Page 7 of Past Lovers

Adam ended the call and tossed the phone to the bed before falling across it himself. He stared up at the ceiling again, visions from his dream coming back to haunt him. He cursed as he felt his cock growing hard again at the thought of Clay under his roof.

Where dreams could be made flesh once more.

* * * *

At work…

Clay entered the entrance of McFadden & Drewe, knowing the shiner he was sporting wasn’t a good look. A few coworkers stared at him as he walked through the bullpen. He lowered his gaze, not wanting to share how it happened.

“Armentrout?”

Clay lifted his stare and saw his boss, Adam’s dad, Dale McFadden, eyeing him.

“My office.”

Clay blew out a breath and crossed to Dale’s office. He shut the door behind him and eyed the elder McFadden. “Sir?”

“Have a seat.”

He knew nothing good came from that tone. Clay sat and prepared for the worst.

“I got a phone call first thing this morning demanding I fire you. Care to explain?”

Clay scrubbed a hand over his face, wincing when he touched his eye. “Melanie left me. For him.” There was no reason to say the bastard’s name. Carl Stainsbury was an asshole. He had money, good looks, a strong family name, and a reputation in the city—more so for the power his father wielded.

The Stainsburys were also one of McFadden & Drewe’s best clients.

Clay had taken over the account a few months before. He and Carl had become friendly—and had been invited over a few times for dinner and different parties. That’s how Carl had met Melanie.

“Sounds to me like he did you a favor,” Dale said. “That woman wasn’t good for you, and you know it.”

Clay nodded. “You’re right. But my ego struggled to let go with grace. Especially after he laughed in my face.”

Dale was silent a moment. “I’ve known you a while now, and I’ve never known you to be violent.”

“I’m not. He threw the first punch and I… I stupidly punched back.”

Dale stared, quiet.

“The Stainsburys are our best clients,” Dale murmured. “But you’re also my best account manager.” He sighed. “It might get ugly—but I’m not firing you.Thistime.”

Clay sighed. “Thank you.”

“You’re off the account, of course.”

“Of course,” Clay said.

“And I’ll have to likely give them something to appease his daddy. Hopefully it won’t cost me too much. We’re finally seeing a decent profit.”

“I’m sorry,” Clay said.

Dale leaned back in his leather executive chair and pinched the bridge of his nose before looking up. “Considering most of that profit is thanks to you and my son, I won’t beat you up too badly for this one. But you stay away from Carl and Melanie. I don’t need this to escalate any more.”

“I’m already out. Bags were packed last night. Adam’s letting me stay there until I figure things out.”

“Good. I’ve been telling him he needs a roommate. No reason he needs to rattle around that house all alone. It’s too much for one person.”

“Yeah, but I get why he wanted it, Dale.”

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