Cooper jerked open the door, but rather than head for the exit, he came straight at Nolan. “Fuck you too!”
He got to his feet and backed away. “Mr. Cooper, security is on their way up. If you would please head toward the elevator, they’ll meet you there to escort you from the building.”
“You’re his little toady, aren’t you? Piece of shit bootlicker! I’m going to fuck you up.”
Nolan stood paralyzed. The scenario unfolded in slow motion in his brain. One moment Cooper was coming at him, and in the next Zack was spinning him around, redirecting his attack. He saw Cooper pull his arm back and swing at Zack. Watched in horror as his fist connected with Zack’s jaw, sending him falling to the floor in a heap.
“Zack!” He moved without thought, getting between them. “Back the hell off!”
Cooper kicked at Zack but connected with Nolan’s injured thigh instead. He cried out, tears instantly welling as pain sliced through him, but he refused to move away from a near-stunned Zack.
There was a sudden flurry of activity. Three security guards rushed into the office and pulled Cooper off Nolan. He heard Nancy and Janice talking to people, asking him questions. The only thing he was able to focus on was Zack. Reaching down, he helped him to a sitting position, and touched the already visible bruise on his jaw. “Are you okay?”
Zack groaned and gave his head a small shake. “I should be asking you that.”
“I’m good. You took a big blow. You should get checked out for a concussion.”
“I told you I can take a punch. I’m fine.” Zack looked past him. “Nancy, I want to state for the record that I have no plans whatsoever to fire my assistant. Ever.”
“I’m very happy to hear that, Mr. Anderson.” She moved to squat beside them. “We’ll notify the police so they can get charges started. Now if you two men will do me the favor of coming to the hospital with me, I want to make sure that you’re both going to be okay.”
“No need. He barely touched me.” Nolan was sure his grimace gave away how much pain he was in, but the last place he ever wanted to go was the hospital.
Zack nodded. “I just need an ice pack.”
“I learned in health and safety training today that there should be one in the freezer. Let me get it. And I thought you said you were a good boxer?”
“He caught me off guard, or else I wouldn’t have taken that punch. I’m normally much faster.” Zack rubbed his jaw. “I’ll have to get back in the ring again with Max and brush up.”
Nancy looked between them. “You two are the most stubborn . . . I’m glad you’re working together.”
“I’m just glad Nolan took my training this morning.” Janice chuckled as she dropped the ice pack into Zack’s lap. Nolan was shocked to see her smiling at all. “Come on. Let them lick their wounds.”
The office emptied out, leaving the pair of them still sitting on the floor. Nolan shifted away from Zack a bit, moving so he could lean against the wall. “Never a dull moment.”
“Nope.” Zack pressed the pack to his jaw and hissed. “Asshole got me good.”
“Next time you’re going to fire someone, wait until I’ve got security in the wings.”
“I couldn’t. I’ve been working with HR to get rid of him for months now. I finally got the last nail this morning and needed to slam it in the coffin.”
“What was that?”
“He’d been harassing one of my managers. She’d finally filed a report with the company and informed me she was going to be pressing charges. I wanted him out of the building as soon as possible. No one should have to work in conditions where they don’t feel safe. Or sexually harassed.”
Nolan shook his head. “No.”
They sat there side by side as the insanity of the last few minutes dissipated. Nolan’s leg throbbed in a way it hadn’t since the early days after his accident. He’d have to get in the tub that evening and let the hot water work its magic.
Zack cleared his throat. “You don’t, do you?”
He looked at him. “Don’t what?”
“Feel unsafe or harassed? I know I’ve crossed a line. We’ve kissed and I’m your boss. I don’t want you to feel you can’t say no, or that you have to put up with unwanted attention.”
The uncertainty was painful to hear. “No, not at all.” He placed his hand on Zack’s thigh. “I don’t know, maybe it shouldn’t happen again, but I don’t feel pressured. I don’t . . . regret what happened.”
