Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 3

real possibility. So was getting beaten up, he supposed, but for some reason he didn't really rate that high on the list of what might happen to him in the next few minutes.
    "I'm sorry. Sorry for all of it." He shoved his feet into his shoes, bending down the backs of them because he didn't want to waste time undoing and retying the laces. Then he got to his feet, his shirt hanging down, buttoned wrong but covering him, at least, and faced the man he'd been falling for over two long months.
    "You were going to explain." Jack's eyebrows rose inquiringly. "Well? Go on. Explain why I gave you a job to do and instead you end up half-naked in my office fooling around with my..."
    He paused and Taylor said helpfully, "Boyfriend? Partner? Slutty but sweet sub you're madly in love with? I wouldn't use the last one on formal occasions, but--"
    Jack's growl was impressive as he swung around to face Taylor. "Not another word out of you, or you'll be waiting a month to get that spanking, hell, make that anything from me. Can't you see he's about to pass out he's so shit-scared?"
    Anger quieted the butterflies in Zach's stomach."I'm not! Pissed off, maybe."
    Jack walked over, pausing just about close enough for Zach to touch him if he'd wanted to. "Why? Seems like I'm the one in the room who's got most right to be angry. Did you know he was with someone?"
    "No, or I wouldn't have done anything."
    "Did you ask then? Did he lie to you?" Jack persisted, his voice gentle enough, but remorseless. Over by the door, Taylor stiffened, but stayed quiet.
    Zach sighed, his head drooping. "No, sir. I meant to ask. I was going to. I just -- he started kissing me and I..."
    "Forgot your name, you were so turned on?" Jack rubbed his hand across the back of his neck. "I can't deny it's happened to me once or twice."
    Taylor gave a smothered snort of laughter and Jack's hand shot out, his finger pointing directly at Taylor, though his gaze never left Zach's face. "Not one word."
    "I really am sorry." Zach didn't know why he kept saying that, but it mattered that Jack believed him.
    "It's not your fault. Taylor likes to play games unless I keep him on a tight leash, and after a month apart..." Jack shrugged. "Well, looks like he's going to need taming all over again."
    "That's fine," Zach said, the curl of lust Jack's casual words conjured up making him bold. Jesus, he'd give a month's salary to be there watching Taylor get what was coming to him. Leashes, training, taming -- oh God, his cock was about ready to blow just from thinking about it. "Adds some spice to whatever kinky games you two get up to, I guess -- but what about me?" He jerked his chin at Taylor. "Were you even a little bit interested in me as anything but a way to get your ass blistered by him?"
    Taylor mimed zipping his lips and shrugged apologetically.
    "Of course he was interested in you," Jack said irritably. "He's a stupid fucking shit-for-brains, but he's not that stupid. You're hotter than hell and he's not likely to miss it. You're not what he needs, but I'm guessing he wanted you plenty before I walked in."
    "Why are you even here?" Jack's eyebrows rose again, his silence pointed enough that Zach flushed and amended his words. "I mean, you weren't supposed to be coming back..."
    "I planned to be back after you'd gone. Knew Tay's interview was last, so I texted him and told him to wait outside for me. When I saw his truck empty and the light on up here, I guessed where he was." Jack's voice was bone-dry. "Should have known he'd have something special planned after a month with nothing but his hand when I let him use it."
    "He did try to stop things from going too far," Zach said slowly, processing all the implications of 'let him use it.'
    "Yeah? I'll try to remember that, but I don't think it'll make much difference. He's in trouble. Big trouble." Jack reached out his hand and cupped Zach's face, the first time they'd touched since the handshake that'd ended Zach's job interview. The warm, calloused palm cradled his jaw, solid enough to lean into, but Zach made himself hold still. Jack might be gay after all and kinky as fuck into the bargain, but he was well and truly taken, so really, where did that leave Zach? Right where he'd been that morning. Achingly hard, terminally frustrated, and left out in the cold. Except this morning he'd had a job. "Mostly because he got you involved."
    "Like he wouldn't have ended up that way soon anyway," Taylor said, breaking his