Page 30 of The Hot Shot

SEBASTIAN

It was just my luck that Jace had messaged me saying that Hardin had found us a client that he thought would be perfect for us to take on and that he’d arranged a meeting at the office for ten am. It was now a quarter to the hour and I was at the wrong side of the city outside Walker’s place, trying to get a glimpse of him and apologize for my behavior. I hadn’t been able to reach him by text or phone since we’d seen each other at The Power Zone and I’d acted like a prized idiot as I pretended that the guy, I was hung up on didn’t exist and instead, allowed the manager of the place to put her hands on me. It was pure reckless stupidity and it meant nothing, but I didn’t know how to tell her to stop without causing suspicion over my instant refusal.

It didn’t matter in the slightest though as Chelsea said it was obvious and had managed to unravel the situation between Walker and I. It didn’t mean that I felt any better though. If anything, the panic that traveled through me was at an all-time high as all I could think about was that I may had ruined everything between the both of us.

It had opened my eyes to the daily battles of what Walker must have been going through, especially when I’d ghosted him. I think we both just needed to draw a line and realize that this isn’t the answer for either of us and that instead of growing stronger together, we’d end up pushing one another apart if we didn’t fix this soon.

Tonight, after work I was spending the evening on a bar stool in The Hot Shot until either the man himself made an appearance or someone behind that bar—preferably Dee—got sick of my sulking and constant demands and somehow got me an in with the guy. I wasn’t fazed to even help her out by collecting glasses or wiping a table or two if it meant she’d feel sorry for me and tell me where Walker was hiding out to. I took a glance at my watch and I knew that I should head off and make my way to greet this client at the office that Jace was hopefully using his charm on. I just hoped that my lateness hadn’t fucked up a business deal too.

* * *

“Michelle, what room are they in, please?” I bent over and fisted the fabric that covered my thighs, sucking in deep, large breaths after having ran the last few blocks here. Some fucker decided that driving a car too close to the pavement was clever and that spraying me from head to the toe was just the added piece I needed to complete the shit show I’d already caused myself to be in. I had headed home, changed into my spare suit and then couldn’t even get hold of a cab so ended up running the length of the trip and probably causing myself to smell like sweat. Fuck! I stood up, lifted my arms and took a whiff of each of my arm pits, scrunching my nose up at the stench. Thankfully, the lifesaver of a woman in front of me handed me a unisex can of deodorant. I made a mental note that I owe her a raise. “Thanks, I’ll head that way now. How did Jace and the client seem?”

“The client was fine but Jace…” she began before I held my hand up to stop her. I didn’t need to know any more than what she’d said. Jace preferred the banter we gave as a team with a client and without me present, then there was no one to fill those awkward silences should they arise. I bet he was ready to kill me for not only being late but for potentially showing him up. “Can you grab a Vanilla slice for Jace from the bakery across the street for me to give him later to apologize?”

“Only if you’re paying and I can have something too?” She tapped her perfectly manicured nails, knowing that she had me and that what I was asking was beyond the schemes of her job description. I didn’t have time to waste as I pulled out my wallet and passed her a couple of folded notes. “I’ll bring you your change.”

“Thanks.” I chuckled. “Wish me luck.” I straightened my suit lapels as I made my way to the allocated office and knocked before entering.

The words that tumbled from Jace’s mouth were completely silent to my ears because all I could hear was the loud thump of my heart in my chest. The client who’d just finished signing his contract looked up at me and the smile he had on his face fell as he caught my gaze. Walker was here and fuck, now I was technically his boss and his boyfriend. Shit! What the fuck did I do now?

I took a deep breath and steadied myself before I pretended Walker was someone else, a nobody, but it was impossible. I’d seen the guy naked, I’d tasted his cock and swallowed his cum. How could I pretend?

“I see you’ve managed quite well without me,” I said, trying to make light of the situation. “Jace here is our guy for getting the right people to see the new vision we manage to create but I’m the design guru who’ll make everything come to life. I have a free hour now if you’d like to come and brainstorm a few ideas. We could maybe even make a visit to your premises, depending how far it is from here? I’m sure Jace could check my diary…”

“That’s a great idea, Sebastian. Walker here is on a tight schedule and ideally, we want the refit and reopening done in a two-week period.” I let out a hissed noise, quickly disguising it by turning around realizing how acquainted the two guys must have actually gotten by my lateness. The irony was that I was actually trying to see the guy that was sat in front of me and now he was in my office—my fucking building—all this time and the worst of it is that made me damn hard thinking how I wanted to have him to take me right here over this table. “Walker did say he was adaptable with his schedule.”

