One
BOSS MEETING
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Langston
FOR POSSIBLY THE FIRST TIME in my life, I didn’t like the holidays one fucking bit.
The thought of not seeing Luci bothered me. Not only the fact that I was thinking about it too much, but also the fact that she would be away from me. I wanted more time with her, not less.
And, fuck, that bothered me, too.
By the time we got a table at a nearby restaurant, I was trying to read minds. I could tell by the look on Ben’s face that he knew something that Landon and I didn’t. As much as I wanted to grab him by the collar and insist he tell me what it was, I managed to refrain. I was nothing if not controlled. It was what made me a damn good Dom. I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d lost control.
Okay, that wasn’t true. It was the day I’d come into the office to find Luci at her desk and not naked in my office like I had requested. I’d lost it that day. After I’d spent so much time anticipating having her all to myself, seeing her not where I’d instructed her to be had set me off.
However, I did at least have the common sense to let some time pass before I had punished her for her transgression. I derived absolutely no pleasure from punishment that wasn’t associated with playing. However, I would dole it out as it was necessary to maintain the balance between a Dom and a submissive.
“All right,” Justin said after we’d received our drinks. “Go ahead and tell them what Luci told you.”
I knew it.
Ben glanced at me and Landon. “I asked what her plans were for the holidays. I got the sense that she was not looking forward to them because she would be spending it alone.”
“Why would you assume that?” I narrowed my eyes, trying to read him. “What about her parents?”
“She said they went on a cruise,” Ben explained. “Won’t be back until after the first of the year.”
“According to Luci,” Landon offered, “she doesn’t spend much time with them anyway.”
Well, fuck. Why didn’t I know that?
“And Kristen?” I asked Landon.
He shrugged. “No idea, but that does explain why she’s hesitant to go home when I tell her to.”
“She doesn’t want to be alone,” Ben offered, which was the same conclusion I’d drawn.
“Was anyone planning to spend time with her over the holidays?” Justin asked.
I glanced at Landon. I hadn’t spoken to him about it, but I had intended to see her. No way could I go two fucking weeks without seeing her. I’d probably go out of my mind.
And that honestly had nothing to do with the fact that I wouldn’t get sex otherwise. Although I was hesitant to act on my attraction to Luci, that didn’t mean I could ignore her entirely.
“I was going to call her,” Landon admitted. “I haven’t nailed down anything at this point, but I was going to see her. Or try, anyway. Take her to dinner or something.”
Justin glanced at Ben, then back to me. “Unfortunately, we’ve got a lot going on. I’m not sure we can see her much until after Christmas.”
Ben took a sip of his drink before speaking. “I’m willing to change some things around. I’m spending Christmas Eve with my momma, but I’ll be available before and after.”
As I sipped my drink, an idea came to me. I glanced at my brother and he nodded, as though he had read my mind. Sometimes I thought he could actually do that.
“Let me call our folks,” Landon told Justin and Ben. “See if they’d be willin’ to do somethin’ different.”
“Like what?” Justin was obviously curious.
Fortunately, my brother didn’t show his hand before he was ready to play it. “Give me until tomorrow mornin’. Then we’ll let you know.”
“As long as someone’s going to take care of Luci,” Ben said firmly. “Otherwise, I’ll shift what I have to. I don’t like the idea of her spending the holidays by herself.”
I didn’t like the idea either, but if it came down to it, I would rather be the one to spend time with her. Well, Landon and I. That was my possessive streak coming out, though.
“She won’t be spending them alone,” I assured them.
No matter what my brother and I came up with, Luci would not be spending the holidays by herself.
I would make damn sure of that.
Two
WHEN I WOKE UP ON Friday morning, after getting a solid eight hours of sleep, I felt a little better. I wasn’t ready to face the holidays alone, but I did feel as though I could take it day by day. Apparently, I’d needed a good night’s sleep. It went a long way to lifting my spirits.
Instead of thinking about my bosses and the fact that I wouldn’t get to see them for two weeks, I decided I would do some last-minute Christmas shopping. I probably could’ve waited until the day after Christmas and gotten everything on sale, but I had procrastinated long enough and I had too much time to kill.
