Chapter Four

The city lights blurred past the cab window as Julian headed back to Cross Media. It was almost 8 p.m., and this would be their fifth late-night session in a row. His body felt wired, exhausted, and restless all at once. Those gray eyes. That controlled voice. The way Ethan looked at his mouth like he wanted to ruin it, kept his mind haywire.

Julian adjusted himself in his jeans before stepping out of the cab.  be professional, be professional. He chanted as he knocked on the office door and entered. Ethan was already there, standing by the windows with his back to the room, suit jacket off and shirtsleeves rolled up. The sight of those powerful forearms made Julian’s stomach tighten.

“Mr. Cross,” Julian said, keeping his voice steady as he set his laptop down. “I brought the new revisions you asked for.”

Ethan turned. For a second, something raw flickered across his face before the mask slid back into place. “Good, let’s work.”

Julian opened the document and sat down.“I reworked the scene where the protagonist finally touches the person he wants. I made it more… physical.”

Ethan leaned over his shoulder to read. His chest brushed Julian’s back. Neither moved away.

“Read it aloud,” Ethan ordered, voice low.

Julian swallowed. “His hands were shaking as he pulled the other man closer. The need had become unbearable. Every brush of skin felt like fire. He wanted to pin him down, bury himself deep, and forget every rule that kept him chained.”

The silence that followed was deafening.

Ethan’s breath ghosted over Julian’s ear. “Again.”

Julian’s voice dropped. “He wanted to hear him moan. Wanted to feel those lips part around his cock while those sharp eyes looked up at him, begging for more.”

Ethan’s hand landed on the back of Julian’s chair, gripping it tightly. Julian could feel the heat radiating from his body. His own cock was already half-hard, pressing against his zipper.

Julian turned his head. Their faces were inches apart. “I think this is exactly what he wants. But he’s terrified of what happens when he takes it.”

Ethan’s gray eyes darkened with hunger. His gaze dropped to Julian’s mouth, lingering there like a physical touch. The tension snapped.

He grabbed Julian by the shirt and yanked him up. Their mouths crashed together in a desperate, bruising kiss. There was nothing gentle about it. Ethan kissed like he fucked , dominant, starving, and completely out of control. His tongue pushed past Julian’s lips, claiming his mouth with raw need. Julian moaned into it, hands fisting in Ethan’s shirt as he kissed him back just as fiercely.

Ethan backed him against the desk, lifting him slightly so their bodies pressed together. Julian could feel how hard Ethan was, thick and insistent against his thigh. He rolled his hips, drawing a deep, guttural groan from Ethan’s throat.

For one perfect, shattering moment, everything disappeared except the taste of him, the feel of those strong hands gripping his waist, the way Ethan devoured his mouth.

Julian woke up gasping, sheets tangled around his legs, his body burning.

His cock was painfully hard, leaking against his stomach.

“Fuck,” Julian whispered, dragging a hand down his face. His skin felt feverish. He lay there for a long moment, breathing hard, staring at the ceiling of his tiny Hell’s Kitchen apartment.

He forced himself out of bed and into a cold shower, letting the water beat the lingering heat from his body. 

He is your boss. Off limits. You need this job more than you need to get fucked again. He repeatedly told himself. This was insane. He’s never felt this sought of way for a quick fuck before. He took a deep breath and afterwards, he performed his small morning ritual, the one thing that always grounded him. He brewed a single cup of coffee using the old French press his mother had given him years ago, then stood by the window overlooking the noisy street and read one page from a worn copy of The Great Gatsby. It reminded him why he wrote. 

“Enough of this madness,” he told his reflection in the mirror as he buttoned his shirt. “Be professional. Be smart. Survive the six months.”

By 8:45 a.m., he felt more like himself.

At the Cross Media office, Julian stopped by the open-plan floor to greet Sarah from marketing who brings coffee sometimes to his office with a big bright smile.

 “Morning, Julian! How’s it going? I was planning to drop this off at your office but I’m glad you came here!” She greeted and passed a cup of coffee.

“Thank you so much Sarah," he replied with a genuine smile.

“ How’s it going with the big boss?” She asked.

“It’s been intense, but I’m learning a lot. Do you  have any survival tips for working directly with Mr. Cross?”

A guy named Mark or Mike, he couldn’t remember from editorial  chuckled. “Don’t stare too long into those gray eyes. People have been known to forget their own names.”

Julian grinned, the easy banter helping settle his nerves. “Noted. Thanks, guys.”

He felt lighter as he took the elevator up to the executive floor. Ethan’s office door was ajar. Julian knocked once and stepped inside.

Ethan looked up from his desk, impeccably dressed in a charcoal suit. Their eyes met, and Julian’s stomach did a small flip despite his morning pep talk.

“Mr. Hayes,” Ethan said, voice calm and professional. “Good morning. I received your revisions. Some strong improvements.”

“Thank you, sir,” Julian replied, keeping his tone warm but respectful as he sat down. “I focused on the repression arc like you suggested. Would you like to go through the first few pages together?”

They discussed the manuscript for nearly forty minutes. The conversation flowed naturally, thoughtful, sometimes intense, but safely professional. Julian caught himself noticing the way Ethan’s fingers moved when he turned pages, the sharp line of his jaw when he concentrated, but he quickly pushed those thoughts aside.

Boss. Off limits. Remember that.

Ethan leaned back. “ I like what you did with this new scene, it certainly has potential. The emotional energy is stronger. Push the physical buttons even further in the next revision. I want the reader to feel the protagonist’s body reacting against his will.”

Julian nodded, fighting the warmth creeping up his neck from the easy praise. “Understood. I’ll make sure it feels that way.”

Just then, Ethan’s desk phone rang sharply. Lena’s name flashed on the screen.

Ethan answered and immediately put it on speaker, clearly expecting a routine update.

“Yes, Lena?”

“Mr. Cross,” Lena’s voice came through, tight and urgent. “We have a situation. A gossip blog just published photos from last week. Clear images of you and Julian Hayes leaving Velvet bar together the night before he officially started. The headline is calling it ‘Cross Media CEO’s Secret Late-Night Rendezvous with New Male Contractor.’ It’s already trending on social media and several entertainment sites have picked it up.”

Julian’s blood turned to ice.

Ethan froze, his face draining of color as he stared at the phone, then slowly lifted his gaze to Julian.

The silence in the office was deafening.