With his free hand, Zack reached out and covered Nolan’s. “I’m harsh, but I’m not unfeeling. If you need anything, if your anxiety gets to be too much, or if I’m riding you too hard, just say something. I really do appreciate what you’ve done for me since you started. I can’t imagine going back to working alone.”
Zack smiled, and Nolan’s heart raced at the sight. His chest felt tight, but not from fear or anxiety. No, this was gratitude and something a bit stronger than respect. “Thank you.”
“We better get off the floor if we’re going back to normal.”
“Probably for the best.” Nolan struggled to his feet and offered a hand to Zack. “I’m going to order us in some lunch. I think we’ve earned it.”
“Can you get something from that Indian place you ordered from the other night when I stopped by? I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. Smelled amazing.”
For the first time in months, Nolan was up on a Saturday morning before noon. Tina had gaped at him as he wandered into the kitchen wearing track pants and a T-shirt. He’d taken a bit of perverse pleasure in stealing her Pop-Tart.
“You’re awake. And dressed.” She shook her head. “Please tell me you’re not going into the office. Especially dressed like that.”
“I’m not going into the office. And what’s wrong with the way I’m dressed?”
“Nothing if you were going for the upscale-hobo look.”
He was in fact meeting Zack at Ringside to do an inventory of needed structural changes. Nolan had volunteered to coordinate with Max to find a list of contractors and get estimates, so they’d know exactly what funds they would need to move forward. Why they hadn’t done this before now, Nolan hadn’t a clue.
“You’re smirking.” Tina reclaimed the last piece of her Pop-Tart and ate it before he could stop her. “Normally that means you’re meeting a man you have a crush on. Since you’re not dating anyone, I know that can’t be it. So where are you off to?”
Under normal circumstances, Nolan would have told Tina everything. But they still weren’t back to normal since their sort-of fight. He didn’t want to give her any reason to regret accepting the Vancouver job. So he offered her only part of the truth. “I’m actually off to do some volunteer work.”
Tina smiled at him and for the first time in days looked more like her old self. “Really? That’s awesome. Where?”
“It’s an old gym they’re trying to get up and running again. They also want to offer LGBTQ youth programs. Boxing, self-defense, and stuff.”
“You’re not doing anything too labor intensive right? I know you need to be more active, but they shouldn’t make you lift boxes, or—”
“Tina, I’m fine.”
The tension snapped back into place like a whip. “Sure. I’ll be here looking for apartments online. They want me to fast track my move.”
That stopped him. “What? When?”
“Next week if possible. They offered to put me up in a hotel until I find a place that suits. It’s going to be a bit harder than I realized, though. Rent is high.”
He wanted Tina to go, needed her to, even. But next week? “What about your things?”
“I’ll have to keep them here for the time being. Don’t worry, I won’t cramp your style for long.”
“Don’t be like that.”
She turned back to the computer. “Call if you need me.”
“I will.” The peace he’d felt mere moments ago was gone. “I have to catch the bus.” Not wanting to drag things out furth
er, he kissed her quickly on the cheek and bolted for the door.
The trip down to Ringside was uneventful. The buses were on time and weren’t overly crowded. He even had a chance to swing by Starbucks and grab some coffees and pastries to go. So when he pushed open the heavy metal door to the defunct gym, his body was relaxed and ready to face the day.
He immediately stopped when he saw Zack pulling a large blue mat across the floor. He was dressed in jeans and a tight-fitting T-shirt. The fabric hugged him perfectly, accentuating exactly how fit Zack truly was.
And yeah, he was pretty frigging fit.
Nolan hoped his track pants were loose enough to hide his erection.
“You’re late.” Zack’s voice echoed through the room. “But I smell coffee, so you’re forgiven.”
No man had the right to be that hot. “I took a chance and grabbed some lemon cake too. It was pretty fresh and I really love it, so that’s my excuse.” Shit, now he was rambling. “Want it now?”
“Sec.”
