by J. M. Snyder
“Well,” Zack started, one foot turning away from Trevor to follow his friends, “I just thought I’d say hi—”
Trevor ran a hand over his close curls and sighed. “Wait—look, I’m sorry, okay? I’m not usually this…”
“Psychotic?” Zack teased.
Sitting back, Trevor grinned. His memory of Zack didn’t do the guy justice. That careless hair, those crinkled eyes. “I’m not usually this much of an asshole,” he finished. There, he’d admitted it. Apologies weren’t really his thing—another reason Nathan threw at him as he’d left. Motioning to the empty stretch beside him, Trevor asked, “You want to have a seat?”
Without nodding Zack sat down, closer than Trevor had anticipated. The pack of cigarettes was all that kept their hips from touching, and Zack faked a stretch that settled his arm alongside the back of the bench behind Trevor. His fingers toyed with the faint hairs at Trevor’s nape, tickling through the coarse curls. Too close, too soon, but Trevor fought the urge to pull away. “And here I thought you didn’t like me,” Zack said.
“What’s not to like?” Trevor countered. Zack strummed the back of his neck, a gentle touch that made Trevor tremble. How long had it been since he’d felt another’s flesh against his? Since before Nathan left, maybe weeks before. Near the end, they shared a bed but slept on separate sides, the imaginary line of demarcation between them as real as the Grand Canyon. With a sigh, Trevor muttered, “I was on the defense last time. I guess I didn’t expect you to be so…”
“Forward?” Zack offered. When Trevor shrugged, he admitted, “I can come on a bit strong, I know. It’s almost a test, see? If I start out with guns blazing, it’s that much harder to get shot down. But when your shields engaged, I knew I’d gone too far. Let me guess. You’re just coming down from a bad break-up?”
Trevor leaned forward to stare between his feet at the ground littered with crushed cigarette butts. “I really don’t want to talk about it.”
The hand on his neck drifted down between his shoulder blades, then scratched softly along his back. “It’s okay,” Zack murmured as he traced the curve of Trevor’s spine. “To be honest, I’m not sure I want to hear it. It’s always a crapshoot when you’re up against an ex. Either you’re worlds better or you fall short—there’s no middle ground.”
With a shaky laugh, Trevor shook his head. “You’re losing me here. I feel like you’re off and running and I’m just being dragged along for the ride.”
Zack grinned at him. “I do move a bit fast.” His hand rested on Trevor’s back, almost uncomfortably warm through his dress shirt. “I didn’t mean to trigger your defenses, really. But I’ve always had this thing for redheads. When I saw you, I did a double take—I swear! I had to take a chance on you, feel you out, see if maybe you were interested.”
Trevor looked back over his shoulder and wanted to know, “In what?”
“I had invited you into the elevator to find out,” Zack reminded him. His smile turned mischievous, and something in the way his eyes glistened made Trevor’s blood begin to race. “I thought I’d get your number at least. Then you went and took the stairs.”
“Elevators creep me out,” Trevor said. “What happens when the power goes out and you’re stuck between floors?”
With a saucy wink, Zack answered, “That’s when the fun begins.”
“I don’t know,” Trevor started.
Zack pulled out a business card from somewhere and slipped it into the front pocket of Trevor’s shirt. “I have an office upstairs. Nothing fancy, I’m telling you—just a little hole in the wall, but the door locks and the blinds close. If you’re ever interested, come on up one day after work, what do you say? I’m curious to see how far down that red hair of yours goes.” He laughed at Trevor’s shocked expression. “I’ve never been with a true redhead before. I’m sure I’ll make it worth your while.”
One final rub across Trevor’s back and Zack stood up. As his words sunk in, Trevor’s face flushed, his cheeks burning to rival his hair. Halfway to the glass doors, Zack turned and walked backwards, his gaze like a hand over Trevor’s body. “Let’s just say it’s an offer I hope you don’t refuse.”
Then he disappeared inside, leaving Trevor staring after him, wide-eyed and speechless.
* * * *
It was Friday before Trevor found the courage to turn left instead of right in the stairwell, heading up towards Zack’s floor after work. “Wrong way,” one of the other CSRs called after him, but he waved the words aside and kept going. He had toyed with the idea of calling first but didn’t—if he wasn’t the only one this guy invited upstairs, he wanted to know now, before they went any further. Besides, if he just showed up without warning, then maybe Zack would already have other plans and they’d just walk out together, exchange numbers, make a date. Ever since he decided during his lunch cigarette break that he had to see Zack again, tonight, Trevor couldn’t stop dwelling on what might happen. Would Zack remember him?
