“Ready?” I asked, looking up at him.

He grunted with a nod.

“You can make the first move, Mr. Hail.” I turned the board around so the white side faced him.

“Adrik,” he commanded as he reached out and took the first move.

My heart skipped a beat. “Adrik,” I whispered with a nod. “And I’m Ben,” I told him, which he probably already knew. Yet, I found myself wishing I could have used my real name with him. Oh, fuck me. This man had me twisted inside. I had to keep reminding myself he was a client, because I had a feeling it would be easy for me to like him, even when he was standoffish.

Chapter Two

West

Once again, my stomach acted up as I rode the elevator to Mr. Hail’s condo. Sorry, Adrik. I had to remember he wanted me to call him Adrik, since he’d reminded me many times last time as we played chess. A game, to his shock from the quick flash of wide eyes, I’d won. But of course, he didn’t let the shock show long. All he did was look at me and nod.

This time around, I was alone. His security stayed on the main floor and hadn’t even patted me down before I got on the elevator with my basket of baked goods.

I wasn’t sure why I felt the need to make some muffins for Adrik, but I just did it when the thought dropped into my mind. Now I felt like I was Little Red Riding Hood heading into the woods where I knew the wolf would be waiting.

I’d been surprised when Country had told me Adrik had booked me in for every second weekend. Shocked, but also pleased. It meant I didn’t fuck up. It meant he didn’t mind my rambling. It also meant he liked my company. Knowing that blasted my stomach with those swirly flying bugs that I couldn’t think of the name of. My mind and eyes were too focused on the doors right in front of me as a ding sounded before they slid open slowly.

I expected Adrik to be waiting, but he wasn’t. Then I heard sounds coming from the kitchen, so I made my way through his house and called, “Adrik?”

“Da, kitchen,” he said gruffly back. A shiver ran over my body at his voice, and my dick gave off a small throb. He’d be disappointed when he realized he wasn’t getting any action.

And why I was talking about my dick like it had its own mind, I didn’t know. Though sometimes he did have his own mind—like the constant hardness he got when I imagined Adrik while alone in my apartment. However, I refused to masturbate over the thought of him. I had to remind myself repeatedly that this was work and Adrik was a client.