1 Chapter 1

Jake Holt is used to acting a certain way at work. He’s a manager at the call center, which means he has to stay professional while in the office. Today is the office’s Christmas party, and some of the other managers seem to have forgotten that come Monday, they need to still be respected.

One of the head managers, Chris, has passed out under the snack table. His feet are sticking out, the tablecloth hiding the rest of him and the flashing Santa hat he’d been wearing. Jake knows it’s Chris, though. He’d watched as his normally sensible coworker crawled under the table and then passed out.

Seems a few too many eggnogs can have a straight-laced guy making a fool of himself. Jake doesn’t want to do that. If he’s going to get wasted, no one from work is going to be around to see it. Lots of people have been giggling as they take pictures of Chris under the table.

He wouldn’t be surprised if Chris found a copy of the photo on his office door on Monday morning.

Jake has no intention of sharing Chris’s fate. There are things on his mind that he doesn’t want to come bursting out. Liquor can make his tongue looser, and that could be disastrous.

It wouldn’t be such a problem if it weren’t for Liam. Jake is his boss and has always had a little bit of a thing for Liam. He’s cute, blond, and blue-eyed. He looks a little young for twenty-five. Jake has heard the twink comments around the office, but he likes Liam. He’s beautiful.

Liam doesn’t seem to care about the comments. He’s confident and at ease with who he is. Jake envies him that sometimes. He wishes he were more confident at work. He’s not really insecure, but he could be more at peace with himself.

Jake has managed to keep his crush in check and things professional for the past year, even though he’s had some very naughty thoughts about Liam, especially in bed at night and in the shower a few times. But things have changed this last week. The Friday before this one, Jake was at one of his regular clubs. The Thorn is an upscale BDSM club. He doesn’t make his preferences common knowledge, and so as far as he knows, no one from work knows he’s a Dom. Liam might know now, though, because Liam was at The Thorn last Friday. Liam had definitely seen him, as well. They’d made eye contact before Liam’s friend had dragged him off to another part of the club.

Of course being at the club doesn’t mean that Jake lives the lifestyle, and he can still pretend he doesn’t, but he doesn’t think Liam will believe him if he says he was just at the club with friends.

Jake’s been waiting for Liam to say something about it all week. Liam hasn’t said a thing, though. He’s been polite as always, maybe a little distant.

Liam had been dressed in leather pants at the club, his slim chest bare and a studded collar around his throat. Liam had looked like he belonged in the club, had looked like a sub. Jake isn’t worried that Liam will think he’s some kind of pervert.

But he is worried. As far as he’s aware, no one from work knew he was into BDSM. Liam could have told them. Jake’s been paranoid all week. Every time he sees someone whispering, he thinks it’s about him. He should talk to Liam, but he’s afraid of how that’ll go.

Jake doesn’t think Liam’s the type of person to start rumors or gossip, but then, you never know.

The last thing he wants is to end up making a fool of himself, like Chris. He needs to be able to work with these people after the Christmas holiday is over. Jake doesn’t want to be known as some kind of kinky pervert. He knows being into BDSM, being a Dom, doesn’t make him a pervert; plenty of other people think differently, though, and they could think he’s a deviant.

Jake looks around the room and spots Liam standing with a few of the other people Jake oversees. As Jake watches, Liam looks up and over, and their eyes meet. Liam smiles faintly, and Jake can’t help smiling back.

He regrets smiling when Liam says something to the two women he’s with and starts walking towards Jake. Jake’s trying to think of a way to get out of this situation before it happens. Unfortunately, no escape plan comes to him before Liam’s right in front of him.

“Hi,” Liam says, running a hand through his hair. He really is very cute.

“Hi.” Jake doesn’t think he’s ever sounded more awkward. He’s used to being in control, commanding, both in his professional and private life. But he doesn’t feel either of those things right now. He feels like a schoolboy whose been caught doing something he shouldn’t. He’s waiting to be told off.