Firewall

by Sierra Riley

  “We’re going to the Space Needle?” Calder laughed he followed Justin’s “secret” directions and the beautiful structure loomed ahead of them. The iconic building with the rounded top and point was a treasured piece of the Seattle skyline. It wasn’t the tallest building, and some tourists complained that you saw better sights from other buildings for the price but it was still a hotspot.

  “Yep!” Justin beamed as they found parking and stepped out of the car.

  “Wow, we’re being really touristy,” Calder mused as they approached the building.

  “It seems like something that shouldn’t be missed. I also booked a table for us at the restaurant.” He had managed to steal a moment away from Calder earlier in the evening to make a phone call from the bathroom. Not the most romantic location to make arrangements from but it had served its purpose.

  Calder paused for a moment and peered at Justin.

  Had Justin overdone it? Was it now too much like a date?

  After a moment, Calder’s expression softened as he clicked his tongue and shook his head. “I’m your personal assistant. I’m supposed to be making those kinds of arrangements.”

  Justin laughed, relief rushing through him. “I still want to be able to do some things on my own.”

  “All right, I’ll give you this much,” Calder playfully agreed.

  “We’re going to go up to the restaurant first since it reduces the waiting time to get in,” Justin mused. “At least that’s what I read online.”

  Calder seemed to be impressed enough about the tidbit as they entered the line and were soon let in. As they stepped into the elevator with everyone else, Justin hugged the wall and kept close to Calder. Once the elevator ascended, Justin’s breath was taken away. The glass front of the elevator showed them the views as they rose.

  It was only then that Justin noticed Calder standing more tensely at his side, just like the times before, going up and down the hotel elevator.

  “Are you okay?” Justin asked as he nudged Calder.

  “I don’t like elevators,” Calder admitted as he leaned in.

  “I never knew! But you must go on a lot of elevators with your job.”

  “I do, and I’m much better with it now but they still get to me.”

  Justin was pleased to learn this new tidbit. Somehow, brave Calder being nervous of elevators was amusing and endearing. “You’ll be fine,” he promised, taking this chance to comfort Calder.

  Calder nodded, but he did visibly relax a little, which made Justin’s heart swell.

  Once they had reached the top, people filed out and headed for the restaurant. Once inside, Justin was blown away by the circular space. It was filled with tables, and although there were some young families around, the place did have a romantic feel about it. The fact that the whole outer wall of the restaurant was composed of massive windows overlooking the city certainly helped.

  Once Justin gave his name, the two were led to the outer ring of the restaurant and given a table next to a window. Justin had specifically asked for this since it ‘would give them the best view of the city, without anything else obstructing it.

  As the two sat down, Calder laughed, gazing across the table to Justin. “This is very fancy.”

  “The fanciest thing I’ve done,” Justin admitted with a laugh as he picked up the wine menu. He had no interest in it but he thought he’d look.

  “And the view is beautiful,” Calder murmured.

  Justin glanced up from the menu and gazed toward him. “Yeah, it is.” Calder was sitting there, softly illuminated by the candle between them.

  This was overkill. There was no way that this wasn’t a date.

  When Calder glanced back his way and their eyes met, Justin’s heart skipped a beat. He looked out of the window to distract himself and recover. “It really is a beautiful view.”

  There were so many things to look upon all around them, although they’d get a proper look from the observation deck later. Everything from the mountain ranges to the bustling waterfront was visible. He had specifically chosen this time of day for a reservation since the sun would slowly set over their meal and they’d see the city lights turning on. He had been so glad when the reservation was able to be squeezed in at such short notice.

  Right now, the stresses of Wallace and the new business faded from Justin’s mind. Here, at what felt like the top of the world, only he and Calder existed.

  The two enjoyed an elegant meal together—much more elegant than hamburgers, although Justin had still been tempted to order one. The conversation flowed easily between them as they enjoyed their meal and enthused about the new experiences they’d had so far. Justin was still really struck by their trip to the EMP Museum the day before.

