Boss (13 page)

Joshua had no clue what he was doing. Looking up to the strawberry, he watched as Ezra dipped it into his wine and slowly lowered it towards his lips again. The bumpy flesh ran delicately against his lips before he opened his mouth to it. Catching it between his teeth, he expected Ezra to move his hand but he didn’t. He quickly bit into the strawberry, the sugary juices mixing bitterly with the red wine.

“Nice, isn’t it?” Ezra pulled away the leaves, tossing them into the carton.

Joshua chewed the strawberry in silence as a restless feeling grew in the pit of his stomach.
I have no idea why I’m going along with this
.
I can’t seem to stop myself
.

“Juicy and sweet,” Ezra whispered, sipping his wine, “ripe.”

He watched Ezra’s lips move. They were stained red from the wine. He was saying something else but Joshua’s ears completely tuned out. He was the snake and Ezra was the charmer and no other words were needed. Joshua wasn’t strong enough to resist anymore.

He swallowed the strawberry and before it had a chance to settle, his hands were gripping Ezra’s stubbly cheeks. Clenching his eyes and ignoring the voice in his head, he let their lips press together. Ezra let go of the carton and his wine glass but Joshua didn’t hear it smash over the sound of his pounding heart and the loud music.

Ezra’s fingers tightened around his hips, pushing him across the kitchen. His backside crashed into the island. He tried to steady himself with his hands but they fumbled with the slippery edge of the marble. With Ezra’s body pushed firmly against his, he could feel his cock was completely solid. It felt big, bigger than Joshua and Joshua wasn’t small by any stretch of the imagination. The thought of it intimidated him but his cock reacted by pushing against it.

It may have been Joshua who had started the kiss but it was Ezra who was controlling it. He gripped Joshua’s hands, ripping them away from the counter. He let go of one, guiding the other down to his cock. Joshua let his fingers dance over it through the material, his heart pounding as he felt another man under his fingers for the first time. He had always thought he would be disgusted but he found himself trying to wrap his fingers around it, despite the tight fabric blocking him.

I need to touch it.

Ezra bucked his hips, pushing Joshua even harder against the counter. With each jerk of his tongue, he seemed to go deeper, each thrust more forceful than the last. Joshua found himself willing him on. He caught a snippet of the song that was playing in the background; certain he had just heard a line about sex.

Ezra’s hands disappeared down to his hips again, yanking him forwards. He felt his shoes squash strawberries and crunch over glass as Ezra pushed him back to the marble island.

“Drop your trousers,” he barely broke away from the kiss to deliver that instruction.

Joshua couldn’t believe he was doing it but he did as he was told. He ripped open the buttons, letting his own cock flop forwards through his loose underwear. He pushed them past his firm, lightly haired thighs and he let gravity do the rest, letting them collect around his ankles.

“And the rest.”

With a grunt, Joshua ripped his boxers down, letting his buttocks press against the cold, white marble. He had already gone further than he ever had with a guy but he wasn’t sure if he was ready to go the whole way. He had heard about gay sex. Some guys were exclusively the guys who fucked and some were the guys who got fucked. Ezra didn’t strike Joshua as the type of guy who would let somebody fuck him.

“Take off your shirt,” he ordered.

Joshua’s fingers tightened around the bottom of his shirt, pulling it up his body, his hands brushing against the light treasure trail on his stomach. They broke the kiss, so he could pull it over his hair but their lips were soon pressed together once again, the taste of strawberries and wine fresh on their breath.

Pushing his tattooed skin into Ezra’s suit, he let the material grate against his flesh.
Why does this feel so fucking good?

Ezra pulled away, his fingers still tight around Joshua’s hips. He thought he was about to turn him around but he didn’t. He took a step back and looked Joshua up and down, admiring him. He was standing in the middle of his cousin’s kitchen naked but Ezra hadn’t taken off a scrap of clothing.

“You’re beautiful,” he whispered, his voice barely audible above the music.

A lump developed in Joshua’s throat as he looked down at his body. He had never been called beautiful before, especially not by a guy. His tanned torso was lean and muscular, with very little effort. He had always been naturally tall and slim, which made his excessive drinking easier to handle. Tattoos and tiny scars he had collected on his journeys littered his skin from the waist up.

“I’m not ready,” Joshua spat out, suddenly feeling his skin shiver.

“Are you scared?”

