Thorne’s explosion made Riley jump.
“He expects me to just drop everything and rush to his side…Why can’t he come here?…Fuck, no. I don’t want to lose this account…Fine. I’ll have Lauren put me on the first available flight. Call me when you’ve got more data.”
Thorne tossed this phone onto the table so hard Riley winced.
“You’re going out of town?”
Thorne ran a hand through his hair. “Fuck, yes.”
“The new client?”
“Yes, he sends idiots here to work with me and then realizes that’s not working. But instead of coming himself, he expects me to go to him.”
“On Saturday?”
“He doesn’t believe in weekends. Remember how I was when we met?”
Riley snorted. “I sure as hell do. Where is he?”
“Chicago. I might have to be gone for several days. I know we’d planned to take tonight for us and there’s so much going on right now, but I can’t get out of this.”
“It’s okay.” It wasn’t, but it would have to be. “I’ll make you something special the night you return.”
Thorne pulled Riley to him for a quick kiss. “Can you make mine to-go?” He gestured toward the bagel. “I’ve got to pack.”
“Sure.” Riley tried not to look as sad as he felt. Thorne traveled a lot. He had since Riley met him, and Riley was rarely bothered by it. In the early days they often called each other and jerked off together over Skype. But lately they were both so busy they hardly even talked when Thorne was gone. That needed to change. Riley would call him that night and give him some of the filthiest phone sex he’d ever had.
“Oh shit,” Thorne said before he reached the bedroom.
“What?”
“I was supposed to talk to Darius today. Can you do it? I know you’ll make a good choice.”
“I…yeah.”
Their outfits were the one thing other than food that he’d thought Thorne might be interested in. So much for that. He tried not to feel resentful as Thorne pulled his suitcase from the hall closet. He did not succeed.
***
The first night Thorne was gone, Riley spent the evening going over renovation plans with Susan. A construction crew was starting on the bakery’s kitchen on Monday, and they wanted to be sure they had all the details ironed out. When he got back to the apartment, he texted Thorne, but he was at dinner with his client, so Riley put off his planned seduction.
Riley filled his Sunday with a long run, lunch with Susan, and test-baking at the rented kitchen space. He sighed as he pushed the door shut behind him that evening. The apartment always felt lonely without Thorne. Often when Thorne was gone, Marc stayed over. Riley was hardly a kid who couldn’t stay by himself. He’d lived alone for several months while Marc was in California with one of his disaster boyfriends, but things just felt wrong without Thorne there, too big, too echoey.
He set his bag down and headed for the kitchen. Susan had sent him home with some of the chicken and dumplings she’d made the night before. He put them in a pot to reheat—they just weren’t the same after microwaving—and opened a beer.
After taking a sip, he glanced at the clock. It was an hour earlier in Chicago, so chances were Thorne was still working. He’d wait a while to call because he wanted to catch him in his hotel room. Thorne was always reluctant about Skype sex, which in itself was adorable considering all they’d done together, but Riley was sure he could convince him. Seeing Thorne’s expression combining desperate lust with embarrassment did him in every time.
A few hours later, after dinner and his eleventy-millionth viewing of The Breakfast Club, Riley called Thorne.
The phone rang several times before Thorne finally answered, sounding exhausted.
“How are you?” Riley asked.
“Busy.”
“Is your client being as difficult as the men he sent?”
“No, but he expects everything immediately. He has no fucking patience.”
Riley decided this was not the best time to point out that Thorne was one to talk.
“He expects us to produce a business plan without having full access to the information we need. I’m not a fucking mind reader.”
No, Thorne certainly wasn’t that.
“Do you have a few minutes?” He’d probably say no, but Riley would coax him into it. All he’d need to do was start telling Thorne exactly what he imagined doing to him, and Thorne would be his.
“I can’t think about wedding stuff right now, okay? I told you I’d be busy here.”
Riley’s breath whooshed out, and he sat down hard on the edge of the bed. He didn’t say a thing.
“I’m sorry.” Thorne said after a few seconds of silence. “It’s just been a long day, and I don’t think I’ll be able to get away from here until Friday. Whatever it is, I trust you to make the decision.”