  Was it Justin’s imagination or was Calder gazing into his eyes more than usual? It flustered Justin but he didn’t shy away from the attention.

  Once the meal was finished and paid for, the pair left the restaurant and headed upstairs to the observation deck.

  The sun had almost set and the city was alive with lights. It was a beautiful sight as dusk set in across the landscape. If it had been lighter, they might have been able to see Mount Rainier, but Justin wasn’t too disappointed. No, as they strolled and enjoyed the panoramic view, Justin was in awe.

  Again, the tender feelings crept back through him, especially when their hands accidentally brushed at one point.

  Calder looked so beautiful that night, although he always looked beautiful. Justin loved how in awe he seemed to be of their surroundings, too. He was particularly interested in the view of the mountain range. He gushed about the hiking and rock-climbing trips he had taken through mountains before.

  Hearing Calder being so passionate about his past adventures made Justin happy. Calder was relaxed and enjoying himself.

  Oh, he wanted to hold Calder’s hand so much. His eyes kept flickering down to Calder’s hand but he didn’t have the courage to follow through.

  He wasn’t sure how long they had observed the Emerald City from above but it was soon time to head back to the hotel. Neither of them were the type to go out and party the night away. Well, Justin wasn’t. He suspected that maybe Calder didn’t want to go out partying that night either, since he had done enough of that when he had worked with Underwood.

  Now Justin was beyond exhausted and it seemed like Calder was, too. He was as alert as ever but was a little less talkative and didn’t seem to be exerting himself more than he had to.

  “And then it’s up and early for the rest of the convention tomorrow,” Justin groaned as he grabbed his pajamas from the foot of the bed and moved toward the bathroom.

  “You know, if you want to change out here, you can. I promise I won’t look,” Calder laughed.

  Justin blushed as he cleared his throat. “If you really don’t mind, I suppose that’s okay.”

  Justin hardly knew what to do with himself. Was he supposed to face him? Or would that be too awkward? Was this supposed to be a sexy thing or an innocent thing?

  “If it makes you feel more comfortable, I can change at the same time,” Calder insisted.

  Oh, yes, please.

  Justin nodded, now transfixed by Calder as the sexy man stood by the side of the bed and began undressing before him. He slid his fingers along the buttons, popping them free one by one. Justin was so fixated on Calder’s fingers and the revelation of his chest that he didn’t even think about meeting his gaze.

  Then the shirt was free, revealing a white undershirt. Calder peeled the dress shirt away, sliding it off his arms. As he did, Justin’s eyes trailed over the muscles there. Calder wasn’t bulging like those insane men at gyms but he was very well built.

  Apparently, even just removing the shirt was enough for Justin because the temperature in the room was suddenly very high.

  “Are you going to be okay?” Calder asked with a low chuckle.

  “I-I think so.” Justin uttered, then gazed toward Calder as Calder went for his
pants. As Justin’s eyes fell down to Calder’s pants, he was suddenly overtaken by lust and emotion.

  Justin swallowed hard and stepped forward. He raised his hands and brushed them over Calder’s muscular arms, tingling at the touch. The moments of exploration they’d had before fueled him to explore even more. He wanted to know everything about Calder’s body. He wanted them to be even closer than they had before.

  Calder held still, giving permission for Justin to explore to his heart’s content. Justin wet his lips and leaned up to claim Calder’s lips. He wanted to start off hot and fiery but he had to build up to that. Fortunately, it didn’t take long, as Justin craved friction between their bodies.

  When he was around Calder, he barely managed to control himself. The chemistry was undeniable and all the years of fantasies and unspoken words spilled over into those few critical moments.

  Mere seconds later, Calder leaned forward to kiss him again.

  More than anything, Justin was grateful that Calder didn’t push him away. Now it seemed like Calder was kissing him as though it were the most natural thing in the world. It made Justin weak in the knees and hungry for more.

