Work Rules

by Jacki James

  “It just occurred to me that Casey will have invited a lot of people I know. This is the first time we’re going to a party with all those people, and I’m worried what you’ll think of me.”

  “And when you say ‘know,’ I assume you mean in an intimate way?”

  He nodded but didn’t say anything. I placed my hand under his chin and lifted it, but he averted his eyes. “Look at me,” I ordered before his eyes flashed to mine.

  “I want you to listen to me. This was bound to come up at some point. I’m going to tell you this, but I only want to have to say it one time. After this, I don’t want this to worry you again. Okay?”

  He swallowed and nodded his head.

  “I knew you had a past before we went out. Not only were you honest with me about it, but there were guys at the club who were happy to enlighten me.”

  He blanched when I said that and tried to look away, but I kept going because I needed him to understand what I was telling him.

  “No, you keep looking at me and you listen. Nothing anyone is going to say or do at this party will come as a shock to me. I already knew who you were before I laid a hand on you, and what I want you to know is that none of that matters to me. Who, or what, you did before me doesn’t matter to me at all. I don’t care how many or how often or in what way. What matters to me is what you are now. And do you know what that is?”

  He just looked at me, but he didn’t answer me.

  “Mine. Do you hear me? You’re mine now and no one else’s, and that’s all that matters. So let me hear you say it. Whose are you?”

  “Yours and only yours,” he said as he let out a breath.

  “And Nathan?”

  “Yes,” he whispered.

  “I trust you completely. Do you hear me?”

  He nodded his head yes, but that wasn’t good enough. “Let me hear you say it again. All of it.”

  “I am yours, only yours, and you trust me.”

  “Exactly. Now let’s go show these people how perfect we are for each other.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Nathan

  We pulled up at Casey’s house, and there were a lot of people. We parked and headed inside. Casey met us at the door. I looked him over from top to bottom. “OMG! You’re Yuri, aren’t you? Yuri is so awesome! I love Halloween. Aside from the ballet, you never get to see this many men in tights.”

  “Or short skirts,” he laughed. “Wait until you see Brian and his boyfriend. They are both dressed as Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders.”

  “Now that, I have to see. But Casey, for real, the house looks amazing,” I told him, taking in the results of the remodel.

  “Thanks. I know at first I wasn’t sure about keeping it or selling, but I’m glad I kept it. I’m lucky she left me enough money to do the remodel because I love the way it turned out.” He looked around, obviously pleased but still a little sad.

  “Your Gram would be so happy that you kept it and turned it into your home,” I told him, pulling him into a hug. Then I stepped back, reached up and dusted some of the glitter I left behind off his cheek, and said, “Enough of that. Take us to the cheerleaders.”

  “I will, but first I’ve got to say that, Alex, you are the sexiest Peter Pan I’ve ever seen. The two of you look fabulous together.”

  I turned and ran my hand through Alex’s chest hair and sighed. “Isn’t he just yummy?”

  “Yes, he is.” I heard a voice behind me. I turned and looked and there was a guy in a cliché toga eyeing my man up and down. “Do you share?”

  “Excuse me, but I believe you were talking to me, so eyes over here. And no, I do not share. No one touches this Pan but me, ever. If you’ll excuse us, Casey, I see Mark and Justin across the room,” I said in my most haughty voice as I grabbed Alex’s hand and pulled him into the crowd.

  He leaned down and growled in my ear, “Mmm, a jealous Nathan is a sexy Nathan. Now you know how I feel every time we go to the club with you all decked out in your short shorts and body glitter.”

  That stopped me in my tracks. I turned and looked at him. “Does that bother you? When I dress sexy and guys are looking at me? Because I have to be honest, I’m not real pleased with it now that the glitter is on the other body.”

  “No Nathan, it doesn’t bother me. Because I know that they can look as much as they want, but I’m the only one you’ll be going home with. Same goes for you. They can flirt and suggest and eye fuck me all night long, and it doesn’t matter because at the end of the night you are the only one who gets to touch me.”

