Milky Coffee and Office Gossip (7 page)

Rafe snorted. “Rubbish. Nothing is wrong with you. Your mom left when you were a kid and your father was more than useless in showing affection and love. It’s no wonder you’re an emotional cripple.”

“Hey!”

Unperturbed like always, his friend ignored his indignation. “If you can’t voice what you feel, find another way to let him know.”

His friend’s words piqued his interest. He knew Rafe was a true romantic at heart. “How?”

“Oh, do you have a notepad and pen?”

Corey was deep in thought while battling with the fancy coffee maker at work. The piece of expensive shit could create way more than only coffee, including tea and all kinds of lattes. Right now, Corey was dying for milky coffee. His body craved sugar today.

He always craved sugar when he felt emotional. If he ended up fat, it was Remy’s fault. Their affair had started five weeks ago, and Corey was falling for the man already. Hard. However, his lover’s behavior left him confused. When he was with Corey, he acted like the perfect partner, boyfriend even. He stayed the night or invited Corey to stay at his apartment. They had breakfast together before work, like a real couple. That couldn’t gloss over the flaws, though. Not if Corey thought about their connection as more than an affair.

He knew next to nothing personal about the sexy lawyer. Whenever they met, they talked about Corey or their jobs. When Corey tried to steer the conversation in another direction and ask about his lover’s life, his family, or his dreams for the future, Remy sidetracked and started to seduce him. Every damn time.

The sex was great, really great, so Corey never complained. But he couldn’t deny how much it hurt that Remy didn’t seem interested in sharing his feelings or facts about his personal life.

His frustration grew steadily. With every day that passed, Corey was more and more convinced that he was fooling himself.

Time was working against him. Remy, damn good lawyer that he was, wouldn’t work for Harding Constructions forever. As soon as he’d finished the job, Remy had no reason to stick around. So, Corey either had to pull his head out of his ass and tell the man what he wanted, or break it off. At least then he’d still have his pride and not end as the poor office geek whose prestigious lover had dumped him.

If only he could decide which way he should go. It was
Hey, I’d like to offer you my heart
versus
Hey, it was fun but it ends today.
Crap. Just the thought of never seeing Remy again felt like a stab into his heart.

Remy’s anything but clear words when he’d visited Corey’s house four weeks ago didn’t help him either. Back then, he’d thought it was the man’s way to ask him for time so he could come to grips with what he wanted. Now, Corey felt like his lover had served him a pile of crap to distract him.

Corey glared at the coffee maker as if it was responsible for his weak character. To make matters worse, he heard the click-click of heels. Probably Mandy and Rita. Just great. Grabbing his coffee, Corey dashed back into his office. Instead of quietly closing his door though, he left it slightly ajar when he heard Remy’s name. Maybe it was wrong to eavesdrop, but he wanted to know what those two were up to.

“Are you sure they’re fucking?” Rita asked in a hushed whisper.

“Fairly sure. The lawyer is a cocksucker. And Corey... is Corey.” Yup, that was Mandy’s annoying voice. She’d pronounced his name like it was the new synonym for
official office slut.

Rita snorted and said, “That’s no proof that he’s sucking Corey’s cock. Although, recently he’s been awfully chipper.”
That
sounded like Corey’s good mood offended them. Peachy. Not only did his colleagues think he was a slut, now Corey’s apparent happiness ruined their day.

“True. Anyway,” Mandy said and giggled. “I heard the lawyer is a player. Fucks everyone who can’t escape fast enough, you know? Mr. Harding is related to the guy’s boss and I overheard them talking on the phone.”

Corey barely held back a growl. He should close the door and not listen to them. Mandy and Rita were as reliable as the rainbow press when it came to other people. Still...

“Oh? What did you hear?” Rita asked, her voice dripping with nasty interest. Bitch.

“Well, it seems Mr. Yates hops from bed to bed. The only thing he’s permanently interested in is his job. I heard Mr. Yates always brings different men to firm functions. And his boss’s wife once asked if he had a boyfriend. Yates declined with the words
I don’t have enough time to waste it on a man who’d bore me to death after a few weeks.
”

Rita let out a disgruntled noise. “Uhh. What a cold bastard. However, Corey deserves Mr. Yates playing with him after the way he treated Richard and his boyfriend. Don’t you think, Mandy?”

