Making it Personal (4 page)

“Yes. This is business.” Blake waited, suddenly nervous to hear Will’s reply.
At last Will replied. “Okay. Seven it is.”
Blake let his pent up breath escape. “Great. I’ll see you then.” They exchanged a few brief words and he disconnected the call. He put his phone on the desk and stared at it for a moment. Despite Dave’s reassuring words, Blake was nervous. He hoped to God he wasn’t about to make a huge mistake.

Chapter Four
Will came through the main door to Blake’s building and stopped. Unlike the previous night, there was a doorman on duty, his feet up on the front desk, watching a small TV. His gaze snapped upward at Will’s approach.

The doorman nodded. “Mr. Davis told me to expect you, Sir. Go right on up.” Will dipped his chin in acknowledgment and headed for the elevator. His stomach was in knots for the third time in twenty-four hours. Waiting for his interview that morning had been nerve-racking enough, but that was nothing compared to his state the previous evening. He knew he came across as calm and confident, but it was an act, nothing more. Thankfully Blake had helped dissipate his nerves. Will was floundering in the dark right now, having no clue what was coming at him.
What does he want to discuss
? It had occurred to him when Blake suggested dinner that he wanted to get him in the sack once more, but Will dismissed the thought almost instantaneously. Even on the evidence of such a short acquaintance, Blake appeared to have more integrity than that. Will closed his eyes, taking calming breaths as the elevator made its smooth journey up to the top floor. When the doors slid open, he stepped out and raised his hand to knock, only to pause before his hand made contact with the door. He dragged air into his lungs.
C’mon, get it together
.

The door opened unexpectedly and Blake stood there, dressed in jeans and a blue shirt that matched his eye color. Will’s cock hardened at the sight.
Does the man have to be so fucking beautiful
? It was the only word that did him justice.