“What do you think?” I asked Walker, trying to keep my tone steady as I watched his Adam’s apple bob up and down in his throat. He reached for the jug of water placed in the center of the table and it caused his shirt to ride upwards slightly. I couldn’t help but place my hand in my trouser pocket and clench it together. I watched as he poured a glass of water and took a sip before clearing his throat. “It’s a tight time frame if I’m honest. The sooner we’ve got some time to talk, the better. It gives Jace time to start planning the event after all, too.”

“I think it’ll be good if we talk. I’ll take you to my bar,” Walker said nonchalantly, making Jace raise his eyebrows as I shook my head gently.

“Right, let’s go. Jace, Michelle has something for you at her desk from me. Don’t let her take the credit. Oh, can I borrow your car? I left mine at home.” I caught the keys he threw to me and directed Walker out of the room toward the elevator. The tension between the pair of us was thick and all I wanted to do was stop, grab him by the shoulders and shout at him but this wasn’t the place to do so. I couldn’t risk any questions, so I remained stoic and concentrated on my breathing. The moment the elevator arrived and no one else entered I turned to face him.

“You’re coming in Jace’s car. You’re not going to question it and we’re going to talk. Okay?” I gently allowed my fingers to catch his hand in a graze. Walker’s eyes immediately locked on mine and his tear-filled eyes caught mine. “It’s going to be okay. We’ll figure this out.”

“Okay,” he replied with a short nod of his head.

I couldn’t help but start to freak out internally at what I’d just learned. Could Walker and I really balance hiding a relationship together whilst I was helping him take his business to the next level? If I was honest, I don’t know how mixing business and pleasure was going to work but after this last day of being apart, I knew I couldn’t lose him. I felt I’d lost a part of myself. I just had to explain that to Walker and hope that he would have some idea on what we could do because no matter what, Jace could not find out about the two of us.

* * *

“I didn’t know,” Walker said, breaking the silence between us the moment I pulled away from the offices and sped out of the car park. “If I had, I would have said to Hardin that it wasn’t for me.”

“I know that you didn’t know. I could tell by your reaction when I entered the room. I was as much shocked when I saw you but if I’m honest, I was relieved too,” I said, taking a quick glance at him out of the corner of my eyes whilst keeping my attention fully focused on the busy roads ahead.

“You were relieved?” Walker asked, hesitating before I felt the warmth of his hand cover the top of mine on the shift stick. I let out a large breath and felt my bottom lip wobble at his touch, not realizing how much I’d missed this. I may be in the closet, but this man had unlocked parts of me I never thought were possible and I wanted that to continue forever more. “Why?”

“I’d spent the last evening and all of this morning trying to talk to you. I was an idiot at the gym and I shouldn’t have allowed Chelsea to act that way with me. I should have spoken up and I didn’t. I was a complete fool and I shouldn’t have acted that way. Walker, I can’t deal with the quiet and not talking together. I need you,” I rambled out, glad that I was driving and that I was unable to see his expression. I pulled over into the car park a block over from The Hot Shot before I parked up and turned the engine off.

I didn’t have time to think before Walker took my face in his hands, turning it to face him and cupping it in his grip.

“Baby, you never lost me. I just wanted to be seen.” He smoothed his thumb across my cheek. “I was a jealous fool but I knew that Chelsea had no chance with you.”

“She knows she has no chance with me, either. She knew and I told her,” I admitted, I was totally lost and mesmerized in the depths of Walker’s eyes with how much I had missed him.

“You told her?” he asked in shock, pulling our faces closer as his thumb pulled down my lip and his mouth edged toward mine. “Tell me. Does she know that you have me?”

“She does.” I didn’t have time to catch my breath and care about where we currently were or who could see us. I had to taste Walker’s mouth and devour his taste. “Fuck!” I moaned against his mouth as our tongues danced away, our mouths fighting against one another. I fisted my fingers through Walker’s hair and dug them in deeply, the hunger and desire taking over between us before we both breathlessly pulled back. “Damn, I have a problem.”

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