women.”
“Naomi, you’re killing me.”
“Hey, if he’s back on women, can you fix me up? I’d fuck
him and run.”
Hearing her laugh, Fabian did as well. “I know. Right? What
is it about him? I can totally see how he gets every person he sets his sights on. The guy really has some kind of charismatic charm
to go with those damn good looks of his. Why is he such a
dick?”
“Is he? Is he a dick? Is he treating you like shit?”
“No.” Fabian looked down at his socks. “He’s treating me
like gold.”
“No! The bastard!” She roared with laughter.
“He is. Damn him. I swear, I fantasize about him constantly.”
“Oh? Do tell!”
“Well, we were in the elevator after work heading to the
parking garage, Braxton, myself, and his assistant Brianna, and
as people got on, I was pushed back against him. I felt his cock
on my ass.”
“Oooohh!” she crooned.
“Now what do you think I keep imagining?”
“His cock in your ass!”
“Damn. We have so much in common. I mean, we’re the
same type of personality. Though, he’s so highly strung I swear
he must whistle in the wind.”
Naomi cracked up again. “Oh, babe. Stay the hell away from
him. You will never please a man like that. He’s probably such a
perfectionist, you’ll be forever doubting yourself and wishing
you’d never met.”
“I know! Right?” Fabian rested his head on the counter and
closed his eyes. “I want him, Naomi.”
“I know, baby. I know.”
~
Even though Braxton declined dessert, Dack had his
chocolate layered cake, still rambling on about…Braxton had no
clue. Something about modeling? Being chosen for a reality
show?
He checked his watch. It had only been an hour and he was
worn out.
“Can I get you anything else?” the waiter asked sweetly.
“No!” Braxton lowered his voice. “No, thank you.”
“Very nice to have you both for dinner. Have a good night.”
Since the bill was prepaid, Braxton put his napkin on the
table and said, “Well, it was fun. I have to go.”
Dack ate a few more bites of his cake and put the fork down.
“Me too. This place blows.”
“No, this place is amazing.” You blow. Braxton stood,
buttoned his jacket and without looking back, began leaving the
restaurant. He made it outside and hunted inside his pocket for
the parking valet stub when Dack grabbed his ass in a tight grip
and marched him to the side of the restaurant.
Oh no! No way!
Braxton spun around and politely nudged Dack’s groping
hands away. “I really have to go.”
Dack went for Braxton’s mouth and the lunge shoved
Braxton into the wall behind him, nearly knocking the wind out
of him. Before Dack could get at his lips, Braxton turned his
head and said, “I can’t. I really have to go.” He wriggled out of
the trap between Dack and the wall and tried to be nice, but he
could tell with a guy like Dack, no was not going to be easy.
“Hang on,” Dack said, grabbing Braxton’s elbow. “Everyone
said you’re a slut. What am I not getting here?”
A slut? “Me! That’s what you’re not getting!” Braxton
stormed off and handed the valet his ticket and a twenty. “My
car, now. Please.”
“Yes sir!” the young man sprinted off.
Dack closed in on Braxton. “No way! You don’t want me to
suck you? Really? I heard you’d do anyone, male or female.”
“Don’t believe everything you hear.” He snarled in fury and
tapped his toe.
“You have to be kidding me! I spent three grand on this and
you’re not even going to kiss me?”
“You spent? You?” Braxton tried not to explode. “First of all
you said your sugar daddy paid, and secondly, it was a dinner,
not a hookup!” He spotted his car being brought to him.
“You asshole!” Dack sneered.
“Yeah. I am. Sorry.” He walked around to the driver’s side of
away, fed up, furious he had one more night of this nonsense and
about to kill someone.
~
Fabian had once again caught up on emails for the office. It
was nearing eight and he sipped a high power omega-3 fruit juice
drink while watching a movie on the television. Slouched low on
the soft sofa, he felt tired but in a good way. The workout, the
new job…the…crush.
Well, that’s what it was. Just harmless infatuation. He knew
the reality of what would happen to him if he fell for the
seduction of Braxton Todd. He’d lose everything he had worked
for—a full time job in a great PR firm. That beat anything he did
temping by a long shot. It was as if he had won the lottery.
His phone hummed and he picked it up to see Braxton had
texted him, ‘ Thanks again. You’re becoming the most reliable
individual I have ever met.’
Fabian’s relaxed pose changed to being upright, his heart
raced and his cock swelled. All from a text message.
He texted back excitedly, ‘ no problem. Heck, that’s why you
pay me.’
‘ Do I pay you enough? Don’t go anywhere.’
Fabian laughed and then thought about Braxton’s date. ‘ Are
you being rude and texting during your dinner? ’
‘ No. Done. Completely.’
