Mr. Anonymous - 1. Mr. Anonymous by KC Grim

Mr. Anonymous

by K.C. Grim

Chapter 1

The Jumping Java was packed like it always was at this time of morning. It seems like the world was no longer capable of waking up and starting a new day without a fresh cup of coffee.

Percy waited patiently for his turn in line. With each completed order, the line automatically shifted forward two steps like the customers were standing on an invisible conveyer belt.

The two steps standard, no more and no less.

Everyone moved in perfect sync, except for the guy standing directly behind Percy.

This guy was just way too close. You know the kind, the one who stands closer than what would be considered socially acceptable, the person who invades someone else’s personal space without knowing they are even doing it. He was that sort of guy.

Percy wanted to glare at him. A quick, angry scowl over his shoulder would do the trick, but he didn’t. Instead, he tried to lean forward and scoot up a few inches, earning him a flirtatious grin from the woman in front of him.

“Great,” Percy muttered under his breath. Suddenly, when the next order was completed, Mr. Too-Close-For-Comfort shifted forward, but Ms. Lookie-Loo ahead of him didn’t budge, leaving Percy stuck in a very awkward position.

Today had started off great. Percy woke up feeling better than he had in forever. Actually, he couldn’t remember when he ever felt this good.

Last night, he finally got a response from the ad he’d placed online over a month ago. He was starting to think it had been a huge waste of time, because seriously, who in today’s age of Grinder for random hook-ups is just looking for someone to talk to? Nothing more, nothing less, just engaging conversation? Max, that’s who. MaxTheMagnificent, to be precise.

It was a long shot, placing his ad on Spuzzyboys.com between an ad for a sex slave and the dozens of listings for random hook-ups. Percy’s ad was simple: Looking to talk. That’s all it said and it took weeks for someone to finally answer.

Percy was starting to daydream about Max when the line moved forward and it was his turn to place his order. Following Jumping Java protocol, he placed his order, took two steps to the left, paid, and then took two more steps to receive his tall cup of piping hot coffee.

Coffee was Percy’s morning drug of choice, black with one sugar, not like some of those other froufrou drinks. All that other crap left less room for the caffeine, and that’s what it was all about in Percy’s opinion. How much caffeine could they squeeze into each cup? If it was possible, Percy would skip drinking it and shoot it straight into his veins like heroin.

The girl behind the counter shouted his drink order.

“Coffee, coffee, coffee.” Percy’s eyes lit up when he grabbed his drink. Turning on his heels to leave, he ran smack into Mr. Too-Close.

The unsecured lid popped off his cup when the guy’s hand swung up from the force of the impact. He caught the bottom of the cup, tossing it and the hot contents over the rim and across Percy’s dress shirt and tie.

Mr. Too-Close’s bright green eyes flashed wide with surprise at the sudden collision.

“Fuck, what’s wrong with you? Can’t you watch where the hell you’re going?” Percy immediately snapped at the guy, who was still stumbling backwards, arms flailing, desperately trying to catch his balance.

The buzzing conversation inside the coffee shop stopped as everyone paused to watch the confrontation unfold.

“Man, I’m really --” The guy struggled to apologize. His handsome face flushed red to the point his freckles almost disappeared, but Percy didn’t give him a chance to speak. His good mood was gone.

Mr. Too-Close was able to regain his posture just in time for Percy to push past him, stomping towards the door. He tossed his cup with the remaining few drops of liquid into the trash as he left the shop in a huff.

“What the hell is wrong with people?” He growled loud enough to frighten a young mother walking her child to school.

The woman grabbed her daughter’s hand and gave Percy a disapproving glare.

Couldn’t she see he was…he was…what? He was ranting like a lunatic? Percy stopped and looked around.

Normally, people would give him a friendly smile or a quick nod of their head as they passed by him, but not today. They darted around Percy, avoiding him and his foul mood.

Today, the early morning traffic was rushing through the streets like usual. The sky was still blue. People were busy, going about their business in the city, a place Percy loved, yet nobody made eye contact with him.

He was the angry man everyone pretended to ignore. The last thing he wanted was to be a jerk; however, that’s exactly how he was acting. He had yelled at that guy at the Jumping Java. Yes, the man deserved it too, but that wasn’t who Percy was.

Percy quickly made his way back to the coffee shop. It would only take a second to apologize to the guy, to buy a new cup of coffee, and then he could get his day back on track.

Scanning the customers for shaggy auburn hair, Mr. Too-Close was nowhere to be seen. He stood almost as tall as Percy, so he would have been easy to spot in the crowd. Percy checked the patrons sitting in the booths, no blue hoodie with faded jeans, no leather messenger bag, and no Mr. Too-Close.

“Well crap!” Percy muttered to the Gods who controlled fate.

The guy was gone. He had probably fled as soon as Percy barged out the door. Who would blame him? He’d been humiliated in front of everyone in the coffee shop. More than likely, Percy had ruining the man’s entire day.

