animal I was approaching in a forest.
I texted him good morning on Sunday. We chit-chatted but didn’t go any farther than that.
He had said he needed to get some work done, and I could respect the creative process that he needed to produce his masterpieces.
Selfishly, I wanted a copy of whatever he was working on—maybe even some hands-on time with him to act out whatever scene it was he was working through.
On Monday morning, I watched as he filled the mail cart and then made his way to the elevator.
Once he was out of sight, I had no choice but to focus on my work.
He and his cute little ass weren’t there to distract me, and I was out of excuses.
Thankfully, Sawyer came in, and we discussed our week ahead.
We must have been speaking for quite a while, because before I knew it, Taylor was coming back, his mail cart mostly full.
He had an envelope tucked under his arm.
His gaze sought mine, and my body heated. I zeroed in on him, narrowing my eyes at the blush that swept over his cheeks.
I followed his movements as he walked from the elevator to my office. Sawyer must have sensed something, because he stopped what he was doing and followed my gaze.
“Did something finally happen between the two of you?” he asked.
“Hush,” I said. “He’s coming in here. Do not embarrass him.”
Already, I was protective of Taylor, and Sawyer could be a bit much. He would likely be ecstatic that Taylor and I had hooked up, but it was none of his business, and until I had a discussion with Taylor about it, I wouldn’t be sharing that information with anyone.
“All right, all right. I’ll make myself scarce. I’ll see you at our meeting this afternoon. I should have everything I need to get finished with all these reports.”
“Thank you,” I said.
Sawyer smiled and said something to Taylor as they passed.
It’d better not have been anything inappropriate.
He clearly knew there was something going on between Taylor and me.
I should’ve been thankful he wasn’t reporting me to HR—though that would make him a bit of a hypocrite since it was his fault we had the policy to begin with.
“Good morning,” Taylor said. He kept his gaze locked on mine as he walked into the office.
“Good morning.”
I glanced at the clock. It was nearly noon—time for lunch. Would it be too obvious if the two of us went somewhere?
Yes, it would.
Fucking rules.
I had no reason to take the mailroom attendant out to lunch. Besides, I knew Taylor liked to work on his book during his lunch hour. I didn’t wish to disrupt his creative process. Not when I had the potential to reap the benefits of his writing.
“I have a few things for you,” he said.
He pulled the envelope from under his arm and placed it on top of another stack. The envelope from under his arm wasn’t the same as the others. Clearly it had come from outside the office.
He was giving me another slice of his work. Fantastic. I let a slow grin spread across my face, my gaze never leaving his. “Thank you,” I said. “Hopefully I can get this back to you soon.”
“I’d love to hear what you think,” he said, his cheeks turning red, much like the way his cheeks had turned red when I spanked his ass on Friday night. “I—I’ll just get going,” he said.
“I have this whole evening free,” I said. “My whole week, really. Nothing to occupy my evenings. Perhaps I’ll get a little reading done.”
He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “That sounds like a great way to spend an evening. It’s certainly one of my favorites.”
I shrugged. “I suppose. Probably the second-best way I could spend it, right?”
He backed up, his shoulder hitting the door frame. “Yes. That… Yes. See you later.”
He ran out of the room.
I chuckled to myself, and despite the amount of real work I needed to finish, I grabbed my red pen and pulled the stack of papers from the envelope Taylor had given me.
Chapter Five
Tobias
Grysten was after me. I ran, yet I couldn’t wait to be caught…