Alluring Passion: A MM Contemporary Bundle

by Peter Styles

  His resolve strengthened, Jeremiah fully gave himself to the other man. And if he found himself imagining someone a bit lighter atop him, with slightly paler skin, he made himself not care. It didn’t matter if hazel eyes and a gentle touch made him burn, as long as he returned to where he knew he belonged.

  Chapter 11

  The scratching of pens on paper, overlaid with a soft, sporadic typing as college students took down notes. Up front, the professor paced across her stage while gesturing and lecturing on the subject.

  Jeremiah wrote down key words and phrases automatically as his professor’s voice went in one ear and out the other. He wasn’t even really sure what class he was in at the moment. He was completely on autopilot, with only a fraction of his mind intent on learning.

  The rest of him was deep, deep in thought, churning with turmoil. He was starting to doubt all that he had thought the other night, locked in that glorious sex act with Markus. In fact, the doubt came across him almost as soon as they were done, laying in his boyfriend’s arms while the other man fell asleep immediately. Jeremiah could only lie there, still with lube on his skin, and try to force the mental image of Chris out of his mind. Of course, he was unsuccessful as hell and the more he tried not to think, the more he actually did.

  It wasn’t just all physical. He knew that. He just wished it wasn’t true. He wanted to believe that everything was simple attraction, physical desire, but it just wasn’t that simple. It wasn’t just the tingles, or the warmth deep in the pit of his stomach, or the way his legs went all wobbly. It was the way his heart fluttered when he looked into Chris’s eyes, losing himself in amber and emerald striations all ringed with pale sapphire. There were even more colors, deeper golds, hazier greens and brown flecks that edged around the iris. It was how comfortable he felt around the other man, soothed by his very presence after his initial nervousness had worn away. Of course, he naturally relaxed around a new person after a certain amount of time but never within days like this.

  It was the way Chris looked at him; the way Chris laughed. It was the way he himself was laughing, and enjoying himself. All his tension just melted. Worst of all, he felt a tug in his heart. A tug, an admiration, a need that passed far beyond the realms of simple want.

  He felt so disloyal. This wasn’t at all what was supposed to happen, and it wasn’t what he was supposed to be doing. Markus had to be right. Chris couldn’t be such a saint, could he?

  He can say anything he wants, Jeremiah realized slowly. His mind jerked to a staggering halt, and the world tilted around him before righting itself. The sounds of the classroom filtered back to him, along with the professor’s droning voice. A slow grin formed on his lips, thin and wavering. I haven’t seen him actually interact with his employees. He could still be a horrible person.

  Yet, would a horrible person encourage him to try new things? Perhaps, if he wanted to win him over badly enough. There were a lot of twisted people in the world.

  Jeremiah sighed, resting his head in his hands and staring down at his notes. He noticed that his writing was all nonsense words, and he sighed even louder. Clothing rustled as heads turned in his direction, but otherwise he was ignored.

  I just don’t know what I’m going to do. Why did Markus make me do this? Why couldn’t he just be happy with having a rival, or coming out on top naturally?

  Was the fault with Markus? No! That was a terrible thing to think. Markus was his own man. Just because he didn’t go out of his way to provide the romantic touches that Chris had, it didn’t mean he was less. It didn’t mean he was more either. They were two entirely different people, each allowed to be what they were. And that was all. It wasn’t as hard as he was making it out to be. It really wasn’t.

  But he couldn’t convince himself. It was hard enough so that it was nearly impossible. Nearly. No matter what, Jeremiah wanted a ring on his finger and he was going to get it whatever the cost.

  How did Markus do it though? How was he so confident in himself?

  Just then, Jeremiah’s phone gave a polite little beep. It was the sound notification for his email, which rarely saw any action these days. And when he checked the phone, he saw exactly why he had been sent an email: he had several missed calls, all from the same person.

  Chris Finley.

  That’s what he gets for trying to call me when I’m in class. He should know better.

