Chapter 4 – Jasper
“I still can’t believe Vincent gave you a job. I thought Dave was joking.”
“You still can’t believe it. Do you know how many times I have pinched myself? Yet here I am, about to go into a meeting with HR.”
I hadn’t planned to come into the office today.
Vincent had given us all a few days off, especially after the party.
Which carried on into the very small hours of the morning, and everyone was just a little worse for wear.
But God, it had been fun. It was nice to celebrate Dave and Richard’s marriage like that, and I think it helped heal some of the rift between Richard and Vincent.
“You will be fine. It will mainly be some paperwork. Making sure everything is in place for when we travel,” I say over to him.
Part of me is still trying to process how I feel about having Marcus working here.
I was okay about Vincent and Lars knowing about my private life, but Marcus has always struggled to keep secrets, and I don’t want the rest of the team to know.
I’m sure they won’t care, but I really don’t want to deal with the questions that would be asked.
“Marcus, there was something I wanted to ask,” I say over to him. I had just given him a brief tour of the office, had to drag him away from the engineers, and we are currently standing outside the gym.
“What?”
“Please don’t say anything about our lifestyle choices. Vincent and Lars know about mine, because they know Richard and Dave; but I would prefer the rest of the team don’t know.”
“Okay, but…” Marcus starts but he isn’t able to finish his sentence. Turning, I look to see what has distracted him. Otis. I really shouldn’t be surprised. That man is captivating.
“Marcus,” I say, trying to get his attention.
“Sorry. It’s just, look at him,” Marcus replies.
“He is off limits,” I say harsher than I intended which causes Marcus to snap his head in my direction.
“Him? He’s the reason you have been odd recently. Is there something going on between the two of you?”
“Otis is straight.”
“Really?” Marcus genuinely sounds surprised and looks over in the direction of Otis, who now looks to be coming in our direction.
“Yeah,” I confirm.
“Wow, my gaydar must be broken,” Marcus replies.
“Yes, very broken.”
“Jasper,” Marcus starts. “He isn’t like Clive.”
Marcus is one of the few people I told about Clive.
I really didn’t have much option. He can be a very persuasive Dom, when he needs to be.
One night he spotted me at the club, drinking like it was going out of fashion.
He basically pulled me into one of the rooms and demanded I talk.
So, I told him, just left the client details out.
That was something he didn’t need to know.
“Isn’t he,” I mumble.
“Otis is kind and caring. You should have heard him asking about you at the party.”
“But…”
“He’s straight. Don’t let that stop you from a friendship with him,” Marcus adds.
“I fancy him,” I tell him, like Marcus will be able to say something that will magically take these feelings away. “The more time I spend with him, the more I like him.”
“He’s a likeable guy.”
“Marcus, that doesn’t help. Plus you were looking very cozy with him at the party laughing and joking together,” I spit back.
“Jasper, jealousy isn’t a good look on you. So cut the crap.”
“Sorry, it’s just...”
“You were hurt. I know. I remember the drinking and having to get you home. I don’t think I have ever seen you like that before.”
“I hadn’t been hurt like that before. Not sure I could survive it again,” I tell him honestly.
“Otis isn’t Clive, and I hate to point out the obvious but you also aren’t sleeping with Otis. So you’re not likely going to get hurt. Otis is an attractive man, and as you said, straight. When he gets a girlfriend, which he will, this will pass.”
“Girlfriend.” Oh, the sweet torture. It never occurred to me that I would have to see Otis with someone else, but Marcus is right too.
“Jasper, when was the last time you got laid or had a scene with someone?” Marcus adds quietly.
“It’s been a while,” I confirm. With joining the team and then dealing with David and Richard, I hadn’t found the time to look after myself, but in truth, I hadn’t wanted to.
“Let’s go to the club this weekend. Just us.”
“Thanks, but I’m okay.” It’s a lie, which Marcus knows, but he also knows not to push me.
Before we are able to say anything more, Otis reaches us.
“Hey, you two.” And he actually pulls Marcus in for a hug, and I have to ignore the red-hot jealousy that floods my body.
“Hey,” Marcus replies. “Good to see you again.”
“Are you here to sign all the papers?” Otis asks.
“Yep. Making it official. I’m a member of the Montague Racing team,” Marcus adds with a smile, “what about you?”
“I wanted to get some extra training in,” Otis starts, and then turns to me. “I was actually looking for you.”
“Me?”
“Yeah. Daniel is on leave at the moment and I really didn’t want to train without help. So I was wondering if you were free to do some training with me,” Otis states.