Blake smiled. “Right on time. Come on in.” He followed Blake into the lounge where the gas fire was burning, its warmth spilling out into the room. Will sniffed up appreciatively. Something smelled good.
“It’s only chicken from the local deli.” There was an apologetic note to Blake’s voice. “With green beans and sautéed potatoes.” Will’s stomach growled and his cheeks heated up. Blake chuckled. “Want to eat while we talk?”
“Sounds good.” Will was famished. Blake led the way into a small room off the lounge which Will hadn’t noticed the previous night.
Hardly surprising, I was too busy fucking
. The thought didn’t help cool his burning cheeks for an instant. He stared at the dining table surrounded by four chairs, the table set for two. Wine glasses stood on coasters.
“I wasn’t sure if you would be driving tonight. I know we had champagne last night. There’s juice or water if you’d prefer.”
Will liked Blake’s manner. Something about the man put Will at his ease.
“Juice would be great.”
Blake smiled once more and disappeared off into what had to be the kitchen. Will sat and spread the white napkin over his lap, just as Blake returned with a glass of juice. Once it was handed over, he disappeared once more, returning with two plates piled with chicken and vegetables, the aroma of lemon and garlic making Will’s mouth water.
They ate slowly, Will relishing every bite. “This is delicious.”
Blake finished his current mouthful before speaking. “I usually eat this once a week. It’s quick if I have work to do and no time to cook.”
“Do you work most evenings?” Will forked another morsel of chicken, savoring the subtle flavors.
Blake nodded. “Unfortunately, right now I have no work-life balance. The job tends to take over everything.”
“Then it’s a good thing you’re taking me on, isn’t it?” Will placed his fork against the plate and regarded Blake for a moment. “You
were
serious, weren’t you? About the job?”
“Of course!” Blake seemed surprised by the question. “Did you think I was pulling your leg or something?” He stared at Will in silence for a second or two.
Will leaned back into his chair. “To be honest, I was shocked when you rang. It was the last thing I expected to hear.” He regarded Blake keenly. “Though I have to say, I’m intrigued to know what you want to discuss.”
Blake put down his cutlery and gazed frankly at Will. “You know I’m not out.” Will nodded. He remembered him saying as much. “I’d like it to stay that way. If you accept the position, it’s on the proviso that no one must learn what happened between us.”
Will nodded. “I’m out, but I’m not about to prance into the office, waving a rainbow flag and wearing mascara and nail polish, if that’s what you’re worried about.” A thought struck him. “We would be working closely together. You’re afraid that if your staff know I’m gay, they might wonder about you, too. Gay by association, almost.”
Blake’s eyes lit up. “Yes, exactly.” Will heard the relief in his words.
“I don’t have a problem with that. But you should know, if someone asks—not that I’m saying they will, it depends how well their gaydar is functioning, because I certainly won’t make it obvious—I’m not sure how I would feel about denying it.” Will had come to terght come tms with his sexuality a long time—and a whole other lifetime—ago.
Blake regarded him in silence, and Will wondered what was going on in his head. He genuinely liked the man, and he knew in that instance he would do everything in his power to keep his new boss firmly in the closet, if that was what he wanted.
“That’s acceptable,” Blake said at last, and Will breathed more easily.
Their meal finished, Will went into the lounge while Blake made coffee. They sat on the sofa, sipping the aromatic brew and gazing at the flickering flames. Will looked down at the rug and his dick hardened at the memory of Blake riding his cock. Christ, had that only been twenty-four hours ago? He tried to ignore the images in his head, but a quick look at Blake told him much. Blake stared at the rug, his cheeks red, lips parted. Will gave a surreptitious glance at Blake’s crotch. The man was plainly hard. Will groaned inwardly. He hadn’t even started the job and his boss was already giving him a stiffy.
“Can I ask you something?” Blake’s question cut through his internal meanderings. Will twisted to face him, nodding. “Why do you do the escort thing?”
Oh hell
. Will swallowed. “I finished university with a pretty hefty debt, thanks to my student loans, and although I had a job with a publishing company, it wasn’t even making a dent in it. Someone suggested I try doing escort work.” He mentally crossed his fingers, praying for no more questions on the subject. His heart sank when Blake spoke.
“Do you intend to continue with it, once you start working for me?”
Will became still. He didn’t want to lie. That was no basis for a working relationship. “If I’m honest, I’ll have to say yes, although I can promise you it will
never
compromise my job at Trinity.” He met Blake’s gaze. “If that’s not acceptable, then tell me now and we’ll call it a day.” He waited anxiously for his response.
Blake looked down at the floor for the longest while, which caused Will’s chest to tighten. When Blake finally raised his head to look at him, Will’s heart was in his mouth.
“There will be days when we have to work late, you understand. And there will be business trips to book fairs in Europe. So it won’t be a regular hours kind of job.” Will nodded. “Well, as long as I have your word that the job will come first, then yes, I can live with that.”
Will could have kissed him. “Thank you,” he said, shaking with relief.
Blake grinned. “So does that mean you are officially accepting my job offer, Mr. Parkinson?” His eyes gleamed.
Will returned his grin. “Yes, Mr. Davis. It would be a pleasure. When do I start?”
Blake chuckled. “Tomorrow morning. I’m usually there by seven thirty, and Ed Fellows, the office manager, isn’t far behind. The rest of the staff are there by eight thirty. That will include you.”
Will determined there and then that if Blake started work at seven thirty, so would he. Not that he was about to tell Blake that. He’d surprise him tomorrow morning. He glanced at his watch. “In that case, I might go home and get a good night’s sleep. Want to make a good impression on the boss on my first day.” He winked.
Will was dying to ask Blake if he would ever hire his services again. The previous night had been a revelation. He’d never expected to find so responsive a client, and it had shaken him to connect so intimately with Blake. Not that Blake would ever know that. Nor would Will ever tell his new boss the full extent of his experience with J’s. In fxio J’s.act, if last night was anything to go by, Will wasn’t sure he could do that again, despite his experience. ’Cause after one night with Blake, he was hungry for more, and the thought of being with someone else wrenched him hard.
Will was pleased to see Blake’s eyebrows shoot up when he caught sight of Will leaning against the glass door of the office when Blake arrived. Better yet was the approving look Blake gave him.
“I’m impressed.”
Will shrugged nonchalantly, secretly pleased. Blake unlocked the door and led him into the office. He paused at the door to the kitchen and turned to Will.