Joshua wanted to nod but he didn’t say anything. He knew Ezra was right and the thought that he would love it terrified him more than the actual act. It was so new and unexplored but Ezra had made him feel more electric and alive in the last ten minutes than any girl had ever made him feel.

“Sit on the counter.”

Joshua pressed his hands against the cold surface, lifting himself up. He perched on the edge of the island counter, his cock thrusting outwards, the head forcing its way through the foreskin. His stomach curved inwards, darting in and out as he struggled for breath.

“I guess you’ve been given head before?” Ezra stepped forwards, kicking a strawberry out of the way.

Joshua nodded.

“Well, whatever you know about it, forget it,” he whispered darkly, “You’ve never been given head by me.”

Ezra smiled dangerously, as his fingers ran along the insides of Joshua’s thighs, slowly pulling them apart. The fingers danced up his thighs, brushing against his balls. He breathed in, bucking his hips back. To stop Joshua from getting too far away, Ezra gripped around his shaft, squeezing tightly with one hand while the other caressed its way up from his hips, over his abs to his chest, where he gently pressed to lower Joshua down on the counter. His body shuddered under the softness of his touch.

Ezra’s tongue danced against the tip of his shaft, making his body shudder again. He tried to focus on the music but he didn’t know any of the words. The tongue danced around the head, before running down his length, the fingers still gripping him at the base.

Without warning, Ezra took him into his mouth, his suction-like grip making Joshua’s hands grip him around the shoulders. He didn’t know if he wanted to push him away, or force him deeper.

With expert skill and ease, Ezra used his tongue to make Joshua feel things he had never felt before. Joshua had heard that guys were better at it because they knew what guys liked but he never thought it could be true. He had always assumed he had been given good head but nothing compared to the way Ezra was making his body wriggle and spasm.

“Oh, God,” Joshua tossed his head back, digging his nails into Ezra’s white shirt.

He could feel himself getting to the place he didn’t want to get to –
It’s too soon
. He wanted it to last for as long as possible, but the more he tried to take his mind away from the edge, the more Ezra seemed to try and take him there.

He sped up, taking his length right to the back of his throat. Joshua was by no means small, so he had no idea how he was doing it without choking, but he didn’t gag.

“Slow down,” Joshua gasped, “I’m close.”

Ezra did the opposite. He started to pump with his hand at the same time, squeezing and relaxing as he made his way up and down the shaft, his mouth not breaking for air.

Just when Joshua thought he was going to blow his load for real, it stopped. With his entire body buzzing with disappointment, he looked down to Ezra, pushing his suddenly damp hair out of his face.

“Come and work with me.”

It took a moment for those words to sink in.

“W-What?” Joshua panted, sweat trickling down his exposed body.

“Come and work with me at
Silverton Tower
. Say yes.”

Any objection vanished. Was it because he was finding himself wanting to work with Ezra, or because he really wanted Ezra to finish what he had started?

“Fine.”

The second the words left his mouth, his cock was soon hitting the back of Ezra’s throat again and in almost an instant, he was back in that place he needed to be.

Then it happened. He couldn’t control it anymore. He couldn’t stop himself. He let go, tossing his head back, the sweat dripping down his torso. Clenching his body, he let the electricity surge through him. It deafened out the music for a split second, as he felt his cock twitch, jerking on Ezra’s tongue. The orgasm lasted longer than any he had ever had, making every inch of his body vibrate with a volcanic heat.

He expected to feel instant regret; he didn’t. It felt far too good to regret anything, guy or not. Un-screwing his eyes, he brushed his sticky hair out of the way as he looked down at Ezra.

He was grinning differently from his usual grin. It wasn’t filled with the usual arrogance and smugness, there was a twinkle of something else in his eyes. Ezra had got exactly what he wanted and Joshua knew he should have felt angry with himself that he had given in, but he didn’t.

“Count yourself lucky,” Ezra whispered, as the music paused in between tracks, “It’s a rare occasion when I put somebody else’s pleasure before my own.”

Was he expecting Joshua to return the favour? He wasn’t sure if he even knew how. Just before the music started up again, he heard the front door slam and it sent a shudder running through the kitchen.

Ezra’s eyes lit up but Joshua stayed planted on the island, his clammy cheeks stuck to the marble. It wasn’t until he heard footsteps marching along the hallway that he sprung into action.

