Page 58 of Cross Checking

Ajay’s face softens. “The company is having a holiday party at our Toronto office tomorrow. Everyone working in the city is invited.”

“Tomorrow?”

Sighing, Ajay takes his glasses off. “Yes, tomorrow. I was told about it three minutes before our call, and the inside scoop is that they only received approval for it this morning.”

“Huh. Okay. I suppose I can make it.”

“I’d definitely recommend it. Unfortunately, I can’t go, but it’ll be a good way for you to get face time with higher-ups.”

“Sounds good. I’ll be there.”

“Awesome. These things always have an insane open bar so take advantage of that. Make sure you carb load beforehand.”

“Thanks for the heads up,” I reply, hiding my surprise at being told tocarb loadfor awork eventby mymanager.

Once we sign off, I text Emily.

There’s apparently an office party in the Toronto office tomorrow. Are you going?

Emily

Where did you hear about this

Ajay just told me

Hold up he sent me an email

Yeah I’m down to go

They better have unlimited drink tickets

Sounds good, feel free to drop stuff off at my place if you want

Ooh

Lmk if you want me to prepare the guest room too (I can put a camp bed in my office). Nbd

Omg that would be amazing tysm

Emily came back to Ontario but backed out of moving to Toronto itself, choosing to live at home with her parents in Hamilton. Rent here is insane, and I don’t blame her for wanting to save a bit. That kind of sucks in the whole “find some friends in Toronto” department, though, but I manage on my own. It’s freezing, so it’s not like people leave their houses much, anyway.

After work the next day, I get a haircut, shower, and then stand naked in front of my closet while figuring out what to wear. My work outfits so far have been a golf shirt or a sweater on top and old shorts on the bottom, and that’s about to change tonight. The dress code is business semi-formal, so I dig my suit and a white shirt out from the depths of my closet and give everything a once-over with my steamer. Slipping into my shirt, then the suit, I shuffle around, noticing the tightness under my arms. I definitely bulked up a little since getting the suit tailored for graduation in April, but it isn’t half-bad.

Once I’m satisfied that I’m presentable, I snap a quick selfie in the hallway mirror and send it off to the guys because Stefano specifically requested a fit check. I also send it to Erik because why not? We keep our main text thread PG, with our salacious pictures and videos going in a hidden chat. He texts me back a few moments later.

Erik Norberg

Nice outfit

(VOICE MEMO RECEIVED)

My dick stirs. It’s a pavlovian response at this point whenever I get one of these.

I hover my thumb over the play button, my breath hitching. Erik has a tendency to accidentally send the hottest stuff at the worst times.

Right before a meeting.

When I’m working out.

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