“Um...” Because I’m trying to think of something to say to get me out of this. There is no way I’m going to be able to cope with watching Otis get all sweaty.
“Wouldn’t that be a conflict of interest with Lars? You are rivals?” Marcus pipes up and I think I could’ve pulled him into a hug of gratitude.
“I’m only looking for some gym time. I can call Lars to check and see if that’s okay?
” Otis states, and before either of us can stop him, Otis is already pulling out his mobile.
“Hey Lars, look I was wondering if you’d mind if I stole Jasper for a couple of hours.
Wanted a gym workout, and Daniel is away. ”
I really wish I could hear what Lars was saying, mentally crossing my fingers that Lars is saying no, but it’s stupid because even I know having one gym session is not going to make a difference, and it’s good that Otis came looking for someone to train with him.
Make sure that he didn’t do anything stupid.
“Lars, I’m not going to steal Jasper or swap. I’m happy with Daniel.” Otis laughs down the line. “Thanks, see you soon.”
“I’m guessing that Lars was okay with us training,” I say to Otis.
“Yeah, I still think that he thinks that I’m going to steal you. But I promise I’m not. I like Daniel,” Otis replies.
“Ouch, Jasper,” Marcus states. “Think you just got rejected. That has to be a first. So glad I was here to see it.”
“What?” Otis says.
“You said you like Daniel. Guessing you’re not a Jasper fan?” Marcus explains.
Otis stands staring at us, and I think that he is replaying his words in his head and I spot the moment he realises what he said as his eyes go wide.
“Oh shit. Jasper sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I meant that I like working with Daniel. We work well together.”
“Otis, it’s fine. I knew what you meant. Marcus was just being Marcus,” I say. “His normal dick self.”
“What can I say, I like to keep it real,” Marcus replies with a smile that actually makes Otis laugh. Oh fuck. Jealousy flashes through me again. I hate this. Otis is straight. He doesn’t fancy Marcus.
“Look I want to get some other stuff done this morning,” Otis starts. “Can we meet back here in an hour? I won’t be long. Promise not to keep you all day.”
“An hour is good,” I reply, when that is far from good. I can’t work out with Otis.
“Great. Bye.”
I watch as Otis turns and walks away, heading towards the engineers rooms. Leaving me wondering what the fuck did I just agree to?
“Jasper, you are going to be fine,” Marcus states.
“I am going to have to work out with him,” I reply,
“You are, but maybe it will be a good thing. Maybe working with him will help you get him out of your system. You might start to see him as a friend. But today, just think of him as a colleague.”
“Colleague.” Yeah I can do that, or maybe I need to think of him as one of my no sex clients. I had a couple of them. They would come and we would kiss but that was it. Some just like to be held, others would like to talk. I needed to think of Otis as the talking type and just take out the kissing.
“Jasper. Otis is a good one. You got this,” Marcus says. “Now point me in the direction of HR.”
I don’t think I have ever spent so long looking at a clock.
Counting down the minutes. I had paced the gym, trying to figure out a way to get out of this.
I tried calling Kimber to ask her advice, she had told me to grow a pair of balls and deal with it.
But deep down I knew that there was no getting out of this.
“Hey!” Otis’s voice makes me jump. I had been so caught up in my thoughts that I hadn’t even heard him come in.
“Sorry,” I reply. “Lost in thought. Hey.”
“You okay?” Otis asks.
“Yeah. Just something on my mind.” This isn’t a lie. I do have something on my mind and it’s the gorgeous man that is standing in front of me, looking, oh God, sexy as hell.
When Otis had come up to us earlier he was wearing the standard uniform most of us wear when we come to the office, jeans and a polo shirt. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but seeing Otis in his workout gear wasn’t it. Even though my brain is shouting at me that he wouldn’t work out in jeans.
Otis is standing there in loose grey shorts with black tight shorts underneath, with a white t-shirt over the top that’s showing off all of his muscles. Just when I thought training with him was going to be bad enough, I now have to watch him dressed like that.
“Interesting outfit,” I managed to get out.
“Daniel said the same thing. The black shorts and tops are for compression. I wear the grey shorts as the black ones kind of look like underwear.”
Oh how I want to remove those Goddamn grey shorts and see what he would look like in underwear. If they’re compression shorts, they will be skin tight.
“So what would you like me to start on?” Otis asks, pulling me out of my thoughts, and I have to shake my head to try and dispel the image I have of a half-naked Otis.