When they got to the kitchen, Angela thanked Gus for the machine like it was a gift to her. Then she and Chef Rachel tried out the machine on a few different kinds of pasta. It was cooked and served for everyone to taste it and give their opinion.

  Josh always said, "I'm not sure yet" and then asked for more with a big grin until Gus stopped him. Overall the staff didn't mind having Josh around, and a few like Angela even encouraged him to watch and learn. Jack had noticed that there was less cursing in this kitchen than some others he had visited. When someone let loose, usually after a mishap, Josh was delighted.

  When they got to the office, Gus and Jack got busy with work and Josh with his homework. After a little while, Josh sneaked over to Jack to show him a drawing. It was a superhero, maybe Iron Man, with what looked like a bear next to him.

  "You should draw something too," he said to Jack.

  "You being a little pest again?" Gus asked him.

  "Jack needs me to show him how to have fun," Josh said.

  "I'll show him," Gus volunteered.

  "Really, will you?" Josh asked.

  "Maybe," Gus said with a wink at Jack.

  Jack shook his head.

  "Dad knows how to have fun," Josh assured Jack. "He's a heck of a guy. He's really a hell of a guy, but I'm not allowed to say hell."

  "You just said it twice," Gus pointed out to him.

  "What?" Josh asked, confused.

  Gus shooed him away from Jack's desk. "Just because Jack is shiny and new doesn't mean you should interrupt him when he's doing his job."

  Josh sighed.

  "I guess he's bored," Jack said.

  "He's supposed to be doing his homework. Get to it, mister," Gus said to Josh as they both sat across from each other at his desk.

  Jack envied them both the luxury. Bringing your kid to work, being with your dad at work, neither one was something Jack ever experienced. Even when Jack used to work for his father, they never worked in the same building much less in the same office. He looked at Gus and Josh, their heads down over their work, mirror images of each other.

  When it was time for them to go home, Josh came over to Jack's desk.

  "Are you going to go home too?" he asked Jack.

  "Not yet. I have some more work to do," Jack told him.

  "He works too hard," Josh told Gus.

  "Yes, he does," his father agreed.

  Josh came over to peer at Jack. "You have to have fun too, not just work all the time. Right?" He turned to his dad for confirmation.

  "Right."

  "See. Dad knows," Josh said to Jack. "What are we going to do about him?" Josh asked his father.

  "Maybe he's a hopeless case," Gus said with a shrug. He stood there with his hands in his pockets, tossing a teasing smile at Jack.

  "No, he's not!" Josh protested.

  Jack couldn't help but smile.

  "See, you got him to smile," Gus said, pointing at Jack.

  Josh turned back to Jack who had gone serious again.

  "I missed it!" Josh said.

  "Maybe he'll do it again one of these days."

  Josh stared at Jack waiting for another smile. Then he started making faces, and Jack couldn't help but smile again.

  Josh clapped. "I did it!"

  "OK. Time for us to go," Gus said.

  "Can we go somewhere or do we have to go straight home?" Josh asked while looking up at his dad.

  "Maybe we can stop somewhere on the way," Gus said.

  "Can Jack come?" Josh asked.

  "You want to join us?" Gus said to Jack.

  Josh's face lit up. Jack was ready to say no as Gus expected him to, but Josh looked so hopeful. Jack knew he would be disappointed if he said no, so he came up with a compromise.

  "OK," Jack said and Josh jumped and cheered.

  Gus looked surprised but also happy.

  "Now we have to come up with somewhere really good to take him," Gus said to Josh.

  "You already had me over for dinner. I would like to take you guys somewhere," Jack told him.

  Because of the booster seat, they took Gus's car. Jack gave him directions to a restaurant that he thought Josh might enjoy and that had been suggested to him as a possible investment. It didn't appeal to Jack, but a friend asked him to evaluate the potential of the place for profit and future growth.

  "These days this place isn't in my price range," Gus said as they pulled into the parking lot of Gilbertina's. "But I was thinking of bringing Josh here for a special occasion."