  And at that, I smiled. Probably the biggest smile ever. “Okay, then, sexy Pan, let’s work this crowd, and then we can go home so I can do just that.”

  We found Mark and Justin dressed in their superhero costumes, and Matt was there wearing a kilt and nothing else. That should be fun when Linc showed up. Preston was decked out like a policeman. Well okay, like a stripper dressed like a policeman, but it was hot. But the best was Stevie. I almost died when I saw him.

  “Did you and Casey plan your costumes?” I asked him, taking in his beautiful pink jacket, black tights, and faux skates.

  He shook his head and laughed. “No, but it’s kinda perfect isn’t it. I had no idea he was going to be Yuri when I picked Victor.”

  “Who’s Victor?” Alex asked me.

  “Yuri and Victor are anime characters. The internet is full of fan fiction about the two of them.”

  “Yeah, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “Well trust me when I tell you that Stevie’s Victor is the perfect complement to Casey’s Yuri.”

  “Okay Sunshine, I’ll take your word for it. I’m going to go grab a drink. Do you want anything?” Alex chuckled, leaning down for a quick kiss.

  “Yeah, just grab me something,” I answered and watched as he walked away. Damn, that ass was magnificent.

  Justin laughed and asked, “How on earth did you get him to agree to be Peter Pan to your Hook?”

  “It was actually his idea.” I shrugged. “He’s the sexiest damn lost boy I’ve ever seen.”

  “He doesn’t look lost to me,” Mark added. “He looks like he’s exactly where he wants to be.”

  “Me, too.” I smiled over at him as he tried to make his way back through the crowd with two drinks.

  “There are a ton of people here. I bet we could slip out and Casey wouldn’t even notice. I can’t wait to peel you out of that sexy pirate costume,” he whispered in my ear as he handed me my drink.

  “I say we stay just long enough to be good friends and then we go. Because I swear if I have to keep looking at your hairy chest and those tights with the outline of your dick teasing me, I’m gonna jump you right here in front of everyone.”

  “When will it be long enough?” he asked, running his cold glass up my bare chest.

  I gasped, “Well, how about… now.”

  “Now is good.” He took the glass he brought me out of my hand and sat them both on the side table. Then he swooped me up over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry and headed for the door.

  “Put me down!” I shrieked laughing, and in response, he swatted me on the ass.

  “Oh!” I said in surprise. By that time, pretty much everyone was watching my gorgeous Pan carrying me through the crowd. So in my best sex kitten voice, I said, “You will have to excuse us. It seems ‘something’ came up.” He swatted my ass again and I laughed.

  By the time he got me to the car, we were both breathless and laughing. He slowly slid me down his body. Then leaning down, he kissed me and whispered, “I’m going to do very dirty things to you, my sexy, sassy pirate.”

  I reached down and cupped his cock through his tights. “Mmm, do your worst,” I moaned into his mouth before deepening the kiss.

  “In the car,” he growled, pulling away.

  I was so glad he said we were going to his house because it was close. My dick had been aching since he walked through the door to pick me up, and I was so ready to feel
him inside me.

  He parked and we rushed inside. I didn’t even take time to notice the house or the neighborhood or anything. I just wanted him out of his clothes and against my body. He seemed to agree, because when he turned off the car, he grabbed my hand and pulled me to the front door. He opened it, dragged me inside, and immediately he was on me.

  “Clothes off now,” was all he said as he started removing his.

  I put my hand on my hip and gave him my best glare. “Seems to me like you order me to take my clothes off a lot. Have you ever thought about asking? Saying please, maybe?”

  “No. I haven’t. Take them off.”

  “Here?”

  “Yes, here,” he growled. “Now.”

  I took them off. I was tempted to keep teasing him, but who was I kidding? I wanted him as bad as he wanted me, maybe more. Once I was naked, I reached into the pocket of my black leather pants and pulled out a packet of lube. “Please tell me we are going to need this.”

  “Fuck yeah, we are.”