Percy had a sudden pang of guilt. He really wanted to make it right and apologize to the man.

Thinking about the collision sent a shiver down his spine. That brief encounter was closer than he had been to another person in months, let alone a man, and such a good looking at that.

The warmth could still be felt where their thighs had barely touched. A stirring in his gut had him shifting his weight between his feet trying to calm the erection rising in his dress pants.

The wide-eyed look of shock that crossed the man’s face was etched in Percy’s mind. The guy was definitely attractive.

Freckles had always been Percy’s weakness and Mr. Too-Close’s nose and cheeks were peppered with them. They were the same soft shade as his hair and the thick brown ring outlining his iris, yet the center of his eye was the most amazing splash of green that Percy had ever seen. They were deep, sparkling pools of wonder.

Too bad Mr. Too-Close was gone. Percy would have liked to have a second look at those eyes.

                                                                                   * * * *

“Rocket,” Percy shouted across the office as soon as he entered the building. “Call down to Hewett’s and have John send up a new shirt and tie.”

Usually, the office secretary, Amanda would be the person he barked out orders to and as soon as his personal assistant heard his command, the clickity-clack of her patent leather stilettos could be heard from every department in the building.

“Percy Giannopoulos, just who do you think you are—” Her words froze in her mouth.

Percy’s coffee stained shirt and tie were hanging from his hands instead of on his body as he strolled towards his office. Thick black hair covered his wide chest. Rocket closed her mouth and swallowed the rest of her sentence.

Glancing up at her then back down at his bare chest, Percy smiled. At least it was early enough that the rest of the office wasn’t ogling his chest, but the few women who were present peeked out from behind cubicles and around doorways trying to catch a glimpse of the boss man, walking around half naked.

“Do I even want to know why you’re naked in the office? I mean, hey, you’re the head honcho and all, but really? Isn’t this a sexual harassment lawsuit just waiting to happen?” She nibbled on a bright purple lip, biting back a smile.

“Ha ha!” Sarcasm dripped from his fake laughter as he tossed the shirt and tie on the couch and walked inside his office.

“This guy ran into me at the Jumping Java and unless you want me going to the Beckwith meeting looking a mess and smelling like a barista, then I need you to get me a new shirt, pronto.”

Rocket sniffed the caffeine scented air before scrunching up her nose. “I’ll call John right away…” She hesitated at the door. “Your little mishap was a blessing in disguise because, honey, purple just isn’t your color.” Her ass swished back and forth as she walked out of his office.

Percy chuckled to himself. Rocket was the one person in the company who wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. Everyone else told him what they thought he wanted to hear. It was frustrating at times, but not with Rocket. That woman could shred a man with her perfectly polished nails, drop him like a quivering mess to his knees, then still give his ass a playful squeeze as he crawled away.

                                                                                                       * * * *

Thump! Rocket dropped the big white Hewett box on his desk. Percy jumped at the unexpected interruption. Without looking up, he knew she would have a smirk on her pretty face.

“Thank you,” Percy said pulling the lid off the box, but when she didn’t immediately walk away, he knew he had to look up at her.

The last thing Percy wanted to see was Rocket laughing at him, instead he found her looking annoyed, tapping her fingernails on a folder in her hand. It was labeled, Max proposal.

Percy’s pulse raced. “W-w-what is that?” He stuttered like a schoolboy.

Raising a flawless black brow, Rocket tried to hand him the file. “It’s what you wanted.”

Pulling his hands back, as if she was trying to hand him a live snake, he swallowed the lump in his throat and shook his head. “No, I don’t think so.”

Rocket eyed him suspiciously. “You’re acting really weird this morning, Percy. Yesterday, remember, you asked me to get the figures from the attorney and the accountants for the meeting today?”

Relief washed over him and he tried to avoid letting out a noticeable sigh. His mind was still thinking about MaxTheMagnificent from last night, not the maximum figures the office was preparing for the Beckwith meeting today.

Percy took a long, deep breath to calm his nerves.

The last thing he wanted was for someone to find out about his private life. Saying Percy was in the closet was an understatement. He was so far in the closet, he could change his address to Narnia.

“Oh, yeah, those figures.” He tried to keep his voice steady.

Rocket slid the file onto the corner of his desk beside the shirt box. “Mr. Beckwith called and asked to move today’s meeting from three-thirty to one o’clock, which means after your meeting the rest of your afternoon is now free.”

The thought of spending the afternoon chatting with Max had his heart racing. Stay calm, he warned himself. If he acted too giddy, Rocket would know something was up for sure.

“That’s cool. Is everything ready for the next deadline?” he casually asked, keeping his eyes focused on the pale gray dress shirt that matched his eyes.

When Rocket told him it was, Percy knew he could slip away without drawing suspicion. The idea made Percy want to burst with excitement.