What the fuck?
Corey placed his hand over his mouth to stifle his gasp. Rita’s cruelty, and what he’d learned about his lover, shocked him.

“So true,” Mandy agreed. Then Corey heard the clink of porcelain cups and two sets of heels walking down the hallway.

Dumbfounded and slightly winded, he let himself fall into his chair. Was Remy like that? Corey had no idea, but Mandy’s tale hit too close to home.

It made sense. Remy had come to the firm for a job. On the first day, he’d latched onto Corey immediately. Corey, starved for affection and surprised such a sexy man showed interest in him, had put out on the first date. And on every other date since then. The international sign for
I’m an easy lay.
Damn.

Corey placed his forehead on his desk. He felt a bit queasy.

No matter what he felt for Remy, they’d never talked about there being more than sex between them. Ever. If Corey got his heart broken, it was only his fault. He couldn’t blame Remy for not wanting more. Didn’t mean he wouldn’t yell at his lover though.

Instead of sprouting that shit about not knowing what the future would bring, Remy could’ve told him he only wanted sex. He would’ve accepted it. But now he’d engaged his heart. Hell, Corey was halfway in love.

At least he knew what to do. A phone call was on the agenda this evening, one that would probably end with Corey breaking up with his lover. An impulsive reaction that he, as a grown man, shouldn’t give into. However, Corey’s main concern was keeping his heart safe. If he delayed the inevitable till Remy left on his own, the pain would only get worse.

The same evening, Corey sat on his bed, the phone clutched in his hand. No matter how many times he’d tried, he couldn’t bring himself to make the call. Thoughts of Remy invaded his mind, choking him up till he was sure he wouldn’t be able to utter a single word on the phone. Remy had always been so... lovely. So attentive and caring. Nobody could fake those feelings, could they?

Well, duh.
Corey banged the phone against his head several times. Of course people could fake feelings. They did it every day when they wanted something. Damn, he felt so dumb.

Watching the clock, Corey counted the minutes. Remy would probably call in a few minutes anyway. They had a date today and it’d started thirty minutes ago. Without Corey. Yes, he was a chicken. And yes, he felt childish and like the biggest heel right now.

When the phone in his hand warbled, Corey startled and shrieked—feeling the color slip from his face when Remy’s name appeared on the screen.
Shit, crap, fuck.
He hit connect.

“Corey? Is something wrong?” Remy asked, worried as hell because he’d been waiting for his lover for thirty minutes now.

“I’m fine,” Corey’s flat reply ghosted through the line. Remy didn’t buy it.

“If you’re fine, where are you? Was there a misunderstanding? I thought we said Angelo’s at nine. It’s nine thirty. Do you have problems with the car?”

Remy was nervous, he couldn’t deny it. Never once had Corey failed to turn up for one of their dates. Something must’ve happened. Yesterday, Corey had been eager to see him again.

“It’s not the car. I won’t make it tonight, Remington,” Corey said.

Remington?
“May I ask why?” he prodded. He wasn’t the most patient guy and Corey’s strange behavior did nothing to calm him down. The man’s next words felt like a punch to the gut.

“I think it’s best if we don’t see each other any longer.”

Apart from a shocked gasp—hell, he’d feared to hear those words eventually—nothing bright came out of his mouth. There he stood, eloquent lawyer with his fancy degree and experience, and one sentence from his lover had managed to turn his brain into useless mush. But what a sentence.

His heart beating faster in his chest, Remy felt his mouth going dry when his brain finally caught up with the conversation.

“You’re breaking up with me?”

Corey sighed deeply through the line. “It’s only considered a break-up if you’re in a relationship, Remington. We’re not. We’re fuck-buddies. And I don’t want to do this any longer.”

Remy had, with Rafe’s help, used the past week to plot his plan of final seduction. Seemed like Corey had run out of patience though—an unfortunate development. Didn’t mean he’d give up easily.

