Making It Personal by Wells, C. (best non fiction books of all time txt) 📗

was dimly aware of Dave nodding. Finally he broke free of the photo’s spell. “Can you do me a print, just like the others?”

“Sure.” Dave shoved a USB flash drive into one of the ports and clicked on the photo. He took out the flash drive and handed it to Blake. “But in the meantime, here’s a copy of it.”

Blake took it absently, his eyes drawn back to the screen. The sound of Will approaching had him looking away hastily. Dave caught his mood and snapped down the laptop, just as Will entered the room. Blake gave Will a relaxed smile, trying to ignore his racing heartbeat. “It’s getting late. How about you and I head home?” The word stuck in his throat. Home.

Will nodded. “Did the photos turn out all right?” he asked Dave.

“Just beautiful. I’ll let you see when I’ve cut off your heads—if you get my meaning.” Dave smirked. He glanced at his watch. “And now you two need to get out of here. It’s already past my bedtime.”

Blake rolled his eyes. “I see how it is. Now you’ve got what you wanted, you’re casting us off like an old shoe.” He loved teasing Dave.

“Yep.” Dave folded his arms and grinned. “But thanks for that. You two are very photogenic.” He held out his hand to Will. “It was a real pleasure to meet you, Will.”

Will shook his hand. “Same here.” He turned to Blake. “Okay, you, take me home.”

Blake speared him with a look. “On one condition.” Will’s eyebrows lifted. “That you don’t grope me again as we go through my building. Dominic’s the doorman on tonight, and the last time he was on late night duty, you kept touching my arse as we walked to the elevator. He didn’t know where to look.”

Will guffawed, but then straightened his face and made a cross over his heart. “I’ll be a good boy. Promise.” He pressed his lips together in what he obviously hoped was an innocent expression. Yeah, right…..

Blake hugged Dave tightly and then took hold of Will’s hand.

“Let’s go home.”

He had an appointment with a bed, his lover—and if he was really lucky, Will’s leather wrist shackles.

Chapter Twelve

“I really like this idea,” Will confided in Rick as he glanced around the conference room. Christmas songs were playing in the background, and the table was loaded down with brightly wrapped gifts, plates of party food and bottles of wine and soft drinks. Once the meeting had taken place that morning, Rick and Lizzie had shooed everyone out of the room to set up the party. Not that any actual work got done by anyone. Lots of coffee drinking in the kitchen and standing around chatting, yes. It was Christmas Eve, after all. The only puzzling part had been Karen’s non-appearance. She hadn’t rung in sick, but as yet there was no sign of her.

“Yeah, the boss has done this every Christmas Eve since he took over.” Rick’s face fell. “Took over. Yeah, right.”

“What’s the deal there?” Will asked. It was something he’d been meaning to broach with Blake, but it was clearly a sore point. “Does Blake own the company or Justin?”

Rick sighed. “When the old man had his heart attack, Blake stepped in at his request. Justin said at the time that he was giving Blake the company, and that Blake was to run it as he saw fit. So out with the old, in with the new.”

“So it is Blake’s company.”

Rick snorted. “Except Justin hasn’t let go. No public announcement of Blake’s takeover of command, no acknowledgment of Blake’s achievements. Hell, Justin is still taking the credit for all Blake’s success. That must really piss off the boss, especially when Justin wanders in and keeps sticking his oar in all the time.” He puffed out his breath.

“Is the company legally Blake’s?”

Rick met his gaze. “Good question. I don’t know, is the answer to that one.” He glanced at his watch. “Hey, it’s almost twelve. Why don’t you go grab the boss and drag him out of that office so he can come play with the rest of us kiddies?” He grinned and then his expression grew more sober. “I’ll try ringing Karen again. This isn’t like her.”

“Good idea.” Will thought Rick was a really sweet guy. He clearly cared a lot for his workmates. Will left him and went along to Blake’s office. Blake was perched on the arm of the sofa, staring down into the street far below. There was a faraway look in his eyes that Will recognized immediately. He’d seen a lot of that look in the past week.

He pushed the door shut and then walked over to Blake and laid a hand on his shoulder. “The troops are ready for inspection, Sir,” he said with a wink.

Blake turned slowly toward him, his face upturned. “Kiss me.”

Will was momentarily taken aback. He hadn’t expected such an opening, but hey, he would never turn down a request like that. He lowered his head and brought his lips to meet Blake’s, the kiss tender and lingering. Blake closed his eyes, sighing, the sound lost as Will deepened the kiss.

When he broke away to gaze down at Blake there was something in Blake’s expression that caused Will’s heart to give a jolt. “What’s wrong, babe?”

Blake opened his mouth to speak, but then a sudden commotion coming from the conference room halted him in his tracks. He frowned. “What’s going on out there?” Will tilted his head, listening. Something was obviously wrong. Blake got to his feet and walked purposefully to the door, Will close behind him. When they entered the conference room, both men gasped. Karen was standing by the table with a couple of uniformed police officers. A female police officer held Karen’s arm, clearly trying to calm her. The team was standing around, everyone wearing similar expressions of shock and concern. What drew Will’s gasp, however, was Karen’s face. Her left eye was blackened and puffy, her cheekbones bruised and