  Then he grabbed me, lifting me up, and my legs instinctively wrapped around his waist. I could feel my cock pressed against his stomach, his hairy chest rubbing against my smooth one. God, I wanted to rub myself all over him and mark him as mine. He took a step forward and pressed my back into the wall in what I guessed was his foyer, not that I cared what room we were in.

  “I want you now. Like, right now.”

  “I can tell.” I closed my eyes, leaned my head on the wall, and let myself just feel. I could feel cool wall against my back contrasting with the heat of Alex against my front. I felt his breath against my neck as he kissed me in that place I loved, right below my Adam’s apple. His strong arms caged me against the wall and made me feel safe. I’d always worried that I’d fall in this position, but I wasn’t worried about that now. I knew he would never drop me. I reached between us and grazed my thumb over his nipple and he moaned. Squeezing the lube into my hand, I reached between us, wrapped my hand around his cock, and slowly stroked, coating it with lube. I felt his thighs tense and his abs tighten. It was like sensory overload, and it all felt so perfect.

  “I want you inside me, Lexi. Please.” He didn’t say a word. He just reached behind me, grabbed my ass, and moved me into position, allowing him to slide into me with one swift stroke. I gasped at the blissful intrusion.

  Our eyes met, and we both stilled; neither of us moving, both of us just feeling. “Nathan,” he breathed. “God baby, this is so fucking good.”

  “You’re in me so deep, Lexi, so deep.” I had never felt so full. So connected to another person. I had never felt anything so amazing… and then he started to move. With each thrust, he pressed my shoulders harder against the wall, and he was gripping my ass so hard I was sure it would leave bruises. It hurt but not in a bad way. It made me feel alive and owned. His abdomen was rubbing my cock with each thrust, and the friction was delicious. At some point, I wasn’t even sure when, I’d reached my hands up and threaded them in his hair. I tightened my grip, and he dropped his head back and groaned.

  “I’m going to come,” he moaned. “Oh god, I’m going to come.”

  “Do it, Lexi, do it. Please, I’m so close, so damn close,” I urged him as he began to slam into me even harder. Then he was coming, the feel of his release along with the friction between us triggered mine. I shot thick white come between us while he held me against him.

  “I need to sit down,” he chuckled out tiredly. “Legs won’t hold me up anymore.” He let me slide to the floor, and we both stumbled into the living room.

  “Come here,” he said as he collapsed onto the couch pulling me with him. I curled into him, and he sighed a deep contented sigh.

  After a minute he said, “That was fucking amazing.”

  “Yeah,” I said with a grin. “It was.”

  He held me there for a while until both our breathing was back to normal.

  “We need to pick up our clothes, take a shower, and eat. We didn’t eat at the party.”

  “Okay, do you have the stuff for omelets? I make a mean omelet.”

  “Omelets sound perfect. I’m sure I have the stuff,” he said as he pulled me closer and nuzzled my neck.

  I reached back and swatted his thigh. “None of that. Food first, cuddles second.”

  “Oh, Sunshine, I am going to do so much more than cuddle you.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Alex

  Waking up next to Nathan was quickly becoming one of my favorite things. He was on his side curled up in a ball with his ass nestled into my body where my waist met my hip. He fit there perfectly. I rolled over on my side and pulled him to me. He sighed as he pushed back against me. I needed to get up if I was going to accomplish anything this weekend, but he was so tempting lying there. Rubbing my beard against his neck, he shivered and then giggled.

  “That tickles!”

  “We need to get up. I have stuff to do today, remember? I’m not going to get anything done lying here in bed with you.”

  “Fine,” he said as he stretched seductively. “Come shower with me. Please.”

  “Those puppy dog eyes aren’t going to work on me. If I get in that shower with you, there is no way I’m getting a damn thing done all morning. So you go shower now. Alone. I’ll get us some breakfast.” I climbed out of bed and put on pants and a shirt and watched him as he sauntered naked to the bathroom. He paused in the door and posed.

  “Fine, but just so you know. This,” he said as he motioned down his body like a game show host, “could all be yours if you weren’t being such a party pooper.” Then with a wink, he turned and sashayed into the bathroom.

