On the Clock (Market Garden, #8)(46)

Blake shook his head. “That blows my mind, to be honest. I mean, there’s paying for sex, and there’s behaving like someone’s an object. Not the same f*cking thing.”

“Seriously.” Jason watched him over the rim of his glass. “I still don’t get why a man like you has to pay for sex with men like me.”

Blake took a sip of wine. “Because men like you charge me for—”

“You know what I mean.” Jason set his glass aside and slid down deeper in the water, until it was nearly to his chin. “You’ve got money, but you’re hardly lacking in looks, and you’ve got a brain and personality. I can’t imagine that single men aren’t falling all over you.”

Blake laughed, thankful for the hot tub’s heat to mask the rush of warmth to his cheeks. “Well, like I said before, I’m not a huge fan of guys who are only interested in my money. And the guys who aren’t in love with my wallet would prefer to be with someone who doesn’t work as many hours as I do, or doesn’t travel as much.”

“So they’re either clinging to you or your bank account.”

“Basically.”

Jason muttered something Blake didn’t catch. Before he could ask him to repeat it, though, Jason asked, “This isn’t a tremendous imposition, is it? Keeping you away from your work?”

“No, no.” Blake gestured dismissively, sending a few droplets across the tub. “I mean, my business partners aren’t thrilled about me taking time off on a moment’s notice, but I’ll make it up to them. It’s expected that I spend some time f*cking around when I’m in London—they do the same thing when they’re in Tokyo or Sydney—but when we’re home, we all have our noses to the grindstone.”

Jason sat straighter. “So, they will object to this?”

“Nah.” Blake shrugged. “I may have to take a few calls and keep up on email, but they can do without me in the office as long as I don’t abuse the privilege.”

“If you need to go in, I can manage.”

Blake shook his head and set his glass beside the edge of the tub. Sliding closer, he put his hand on Jason’s leg. “I didn’t bring you here so I could leave you home while I went to the office. As it is, I wouldn’t be able to focus anyway.”

Jason studied him for a moment, but then a grin started to appear. “Is that right?”

“It is.” Blake squeezed his leg. “You’re very distracting, you know that?”

“That’s the idea.” Jason turned, and then climbed on top of Blake, straddling him. Despite the hot water and apparent fatigue, he was already getting hard. “Distraction is one of my superpowers.”

Blake ran his hands up Jason’s smooth chest. “One of them? What are the others?”

“I think you’re familiar with a few.” Jason rested his forearms on Blake’s collarbones and leaned down to kiss him. “They’re what you pay me for, after all.”

“Mm-hmm. And you’re well worth the money.” Blake bit his lip, shivering as he watched water running down Jason’s shoulders and chest. “I thought . . . I thought you were tired.”

“I am. I’m exhausted. But I’m also . . .” Jason pressed his hard-on against him.

Blake drew him closer and kissed his neck as his own cock hardened beneath the water.

“I’d say we should go in the bedroom,” Jason slurred. “But I do like it in this tub.”

“Me too.” Blake slid his hand into Jason’s hair and just before he claimed a deep, hard kiss, he murmured, “I think we’ll stay right here.”

And Jason didn’t argue.



Something isn’t right.

Blake’s eyes fluttered open, and he winced at the daylight, but that wasn’t the problem. Nor was the fact that he wasn’t alone in his bed.

He was sweating. A second later, he figured out why—Jason’s skin was radiating heat. Not like a normal person would, though. More like “reactor core on the verge of meltdown” heat.

Blake pushed himself up onto his elbow. “Jason?”

Face half-buried in the pillow, Jason groaned. Then he coughed, the painful rattling sound underscoring what the fever had already told him—they were not going into New York today.

“Jason?”

Jason stirred a little. Then he turned over and dropped onto his back.

Blake touched his cheek. “Jesus. You’re burning up.”

“You don’t say.” Jason sniffed, then coughed a couple of times. “No wonder I was so bloody tired yesterday. Fuck . . .”

Blake grimaced. Jason had been pretty lethargic, and they’d both dropped into bed—for sleep and nothing else—by eleven. “Do you need to see a doctor or—”

“Haven’t I spent enough of your money already?”

“It’s not that expensive. If you need—”

“I’m good.” Jason winced as he swallowed. “Just . . . gotta sleep it off.”

“Okay.” Blake kissed his temple. “I’ll make a quick run to the drugstore, and then I’ll be downstairs. If I can get you anything, let me know.”

Jason grumbled something and pulled the covers up almost to his hairline.