Nolan was then subjected to watching Zack pull the clearly heavy mat to the side door and toss it onto a heap of other garbage. Sweat made Zack’s hair stick up in a way that shouldn’t be attractive and yet totally was. Nolan closed his eyes and counted back from ten—the first time he’d done this as a way to calm his libido rather than his nerves. He had barely gotten to one when Zack’s scent washed over him. He opened his eyes, smiled, and handed him the coffee.
“Careful, it’s hot.” Like you! His inner teen laughed.
Zack gave him a strange look before accepting the coffee and taking a sip. “Thanks.”
Get your mind back on task. “You look like you’ve been here a while already.”
“My Saturdays have a way of going sideways. If I’m coming here, I like to get an early start in case I have to take off.”
There was most definitely something different about casual Zack, something more than a simple change of clothing. The lines around his eyes and mouth were relaxed, and he didn’t hold himself as stiffly. Nolan swayed closer as he responded in kind. “So, where do you want to start?”
Zack’s gaze drifted to Nolan’s mouth before he turned away and took another sip of coffee. “Let’s make a broad list of areas we want the contractor to tackle. We can break it down from there.”
Was that a shut down? It had been so long since Nolan had dipped his toes into the dating waters, he rightly didn’t know anymore. It shouldn’t matter. He wasn’t here to engage in any sort of relationship with Zack, only to help him get Ringside up and running. A little volunteer work to pay things forward.
Certainly not to take advantage of the situation to ogle his boss and maybe friend in his oh-so-tight jeans. That had nothing to do with the reason he was . . . Dear God, Zack’s biceps were huge.
Shit.
This was going to be harder than he thought.
It took a while for Nolan to get his head in the game, but after a few minutes they’d both finished their coffees and were working side by side, making notes and inspecting the facilities.
“I can’t believe you and Max haven’t done this by now. No point in trying to get financial backers if you don’t know how much things are going to cost.”
Zack picked up a decayed wooden bench and moved it against the closest wall. “Max has his plate full with Frantic. It took me a long time to get the money to buy the building in the first place. On top of what I do at Compass, I don’t have a lot of spare time.”
“Fair enough.”
Zack stopped and leaned back against the wall to look at him. “Besides, this is more my project than Max’s. He wants it open again, but if it didn’t, he’d simply find another way to give back. I’m the one who wants to do this full-time.”
It was strange, but Nolan could picture Zack wandering through the clean halls of Ringside, pausing to help a kid or answer questions from one of the trainers. The frustration that seemed to propel him forward through the halls of Compass wouldn’t be there.
Nolan could see Zack being happy here.
He wanted something like that for himself. He wanted to have a life of his own again, wanted to find someone who wouldn’t mind his occasional freak-out. He needed a man who had flaws of his own, but wanted to be better. They could help one another, be a support system for one another, like what his parents shared.
For the first time since his accident, Nolan knew what he wanted. He knew that this was only going to happen if he was brave enough to reach out and take it. Zack might have been the one to kiss him before, but Nolan would have to make the next move if he wanted something more than that.
Zack pushed away from the wall. “You okay?”
No. “Yes. Just thinking.”
“About what?”
“You. Specifically kissing you.”
The muscle in Zack’s jaw jumped. “I’m your boss. That’s probably not a good idea.”
“What if I think it is? A good idea. What then?”
Zack’s gaze traveled down Nolan. “I wouldn’t want you to feel pressured. I’m no better than Cooper if I think you’re doing this for any reason other than wanting to.”
Nolan continued closer, each step making his cock swell and his heart pound. “I’ll make you a deal.”
“What’s that?”
Nolan took one final step so no space existed between them, closed his eyes, and leaned forward. “Until Monday morning, I quit.”
And then he kissed Zack.
Zack’s brain shut down as his mouth opened to accept Nolan’s. He didn’t need to think or worry about what was right or wrong. The only thing that mattered was the man in front of him and their mutual pleasure. Zack did the thing he’d been wanting to since he’d walked into the bathroom that first day and saw Nolan. Pushing his hand into his hair, he tugged Nolan’s head back and licked a long swipe up the side of his neck.