  I chuckled as I headed out of the bedroom to the kitchen. He was such a sassy shit. I loved it. I was still grinning as I turned the corner and stopped dead in my tracks. Fuck, I was so screwed. My brother sat at the bar reading the paper with a couple cups of coffee from the coffee shop sitting in front of him.

  “Must have been a good night to put a grin on your face like that,” he said, just as we heard the shower come on. “Wow, she’s still here. Must have been better than good if you let her spend the night.”

  I stood there for a minute wondering what the odds were I could get him out of the apartment before Nathan was done. Good, probably. He did love a long, hot shower.

  “What’re you doing here, Tony?” I asked trying to seem relaxed and not like I was freaking out because I had a guy, and not a girl, in my shower right now.

  “What? I need a reason to come see my baby brother? Maybe I just wanted to come by and say hi.” He tried to sound offended, but I knew him too well for that. He wanted something, and if I could find out what and get him out of here quickly, that would be a good thing.

  “I need some help with the Charger. I really don’t want to take it to a mechanic if I can do it myself, but I need a second set of hands. I thought maybe I could bribe you with coffee and get you to come help.”

  I was about to tell him sure I would come over later, I didn’t really have time today but if it would get him out of the house I would make the time when I heard Nathan. He was heading down the hall toward the kitchen, talking to me and I cringed.

  “Sugar, are you sure you don’t want to hop in with me? Your shower is freaking amazing. What I want to know is why we’ve been sleeping at my crappy apartment if you have a shower like that? I mean seriously, Lexi…” He trailed off when he came around the corner, naked except for the towel low around his waist. He froze when he saw Tony sitting there.

  “Lexi?” Tony asked with a raised eyebrow.

  “Oh shit,” He murmured. “Oh shit, oh shit. Sorry, um, let me just um, let me go and get dressed.” He turned and ran toward the bathroom.

  “Fuck,” I said turning back towards Tony. “You stay here. Obviously, we need to talk, but first, I need to go check on Nathan.” I knew he was upset and blaming himself for outing me to my brother. This wasn’t the kind of thing he would handle well.

  I went into my
bedroom, and sure enough, he was hurriedly trying to get dressed. I could tell he was a wreck.

  “Sunshine?”

  “That’s your brother, isn’t it? I recognize him from your pictures. Shit, I’m just gonna get my stuff and go. I’m so, so sorry. I had no idea he was here. I would never have come out there if I had known.

  “Nathan, stop,” I said more firmly.

  He stopped and looked at me. “Stop what?”

  “Stop freaking out. Stop getting ready to leave. Just stop for a minute.” I went to him and pulled him into a hug and held him there until I felt his body relax against me.

  “Seriously, Alex. I’m so sorry. You have to know I would never do that to you.”

  “I do know that, baby. It never even crossed my mind that you would.” I gently kissed his head and stroked his hair. “Honestly, it’s okay. I was planning to tell him soon anyway. I’ve been thinking about what Blake said about time and he was right. There’s no good time. There’s only now, and I don’t want to hide what you mean to me.”

  He stepped back and looked at me.

  “Really?”

  “Yes, really. Now here’s what I think we should do. You run down to the bakery and grab us some breakfast while I talk to my brother. Then you come back here, and we’ll figure out the rest of our day. Okay?”

  “Okay.” He finished getting dressed and braced himself as he prepared to go out the door and face my brother. Then he turned and looked at me. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

  “I don’t really have a choice, Nathan. But yes, actually, I’m okay with it. My brother will either be okay with it or he won’t, but that doesn’t have anything to do with us because I’m not letting you go. You hear me?”

  “Yes, I hear you.”

  “Let’s get this over with. Make sure you get me some of the Bavarian cream puffs. I’ll need them after this.” I was trying to make light of it because I didn’t want him feeling guilty, but honestly, I was terrified. My brother was my best friend and my hero. If he couldn’t accept my relationship with Nathan, it would really hurt. But I meant what I said, I wasn’t letting him go. Period.