Finn
FINN
“You’re very quiet. Are you okay? Can I get you anything?” I asked Jasper as I sat across from him after our meeting with the finance team had finished.
He shook his head. He’d been in a weird mood all day and no matter how many times I asked, he fobbed me off that he was fine when he seemed anything but.
Jasper was usually pretty easygoing, but right now he was like a storm cloud, bringing a heavy tension to the room.
I stood up. “Look, have I done something wrong?”
“What? N-no,” he spluttered.
“Delightful to know, but if you could tell that to your shitty mood and the grumpy way you’ve been speaking to me today. I’ll be at my desk. If you need anything, feel free to email me. I wouldn’t want to annoy you any more than I appear to have.” And with that, I gathered my things and flounced out of the room. I knew I was being a drama queen, but I was exhausted. My body hurt in ways I’d not experienced for a while, and I’d grown accustomed to my boss being a certain way and, well, he was being an arse.
I strutted around to my desk, put in my earbuds, and tried to focus on work. I knew I was stressed, nervous even, and while Jasper knew nothing about the big event I was appearing at in a few days, if I was honest, it was making me more crabby than usual. I’d not told him because... my hands paused over the keyboard. Why hadn’t I told him? It was a different life. I retired six months ago and never expected to go back to it, and well, people treated me differently when they knew who I was and what I did.
I huffed because it was just like Jasper’s reaction when I talked about him being Aquaman. People expected him to be a certain way when they met him, and this was the same.
A hand on my shoulder made me jump just before a napkin-wrapped muffin and a tea appeared in front of me. I slipped my headphones out of my ears and put them down before turning in my chair to face a guilty-looking Jasper, wondering how he’d managed to get past me and leave the office for snacks without me even noticing. Gah, I was not on my A-game at all.
“Sorry.”
“For?” I raised my eyebrow.
“Being grumpy. You’ve done nothing wrong. You’re perfect, I promise.”
I let out an annoyed hum. “I am pretty perfect.” Lifting the cup from the table, I took a sip of the warm, milky goodness. “Do you want to talk about it?”
He shook his head.
“Woman problems?”
He huffed out what sounded like an angry laugh. “Not even in the slightest.” He shifted to lean back against my desk at the same time as I leant forward to put my tea down, my arm knocking into his hip, sending the hot liquid spilling over my shirt and trousers.
“Shit,” I yelled, the cup falling to the floor as I leapt from my seat, pulling the shirt from where it was tucked in, trying to prevent the liquid from hitting my chest.
“Oh, my god. Let me help.”
Jasper vanished, returning seconds later with a towel. “It’s clean,” he offered as a way of explanation. “Here, take those off. I’ll lock the door.”
I didn’t think too much about what was happening; the need to peel off the offending items of clothes was all I could focus on.
I unbuttoned my shirt quickly, pulling it off and throwing it to the floor where it fell with a loud slop , then I kicked off my shoes and ditched the trousers, groaning when I realised my underwear was wet too.
And then, I looked up, to find I was alone in a room with my boss, wearing only my silk underwear that was probably now see-through and a pair of black socks. I groaned because it felt like the start of a bad porn movie, but then my eyes landed on Jasper’s and the second, louder groan was for a whole different reason.
Jasper’s brown eyes were blown, and he nibbled on his bottom lip as his gaze raked over me unashamedly from where he stood nearby, still holding the towel.
“Here, let me help.”
He stepped closer, and the air vanished from my lungs as he pressed the towel to my damp skin. I swallowed hard. It had been so long since someone had touched me, the sensation was almost too much. I wrapped my hand over his, and he paused. “I can do it,” I whispered, but I didn’t sound very convincing.
He peeled my hand off, shaking his head as he dragged the towel over my abs in small circular motions. My skin prickled and my lips parted as the rough edge of the towel brushed over the head of my cock through the soft silk; the combination of the textures only adding to my heightened state of arousal.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” he asked, his eyes running over me again as his hand dropped between us. Thinking he was going to wipe my thighs next, which was more than my poor, neglected cock could cope with, I stepped back. “What’s that?” He pointed to my side, and I let out a defeated breath.
“Nothing. It’s old.”
“It’s not nothing.” His tone took on a darker edge.
I lifted my arm in the air as I looked down at the scars I barely thought about anymore, but I hated every time I did, as it took me back to a time in my life I didn’t like to dwell on.
Jasper closed the small space between us, tilting his head as he reached out his fingers. He paused as if waiting for me to tell him to stop, but when I didn’t, he grazed over the raised skin that spread from my hip to my armpit and down the underside of my right arm.
I closed my eyes, my breath stuttering as he traced downwards. His touch was light, ghosting over my scars like a feather.
“Do they hurt?” His voice was so low it vibrated through me, sending shots of pleasure shivering up my spine.
“No, not anymore.”
Taking my arm by the wrist, he tilted it so he could repeat the movements over my bicep.
“How did they happen?”
I opened my eyes, and he was so close, his gaze searing into me, leaving more of a mark than the scars ever had. I could feel him everywhere, and I was worried about how my body was going to react.
“I should get dressed.”
“Your clothes are wet, and I asked you a question.”
“Sorry, Professor.”
His head tilted upwards to look at the ceiling and he sucked in a deep breath as if he was calming himself, but that wasn’t possible. This situation wouldn’t be affecting him the way it was me. That was wishful thinking.
When he lowered his head again, he coughed to clear his throat. “What happened?”
I shrugged. “My dad. It’s a long story, and I don’t want to bore you with it.”
“I don’t have anywhere to be. Do you?”
I looked at my watch, noticing I was about to be late. “Actually, I do.” I stepped back, letting Jasper’s arm fall away. “I’ve got some things in my bag I can change into.”
Jasper stared at me for a moment before an expression flashed across his face that looked a lot like hurt. I pointed to my desk, which was where my bag was. He followed my gaze before offering me a nod and heading back to his office.
Forgetting that I was standing in the office in my underwear, I called his name. “Professor?” He paused with his hand on the door handle and twisted his head to look back over his shoulder at me. “My dad didn’t like it when he found out I was gay. He shoved me and I fell through a glass table. It was awful. Worst time of my life, but it was a long time ago.”
His brows furrowed, and he gave me a look of pity. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
I nodded, not mentioning that it was only the start of it, but no one wanted to hear my sob story, so I didn’t ever share it.