Chapter 1

1

Thomas Harrigan picked up the coffeepot on the small side table of the conference room and prepared to pour himself a steaming cup of the fragrant hazelnut brew. The coffee service was definitely one of the perks of clerking at the Law Offices of Clark Sterling and Associates. Each day, or so it seemed to Thomas, a new flavor would be introduced to his coffee-loving palate.

“Someone’s going to have to go remind him of the meeting,” Denise Copeland, one of the attorneys, said behind him.

“Don’t look at me. I did it last time. No way am I going in there again,” another attorney, Peter or something-or-other, said.

“Well, he’s the one who set up these weekly meetings,” Denise said. “His secretary puts reminders on his e-mail calendar and calls him ahead of time, and he still doesn’t show up.”

“Let’s get the new guy to do it.”

Thomas smiled, nodding. Yes, get the new guy to go into Clark Sterling’s office to remind him of their meeting. Damn man was too intimidating, that was for sure. Tall, muscular, drop-dead gorgeous, and voted most eligible gay attorney in some stupid magazine. Also scary, brilliant, arrogant, and mean. He felt sorry for the new guy.

His hand shook, splashing coffee all over the table.

Wait, he was the new guy.

Thomas turned to face the five others in the conference room. Two women and three men. All already attorneys and all older and wiser than himself. They smiled beatifically at him.

“Oh hey, guys, not me,” Thomas pleaded.

“Yes, you,” Denise, a beautiful blonde woman in her early thirties, said. She patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry, Thomas, you can do it.”

“He scares the crap out of me.”

She shrugged. “He scares the crap out of everyone. Besides, law clerks make perfect gophers.”

Thomas grimaced, reached for a napkin, and wiped coffee off his hand. “Well, can’t you just have the meeting without him?”

Peter—yes, that washis name—rolled his eyes. “The whole point of the meeting is for us to report on our cases to him.”

“If he doesn’t remember the meeting, maybe he’ll think he attended?” Thomas suggested hopefully.

“It’s just his way of testing us, I think,” an older, chubby male attorney said. “Go on, Thomas. You know you have to, so you may as well get it over with.”

Thomas straightened and yanked down his suit coat. “Very well. I’ll do it.”

“That’s the spirit.” Denise gave him an encouraging smile.

Thomas walked past the group with his head held high and left the conference room. He’d show them. He marched down to Clark Sterling’s office and immediately turned toward his secretary’s desk. Thomas planned to sweet-talk her into reminding Mr. Sterling.

“Shit.” He stared at her empty chair. No doubt she’d disappeared on purpose. Fine.

Gritting his teeth, Thomas went to the door of the office and tapped on it. “Mr. Sterling? It’s time for the meeting.” Nothing. He tapped a little louder. “Mr. Sterling?”

Thomas recalled Mr. Sterling had an outer office before his regular office. Some sort of sitting room or something. He might have the door shut between the two. He’d have to find out.

Twisting the knob, he opened the door and peered inside. No one was in the outer office, and the other office door wasclosed. Thomas walked across the office to the other door. He raised his knuckles to rap on the door.

“Oh, yeah, right there. That’s it, take all of my cock in your mouth.”

What the fuck?

Thomas almost choked on his surprise. Shit, was Mr. Sterling getting a blowjob right in his office? If so, he’d for sure fire Thomas if he interrupted such a thing.

“Spread your ass for me.”

Ah, jeez.Now he was getting turned on. He shifted and reached down to move his dick, relieving the sudden pressure in his briefs. The last thing he needed to do was to face the owner of the firm with a raging hard cock.

Thomas cleared his throat. “M-Mr. Sterling?”

Of course, there was no response. If he were occupied sticking it in somebody’s ass—

But if he didn’t remind Clark there was a meeting, well, he dreaded the consequences. Thomas exhaled and opened the door. “I’m sorry to…interrupt.” The room was empty. Well, not entirely. Clark Sterling sat snoring in his large, plush leather chair, his mouth hanging open with a dot of drool in the corner.

Okay, Thomas knew he had a vivid imagination, but that had been a little bit too much even for him.

“Oh, yeah, fuck me,” said the computer.

Frowning, Thomas came around the desk and stared at the computer screen. His jaw dropped. Mr. Sterling had been watching gay porn.