Of course, his mind whispered.
Would he brush Trevor off, say he hadn’t meant what he said, close the door in his face? Trevor didn’t know. He hated this part of a relationship, before there was anything between them but raw lust, before either of them had invested enough words and memories and time to care what the other felt or thought. It was a shaky market, the whole dating scene, and Trevor wasn’t sure he wanted to drop everything he had into someone just yet—he didn’t want the market to crash, didn’t want the bottom to fall out like it had when Nathan left, didn’t want to lose all over again.
According to the office number on Zack’s card, he was on the fifth floor. As Trevor pulled open the fireproof door, he could still hear his coworkers trampling downstairs, feet scuffling amid the jangle of keys and laughter. On the other side of the door, an ornate carpet stretched past the elevators to a reception area at the far end of the hall, where a secretary was in the middle of straightening her desk before leaving for the weekend. When she saw Trevor approach, she shook her head. “Sir, our offices are closed—”
“I work downstairs,” he said. At her frown, he flashed his keycard as proof. “I’m looking for Zack Jackson’s office? Room 523?”
She pointed to her left down another hall. “Last room on the right, just past the water fountain. I suppose you want me to let him know you’re coming?” The way she glared at the phone told Trevor that she hoped he didn’t.
“No, go on,” he told her. “I just want to stop in and say hey.” She skirted the desk, heading for the elevators. Trevor called out, “Have a nice weekend.” She gave him a little wave, then turned away. Taking a deep breath to get his nerves under control, he headed in the opposite direction. More than anything else at this moment, he wished he could take a quick puff on a cigarette, just get some nicotine into his body, calm his ass down.
The door to Zack’s office was open. Trevor slowed his steps as he approached, and stopped before he reached the door. Another deep breath—you can do this, you know this guy. He peered around the door frame into the office…hadn’t Zack said it was small? Along one wall stretched a sleek, black leather sofa; the other sported a small fridge nestled between unused filing cabinets and bookcases full of books that had probably never been opened. A wide desk of dark teak wood spanned the floor-to-ceiling window that made up the far wall, and through the mini-blinds, the tinted glass cast the room in a cool, blue tone. Behind the desk, rocking back in one of those executive chairs that Trevor knew he’d never sit in himself, balanced precariously on only two of the chair’s coastered legs, Zack frowned in concentration at a flat screen monitor. “Full house, bitch,” he muttered under his breath. When Trevor cleared his throat, Zack glanced up and the chair slipped out from under him, dumping him to the floor. “Shit!” he cried, then in the same breath, “Trevor! There you are.”
Suddenly Trevor didn’t feel quite so nervous anymore. “Are you okay?” he wanted to know.
Zack stood up, flashing a bright grin. “Fine,” he sa
id with a laugh. “Damn chair. Happens all the time.” He hauled the large chair upright, then hurried around the desk to close the office door. It was a subtle move—a hand on Trevor’s shoulder while he eased the door shut, the smile on his face never wavering. “There,” he sighed, moving closer as his arm came up around Trevor’s waist. Resting his chin on Trevor’s shoulder, Zack blew gently into his ear and murmured, “Is it five o’clock already?” He laughed again when Trevor flinched. “Moving too fast, am I? What else did you come up here for?”
Before Trevor could answer, Zack whirled away and opened the refrigerator. “You want something to drink? I’ve got some beer, a bottle of wine but it’s not chilled. Some soda, water…let’s go with the beer.” Extracting two bottles of Killigan’s Irish Red, Zack twisted off the caps and handed one bottle to Trevor. A faint mist of cold air swirled from the mouth of the bottle. Zack drained half of his beer in one swig. With a wink, he said, “Drink up. Unwind. Hey, you want to smoke? No one’s here, it’s cool.”
Trevor shook his head. “Whoa, hold up. You keep beer in your office?” At Zack’s grin, he asked, “What exactly is it you do up here?”
With a nod at the computer, Zack countered, “You mean besides play poker online? I’m grand master of my league. Try the beer. It’s really good.”