The groan that burst from Nolan was worth the throbbing that pounded through his neglected cock. Sliding the other hand beneath Nolan’s shirt, Zack bit the side of his neck. “I’ve fantasized about fucking you against the wall for days now.”
The shudder that passed through Nolan was more than Zack could have hoped for. He wasn’t normally a fan of track pants, but on Nolan it gave him the freedom a suit and tie wouldn’t allow. Not only could he rub his thumb across Nolan’s nipples, but there was little to hide Nolan’s thickening erection from him. It was good, perfect. He needed to know that Nolan wanted this as much as he did. That he wasn’t forcing himself on him. That was the last thing he wanted to do.
“Zack,” Nolan moaned, his hands clutching at Zack’s back. “Please.”
“Shit.” Zack ground his hips against Nolan’s, pressing their cocks together. “I don’t have anything.” Condoms were the last thing he’d had on his mind when he’d gotten to Ringside that morning. This wasn’t supposed to be about sex; they were supposed to be working. For the kids!
Nolan chuckled. “Me either.”
“We’re not very well prepared, are we?”
“I’m sure as hell not. I haven’t had sex in two years.”
Zack pulled back to look him right in the eyes. “What?”
Nolan smiled. “Not a priority when you can barely walk and can’t go out into public.”
“Right.” No protection meant no penetration. That didn’t necessarily mean no orgasms. “Do you trust me?”
Nolan looked at him, and for a moment he wasn’t sure what the other man was thinking. His heart pounded hard when Nolan finally nodded.
“Good. Relax.”
He let go and spun them both around so Nolan’s back was pressed against the wall and Zack was now the one calling the shots. Yes, this was how he’d pictured him: flushed and wanting more. Zack slipped one hand around the back of Nolan’s head, and the other one around his hip. It had been a long time since he’d done this, not since he was a teenager. Back then he wasn’t experienced enough to be good at mastering the technique. That wasn’t the case now.
Holding Nolan still, Zack began to thrust his hips forward so their groins pressed together briefly before pulling back. The kiss of their cocks, that blessed contact, was enough to steal his breath away. Another thrust, this time met halfway by Nolan. Zack couldn’t breathe, didn’t care if he ever breathed again. Over and over they thrust, not quite grinding together, as the pleasure built.
“God,” Nolan said on a sigh.
“Yeah.”
“I haven’t ever done this.”
“Good.” Zack couldn’t explain why, but he was happy he was the first one to do this with him. Nolan had been through so much, and while he didn’t know much about the man who’d become an unexpected part of his life, he couldn’t help but want to be the one to share this experience with him.
The rhythm they set was slow and steady. Pleasure rolled through Zack gradually at first, infecting one inch of his body at a time. It didn’t take long for his clothing to feel restrictive. Thank God he had on a T-shirt. He’d be choking in anything else. It took time, but they synced up: breathing, thrusts, pants. Zack closed his eyes, but tried to memorize everything he felt. The smell of Nolan, the sounds he made as their mutual arousal grew.
Zack turned his face so his mouth was pressed just below Nolan’s ear. “I shouldn’t want to, but I keep picturing you naked, spread on my bed. I wonder what you’d sound like, feel like. How tight your ass would be around my cock.”
Nolan groaned. “Yes.”
“Yeah, you’d like that. You’d want to feel me slide into you. Spread you wide, your cock trapped between us. Wouldn’t you?”
“Yes.”
Zack tightened his grip on Nolan’s hip, slowing his bucking. “No, not yet.”
“Please.”
“No. Slow.”
Nolan banged his head against the wall. “Asshole.”
“That’s me.” He bit Nolan’s neck as he reached between them to squeeze Nolan’s cock. “I bet you’re wet in there. Leaking. I’m tempted to shove my hand in there to see, to feel you.” Instead he squeezed Nolan’s shaft through the soft fabric. “Next time. Right now I want to make you come like this. I want you to cream your pants so that every time you put these on you think about me.”
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