Chapter 2

Kieran woke up groaning. His head throbbed like hell, and his throat felt like sandpaper. He reached for the water bottle on his nightstand, only to find it bone dry. He dragged himself out of bed and shuffled to the kitchen, squinting against the light.

He kicked himself for pounding back all those drinks last night. His college days of slamming booze and bouncing back fine were long gone. Now, he had a brutal hangover, and he knew his weekend would be all about hunkering down—binging N*****x, crashing out, and gaming.

As he downed a full bottle of water, flashes from last night hit him. He'd ended up at that guy's place—what was his name? Liam? Louis? Nah, Luke!

They'd hooked up, and Kieran slipped out once the dude dozed off. But that wasn't the whole story—Kieran remembered Lucas's face when his boss barged into the restroom, catching him mid-blowjob.

And how'd Kieran handle it? Instead of yanking away and covering up, he'd thrust harder into Luke's mouth. If Lucas wanted a peek, Kieran was down to perform.

But did he really want to watch? Or was he just stunned and stuck there? Kieran couldn't read it, and the memory was fuzzy anyway, courtesy of all the tequila Miles kept pushing.

"Shit," Kieran mumbled, dreading facing Lucas at work on Monday. Acting normal around the crew wouldn't be tough, but he'd signed up for overtime alone with the guy.

How the hell was he supposed to play it cool?

"Maybe I should bail on the job," Kieran said out loud. "Not like I need it."

That was spot on. Both his folks were rolling in cash, and he was their only kid. He crashed in a penthouse his dad had slapped his name on, and drove a Rolls Royce his mom gifted him post-graduation.

Nobody at the office had a clue, though. He usually hopped the subway or rode with his buddy Roan to work.

The only reason he stuck with this entry-level gig was to make something of himself. He'd applied half-joking at first, not even serious until the interview. But spotting Lucas Salazar? That flipped the script.

Truth be told, Kieran figured he'd charm the guy, hook up, and bounce in a month. But working with Lucas drew him in— the man's charm, his drive, confidence, smarts. Plans went out the window, and Kieran actually started liking the work.

The weekend flew by, and bam—back at his desk, grinding on a dull-as-dirt report. He hadn't crossed paths with Lucas yet, but that didn't last.

"Reece? Can I see you in my office?" Lucas asked. Kieran looked up at the taller guy, who wore a poker face.

"Sure," Kieran said.

"Now," Lucas added, clearing his throat. "Please."

Kieran didn't say a word, just stood and trailed Lucas to his office. It was tucked in the corner, concrete walls, with a semi-see-through glass door.

Lucas dropped into his chair, and Kieran sat across from him. Just the big desk between them—the same one Kieran had pictured himself bent over in his fantasies, getting—

"I wanted to chat about Friday," Lucas said. Kieran tensed up, mirroring the blank stare.

"What about Friday, sir?" Kieran asked. No way was he bringing it up first.

"I wanted to..." Lucas trailed off for a second. "Thank you for stepping up on the presentation. I know it'll be intense, but you'll get paid right for the extra hours."

"Right," Kieran said, eyes narrowing a bit. "No issue."

"We'll work in here. Be ready by five, or sooner if we're both wrapped early," Lucas directed.

"Of course, sir," Kieran nodded.

"I'd like you to join me for the investor meeting too," Lucas added.

"Me? Not Ms. Sharma?" Kieran asked. Jiya Sharma was next in line after Lucas, there since day one.

"Nah. You're helping with the pitch, so it's only right you're there presenting with me. Cool with that?" Lucas fired back.

"Yeah, sounds good," Kieran said. "Sir."

Lucas stood and headed to the door, swinging it open. He faced Kieran with a sharp look. Kieran got the hint, got up, and headed out.

Right as he passed, Lucas snagged his arm above the elbow, halting him inches away.

"Also, next time you hook up in public, double-check the lock," Lucas whispered, his warm breath brushing Kieran's ear, sending a chill down his back.

Kieran snapped his head toward Lucas, who stayed stone-faced. Kieran swallowed hard as Lucas released him. Lucas raised his brows, and Kieran finally broke the stare, heading to his cubicle without a glance back.

Kieran prided himself on being bold and unashamed. Not much rattled him. He touched his cheek, feeling the heat—like he had a fever.

But he wasn't under the weather. Unless craving your boss railing you over his desk counted as a sickness. If so, Kieran needed a hospital bed stat.

"Hey, how long till you're done with the Gyver report?" Nina asked, leaning back to peek into his cubicle.

"Before lunch," Kieran said.

"Cool, we're eyeing that new Thai spot around the corner for lunch. In?" Nina asked.

"Sure," Kieran replied. He had a packed lunch, but he craved fresh air and a break from the office. "I could use a smoke break."

"Didn't know you smoked," Miles chimed in from the other side.

Kieran rolled his eyes. Miles always butted into Nina convos. With Kieran's desk smack between them, he often got stuck in their flirty stares and loaded lines.

"I don't, but I might start if it means dipping out for breaks whenever," Kieran grumbled.

He buckled down on the report after that, finishing by lunch. They headed to the restaurant, and Kieran tugged Nina's arm to lag behind. Once they were out of earshot from the group, he spoke.

"Did Lucas swing back that night?" Kieran asked.

"Back where?" Nina tilted her head, puzzled.

"To the club," Kieran clarified.

"Oh, yeah! Forgot his reading glasses, came back for 'em," Nina remembered.

"Ah, crap," Kieran muttered, looking off.

"Why? What went down?" Nina asked, eyeing him suspiciously. "You weren't around when he returned, so how'd you know?"

"We bumped in the restroom, just curious," Kieran said, keeping it vague.

"Oh, why didn't you—"

"You two done chatting? Speed it up!" Anwar yelled. Kieran rolled his eyes but was relieved—he wasn't spilling about Friday to anyone.

Kieran scanned the menu, picking his order, when his phone buzzed. He checked; email from Lucas.

Received the Gyver report. Well done.

Looking forward to working directly with you tonight.

Best,

Lucas