“Welcome to Rousseau International. You must be Garner Saunderland. Joseph has told me so much about you.” Edmond went back to his desk. “Please have a seat.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Garner said as he sat down. He liked the man’s warm disposition and smile.
“I’ve read over your resume and can’t wait for you to meet Brice.”
“Brice?” Garner asked.
“Brice Rousseau, the CEO of Rousseau International Foods. Did Joseph fail to tell you the position would be as the personal assistant for his older brother?”
The little cutie had indeed failed to mention it. Garner was going to kill him the next time he saw Joseph. He nodded.
“Will this be a problem?”
“No,” Garner answered. “I’m just a little surprised. I’ve never worked for a billionaire before.”
Edmond chuckled. “You can relax. Brice is no different than you or I. He puts on his pants the same way we do. You’ll like him. He’s real down to earth. I’m sure the two of you will get along just fine.”
Garner didn’t think so, especially if the elder Rousseau was anything like his two younger brothers.
“When can you start?” Edmond asked.
Garner jerked his head up in surprise. The man hadn’t asked him one work-related question. “You mean I have the position?”
Edmond nodded. “If you want it. I checked out your credentials beforehand. You come highly recommended.”
The dean and the lawyer that he’d worked for wrote references for him. And he was sure Joseph had a little something to do with it too. “Yes, I want it. I can start immediately.”
Edmond rose. “Let me take you to meet Brice. His office is just down the hall on the right.” His telephone rang. “Excuse me a minute. Hello? Can you hold on for a moment? I have someone in my office.” He put the person on hold. “Would you mind going down and meeting Brice? This phone call is very important.”
“Sure,” Garner said. He left Edmond’s office, walked down the hall and knocked on the door.
“Come in,” a deep, sexy voice said.
Garner turned the knob and entered. A man stood before him in nothing but a white dress shirt, a tie, black briefs and socks. In his hand he held a golf club. Another man was on his knees taking measurements with a tape. The one with the golf club in his hand beckoned him in.
“When are you arriving, Ives?” the half-naked man asked.
“In a couple of days,” another male voice said through the speaker phone. “I can’t wait to see you.”
“I can’t wait to see you too.”
The guy on his knees had a hard time doing his job because the pantless man paced while he spoke over the speaker phone. “I have to go. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Okay,” the guy on the other line said. “I miss you.” The call disconnected.
Only then did the man without the pants seem to notice him. “Ooh, you’re a cutie. Edmond knows exactly what I like.”
Garner moved around nervously. “Excuse me?”
The man walked toward him, ignoring the tailor. “And you’re just the right height.”
Garner ran his gaze all over the other guy from head to toe. He stood six feet tall with short jet black hair and green eyes. He also had nice legs.
“Can you dance?”
Garner slid his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Yes. Why?”
The man stood in front of him. “Because.” He reached down and removed Garner’s glasses. “Baby blue. Oh my god, you’re stunning.”
Garner frowned. “What?” Who is this guy and why is he being so obnoxious?
The man used his finger and lifted Garner’s chin. He leaned forward and kissed him.
Garner stood perfectly still, not sure what he should do. He didn’t want to insult the man, but he didn’t want to encourage him either. A warm tongue wiggled into his mouth. The man had him trapped against the wall, with one hand resting on Garner’s chest. Garner opened his mouth to the prying tongue. It tasted like peppermint. The other guy kissed with much experience. He moaned against the man’s lips.
The door beside them opened.
“Oh, my word, Brice. Let the man breathe,” Edmond said, entering.
This guy is Brice Rousseau? Garner nearly fainted.
Brice removed his tongue. “What? I’m just testing him. He’s an escort, isn’t he? I’m sure he’s used to men kissing him.” Brice handed Garner his glasses and moved away.
Garner straightened up. His body felt alive and aroused. Everything inside him tingled with delight. “Escort?” He put his glasses back on.
