Page 18 of His Boss for Christmas
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Peter said with a scoff.
Justin blinked slowly at him before a small, fragile smile curled his lips. “So it wouldn’t be so terrible if I was your soulmate?”
Peter hesitated. That felt like a trick question. If he said that it would be terrible, he would hurt Justin—and the mere idea was intolerable—but saying no felt... too risky. He would make himself vulnerable, and he’d never liked that. He hadn’t gotten to the top by allowing himself to be vulnerable.
But this was Justin.
Over the past two years they’d worked together, Justin had seen him at his worst. He’d seen Peter angry and snappish, he’d seen him stressed and exhausted to the bone as they worked on difficult cases. He’d seen him drunk on an occasion or two, drowning in guilt after winning cases for corporations againstgood people who needed the win more. (People said he didn’t have a conscience. If only it were true.)
This was Justin.
“I guess it wouldn’t be the worst thing,” Peter said stiffly, looking Justin in the eyes. His face felt hot. “You would be... a tolerable choice as far as soulmates go.”
“Tolerable?” Justin choked out indignantly, but his eyes were smiling. This was Justin. He knew how to read him, how to read between the subtlest lines as far as Peter was concerned.
“Decent,” Peter said.
Brushing his fingers through Peter’s hair, Justin smiled. “Not good enough. Try again.”
Peter looked at that lovely, hopeful little smile and felt something in his chest squeeze. It wasn’t an altogether unpleasant feeling, but it felt like his heart was too big for his chest. “If I have to have something as trite as a soulmate, you’re the only person who doesn’t feel wrong.”
Justin’s eyes widened. “Oh,” he said. “Peter.” Leaning in, he kissed him gently.
They’d shared many kisses over the past few days. They’d all felt good. But this one felt achingly lovely—loving.
It made Peter’s heart do that disgusting squeezing thing again. He kissed back, trying to pour the excess of emotion into Justin’s mouth. It didn’t really work. He still felt too much. But he wouldn’t trade it for the world. Nothing could possibly feel better.
“I love you,” Justin said against his mouth.
Well.
He’d been wrong about nothing could possibly feeling better.
This did.
“I’ve loved you forever,” Justin murmured, pressing their foreheads together and gently cradling Peter’s face with his hands. “But I thought I had no chance with you. I thought—I thought you couldn’t possibly love me back.” He smiled wetly. “I’m so happy I was wrong.”
“You’re making quite the assumption here, Danvers,” Peter said, clearing his throat a little.
Justin laughed against his face. “Remember what I told you about calling me by my last name? It’s a tell. So if I’m reading it right... my assumption is correct, Mr. Hayes.”
“Possibly,” Peter admitted, smiling. “Or I would have fired you ages ago for being a mouthy little shit and showing me no respect.”
“Oh, I respect you plenty,” Justin said, slipping his hand down Peter’s chest and cupping his half-hard cock through his underwear. “Let me show it to you?”
Peter chuckled. “Go ahead, dear.”
“Soulmate,” Justin said, settling between his legs.
“No offense, but I’m never calling you that.”
Putting his chin on Peter’s thigh, Justin smiled at him teasingly. “Shall we bet on that?”
Looking into those green eyes shining with happiness, Peter had a sudden thought that there was nothing he wouldn’t do tokeep them so bright. Fuck. This boy had him wrapped around his little finger, didn’t he? And Peter didn’t even mind. Because Justin was right, damn him.
Peter loved him.
It didn’t feel like a new thought—or a new feeling. Perhaps he’d simply been blind. The thought was disconcerting and more than a little humbling. Had it not been for that dodgy, messed up Christmas spell, would they ever have figured it out? It was ironic that Justin’s desire to go look for his soulmate—who happened to be Peter—had made Peter realize that he’d already thought of his associate ashis, regardless of any bullshit spell.