  “Calder, I want you,” Justin uttered against Calder’ s lips once they parted for breath.

  24

  Calder

  “Calder, I want you.”

  Those words rang loudly in Calder’s ears as their lips parted.

  It really didn’t take much to get Justin started. Apparently taking off his shirt and showing off his undershirt—not even his actual chest—was enough to kick-start the fire. It was flattering but startling at the same time.

  “Justin...” Calder’s heart pounded as he lifted his hand and brushed his fingers through Justin’s swept back dark hair, their eyes locked.

  He was a man so used to being in control but whenever it came to Justin, things were different. The adorable nerd was his weak spot, and the thought terrified Calder. Throughout the years, whenever Justin had told him about unfortunate events, Calder’s heart had hurt. There had been so many times that he had wanted to protect Justin but hadn’t been able to.

  Being around Justin had stirred something else inside of him, too: longing and lust. Although he’d had lustful thoughts over the years, now that he was with Justin nearly twenty-four seven, the urges were even harder to control.

  Justin was damn attractive, even if he couldn’t see it himself. He may have thought of himself as a geek but he was gorgeous. His lithe form, youthful energy, and dorky smile did a lot for him.

  And his ass was great. There was no denying that. For someone who didn’t work out, he was doing very well on that front.

  “You’re so beautiful,” Calder murmured, his heart skipping a beat as he threaded brown strands through his fingers.

  The way Justin’s cheeks burst with color made Calder’s heart melt.

  “I don’t only just want you but I like you,” Justin uttered, the words falling over his beautiful, full pink lips.

  A jolt went through Calder’s system as he searched Justin’s eyes. They were so expressive right now, and showing his vulnerability. Right then and there, Justin was laying everything on the line.

  “Justin...” Calder murmured.

  “I’ve liked you for a long time. I think some of the reason why I had never been able to be with other men was because I’ve been comparing them all to you.”

  Calder was stunned by these words but he couldn’t say that they were a complete surprise. On some level, Calder had always suspected this to be the case. While he had tried to encourage Justin to date more, he had been less adamant about it the more Justin told him about the jerks he’d landed.

  The thought of people having hurt him in any way made Calder’s blood boil.

  “And I don’t know what to do now because being around you makes me come alive in ways I’ve never experienced before. When I’m with you, I feel...”

  Calder held his breath as Justin searched his eyes while seemingly forming his thoughts.

  “…safe.”

  Calder blew out a breath and drew Justin in against him in a firm hug. Hearing those words both made Calder feel wonderful but also saddened that Justin didn’t feel safe with others. He should have been able to feel safe with everyone.

  “Justin, I care about you, too,” Calder insisted. “I’m sorry that you’ve been hurt in the past. I’m still not entirely sure that this is the direction that we should be going, though.”

  “What do you mean?” Justin murmured against Calder’s shoulder.

  “Aren’t you afraid that being together like this will change everything? I mean, it’s not good for us as boss and employee but it’s even trickier as...”

  He couldn’t bring himself to say lovers.

  “I know, and I’ve been thinking about all of this, too, but I can’t help the way I feel.” Justin drew his head off Calder’s shoulder and gazed up to him. “I’m just worried about you since, well, you’ve never told me if you’ve been with men before or not.”

  Calder blinked, then laughed lightly. “Does that really matter?”

  “I thought it did,” Justin snorted. “I thought if I let any of my feelings show for you, you might get freaked out.”

  “Oh, Justin. For the record, you’ve never been good at keeping those feelings hidden,” Calder chuckled. “I’ve always known that you might’ve had a little crush.”

  “And it didn’t scare you away?”

  “No, because I’ve always had a soft spot for you, too.”

  Justin’s eyes brightened as he leaned in to kiss Calder. In that moment, Calder gave in, letting Justin do as he pleased.