  "I hope this doesn't spoil your plans," Jack said, frowning.

  "That kid can watch a movie a million times and still laugh at all the same stuff, so you don't need to worry about that," Gus assured him.

  As they went in, Jack saw a full waiting area, and he had already seen a few groups of people waiting outside. Jack had made reservations so they only had to wait ten minutes to be seated. When they went inside, Gus raised his eyebrows at what he saw while Josh gasped with delight. The main feature of the place wasn't visible from the waiting area. An aquarium ran down the length of one wall from the entrance to the back of the house. Josh jumped excitedly when he saw it.

  "Well this puts the bistro to shame," Gus said as Josh asked his permission to get closer.

  There were already other children there so Gus told him to go ahead.

  "I hope those aren't on the menu," Gus said of the fish swimming behind glass.

  Josh was already absorbed in watching them. There were two sets of railings in front of the aquarium. They kept the kids, and a few adults who had gone to see the fish up close, separated from the rest of the dining room. The space between the second railing and the aquarium was filled with plants. The railing was just high enough for the smallest kids to see over but not to reach the aquarium glass.

  "This place is amazing. We'll never get Josh to sit down and eat," Gus said. That was true of many other children there. They were all standing between the railings, entranced by the fish and other aquatic life. A few parents tried to get their attention without success.

  Once he and Gus were seated, Jack took note of orders being taken at other tables. He wanted to see how long it took for them to be filled. He also paid attention to the guests' reactions to their food and to the service. Gus didn't miss what Jack was doing.

  "I can see you timing the staff and calculating the overhead, you sneaky bastard. You're checking this place out. You're here on business," Gus said, glaring at him across the table.

  Jack shrugged and smiled.

  "You sneak," Gus told him.

  "Consider it a compromise."

  "No. I'm just going to consider you hopeless."

  "Josh is having fun," Jack pointed out. He had joined some kids who were following a group of fish down the length of the aquarium.

  "Well, sure. He doesn't know you brought us here under false pretenses." Gus shook his head but also smiled at Jack. "I should have known."

  "We barely know each other. I should be able to pull a few over on you."

  "I'm going to learn all your tricks," Gus vowed, narrowing his eyes at Jack.

  His words made Jack's heart skip a beat. He made it sound like there was a future in which they would get to know each other better. It sent a shiver down his spine when he thought about spending time with Gus, getting close to him. He could deny it all he wanted, but he found Gus incredibly attractive.

  To make Jack feel like this, Gus should have been better looking, better dressed, more accomplished. Instead, Gus was very ordinary and unbelievably magnetic despite that. Jack felt like he could catch glimpses of something bright and wonderful that Gus was promising him. All Jack had to do was stay close to him to see it whole and experience it.

  With Josh busy looking at fish, Jack and Gus were alone at the table. That was something Jack hadn't counted on.

  "I'm sorry I doubted you," Gus said with a smirk. "I see what you were doing now. It was nice of you to arrange this alone time for the two of us."

  That was how it was working out. Jack felt like he had fallen into his own trap. He did make sure to keep the conversation strictly business. It didn't lessen Gus's appeal any. He looked at Jack in a way that said he would welcome Jack into his arms any time.

  Whenever Gus looked over at what Josh was doing, which was frequently, Jack could look at him without having to meet his eyes. He tried to convince himself that Gus just wasn't that attractive, but instead he wanted to run his lips over the stubble on his cheek, push his fingers through his hair and seal his mouth with his own. Also, to determine just how unappealing Gus was, he would need to strip him naked and closely examine every inch of his body, lick and bite his way down to his cock.

  As Jack tried to get his thoughts and his breathing under control, he realized that he had never felt so unsettled by anyone in his life. He just couldn't pinpoint how Gus had so much power over him. One thing was for certain, whenever Gus hit him with that look that mixed acceptance and longing, Jack felt like something inside him came undone. Some part of him responded to Gus and it wasn't only his cock. He had been attracted to Gus since he first saw him, but this feeling wasn't about Gus's body. Whatever the feeling was, it made spending time with Gus both wonderful and excruciating.