Trevor took a small sip—it was good. Icy on the tongue, but it warmed its way down his throat to curl into the pit of his stomach. His tension dissolved with another sip. “Your business card says you’re head of the marketing department.”
“It does?” Zack shrugged, threw back the rest of his beer, opened the fridge for another. “That’s what I do then. Head the department. I give great head.”
Trevor choked on his beer as Zack laughed. “I’m kidding,” he said, and then, quickly, added, “Well no, I’m not. I mean no one’s said it outright but no one’s ever been disappointed.” With a graceful pirouette, Zack plopped onto the sofa and patted the space beside him. “I’m rambling. It’s good to see you! I was starting to think you wouldn’t bother. Have a seat. I was serious about lighting up.”
“I’m fine.” Trevor sank down to sit on the edge of the sofa and looked around the office, searching for something to talk about. Other than a small stack of papers on Zack’s desk, he didn’t see anything that looked work related. Maybe this far up the corporate ladder, you could get paid for playing poker all day. “So,” Trevor said, sipping at his beer. “How long have you been with the company?”
“Forever,” Zack replied. Finishing off his second beer, he tugged at the back of Trevor’s blazer and said, “Let’s get this off you. Work’s over, right?” Trevor let him help take the blazer off, which he tossed unceremoniously to the ground. Then Zack eased him back against the sofa, fingers already working the knot in Trevor’s tie. “Loosen this a bit, there. Oh hell, take the damn thing off, right?” He unthreaded it from Trevor’s collar and dropped it aside, too. Before Trevor could speak, Zack began unbuttoning the front of his shirt. “While we’re at it…”
Somehow Trevor managed to get his hands up between them and he pushed Zack’s away. “Wait.”
“Oh come on.” Zack fell back against the sofa, exasperated. “You’re the one who came up here.”
“You invited me,” Trevor pointed out.
“Don’t tell me you don’t know why.” For a long moment Zack stared at him, waiting for a reply, but Trevor didn’t know what to say and picked at the label on his beer bottle instead of meeting that steady gaze. Just why did he come up here? He thought he knew but now he wasn’t sure, and the way his body hummed from Zack’s touch made him think that maybe things weren’t moving too fast but he himself moved too slow. If he set the beer aside and stood up to leave, Zack would never invite him again. It wasn’t like he didn’t want to, God knew. From the moment he decided this afternoon that tonight he’d visit Zack’s office, Trevor had been sporting a slight hard-on that had grown into a full-fledged erection straining against his briefs. He was thankful that his pants bunched up at the crotch when he sat so Zack wouldn’t see just how eager he was to be here, despite whatever show of resistance he might put up. Nathan was out of his life, he had to accept that, he did accept it. So why not let this guy in? he wondered. What harm was that?
Beside him, Zack kicked off his sandals and pulled his feet up under him. He curled around Trevor, stretching one arm behind him, and rested his chin on Trevor’s shoulder. “Listen,” he purred. Trevor glanced at him, then went back to frowning at his beer bottle. Zack’s hand massaged Trevor’s neck, his fingers playing in Trevor’s hair. “I like you, okay? I don’t normally pick out guys from the third floor to invite up here for orgies after work, you know?” Trevor tried to frown harder, but the corner of his mouth turned up in a slight grin and Zack laughed. “I just bought the beer yesterday, I swear. I thought I’d keep it here to impress you, just in case you came by. But if anyone else found out? My ass would be chewed up and spit out on the curb. You know it.”
“It’s good beer,” Trevor said, taking a swig. As he leaned back to swallow, Zack laid his open palm on the top of Trevor’s head, fingers massaging gently into his scalp.
“It’s damn good beer,” Zack agreed. “You sure you don’t want to smoke? You can, you know.”
But Trevor shook his head. “Nathan used to say—my ex?” Zack’s grin turned sour, but Trevor pressed on. “He used to tell me that kissing a smoker is like licking an ashtray.”
“That’s stupid,” Zack declared. “Proof that he’s an idiot, if letting someone like you get away wasn’t enough.” Seeing the color rise in Trevor’s face, he asked, “Are you blushing?”
“Just flushed,” Trevor admitted. “A little hot.”
Zack laughed at that. “I think you’re more than a little hot.” He leaned close, his breath cool on Trevor’s heated skin, and whispered, “Did you know your ears are almost the same color as your hair right now? Did this Nathan guy ever lick an ashtray himself, or did he just come up with that dumbass saying because he couldn’t kiss real good?”