“You need to go,” Joshua slid off the counter, quickly pulling his underwear and jeans up together, connecting only the top button.

“Is that the thanks I get?” Ezra protested as Joshua pushed him towards the double glass doors.

“Please,” Joshua urged, “get out of here.”

He unlocked the door and pushed Ezra out into the night. Before he vanished, Ezra pulled Joshua’s face in tightly to plant one last kiss on his lips. He expected it to feel strange post-orgasm but it made his stomach flip just like it had done before he had been given the best blow job of his life.

“See you on Monday,” Ezra vanished into the dark.

Joshua closed the doors and locked them. Turning around, he leaned against the cold glass stuffing his hair behind his ears.

“Levi!” Joshua tried to sound casual as his friend walked into the kitchen, but his voice was shaking out of control, “Home early?”

“Dude!” Levi tossed his arms out, “You left me, again!”

Shit, I keep doing that.

He awkwardly walked across the kitchen, his shirt still on the floor next to the squashed strawberries and smashed wine glass. Joshua knew there was no way he was going to get away with this one.

“You’re drinking Violet’s wine?” he picked up the bottle from the island, “I couldn’t find her at the party.”

“She’s in bed. I think somebody spiked her drink with something,” he swept in, taking the bottle from Levi, “want some?”

“No,” he sighed, rubbing his forehead, “I’m fucking wasted, man. I need to go to bed. I got lucky though.”

He waved two fingers in front of Joshua’s face and they smelled distinctly like the inside of a girl’s pussy. Could Levi smell what Joshua had been up to?

He stepped over the strawberries and glass. He either didn’t notice them, or he was too drunk to care.

“G’night,” he called after Levi.

Levi waved his hand but didn’t turn around as he shuffled off to bed. Joshua didn’t know how he had gotten away with being sweaty and shirtless surrounded by strawberries, but he had.

After turning the music off and sweeping up the glass, he looked out into the garden, squinting into the dark. Joshua didn’t know what he had been expecting to see, but when he didn’t see Ezra, he couldn’t help but feel somewhat deflated.

Ezra’s last words forced their way to the front of his mind.

‘See you on Monday’.

Pushing his face up against the cold glass, he dreaded to think what he had gotten himself into. Ezra could have asked him anything in that moment, knowing he would have said yes.

He’s playing you like a guitar and you’re letting him.

Ezra didn’t try to conceal his yawn as he listened to the board of directors talking about profits and growth margins. It wasn’t because he didn’t know what they were talking about. He did. He knew the company in and out, probably better than most of the men in the room, even if they didn’t trust him.

They were all still very much mourning the loss of Bill, which meant they had barely given Ezra a chance to prove himself. They were made up of investors, shareholders and advisors who had been put together by Bill -
And they’re impossible to get rid of.

“What do you think, Mr. Steele?” Graham, one of the oldest men on the board looked to Ezra as he slid his hands carefully into his pockets.

“Huh?” Ezra bolted up as all of the eyes darted to his position at the top of the table.

“You were listening, weren’t you?” Graham hated him and he let Ezra know that any chance he got.

“Of course I was,” Ezra stared at the presentation screen, which was showing a graph of profit in the last quarter.

You know these figures Ezra. Wing it!

“So?” Graham’s smirk was almost as smug and arrogant as Ezra’s, “What are your thoughts?”

“I think we ballsed up the last quarter if I’m honest. We’re putting too much time and money into the development of dying tech, instead of pushing the newer and innovative ideas.”

Graham’s eyes darkened on him across the table. Ezra was the one in charge but it was no secret that Graham thought he should have been the one to get the call from Bill. Ezra had been a left-field choice for most of the people in the company and they hadn’t tried to hide their disdain towards him.

“Noted,” Graham nodded, “and as you can see, the growth is slow, but -,”

“You’d be wise to remember who is in charge around here,” Ezra interrupted his continued speech.

It was no secret that Ezra would fire Graham if he could but he held too much investment power to ever be thrown off the board.
I’ll just have to keep pushing his buttons until he jumps.

“And you’d be wise to remember that we can’t start throwing money at crazy schemes,” Graham’s face turned bright red, “We’re continuing the ten year plan outlined by Bill Silverton himself before he passed.”

“He made that plan on his deathbed. It was a rough guideline drawn on the back of an envelope, not a Bible to follow word by word. Bill built this company on innovation and we’re playing with relics. Like this, what is this?”