“I learned pretty fast that if I have the coffee ready and waiting, this bunch were much more enthusiastic about getting to work on time.” He winked. “Especially Ed. The man loves his caffeine.”
“You maligning’ me again, boss?”
Will turned at the sound of a gruff voice behind him. This was clearly Ed Fellows, Blake’s right hand man. Blake had given him the lowdown on all the team the previous night, so that Will wasn’t walking in blind. Ed looked like he was probably the same age as Will, maybe even younger, with green eyes and straggly brown hair. Will noted the dark swirl of a tattoo beneath Ed’s shirt. Blake had summed up Ed in three words—loyal, rough, committed—and he obviously trusted Ed implicitly with the smooth dayto-day running of the office. Will held out his hand to greet him and Ed shook it with a tight grip.
“Well, mate, I for one am bleedin’ delighted to ’ave you ’ere. Maybe now I can get on with me job and leave you to deal with ’is ’ighness over there.” Will had to smile. Ed’s manner was such a refreshing change to the stuffed shirts he’d worked with in his last job. The small publishing company had been a great first step. However, Will had seen where they could have made huge leaps forward in their business, but there’d been so much resistance it had been a daily slog to make even the slightest change. He already liked Ed’s way of speaking, and it was clear he and Blake had a great working relationship.
“Pleased to meet you, Ed. I’m Will Parkinson.”
Ed grinned. “Just do us all a favor, Will, and stick around. An’ don’t put up with any shit from the boss. He may crack the whip sometimes but underneath he’s about as ruthless as a kitten.” Ed winked at Blake who was shaking his head, but even Will could tell he wasn’t offended by Ed’s words. Ed watched Blake fill up the coffee machine. “Coffee not on yet, boss? You’re slippin’.” His eyes sparkled.
Blake emitted a low growl. “Any more of your lip and you can make it yourself.” The twitch of his lips gave him away, however. The machine started gurgling, the aroma of coffee already in the air. Blake beckoned to Will with a crooked finger. “Come see your office.” He gave Ed a brief nod and then led Will out of the kitchen and along the corridor to the office next to his. Will took a look around. It wasn’t huge, but then he didn’t need huge. There was an identical window to the one in Blake’s office, a wide desk in front of it and two chairs. Two filing cabinets stood against the wall, and beside them a door connecting the two offices. Next to the desk was a work station with a printer and scanner. Will smiled. This would do nicely.
“If you want to add some stuff from home to make it seem more like your own space, feel free,” Blake suggested. Will was way ahead of him. There was a space on his desk next to the computer monitor that was perfect for his peace lily, and he could put his potted gardenia on top of the filing cabinet. There was plenty of light for it.
Blake opened the connecting door to hiseve door t office and waved Will through. “We have a team meeting every morning at nine. Not a long, drawn out affair, but a chance for everyone to give updates on progress.” He glanced at his watch. “Maybe it would be a good use of our time if we spent a while until then bringing you up to speed with current projects and issues that will require your attention. I can give you a little more detail about the day-to-day running of this place.” Will nodded. Blake struck him as extremely well organized and efficient, which suited him fine.
Blake sat at his desk, Will facing him. “So my typical day is spent managing submissions, and that is something I don’t delegate.” Will nodded in acknowledgment. “I also manage the contracts and the various departments that keep everything else moving. You’ll meet the team shortly.” He met Will’s gaze. “When I came into the company, it was a traditional publishing house, producing fiction hardback and paperback books. My father had resisted introducing e-books: he claimed it would never be that popular. Yeah, right.” Both men smirked and then Blake’s expression grew more serious. “We’re not a huge company, Will.”
“Maybe not,” Will interjected, “but you’re growing. You have close to one thousand employees, authors and contractors, and the list grows daily.” Blake’s eyes glittered with approval. Will had done his homework. He knew that Trinity was the rising star in the publishing world. That was one of the main reasons he’d applied for the position.
“Exactly. My job is spent making sure all those people keep moving at a pace that produces books as they are scheduled.
Your
job is to keep me on track. You’ll need to work closely with the team. If issues arise,
you
will be the first port of call.”
“You mentioned book fairs yesterday.”
Blake grinned. “Yeah, I hope you like traveling.” Will’s eyes lit up. It was one aspect of the job that really appealed to him. “Have you ever attended a major trade show?”
“Been to a car show once or twice.”
Blake nodded. “Then you’ll understand the concept of the book fairs. 100,000 plus people under one roof. You’ve actually just missed the Frankfurt book fair—that was last week—and there were three times that number attending. Twenty-five thousand vendors. Every aspect of the book business was represented there, from printing to warehousing to management software.”
Will nodded. He couldn’t wait to attend such an event.
“It’s a big deal,” Blake continued. “Libraries, bookstores, distributors—they do eighty percent of their yearly purchasing and business contracts during or based on the meetings at the fair. We’re talking setting up foreign rights contracts, checking out production contracts based on who has the best rates for printing… It’s a truly mind-boggling event.”
Will grinned. “But you love it.”
Blake returned his grin. “Yeah, but it’s exhausting. I basically show up on day one with a smile and close my eyes for the first time five days later. The vendor floor runs from nine to five, but then there are dinners. Actually, sometimes it’s dinner with one person, dessert with another and drinks with a third. Not to mention that I start the day with a breakfast meeting.” His face wore a rueful expression. “I probably eat and drink more during book fairs than I normally would in a month.”
Will couldn’t resist. “Yeah, but it doesn’t show.” He waggled his eyebrows and Blake’s mouth dropped open. He waved a warning finger at Will, who held up both hands. “Sorry.” Blake said nothing, but Will liked tm. Will lihat gleam in his boss’s eyes.
They spent the next fifty minutes going through Blake’s present list of submissions, and Will noted the contracts to be issued, ready for passing on to the team.
The purposeful working atmosphere in the office was pleasant and Will felt at ease almost instantly. He got a good feeling about this job. Of course, the fact that he had the hots for his boss didn’t enter into it. It was a struggle to look at Blake and not be reminded of their night together. Will had no clue how the man had gotten under his skin so fast, but there was no denying it: that night had been the best sex of his life to date. Sex that hot was difficult to walk away from, and Will found himself hoping, more than once, that Blake would be happy to use his services again. The more logical part of his brain held no such illusions. Blake wouldn’t want to mix business with pleasure. Damn….