“Anyone can kiss,” Trevor stammered. Zack’s closeness was like the sun blazing beside him. It made him dizzy and dazzled and light-headed, the way he felt after falling asleep at the beach. With Zack so near, his blood roared like the tide through his veins, surging wherever they touched. “It’s not that hard.”
“A fish can kiss,” Zack pointed out. “Just puckering up doesn’t make it good. All animals fuck, right? But we’re the only ones who enjoy it.”
With a nervous titter, Trevor said, “What a leap, kissing to…” He turned towards Zack and was surprised to find that they were mere inches away—when had that happened? He tried to pull back a bit, put some distance between them, but Zack’s hand on the back of his head kept him close. In a soft voice, Trevor murmured, “We haven’t even kissed yet.”
Zack’s eyes flashed with excitement, the curve of his grin turning into a sexy leer that set Trevor’s heart racing. Brushing his lips against Trevor’s, he sighed, “I thought you’d never ask.”
Closing his eyes, Trevor opened his mouth to the eager tongue that licked into him. He felt as if he were drowning in Zack—he’d never been kissed with such attention to detail. Zack nibbled on his lower lip then delved into him with a hunger that took Trevor’s breath away. Deeper, easing him down to the arm of the sofa, lying above him and unbuttoning the rest of his shirt. A gasp, then another kiss, this one demanding, as Zack smoothed aside Trevor’s shirt, his hand rubbing over the faint hair curled across Trevor’s chest. A knee between Trevor’s legs, pressing against the sweet ache in his balls, another kiss that danced over his tongue and teeth. They kissed as if they had invented it and wanted to see how far they could go before it turned into something else. Each taste was a new experience, each touch a venture into uncharted territory that they needed to conquer.
Trevor moved beneath Zack, humped against him, settling into a rhythm that brought their groins together with a grinding bump. As Zack t
railed kisses along his chin and down his throat, Trevor arched away from the sofa to mesh against him as much as he could. He wanted to feel Zach with every pore of his body, feel the damp mouth on him everywhere all at once, feel those hands and the flutter of those eyelashes and the fall of that hair against his skin. When hot lips closed over one nipple, sucking it erect, Trevor moaned. Zack bit playfully at the nipple, teasing it harder, and Trevor felt his briefs grow wet and warm. He fisted his hands in Zack’s bushy hair, held him close as Zack tongued across his chest to the other nipple, already standing up in anticipation. This is what he came here for, this mouth on him, these hands, this, and oh God in Heaven above this.
Moving lower, Zack kissed the faint hairs that faded away just above Trevor’s belt. “Let’s see this fire-crotch of yours,” he said, swirling his tongue around Trevor’s navel as his fingers worked the belt free.
“Wait,” Trevor sighed, breathless. At Zack’s frustrated expression, he laughed. “I’m kidding.”
Zack growled, ‘You better be.” Before Trevor could change his mind, Zack unzipped the pants and tugged them down, pulling the briefs down as well. Released from his underwear, Trevor’s thick cock stood up from a patch of kinked red hair that flashed golden in the light. “Wait?” he asked, licking at the pliable tip. “How much longer did you think you could hide this from me?”
“I said I was kidding…” Trevor started, but his words dissolved into a moan of delight when Zack nuzzled between his legs to take his balls into his mouth. And he had thought the kisses were good? As Zack massaged his balls with tongue and lips, Trevor gasped, “Where did you learn that?”
“You like?” Zack ran his tongue up Trevor’s length, nosing the slit before he took the engorged head between his lips. Trevor lifted his hips up off the sofa and drove his hard cock into that enthusiastic mouth. After a couple of deep thrusts, Zack let him slip free and leaned back to free his own erection. “Stay down,” he said, half-standing on the cushions to yank his pants down to his knees. When Trevor complied, Zack stretched out above him, their dicks side by side, and encircled both of them with one hand. He began to stroke them both, his own cock against Trevor’s, rolling the tips together to wet his hands with pre-cum then rubbing down their lengths to toy with Trevor’s nuts. His lips found Trevor’s again, his tongue bitter with spunk, and he nestled into Trevor’s arms as they kissed, his hands never faltering between them. When Trevor draped an arm around his hip, Zack wiggled his ass and asked, “Do you mind rimming me? It helps me get off.”