  And knowing better himself, knowing he should at least try to catch up with the lecture, Jeremiah tucked his phone against his legs and went to his email.

  Jeremiah,

  I imagine you’re hard at work learning about character archetypes and all that. I won’t take up too much of your time.

  I apologize for how I acted. It was impulsive and invasive, and I should have waited until you were ready. I understand if you never want to see me again, but if you do, are you free tonight? There’s a movie I’ve been wanting to watch ever since I saw the trailer for it, and it’s almost time for it to leave theaters. If you would accompany me, I would love that.

  Sincerely,

  Chris Finley

  Jeremiah sighed. Chris Finley. Did he ever get tired of being the man everyone knew by name? He deserved a chance to go out to the movies if he wanted to. And if this particular movie had almost finished its runtime, there might not be another chance after this one.

  He sent back a short reply, saying that of course he would go. There was no reason to comment on the rest of the other man’s email. His reply would suffice as a way to let the other know he had been somewhat forgiven. After all, Jeremiah had enjoyed the kiss. He couldn’t be mad about that.

  Almost immediately, his phone gave another beep. He was aware of someone looking in his direction, clearly curious about the sound, but he ignored them. He was an adult. He could ignore a class if that was his prerogative.

  There was no introduction to this email, all formalities dropped as though Chris sent it in a hurry.

  Great! I can’t wait. The show is at 7 p.m. And I was wondering if you could actually come to my office this time, instead? At about 6? I have a meeting and I want to be ready to get going as soon as it’s over.

  His office?

  The office full of workers that were supposedly treated as family. Jeremiah would be able to get a first-hand look at everything Chris claimed. He could put his doubts to rest, or prove them once and for all.

  He said of course to that email as well. No others came, making him realize that he hadn’t asked what theater, or even what movie, but it didn’t really matter much. No doubt it would be some masculine action movie, or maybe something Marvel had put out recently. Superheroes were all the rage these days.

  As soon as class was over, Jeremiah grabbed up his things and hurried out of the room. Normally the last one to leave, he was aware of others giving him odd looks. He’d earned a lot of those today.

  “No running in the hall, dammit. Are you five?”

  He obeyed the irate words of the passing professor for only a moment, putting on another burst of speed the moment they were out of sight of each other. He dug around in his pocket and pulled out his phone again, punching in a single number. Speed dial took over from there, and a ringing filled his head.

  “Jeremiah?” Markus sounded surprised, and rightfully so. “I told you to never call me at my work.”

  “I know and I’m sorry,” he blurted out. “But I’ve got Chris going on another date with me and he wants me to go to his office.”

  Silence, during which he struggled to get his breath while coming up to the company car he had driven to the college.

  “His office. You’re going inside? Shit.”

  “Markus?”

  “Jeremiah.” Markus’s voice broke. “Jeremiah, you are one hell of a guy. I can’t wait to marry you.”

  And then he hung up.

  Jeremiah stared at his phone, eyes wide and a smile flitting across his lips. Markus wasn’t one for being overly emotional, and never had been. That was ju
st the way he was. It made them opposites, a more interesting contrast with one another.

  I can’t wait to be married to you either. I love you.

  He took the car and drove to where he knew Finley Real Estate was. He hadn’t ever been there before personally, but it was hard not to know where Markus’s rival dwelled when that was all he ever talked about sometimes. And he couldn’t help but to think of how similar the two companies looked from the outside.

  They were both three floors in height, placed in an area of high traffic. The parking lots were perpetually halfway full, and the buildings themselves were edged with careful landscaping to make them seem more inviting. Yet, Chris’s building was clearly friendlier. It took Jeremiah a moment of puzzling over that impression before he realized what gave it. The Finley building was pale brick, a sort of beige and pink combination with protruding sections that bulged forth slightly from the rest of the walls. The impression was one of a castle, but a modest one.

  Worth Property Management, Markus’s company, was very much a product of modern times, and completely constructed out of glass and steel.