  When Gus pointed out to him that it was late, Jack was surprised to see the time. They paid the check and collected Josh, who waved goodbye to the fish. After Jack surveyed both Gus and Josh about Gilbertina's, they drove back to the bistro where Jack's car was still parked. Josh never got a chance to eat so they had ordered him a mixed, grilled platter of meats and vegetables to go. While Josh ate his takeout in the back seat, Gus walked Jack a few feet to his car.

  "Thank you for tonight. I had a good time. I hope we'll get to do this again soon," Gus said. He was deliberately making this sound like a date. It almost was since he and Gus had been alone at the table the whole time.

  As Jack opened his car door, Gus stepped into his space and placed one hand on the hood of Jack's car. He was standing way too close, looking from Jack's eyes to his mouth. Jack felt dizzy with the nearness of him. He had the impression that if Josh wasn't just a few feet away, Gus would push Jack up against the car and kiss him. Instead he stepped back to let Jack get in then waved as Jack's car pulled out of the parking lot.

  Driving away, Jack was suffused with the tension of being so close to having his mouth on Gus and his arms around him. The unrealized potential of that moment haunted him all the way back to his hotel. He felt that the night should have ended with a kiss and maybe more. It would have to end with Jack jerking off while thinking about Gus fucking him on the hood of his car.

  Chapter 7

  When he arrived at the bistro the next morning, Jack decided to put last night out of his mind. He hoped Gus would follow his lead and keep things professional.

  "Did we have some unfinished business from last night?" Gus asked as soon as Jack walked into the office. So much for that.

  Gus was sitting behind his desk. His eyes – which always seemed to be asking Jack to strip – were more lustful than ever. Jack felt as if he was back standing by his car with Gus so close, seemingly about to kiss him. Jack expected the spell of that moment to evaporate, not come back full force the second he saw him again.

  Standing by the other desk in the office, Jack felt like no time had passed since then. Time stood still and Jack's heart stopped beating. He was suspended, waiting as Gus seemed determined to recreate the moment. Slowly, Gus got up from behind his desk. As he came toward him, Jack turned away and busied himself with some files. It wasn't long before he felt Gus right behind him. Gus stood so close that Jack only had to turn his head and he could be kissing him. Jack held his breath trying to summon the strength not to let this happen.

  Seeing his struggle for control, Gus leaned even closer and whispered in his ear, "I can't be that hard to resist."

  The closeness and the slight brush of Gus's lips against his earlobe made Jack shudder. He needed to pull away but he couldn't. It was as if the nearness of Gus's body was something he couldn't bear to lose. Gus sneaked his arm around his waist, gently guiding him to turn and face him. As if in a trance, Jack did just that.

  Jack looked into his eyes and breathed in his crisp, clean, masculine scent just as Gus's mouth was on his. His arm around Jack's back and his hand on the back of his neck held Jack in place. Their mouths opened to one another, fluttering then firm, tongues probing, seeking each other's depths. Jack pressed in closer and felt Gus's hold on him tighten, the plunge into his mouth deepen. All of it combined into a long kiss that seem to stretch into an eternity of Gus's lips and tongue and the taste of mint. Gus ended the kiss breathless, leaning his head on Jack's shoulder.

  "This is what I owe you from last night's date," Gus whispered.

  "That wasn't a date," Jack said, still a little out if breath.

  "Too late now, I just made it into a date," Gus claimed as he straightened and gave Jack a surprisingly serious look. "I knew you weren't going to make a move. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't," Gus said then he kissed him again. His mouth was hot but the kiss didn't last. "Just making sure you're as good a kisser as I thought you were," Gus said as he pulled back. Then he kissed Jack again. "Double-checking."

  Gus would have swooped in for another kiss, but Lillian, the sous chef, came in with some changes to the supply orders. They both tried to act more businesslike, but Jack noticed that Gus had to stare at what she was showing him for a minute or two before his eyes focused, and he could make any sense of it.