Ezra picked up one of the prototype products and tossed it down the table towards Graham. It landed with a plastic thud on Graham’s notes.

“It’s a model for a new smartphone line targeted at the over sixties.”

“It’s crap!” Ezra laughed, “It’s cheap junk that nobody is going to buy.”

The rest of the boardroom were uncomfortably sitting around the glass table, averting their gaze from either Graham or Ezra. It was obvious they were all siding with Graham but they all knew Ezra was the one with the power.
That’s why they hate me
. Graham’s face turned a deep shade of maroon as he puffed out his chest, his old man beer gut protruding with it. His face looked ready to blow but he was biting his tongue.

Go on old man, hand me my ass.

“We’ll leave it there,” Graham inhaled deeply, “we’ll meet on Thursday to discuss things.”

That was always Graham’s way of dealing with him. When he couldn’t get his own way and he couldn’t overrule Ezra, he would push things back and then secretly push things forwards when Ezra’s back was turned.

The board all stood up, attempting to ignore the stuffy atmosphere in the room. Graham however, didn’t take his daggers away from Ezra.

Ezra had to admit, he hadn’t started the meeting in the best mood. It was already the middle of the afternoon and Joshua hadn’t turned up. Had he been naïve enough to expect his presence first thing in the morning?
Everybody loves you until that moment they cum.

He was probably taking his frustrations out on Graham but it didn’t mean he didn’t deserve it. He felt like a cat playing with a mouse before he eventually killed it.

“Ezra, can I have a word?” Graham said when the boardroom was finally empty, “Look, you know it’s not a good image for us to act like that publically. It shakes confidence in the investors and they need all the confidence we can give them in this market. What do you say we call it a truce and try and sort this out on Thursday?”

Oh, you slimy old bastard.

“Sure,” Ezra grinned from ear to ear as he held his hand to Graham, “no hard feelings.”

“I understand how it is,” Graham accepted his hand, “It can’t be easy stepping into Bill’s shoes, y’know when -,”

Graham suddenly stopped himself and it was obvious he had almost put his foot in it. Ezra tightened his grip on Graham’s hand, refusing to let go as he tried to tug away.

“Please, do finish your sentence,” Ezra smiled.

He could see the sweat starting to trickle down Graham’s bright red face.
If I squeeze his hand for long enough, he’ll have a heart attack any moment if I’m lucky
.

“It’s just,” the whites of Graham’s eyes were suddenly all Ezra could see, “somebody from your background, it doesn’t look good, does it?”

Typical fucking Conservative!
Graham thought the only people who could have any business acumen or credibility were the ones who had been privately educated with a silver spoon shoved so deep into their arse it was poking through their mouth.

“Listen here, you old twat,” Ezra yanked him in, “I may be from Hackney but that doesn’t mean I can’t run this fucking company, you got that? You don’t know me and you’ve never made an effort to get to know me. You want to run this company? Tough. Bill Silverton saw you for what you are. A leech. You think you can throw your old family money at us and we’ll bow to you, but believe me, I’d rather walk over glass while clapping my own sick. If I had my way, you’d be put out with the next rubbish collection.”

Graham recoiled his head, finally looking like he was lost for words. He nodded, sending sweat flying towards Ezra.

“Pass on this message,” Ezra finally let go of Graham’s hand to wipe the splashes of sweat from his own face, “this Hackney boy may be living at Holland Park but that doesn’t mean I don’t still have friends back on the old estate. They don’t take too kindly to posh gits like you.”

In less than ten seconds, Graham was profusely nodding and backing out of the room, leaving Ezra to collapse back into his chair. It was far too easy to slip back into his old persona, even if what he had said was a lie.
After what Jade has told everybody, they all fucking hate me back on the estate.

Pulling his phone from the inside pocket of his jacket, he suddenly wished he had taken a number from Joshua before he was pushed out of the door.

Part of him knew Joshua wouldn’t be stupid enough to show up but it didn’t stop Ezra hoping. Ezra had spent the weekend wishing he could see Joshua and he found himself almost jumping into his car now that he knew where Joshua was living. Every time, he stopped to remind himself who he was.
You’re Ezra Steele and you don’t run after guys – but damn, there’s something about that boy that makes me want to change that.

Even as he thought that, he knew he had another motive for wanting Joshua close by and it was being driven by his survival instinct.