  I would rather be part of this family right here, he thought, crossing the parking lot. It feels more personal, somehow.

  Maybe he could use this information to help Markus redesign and rebuild. After all, that was what he was meant to be doing in the first place. He was here to gather information.

  He stepped inside and found himself in a lobby that was ringed with offices that operated behind walls of glass. Agents were perched within like zoo animals going about their day, busily working.

  That was to be expected. What wasn’t expected was the way everyone looked up as he entered and offered him a smile or at least a wave. Tentatively, Jeremiah waved back and then continued looking. There were a great deal more plants inside than out, surprisingly. He had an idea that they were all real too, and not cheap plastic fabrications; the lobby smelled green and alive and fresh, and felt just a bit humid.

  There was an elevator against one wall, and a set of steps on the opposite side. Between them was a wide, curving smile of a desk covered in phones and computer screens and messy stacks of paper. Behind that desk was a petite young woman with a phone crammed between her ear and shoulder, as her arms worked busily elsewhere. Jeremiah stared, fascinated. She moved like an octopus, as if she had eight appendages. He had never seen anyone multitask quite like this, and especially not while talking in a clipped, professional manner.

  Professional, and yet there was another difference right there. She was smiling, and he could hear it in her voice, so no doubt the caller would be able to as well. More friendliness.

  Chris was telling the truth.

  Not knowing what else to do, he walked up to the desk and waited near one end of it. The receptionist quickly finished with her call while he made an effort not to eavesdrop on any of it.

  “Can I help you, sir?”

  Jeremiah shuffled over awkwardly, uncertain of where to look. He hated staring at new people in the eyes. “Um, yes. I’m supposed to see Chris. Uh, Finley. Chris Finley. Mr. Finley. Your boss.”

  He could have died from embarrassment, his stomach twisting. His legs wanted to run right back through those doors to get as far away from here as possible.

  The receptionist spoke, and he heard her smiling. “Yes, I know who my boss is. Mr. Finley is in a meeting right now. Can I have your name and your message for him?”

  He took a deep breath. “Jeremiah Bird. I’m actually here to go on a date with him.”

  Just like that, the professional mask dropped away and the woman let out a gasp, bringing her hands up to press against her chest. “Oh, you’re Mr. Bird! I’m so sorry, I had no idea who you were.”

  “It’s okay. Am I allowed to go up to him?”

  “Of course, of course!” She smiled even wider than before and gestured toward the elevator. “We were expecting you. I apologize for that. Next time, you can just go up right away.”

  He wondered how many next times there would be.

  “Mr. Finley is all the way up on the third floor. He instructed me to tell you to wait in his office. When you get out of the elevator, go straight and continue down to the third door on your left. I will call him and let him know you’ve arrived.”

  “Thank you…” Jeremiah looked at her name plate. “Ms. Temple.”

  “The pleasure is all mine! Boss couldn’t stop talking about how you were finally going to come visit us. Everyone is so eager to meet you.”

  Judging from the way he was greeted just by walking through the door, and by agents who didn’t even know who he was, Jeremiah had to think that was true. And it was all true. Everything Chris said.

  He headed over to the elevator and rode it all the way up, and followed Ms. Temple’s instructions to reach Chris’s office. It was unlocked, presumably just for Jeremiah to enter. Chris couldn’t trust his staff enough to keep it unlocked at all times, could he? There had to be a line somewhere.

  The office was, well, an office. There was nothing particularly noteworthy about it except for the two large windows on perpendicular corners, but they were just windows and the view outside was unremarkable as far as Jeremiah could tell. Gray. A whole lot of gray and silver, buildings and roads, with the only color being the cars that ambled along like so many iridescent beetles.

  The rest of the office was filled with bookcases, filing cabinets, an immense desk, and a few extra chairs shoved into the corner. Stacks of files and forms perched on those seats like unwelcome guests.

  A fresh scent like laundry detergent made him feel somehow at ease. What was more comforting in the world than that scent, which brought to mind imaginings of home?

