Jax's expression must have given away his unease because Ruan's grin faltered quickly. "I was joking, of course," he said and chuckled again. "I am heading into the bathroom to take my bath." He cleared his throat and walked straight to the white door opposite the bed.
Once he was away and Jax was alone, he walked toward the compact desk and sat down on the chair. He placed the bag on the table and brought out the phone and a sleek silver laptop. As he delved deeper into the bag, he discovered a black credit card. He unboxed the phone, turned it on, and waited for it to boot. Then he saw a message pop up in the notification box, clicked on it, and found a single message.
"Call me."
The message was from a number saved as Lucas, and he didn't hesitate as he dialed the number. The phone rang for a moment before a harsh tone sounded from the speaker. "It took you long enough to call me," a deep, gravelly voice sounded.
"Hello, sir, I apologize…"
"Why are you already apologizing, Jax? You haven't even started your job as a manager, and you're already messing up. Why didn't you turn the phone on the instant you got it? Did Ruan tell you not to turn it on? Are you also rebelling against me?"
"I…" Jax tried to explain, but he was cut off again by Lucas.
"I don't need you to lie to me about anything because I know everything! I am the boss here, not Ruan, and you agreed to inform me about everything that happens there, so why are you not doing your duty…"
"I…"
"No excuses, you already failed a part of your job!" Lucas shouted at him. "Why didn't you go straight to the island when you arrived and instead went to a hotel? You want the whole world to find out where Ruan is having his rehab? You already know how the media are, and yet you went with the stupidest idea, and…" He paused for a moment. "I thought that I could trust you enough to be able to manage Ruan, but it seems that you are not up to the task…"
"Sir…" Jax stopped him before he could finish talking. "I apologize for not contacting you sooner, and for the hotel, Ruan said that he was jetlagged, and since the journey to the island was eight hours, we are only resting here for the night and moving there tomorrow morning. I can assure you that I am not going to fail in my task as Ruan's manager, and I…" He paused when he heard the door to the bathroom opening and Ruan stepping out, wrapped only in a towel that clung to his hips. Water droplets glistened on his skin, and his beautiful brown hair was slicked back, revealing the sharp angles of his face.
Jax's eyes widened as he took in the sight of Ruan's nearly naked body. It was the first time he had ever appreciated the beauty of another man so intensely, and not even his last fling made him stare the way he was staring at him.
His gaze traced the lines of Ruan's tattoos, the curves of his muscles, and the sharp definition of his abs. He forgot that he was still on the phone with Lucas until a loud, exasperated voice yelled in his ear. "Jax, are you listening to me?"
He jerked back to reality, his face flushing with embarrassment. "Yes, sir, I am sorry. I was just…" He didn't know how he was supposed to explain that Ruan had made him stop talking because he was half-naked. "I understand what you say, sir, and I am sorry if I didn't get to inform you as quickly as possible."
"Is that Lucas?" Ruan asked as he leaned closer.
Jax felt his heart jump with the closeness, but he didn't show it, and as he turned to face him, he slowly nodded in response.
"May I?" Ruan held out his hand.
He nodded and handed over the phone and watched as Ruan stepped toward the window and started talking. "Lucas, it's me," he said. "I am the one who told the driver to take us to the hotel, not him! What do you expect? I am fucking jetlagged, and I need my rest. He is doing his job as my manager, and everything is perfectly under control! Yes, we are heading to the island tomorrow. Can you stop being so overbearing? He is doing his job, and…" There was a pause, and finally, he spoke in a low, calming tone. "Goodnight, Lucas." He said finally and ended the call, then walked back to Jax, who stared at him curiously.
"Is everything under control?" he asked.
Ruan nodded and dropped the phone on the table. "Go take your bath, Jax."
"Sure." He stood up, stretched, and headed into the bathroom. Once he was alone in the bathroom, he walked toward the sink and stared at himself in the mirror just above the sink. He heaved a deep sigh as he searched for answers within himself. He felt like he was already underperforming his job as the manager.
He couldn't stop thinking about the call with Lucas and how things were already falling out of place and how his mind was consumed by thoughts of Ruan. He had always had control around his clients, never letting his emotions get the better of him, so why was he finding it hard to resist Ruan's charm?
"What must I do?" he asked himself as he ran a hand through his curly hair. "What do I do to stop myself from breaking the rules that I had set for myself, and I…" He paused and started undressing, and once he was fully naked, he stepped under the shower, letting the warm water wash over him.
As he stood there, he couldn't shake off the image of Ruan from his mind. In his imagination, Ruan was standing in front of him, his eyes burning with desire, and his hands were around his waist.
Jax felt a shiver run down his spine as he pictured Ruan's hands touching him, their lips meeting in a passionate kiss.
The fantasy was so vivid that his heart started racing, and he let out a loud moan. He leaned against the shower wall, his eyes closed, and let the water wash over him.
He felt Ruan's fingers trace the contour of his face, sending sparks of electricity through his skin. He imagined Ruan kissing him again, the kiss deepening, and his hands roaming over his body, exploring every inch of him.
The thought sent a surge of desire through him, and he felt himself getting lost in the fantasy. He couldn't remember the last time he felt this way about someone, and it wasn't until he came under the shower that he realized what he was doing.
His eyes fluttered open as he gasped for air and stared down at his hand around his erect cock. He couldn't believe that he actually succumbed to his fantasy and climaxed under the shower. He sighed, feeling frustrated and embarrassed.
How was he supposed to avoid temptation when his own mind was working against him?
He turned off the shower, wrapped a towel around his body, and wiped his hair dry with another towel, then he headed out of the bathroom and was greeted with the sight of Ruan fast asleep on the bed. He stared at him and couldn't help but think about the irony of the situation.
He was having an intimate imagination of himself while he was sleeping peacefully. Jax shook his head, chuckling at his own foolishness. He dried himself off, changed into some comfortable clothes, and then sat down in front of the compact desk, turning on the new laptop where Ruan's schedule was listed. He went through it, trying to familiarize himself with the upcoming events.
As he worked, his eyelids began to droop, and he yawned, feeling a wave of fatigue wash over him. He then decided to take a break and rest for a bit. He walked over to the bed and lay on the other side, trying not to disturb Ruan.
He closed his eyes, feeling his body relax into the soft mattress, and just as he was drifting off to sleep, Jax felt Ruan's hand wrap around him, pulling him closer. He gasped but didn't turn around and didn't bother removing Ruan's hand from around him, but he wondered if he would be able to sleep with Ruan's warm body pressed against his.