Free Alphas by Mathew Rodrick Page A

beckoned to me with one
finger. "Come here, Rich. I won't bite. I was just wondering what made you
stay here so late. It's not often that my employees go above and beyond like
this."
     
     
    For a moment I hesitated, then obeyed,
striding up to the desk in the middle of his gorgeous office. The windows gave
a stunning view of the city below, but that's not what my gaze was focused on.
Mr. Penatone moved behind his desk and sat down in the seat, gesturing for me
to take one of the other chairs facing him. I did so, biting my lip.
            "May I ask you something, Mr.
Penatone?”
    "Of course, Rich."
     
    "You're not going to fire me, are
you?"
     
    He looked surprised, then burst into
laughter. "Fire you? Heavens, what gave you that idea?"
     
    I was distracted by how handsome his
face looked when he started laughing. "I-I just..."  Dang it
man, pull yourself together!  "I suppose I was just startled when
you called me up here this late. I thought everyone but the night crew had gone
home."
     
    He quieted, but his eyes still sparkled
with mirth. "Am I really that terrifying?"
     
    "Oh no, that wasn't what I meant at
all!" Mentally I kicked myself.
     
    Holding up one hand, he stopped my
pathetic spluttering. "I actually wanted to compliment you, Rich."
     
    "Really?" I was surprised.
     
     
    Nodding in affirmation, he picked up a
pen on his desk and began twirling it between his fingers.
     
     
    "In fact, I've been watching you
for quite some time and have been very impressed with your performance around
the workplace."
     
    I flushed a little with pride at his
words. "Well, I just do what I can."
     
    He stood, walking around his desk to
come and face me. "It's not just that, Rich."
     
     
    Blinking, I glanced up at him. What else
could there be? He continued his thought, tugging his tie loose until it was
only draped around his neck. "You come in early, you stay late, and you're
always on top of things. You're the one I can depend on when things get
stressful."
     
     
    Biting my lip, I felt myself glow with
pride. Mr. Penatone leaned over my chair, his eyes intense. I shrank back a
little, surprised that he was invading my personal space like this. "But
it goes even deeper than that, Rich."
     
    How much deeper could it... oh. Oh
my.  I'm
sure my cheeks were completely red. "Mr. Penatone, I--"
     
    "Shh." He placed a finger
against my lips. "I've admired you from the day you started working here,
Rich. Your gorgeous body has almost driven me to distraction on several
occasions."
     
    Uh... he's joking, right? How could
anyone think my stringy body is attractive?  But he continued on. "Do you
remember the day you received roses from a mysterious admirer?"
     
     
    I did! I had been gearing up for a
miserable Valentine’s day spent all alone in the confines of my home, but when
I'd gotten to work there had been two dozen roses sitting in a crystal vase
waiting for me. The only thing the card had said was;  From an admirer.
     
     
      "That was you?"
     
    He cupped my chin. "It was, Rich.
Does that bother you?"
     
    "N-no." I stammered.  This
has to be a dream, this has to be a dream... He tugged his tie off, setting
it behind him on his desk.
     
     
    "I've been waiting for this.
Waiting for a time when I could get you alone and... get acquainted better."
     
     
    I was severely torn between wanting to
flee and wanting to throw myself at him. This was a scene straight out of one
of my guilty dreams, but when I bit the inside of my cheek I knew that I was
awake, and it was really happening. I never would have expected someone like
him to be gay. The questions was, was he gay?
     
     
    "Get acquainted?" I managed to
squeak.
     
    He leaned in until our lips were nearly
touching. His voice was husky with lust.
     
     
    "Very well acquainted."
     
     
    Unable to help myself, I dug my nails
into the arm of the chair and closed those last few centimeters between us. For
a moment Mr. Penatone seemed surprised at