“Yes, escort. You’re my date for the evening and probably for the rest of the night if you play your cards right.” Brice walked away, swinging the golf club. He stopped while the tailor continued to measure his inseam.
“He’s not your date,” Edmond finally said.
Brice looked at Garner. “Then who the hell is he?”
“He’s your new personal assistant. His name is Garner Saunderland. He’s Joseph’s friend.”
Brice ran a slow gaze up and down Garner’s body, and then he looked back at Edmond. “A southern gent? Awe, gee, Edmond. Why did you have to spoil my fantasy? He’s tall and good-looking. And have you seen his eyes?”
Garner tried to ignore the conversation while his cock continued to grow hard in his briefs. Joseph never told him that his oldest brother was gay or that he was a whack job.
Edmond nodded. “Yes, I’ve seen them. He’s gorgeous, but unfortunately he’s not an escort.”
The tailor finally finished up. The poor guy got his things and bolted out the office.
Brice chuckled, put down his golf club and reached for his pants. “Aw, gee, and I have an erection and everything. You sure he’s not an escort?” He stepped into his trousers.
Garner blushed, but moaned inside. Brice Rousseau had him excited. Edmond wasn’t bad, either, and obviously had his hands full with his eccentric cousin.
Edmond shook his head. “No, he’s not an escort. That’s one of the things I came in here to tell you.”
Brice slipped his feet into a pair of Italian loafers and sat down at his desk while Edmond handed him a folder.
Garner remained against the wall afraid to move. He also had a raging hard-on that wouldn’t go down.
Brice flipped through the folder, reading but not commenting. He pushed the folder aside and ran his glance moved down Garner’s body, landing on the sizeable lump in his pants. “Please tell me you’re gay.”
Garner straightened his stance and cleared his throat. “Yes. Does it matter?”
“Not to get or to keep this job. But it’s nice to know I didn’t cause a straight man to get all hot and bothered,” Brice said with a wicked little grin.
Edmond chuckled and tried to gain his composure.
Garner frowned. Had he no shame? Damn, the man’s eyes simply swept him away.
“Where’s my date?” Brice asked.
“He can’t make it.” Edmond answered.
Brice glared at Edmond. “What do you mean? I have a party to attend tonight and I can’t go stag.” He opened the folder again and signed off on the employment form. “Can you dance?” Brice asked Garner again.
Garner nodded.
“Good. The party is at eight. It’s formal. Wear something nice in black and I’ll pick you up at seven-thirty.”
Garner voice trembled. “What will I have to do?”
“Nothing much, except dress up in a fancy suit and put up with me for a couple of hours,” Brice explained. “I can introduce you to a lot of charming people who will just love your southern accent.”
Garner cleared his throat. “Will kissing be required?” Ooh, please say yes.
Edmond chuckled again.
Garner shook his head at Edmond to get him to stop.
Brice voice grew husky. “Only if you want to kiss me. But you’re under no obligation to have sex with me unless you can’t help yourself.”
Oh, my god. Garner nearly came in his briefs. His cheeks heated. “I’ll go, but no funny business.” Who am I kidding? Had Edmond not been in the office Garner probably would have stripped butt naked and offered himself to Brice.
Edmond reached into his pocket, pulled out a business card, and handed it to Garner. “Call me if you need a good attorney to represent you in a sexual harassment case.” He laughed and followed it up with a sigh.
Garner accepted the card and put it in his pocket. “Thank you.”
Brice chuckled nervously. “I thought you were my cousin.”
Edmond turned his attention back to Brice. “I am, but part of my job is to keep you out of trouble.” He turned to Garner. “I’ll be at the party too to keep an eye on him too.”
Brice looked at Edmond and smirked. “You know not even you can stop me if I want something bad enough.”
Garner gulped. Brice’s voice turned him on.
“Come on. I’ll take you to your office,” Edmond said to Garner.
Garner turned to follow Edmond to the door. He looked back once and found Brice checking him out.
Brice just smiled wickedly and then put the folder in his in-basket.