Vann finished his lunch and sat out back on the porch, basking in the heat of the afternoon sun against his skin. He had yanked his T-shirt off a few minutes before and closed his eyes, enjoying the prickling on his skin. An hour in the yard didn’t give him a chance to soak up much sun during the last few years, and he was going to take advantage of every second he could steal outside.

He jumped when something vibrated against his backside. He fished out his phone from his back pocket and smiled when he read the name on the screen.

“Hey,” he said, answering the call.

“So, how’s your first day going?” Drayton asked.

Vann ducked his head and smiled, loving the familiar casualness between them. “So far, so good. I’m going to start work at a diner tomorrow. Julian already took me by there and I met the owners. Really nice couple. I just had lunch, and I’m sitting out back in the sun. How’s your day going?”

“Better…now.” A comforting silence filled the distance between them, the only sounds those of the distant traffic and the rhythmic breathing filtering through the phone pressed against his ear. “Is it silly that we’re not talking but it doesn’t bother me because I know you’re on the other end of the line?” Drayton asked.

Vann sighed. “I was thinking the same thing. You sound tired.”

“I am. Working on the new model in the line has been…difficult.”

He ran his finger along the seam of his jeans, enjoying the rise and fall of Drayton’s voice. “I miss you.”

“I needed to hear that.” The strain in Drayton’s voice echoed through the line. “I’ve got a business trip I can’t get out of. And I’m really pissed about it because I can’t come by today to see you.”

Vann squinted, turning his face up toward the sun. “It’s okay. Life didn’t stop because I got out. But…um…”

“What is it?”

“Just call me or send one of those text things. Matt said I can get both on this phone.”

“You bet your ass I’ll call. Give me a second.” Drayton’s voice muffled as if covering the phone to speak to someone in the room about some jet being ready. A fucking jet? He returned to the line with a sigh. “I’ve got to go.”

“Okay. I’ve got curfew times for calls and visits, but it’s not like I’m going anywhere. You know where I’ll be.”

“Don’t worry. I’m already up on the rules and schedule. You’d be proud of my stalker skills.”

Vann sunk his teeth into his bottom lip to hold back a groan. He remembered Drayton had a ton of skills.

“I’ve got to go.” Drayton chuckled then lowered his voice. “And by the way…”

“Yeah?”

“I totally know where your mind went a moment ago when I mentioned skills.”

Vann closed his eyes and sighed. “You’re still evil as hell.” He disconnected the call after their goodbyes and closed his eyes, clutching the phone to his chest. He exhaled a shaky breath and dared to hope that the fire still burned strong enough between them after all these years.

∞ ♥ ∞

Drayton slowly returned the phone to the receiver, trying to extend the hint of joy that filled his heart. Thoughts of Vann always soothed his stress and grounded him, allowing him to focus on his tasks and ignore the looming deadlines and demands of everyone around him. The new visual of a thick-muscled Vann coupled with the melodic sound of his voice and teasing tone spurred on his happy mojo at a time when he needed it most. The stress of the last few months was taking its toll. He sensed it in every inch of his body but fought it, refusing to show any sign of weakness.

“Mia told me she already informed you the jet’s ready. Something’s obviously slowing you down.” Taylor Hughes, his corporate lawyer and honest—sometimes too honest—friend of seven years gave him a firm stare as he pulled out the chair across from his desk.

Drayton rubbed his eyes harshly, fighting off the exhaustion that weighed his shoulders. “Is there any way you can do this trip solo? There’s somewhere else I’d rather be tonight.” He lowered his hand and crossed his arms on his desk.

“Nope.”

“What the fuck am I paying you for?”

Taylor leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “I know you prefer to be elsewhere tonight, but you’re the one who wanted this brake partnership. I’ll make sure the negotiated paperwork’s in place, but you need to make sure his prototype has the stopping power you need for the new motor specs.”

“Timing’s bad.”

“Erich returns to Germany first thing tomorrow. So you decide. A night or two now in the US or several weeks for an international trip later on.”

“You’re stressing me out.”

“Far less than most people. That’s why you pay me the big bucks.” Taylor chuckled. “How’s Sean progressing with the new model?”

Drayton steepled his hands and tapped his fingertips to his lips. “It’s…slower than expected.”

“You know the guy rocks a hard-on for you. Just fuck that son of a bitch and get it over with. That might unclog his creative juices and get things moving along.”

Drayton slowly straightened his shoulders, taking a long, deep breath to level off the spike of anger at the comment. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that.”

Taylor waved his hand in the air, shooing away the seriousness in his tone. “People are salivating for a new model.”

“I’m aware.”

His friend looked at his watch and lowered his brow, pausing for a moment before he spoke. “It’s been almost two years since you launched the line.”

“Did you have to look at your watch for that?”

Taylor rolled his eyes. “We need to get on that plane to make the meeting.”

Drayton stood from his seat and grabbed his keys and wallet from the top drawer. “Sean’s one of the best in the industry. He’s worked on this with the creative team for over a year and believes he’s close. So I’m…temporarily giving him the benefit of the doubt.”

Taylor’s eyebrows slowly rose. “Or?”

“He’s out.”

Taylor stilled, any sense of humor evaporated from his entire demeanor in a split second. “Should you be giving him an ultimatum? Firing him now would throw everything off schedule. If he’s—”

“If he’s heading up the team as he should be, then he should have made some progress after all this time.”

“You’ve already said he’s one of the top guys in the industry. Everything will be stalled until you get a replacement. He’s got you by the balls.”

Drayton walked casually toward the door, speaking with each confident step in his stride. “My employees are here by my choice. I respect them and their talents and I, in exchange, pay them handsomely for their contributions.” He reached the door and turned toward his attorney friend, still sitting with a shell-shocked expression on his face and a gaping mouth. “I want to make one thing crystal fucking clear. I don’t give a shit how much it costs and how much it sets me or the company back. Only one man will ever have me by the balls…and that is by choice. My. Choice. It’s a right he never asked for but earned years ago,” he said, punctuating his words.

He gave his attorney a final, firm stare before walking out the door and ending the conversation.