Page 9 of A LIttle Christmas: Samm
Truly.
He lies down on his bed with a cool washcloth over his eyes, and of course, his mind drifts to Samuel. The poor boy, he thinks, not for the first time. He’s so young. He’s eager and steady, competent and smart. Samuel has a future at the company, and Bryan wants to keep Samuel with him for as long as he can.
Soon enough, the day will come when the boy will be offered another job at a company that will give him more opportunities.
Bryan has been dreading it. Samuel makes everything bearable.
So.
He can’t fire Samuel. Plus, it would be so much work to hire someone new and train them. Too many things would go wrong, and that would be even worse for the company. Best to pretend nothing happened.
Samuel has to stay.
Bryan isin the office early the next day, early enough that he goes down to get a coffee from the shop on the corner right as it opens. He gets one for Samuel, too. An eggnog latte with 2% milk. Samuel loves Pumpkin Spice for fall and eggnog after Thanksgiving.
Samuel’s bag is at his desk, and his computer is on when Bryan returns. The door to Bryan’s office is open, and he stopsin the entryway, curious to know what his assistant is up to this time.
He’s standing next to Bryan’s desk, staring down at it, his back to Bryan. He reaches out a hand and touches Bryan’s blazer, which is on the back of his chair. This is…odd. He lifts the sleeve to his face and starts to take a breath in.
No.
Bryan takes a step back, moving out of sight. His heart is pounding, and there’s a sensation that’s almost nausea churning in his stomach. What in the hell doesthatmean? Why would Samuel do such a thing? How can that be anything but sexual?
And then Samuel is coming out of his office, cheeks pink, brow furrowed, and gaze on the papers he’s bringing out of the office.
Bryan looks him up and down, he can’t help it. Is that an erection? Is that the shape of his penis in his pants? Is he aroused? Did he go into Bryan’s office and get turned on from sniffing his jacket?
“Oh. There you are,” Samuel says, and his chin jerks up with false bravado. A blush spreads up his pale skin, above the collar of his shirt, and settles into his lean, pale cheeks. Something lurches inside Bryan. It isn’t nausea. He isn’t sure it’s a bad sensation, but it is odd.
“I have some things for you to sign if you have a minute.” Samuel’s smile is tight. He blinks twice and then drops his gaze, looking to the side.
What does Bryan’s jacket even smell like?
Samuel always smells clean. His soap, his minty toothpaste, his cologne, the product he puts on his hair to keep it orderly and proper. Samuel’s hair is thick and has a natural wave to it that requires him to keep it short or else it’s unmanageable and falls onto his forehead. It makes Samuel look very young if he goes too long without a haircut.
Bryan supposes, objectively, that he also likes the way Samuel smells. But he doesn’t go sniffing his employee’s clothes like an addict who needs a hit. Who does such a thing?
“Sir?” Samuel whispers.
Bryan clears his throat, realizes he’d completely zoned out with inappropriate thoughts. “I do. Have a minute. I got in early and got us coffee.”
Samuel’s mouth opens and then closes in shock. “What?”
“Eggnog latte with low-fat milk. That’s your order. Here,” he says, and sets it down on the desk.
Samuel chews on his bottom lip. He has lips that would make any woman jealous. And his skin is so smooth. It’s surprising to him that Samuel doesn’t have a lot of freckles.
“You got this for me? You, um… You know I like eggnog lattes?”
“I did. I do. Let’s get through the forms,” he says, and moves past Samuel and back into his office. There is nothing to give away that his jacket has just been sniffed. Has it happened before?
He didn’t even know the boy was gay before this. It’s never come up.
“Well….Thank you,” he says, and closes the door to Bryan’s office.
Which is something that has happened hundreds of times before but now feels charged. Even dangerous. As if something inappropriate could happen now that they’re alone. Something from the email, perhaps? Samuel on his knees, choking on Bryan’s penis.
Well, his cock.