“Ohhh.” Fabian raised his eyebrows curiously. “Already
fucked and home?” He didn’t know what to say back, and
though he had no idea what Braxton’s date was like, he felt
slightly jealous it wasn’t with him.
Braxton texted, without Fabian answering, ‘ Dack the dick.
Complete self-absorbed ass. I’ve had enough of those.’
Fabian was relieved. He typed, ‘ ditto, they’re everywhere.
Why is a good man so hard to find? ’
‘ Been asking myself that same question. Wiped out. Thanks
again for keeping up on the workload, you have no idea how
much its appreciated. C U tomorrow.’
‘ C U.’ Fabian reread the conversation and smiled. “A good
man. Are you a good man hiding behind the façade of a jerk?
You don’t seem mean to me.”
Fabian set his phone down and sipped his drink. “Hmm.”
Chapter 9
Wednesday morning, Braxton was slightly less tense because
Fabian had lessened his work load substantially. But, he still had
one more date tonight—hopefully not a date with disaster—and
promised himself he would never allow himself to be auctioned
off again.
Control. Being in a situation where he was forced to dine
with people he would never care to dine with, caused Braxton to
give up control. And yes, he was a self-admitted control freak. It
was all part of his genetic make-up. And the major reason why
he failed at relationships. He was impatient, demanding, a
perfectionist, and picky. He certainly wouldn’t want to date a
man like
himself and at the moment, he had given up on looking
for a partner completely.
It was a fun game in his twenties to fuck and leave. Now? It
was a frustrating mess.
He came through the office door to find his usual coffee and
breakfast of fruit and yogurt. Brianna was smiling, as if she were
finally not overworked and behind on all her calls.
“Good morning, Braxton!”
He was slightly surprised at her energetic greeting. “Good
morning.” He picked up the cardboard tray to take to his office,
inspecting her grin and sly smile. Down the hall he could hear
Fabian on the phone, already immersed in his work and doing an
outstanding job.
Braxton placed the tray down, took off his suit jacket and sat
behind his desk.
Brianna stood at his doorway. “Sophia already called. Date
number three…she wants to make sure you remember.”
“How can I forget? Three days in hell.” He took the cup out
of the holder and sipped the latte. “How’s Fabian doing today?”
After a smirk she asked, “Why don’t you go see for
yourself?”
Braxton raised his eyebrow. “Why?”
“I don’t know. Just because you want to be polite and say hi.”
The slight upturn to Brianna’s smile on one side of her lips
had Braxton suspecting she was matchmaking. Something
Brianna never did.
He set his cup down and walked towards her, looking down
at her petite frame as he did. She giggled like a kid and he could
feel her eyes on him as he walked down the hall. Before he
looked in on Fabian he glanced back at her. She gave him a
wicked smile and crossed her arms, smug.
Braxton stood at Fabian’s opened door while Fabian spoke on
the phone and typed simultaneously.
The man was to die for, dressed in a tight black crew neck top
and black jacket, his chiseled jaw clean shaven and a slight scent
of aftershave or cologne in the room that made Braxton’s cock
move in his slacks. Fabian noticed him and met his gaze.
The shock of bright blue nearly made Braxton swoon. Okay,
the guy is great…gorgeous…oh Christ, shoot me.
“Hang on,” Fabian said into the phone and cupped the
receiver. “Need me?”
I think I fucking do.
“Just wanted to say good morning.”
Fabian’s smile lit up his handsome face. “Good morning.”
Braxton spotted the coffee on his desk. “Do you have
everything you desire? Urr, I mean, need for the day?”
Fabian glance down at Braxton’s crotch for just a brief
second. But that second made Braxton’s groin tingle and his
cock go stiff.
“I do.” Fabian gave him an adoring smile that set the hairs
standing on Braxton’s forearms.
“Good.” Braxton gave him a grin back and nodded, walking
away, trying to figure out what was really going on here. As he
made his way down the hall, Brianna was at her desk, sipping
her coffee. She said, “He looks fucking hot today, doesn’t he?”
“Stop instigating. You know my track record. And I can’t
lose him.”
“I have a feeling he feels the same way about you.”
Braxton opened his mouth to ask why, but reconsidered when
her phone rang. He returned to his desk and sat down, picking up
the yogurt while his computer booted up, and hearing Brianna
say, “Sophia, line one!”
Braxton put his earpiece in and connected to her call. “Hey.”
“Darling! Last date tonight. I wanted to make sure you knew
all the details.”
“Go ahead. I can’t wait.” He tried not to sound too negative.
“It is a woman this time. What do you know?” She laughed.
“Her name is Virginia Steinman and she is twenty-three! Her
parents buy you for her!”
Braxton rubbed his forehead in exhaustion.
“You will meet at the Café La Boheme. Don’t be late. It’s a
young woman with stars in her eyes.”