“Now, wait a second! You don’t want us to have a casual affair. I get it. But instead of talking with me and asking me how I feel about the matter, you call it quits? Over the phone?” He couldn’t contain the anger and disappointment to seep into his voice.

Corey’s reply was cold and quick. “Yes.”

Remy heard the light tremble in his lover’s voice though. Despite the man’s attitude, he just couldn’t believe that Corey would act so cruel. Not without a reason. Corey was the most caring and gentle man he’d ever met. Had something happened that forced the younger man to break it off?

“Why don’t we meet and talk about this in person? Please,” he begged. The irony wasn’t lost on him. While they’d been together, Remy had forced Corey to beg so many times. Now he was the one who thought about sinking to his knees.

Corey’s next words crushed his hopes. “There’s nothing to talk about. You’re going to search for a new fuck-buddy when you move on to the next job anyway. You enjoy sex without strings and then you move on to the next guy before they bore you to death. That’s what I heard,” he said, his voice becoming wobblier with every word he said.

Shit. Who would’ve thought his reputation would someday bite him in the ass. Well, he couldn’t deny the truth. Remy groaned and raked his fingers through his hair.

“Corey... it’s not like that. Okay, it might have started that way when we first met. Then I got to know you and everything changed. Why do you just assume I don’t want more with you than an affair? You stand me up and when I call, you confront me with your decision without knowing all the facts! Do you even care if I have feelings for you?”

“You never once hinted or said you wanted more than sex. Ever. You merely said you couldn’t make any promises for the future and that you’ve never wanted a boyfriend.” Corey sounded choked. And hurt. Why the hell was he hurt? He was the one breaking up! God, this was confusing.

“Corey, I said it’s too new to put a label on it,” he gently reminded his lover. “That’s exactly why we need to talk about this like adults. Please.”

Corey snorted and there was a noise that sounded suspiciously like a nose getting blown. Was he crying? “Oh, now you want to talk? Whenever I wanted to talk about you, you acted like it was a federal crime! You never share anything. Not about your life, not about your feelings. Only about your job. A man who’s searching for a partner doesn’t do that. Hell, you admitted it started off as only sex, just a minute ago!”

“Corey—”

“No! It hurts!”

“I know, love. I’m so sorry. Let me make this right, please. Let me woo you properly.” When the line remained quiet, Remy feared Corey had ended the call. “Corey?”

His boyfriend’s reply was whisper-soft. “Still here.”

“This is not over, Corey. I want you. Please, let me prove it to you.”

It was a while before his lover answered. Remy held his breath the whole damn time. “You can try. I’m not promising anything though.”

With that, the line went quiet.

Fucking hell. Shivering, Remy pocketed his phone and pulled his jacket tight around his body. It didn’t help because the freezing feeling stemmed from inside him.

Fear. That’s what it was. The fear of losing Corey.

Standing there, in the middle of the walkway in front of Angelo’s, Remy realized that, first, chances were that he’d just lost the best thing that had ever happen to him. Second, he’d do anything to get it back. Remy had always been a fighter and he hated to lose. He wouldn’t lose Corey. Not when he’d finally found the perfect man.

Instead of being angry with his lover, Remy mused where this sudden rejection was coming from. The fast pace of their sexual relationship, the way Remy had acted, and probably experiences from the past, had led Corey to the conclusion that their relationship had no future. Eventually, the pressure had been too much and Corey had snapped and pushed Remy away, trying to keep himself and his heart safe.

Add what Remy knew about Corey’s unrequited affection for a colleague, and the disaster was perfect. No wonder the man thought nobody would want a relationship with him. It’d been easier to break up than to wait till Remy dumped him.

Well, Remy was a determined bastard. Corey was too precious to just give him up. It might have started as sex, but now it was so much more.

Thanks to Rafe, he had a plan. A damn good one, too. Corey liked romance and probably the idea of old-fashioned wooing. Remy had a unique idea how to convey his feelings for Corey, show him his honesty, and explain his hang-ups. If he did it right, it’d give his lover the opportunity to get to know him. That wasn’t something one could cram into a flimsy little bouquet. Love letters, on the other hand...