  Calder’s mind was still whirling. There were so many conflicting thoughts that he was trying to get a handle on. There were so many things that could go wrong with Calder’s involvement with Justin. Not only professionally but personally as well. What if things didn’t work out between them? Losing a friend of twenty years would be devastating.

  And not having Justin in his life was downright terrifying.

  When the kiss parted, Calder kept his gaze leveled. His cock was twitching to life against his slacks despite his best intentions of keeping it under control. Justin’s admission, the kiss, and their close proximity were awakening the desire hiding beneath his skin.

  “What do you want to do?” Calder asked, his voice a low murmur as he removed his fingers from Justin’s hand and cupped his cheek instead.

  “There’s something I’ve always wanted to do to you,” Justin admitted. There was such a shy but also intrigued expression on Justin’s face that Calder was curious. The possibilities were endless for what Justin could want from him.

  Would Calder be able to fulfill the request?

  “What is it?” Calder breathed, his eyes never leaving Justin’s.

  Justin didn’t say a word as he slowly lowered himself. The moment Justin started to move, Calder knew what he was going for.

  Was Justin planning to blow him?

  Calder’s mouth was suddenly dry at the thought, spreading his feet to instinctively adopt a more stable stance.

  Watching Justin sink down to his knees was hotter than Calder had ever imagined. Calder was used to the sight of women going down on him but this was something entirely different. It stirred even more sensations from deep down inside that Calder never knew existed. The whole time, despite Justin’s normal aversion to eye contact, he was maintaining the gaze, which made things all the more hot.

  Oh, man. He had envisioned Justin’s mouth around his cock a few times before. While he had tried to stop himself from having such sexual fantasies about his best friend, they had always found a way to sneak in. Usually during the nights when Calder was all alone, whether in his own bed or stuck in some surveillance office on the job.

  And now it was coming true.

  Calder licked his lips and shivered as he curled his fingers into Justin’s hair once again as Justin settled on his knees. The act of looking down at Justi
n while he was knelt before him was the hottest thing.

  “Do you mind?” Justin murmured, nudging his head against Calder’s hand.

  “Not at all,” Calder uttered. His cock was already straining against his slacks. It was getting warm in the hotel room and it was only going to get warmer still.

  As Justin reached up to fumble with Calder’s belt, Calder remained still. He tried not to thrust his hips or take control. He wanted Justin to have this moment. In times before, he had seemed to like the idea of having some control and Calder wanted to play that up.

  Once Calder’s belt was tugged free, he didn’t dare take his gaze off Justin. His cheeks were already pink enough but when he undid the button and zipped down Calder’s fly, they burned more intensely still.

  Justin dipped his hand into his pants and Calder bit his lip as those fingers found his shaft. Once his cock was popped free, Calder quivered. The sight of Justin holding his cock and staring at it was beyond Calder. It was both cute and sexy at the same time.

  “Like what you see?” Calder murmured.

  “I-It’s a gorgeous cock.”

  Calder laughed but tried not to be too loud. It was an odd compliment but it came from Justin’s own mouth. Calder had a feeling Justin wasn’t versed in the art of dirty talk. That would come in time.

  Wait, he shouldn’t have been thinking of the future right now. Their future was still uncertain, although it seemed to be more solid now, since they were admitting that they liked each other. Calder had the feeling that Justin wasn’t going to run away anytime soon and Calder didn’t have any intention of doing so either.

  But thinking of the future was only going to take Calder out of the moment, so he tried to push past all of that.

  Justin glided his hand over Calder’s cock. He then lowered his head to the tip of Calder’s cock and teased the slit with his tongue.

  Calder twitched and groaned his approval, trying to keep his eyes on Justin’s, although Justin was more focused on his cock.

  Justin teased the slit a bit more, driving Calder mad with his tongue, before moving his mouth and tongue along the shaft. He even paid a bit of attention to the underside, tapping his tongue along the sensitive area beneath the head.