“Okay.” He noticed his second line light up and instant
messages appear on the computer from his clients.
“I will call you again in the afternoon so you won’t forget. I
know how busy you can be, Braxton.”
“Sure. Fine.” He began reading his instant messages.
“Ciao!”
“Bye.” He hung up and held his yogurt cup in his hand,
quickly eating since his morning workout left him starving. As
he did he thought about what Brianna has said. About Fabian
having feelings for him.
Angry at himself for even thinking about the idea of
propositioning him, Braxton knew finding Fabian to help him
out was a twist of good luck he had no intention of ruining.
Braxton threw out the empty cup and immersed himself in his
work.
~
Fabian picked up a flashing line on the phone, seeing no one
was available to answer it. “Braxton Todd PR, Fabian Rhys
speaking, can I help you?”
“I need to speak to Mr Todd.”
“He’s on another line right now, can I help you?” Fabian held
a pen over his pad.
“This is Drew Persely.”
Fabian reacted and sat up, knowing how Braxton felt about
this man and the gross out ‘date’. “Yes, Mr Persely, what can I
do for you?”
“I’d prefer speaking to Braxton. Not you.”
“I understand.” Fabian wanted to shield Braxton from this
creep and knew Braxton did not want to deal with him. “Can I at
least give Braxton the details of your call so he can be prepared
when he calls you back?”
After a grunt of annoyance, Drew said, “Tell him I want him
to help me out with PR for my firm. With the new ad campaign,
I want to get Mark Richfield doing interviews about the ads
we’re doing with him.”
Fabian tried to determine if this was truly about work, or
simply a ploy using the model’s name to get Braxton to return
his calls.
“I can let him know, Mr Persely. Of course.”
“Good.” The line disconnected.
Fabian hung up and thought about the conversation, sensing a
ruse. He knew enough about that model to know he did not do
interviews, or at least he’d never seen him sitting for any on TV
or read one in a magazine. While he had a minute, Fabian looked
online for just that—an interview with Mark Richfield. His
assumptions were correct. Alexander, Mark’s son, on the other
hand, had done several, but the young man was an actor, so it
made sense.
Fabian checked the time and stood, seeing it was getting close
to noon and he had been working since he’d sat at his desk at
eight-thirty. He buttoned his suit jacket, ran his hand over his
hair and headed down the hall. Brianna was on the phone, hands
free, tapping away at her computer.
She peeked at Fabian and gave him a sweet smile. He
returned it and used one knuckle to tap Braxton’s door.
He could hear Braxton on the phone and stood patiently,
finally getting his ‘It ain’t locked!’
Upon opening the door,
Braxton appeared to be done with his
call and his expression changed drastically from exhaustion to a
nice smile. “What can I do for you, sir?” Braxton interlaced his
fingers on his lap and rocked in his leather chair gently.
Everything.
Fabian wanted to dig his hands through that dark mop of hair
and lick Braxton’s lips with the tip of his tongue, and that was
just for starters. “I got a call I wanted to discuss with you.”
Braxton gestured to the chair in front of his desk.
Fabian unbuttoned his suit jacket and sat down. The phone
rang and Braxton called out to Brianna, “Can you hold the calls
for five!”
“I can!” she answered and she shut Braxton’s office door,
giving him privacy he had not requested.
Fabian stared at Braxton for a moment, lost on the craving to
do something insane with him and holding back with everything
he had.
Braxton stared back, waiting for what Fabian had to say.
“Uh,” Fabian kick-started his brain trying to remember why
he had come in, since Braxton’s good looks had made him lose
his thought. “I got a call from Drew Persely.”
Instantly Braxton’s expression contorted in disgust.
“Yeah. I know.” Fabian could read his mind without Braxton
speaking a word. “First of all, he didn’t want to deal with me,
though I tried to deflect it off of you.”
Braxton’s expression did not change as he listened.
Fabian continued, “He said he wants to hire you to see if you
can get his new top male model to do interviews. I think it’s a
pretext, but who knows? I looked on the net to see if Richfield
did any PR, and let me tell you, Braxton, that man does not do
interviews in any media.”
“I know.”
“But…” Fabian shrugged. “If you get hired by Drew’s luxury
car company, and you do manage to get some exposure for them,
it could be a big account.”
“No.”
Fabian took his turn to wait to see what Braxton had to say in
way of explanation.
Braxton leaned his elbows on the desk and spoke softly.
“Sometimes it’s not about money. It’s about self-respect. And
although there would be nothing better than to get that model
onto a talk show, I want nothing to do with that disgusting pig.”
Fabian nodded, respecting Braxton’s choice completely.
“You wanna know my guess?”
“Yeah. I already do. Pretext. Not only that, he’d probably