  Jack was in a similar state. His head was swimming. He stared at the papers in front of him, but he had no idea what they were. All he could see was Gus's mouth, his lustful eyes and then he felt his mouth gliding over his, his tongue sinking in, and sparks going off inside him as his breath was stolen away.

  Gus got busy after that, leaving Jack to wrestle with what just happened. It was more than any kiss before. It reached deeper. It ignited such a powerful need that it left Jack shaky and confused.

  Jack was a little stunned that a kiss could do this to him. Maybe he just needed to get laid and nothing more. Except the only man he wanted right now was Gus. By being near him, this was what Jack had been risking and wanting. Kissing Gus was just like Gus himself. It was a lot more than it should have been. Jack didn't know how to pull away from something he craved so deeply.

  As he was leaving the bistro, Jack spotted Gus by the delivery entrance. A truck driver was talking to Gus while Leroy checked over the delivery. There was nothing noteworthy about that except the driver's smile and how close he stood to Gus while they spoke. The jealousy Jack it sparked surprised him. He didn't care who Gus spoke to or how close they stood or the way that asshole leered at Gus as he walked away. Jack had to take a few deep breaths anyway.

  Walking to his car, Jack couldn't shake the possessive feelings. Would Gus kiss the driver the way he had kissed him? The driver sure as hell wouldn't be left shaking and obsessed afterward. Jack kicked himself for being so weak and easy.

  Maybe if Jack had gotten these schoolboy feelings out of his system when he was actually a schoolboy, this wouldn't be happening to him now. Belittling his feelings didn't make them go away though. Even as he drove aimlessly, Jack couldn't clear his mind of that kiss. He wondered what it would take to get Gus out of his system. Only one thing came to mind – fucking the hell out of him until he didn't want him any more.

  *

  With that kiss he owed him from the night before, Gus wanted to make his desire clear to Jack, but then he couldn't stop himself. If Lillian hadn't come in, Gus might have done a lot more than kiss Jack.

  He didn't expect to be so overcome. It shocked him that he could want anyone this much. If he couldn't have Jack, Gus felt like his heart would burst. Once Lillian left, Gus looked over at him, but Jack was on the phone. Gus had to deal with a few things himself, but he couldn't stop thinking about what would come next.

  Gus didn't find another opportunity to talk to Jack before he left. Soon after that, he had to go and pick up Josh from school. He wasn't surprised that Jack didn't come back that day. Josh was disappointed too. If only Gus could figure out how to reach out to Jack without scaring him away.

  To distract himself from worrying that Jack might turn him down next time, avoid him, or leave town altogether, Gus called Brenda and invited her over for dinner that evening.

  "I have one condition. You will not spend the whole dinner bitching about The Forbidden Subject," Gus told her. The Forbidden Subject was her cousin. Handling Doug's money made Brenda want to tear her blond hair out. Gus did sympathize, but he didn't want to hear her ranting about him all through dinner.

  "I have my own condition – cheesecake," Brenda countered.

  "I'll have it in the fridge," Gus told her. "And extra cherry topping and chocolate sauce."

  They went through the same negotiation every time she came for dinner. Brenda didn't care what he made as long as it was followed by cheesecake.

  Later, when he and Josh stopped by the store to get a few things, Josh knew what was up when he saw the cheesecake go in the cart.

  "Brenda is coming over," he said, looking happy.

  Gus wasn't sure that Josh liked Brenda all that much, but he liked cheesecake.

  That evening, Gus made spaghetti and meat sauce and placed the cheesecake on display for both Brenda and Josh to drool over. Once the food and the cheesecake were polished off and Josh was in bed, Brenda sipped white wine while she and Gus sat in the living room. She asked Gus for his unvarnished reaction to Doug springing a new boss on him.

  "Why didn't you warn me about Jack?" Gus asked her since she would have known all about it.

  "The Forbidden Subject said he would tell you," Brenda said.

 

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