  He had no idea how long he had before Chris came from his meeting, although the general idea of it seemed to be that they would leave almost immediately. If he was going to find out some secrets, it had to be now.

  Jeremiah circled around the monster of a desk and dropped his butt into the chair behind it. It was a good chair, for sure, but he also felt like sitting in even the best chair all day would make him go mad.

  He reached out for the nearest drawer and pulled it open. No good. A junk drawer, although a fantastically neat and organized one. As he softly closed it and reached to open another, it occurred to him that even though he was minoring in business, he knew nothing about real estate. More to the point, he had no idea what Chris’s bookkeeping was like, or anything; how was he supposed to recognize fraud then?

  This drawer was full of blank forms, all of them the exact same thing. Jeremiah stared down at them, but the lines of text danced before his eyes. Tension caught in his spine, rendering him useless.

  Footsteps on carpet, just outside the door.

  Jeremiah closed the drawer and straightened up just as Chris stepped inside. His eyes were tired, but his smile was genuine. He also looked incredibly good in his business suit.

  All at once, he was glad that he hadn’t had a chance to look at anything else in the desk.

  “Hey, Jeremiah!” Chris said, brightly. “How do you like it here, huh? Isn’t it everything I said it would be?”

  “That’s Mr. Bird to you,” Jeremiah said, haughtily. He folded his hands on the desk and glared over them at Chris. “Go fetch me a cup of coffee, secretary.”

  Chris laughed. “I would, sir, but I’m sure I could find something better to keep you awake. A movie, perhaps.”

  “What kind of movie is going to keep me awake?” Jeremiah asked, tilting his head.

  “A scary one.”

  He blinked a little and set his hands down flat on the desk. “We’re going to see a horror movie?”

  Chris nodded. “I’m a bit of a connoisseur, actually. It’s my favorite genre. I can’t remember the name of this one we’re about to go see, but it’s about the UFO lights over Phoenix.”

  “Like… that was a real thing?”

  “The lights, yes. Aliens? Probably not.” Chris pointed with his thumb ove
r his shoulder. “Do you mind handing me that bag from under the desk, boss? I have a change of clothes in there so I don’t have to go to the movies looking like an entitled brat.”

  Jeremiah obediently passed over the black gym bag that he hadn’t even noticed under the desk, and Chris left the room to go change. This time, he didn’t even bother looking in the drawers. He wouldn’t find anything anyway.

  Chris returned, looking somehow even sexier than before in just jeans and a t-shirt. He looked exactly like he should have, like a young man headed out for a casual date.

  “Let’s go, then.”

  At the theater, Chris bought them a popcorn to share and they settled into the theater just in time for previews, all of which were for other upcoming horror films. Jeremiah didn’t pay much attention to them, because now he had a different concern. They were sitting in the back of the theater with not many others nearby. The theater itself wasn’t half full, probably due to how long the movie had already been showing. When the lights dimmed and the movie started, they would effectively be alone. That meant he was going to be expected to fool around. At least, that was all he had ever done with Markus when they sat in the back of a theater together.

  His stomach went tense with nerves. It must have showed on his face because Chris turned toward him. “You doing okay?” he whispered.

  “Fine,” Jeremiah whispered back.

  Even finer, and also less fine, if you start kissing me.

  The last trailer ended and the lights dimmed. The movie started…

  And played, and nothing happened in the back row of the theater where Jeremiah and Chris were sitting. The arm rest between them was up, but the boundary between seats was never crossed. Chris simply settled in with his popcorn and soda, eyes glued to the screen. At one point his arm came up and draped over the back of Jeremiah’s chair, but that was as far as he went.

  Which meant that now Jeremiah actually had to watch the movie. He had been hoping against hope that the horror genre was overblown and that horror films weren’t really all that scary—a result of loving hype and hyperbole—but he quickly found that he was wrong. From the first shaky camera panning shot, he felt his blood chill and tension form at the nape of his neck.