Jesse strained against my hold as he pushed up off the rug, but I held him down, showing him that between us, I was the one in control, not him, and he would only be able to move if, and when, I allowed it—something that should’ve terrified him, but apparently turned Jesse on even more.
He groaned against my mouth as his body relaxed under mine, and once he was completely pliant, I raised my head. “Still want to know what I crave? I can take you to the den and show you firsthand, if you like.”
Jesse’s chest rose and fell before he finally said, “Can I think about it a little more?”
“Yes. In fact, I think that would be wise.”
“That doesn’t mean we can’t.” Jesse bucked up against me, and I tightened my fingers on his wrists. “Or that you won’t finish this, right?”
I wondered what he would do right then if I released him and got up, telling him he had to wait until he made a final decision on the den. But those eyes, that mouth, and, fuck, his very resemblance to Lee made my desire to keep him as close to me as possible one I couldn’t deny, so I rolled to my back, put my hands behind my head, and said, “Not if you hurry up and strip.”
Quicker than I thought possible, Jesse was on his feet and naked before I had my pants and boxers shoved down my thighs.
“Very good,” I said, and then crooked my finger at him. “Now sit.”
And like the good little lamb he was, Jesse obeyed and straddled my legs.
18
Monday morning came around and I was a nervous wreck. It was the first day of my internship, and as I walked toward the main entrance, as I’d been instructed, I tugged at the tie Tor had knotted at my throat this morning. I’d never been very good at tying them, and I’d been too keyed up, too jittery, so having his calm and efficient hands putting me together had been a smart decision. With a brand-new pair of black slacks, matching Oxfords, and a sea-blue button-down Tor had picked out to match my eyes, at least I didn’t look out of place, even if I felt it.
I didn’t yet have a keycard to go through the employee entrance around the back, so I made my way to the guest services desk and gave the name of my new boss. As I waited, I shoved my hands in my pockets so I wouldn’t fidget, and took the opportunity to fully absorb the fact that I was actually here. After so many visits, I knew the museum like the back of my hand, but it hadn’t really hit me yet that I’d be working under someone I looked up to.
My gaze traveled up, up, until I could see the jaws of the five-story Barosaurus that greeted spectators as they entered. Nicknamed Barry, he was the tallest freestanding dinosaur display in the world, and the big attraction at the museum. Even now, I couldn’t get over the sheer size of him, and I wondered what it would be like to be a part of such a discovery. Maybe one day I’d find out.
“Jesse Clark?”
I spun around to see a man, about five foot seven and with a helmet of untamed brown curls, looking at me expectantly and with a friendly smile. Edmund Marks was the curator of the paleontology division and had served on an expedition team of scientists who, only a decade ago, had unearthed a hundred-and-ten-million-year-old dinosaur species that was previously undiscovered. He was a huge part of the reason I’d been so eager to take up residence here in Westport, and I struggled to find my tongue as I stepped toward him.
“Dr. Marks, it’s an honor, sir,” I said, taking his proffered hand. “I’ve followed your work for years, and I’m such a fan.”
Dr. Marks gave an appreciative chuckle. “Thank you, young man. I assume you’re familiar with the exhibits here as well?”
“I am.”
“Good, then we’ll skip the front end of the tour and take you back to where the fun stuff happens.”
FOUR AND A half hours later, and I was on my way to the dining hall, having worked up an appetite. After a detailed behind-the-scenes look at each department, Dr. Marks had given me an overview of what my job would entail—and then he’d sent me on errands that had me running back and forth across the museum so many times that I thought it might be less painful to cut off my feet.
That’s what I get for not breaking in new damn shoes, I thought, as I scanned the food options and then picked a line at random. It had been an interesting morning, and though my enthusiasm hadn’t really diminished, I was a little disappointed at becoming nothing more than an errand boy.