Balance

"You just… you can't be reckless like that!" His voice rose. He didn't mean to yell. It hadn't been his intention when he asked the younger man to his office.

Zach just shrugged, like it didn't matter, like he wasn't just caught inside the paddock walls, with the raptors and no fence between them. Because he had been and it hadn't been his first. "You do it all the time."

Owen's mouth fell open and his eye twitched a bit. "That's your defense? I do it so you can too?"

Zach shrugged again. "Pretty much."

Owen sighed and lowered his head. He pinched the bridge of his nose. Maybe it had been a mistake hiring the kid. Well, yes. No maybes about it. It had been a mistake. But Claire had asked, begged really. Her nephew just graduated highschool and he had no college plans or life goals and her sister was driving her crazy. So Claire had offered to give the kid a job and she did that by pretty much shoving her nephew at Owen and begging. She didn't have time to deal with him herself and she wasn't sure who to trust him with. But she sort of trusted Owen, she had said. And he did mention wanting to hire someone else.

But the second he met the kid - young man - he should have said no. He was attracted to Zach the moment he saw him and the young man wasn't the least bit subtle about sharing the attraction. And despite it being against policy to date your subordinate, not to mention the fact that Zach was the boss's nephew, they started dating immediately. Their first date had been that first night, right after introducing Zach to the raptors.

Owen sighed again, his whole body moving with it. "I need to find the balance between being your boss... and being in love with you..."

Zach's eyes widened. He opened his mouth slowly and for several seconds, he said nothing and just stared. His brain was having trouble processing. "Did… did you… just…" Maybe his brain was still catching up. He shook himself and breathed out, trying again to collect himself. "You just said… you love me."

Owen scoffed and threw up his arms. "Of course I fucking love you, you asshole! Why do you think I'm so pissed off? Yeah, employee safety is pretty high on my list and I'd be upset to lose anyone." He added quickly. "But if one of our girls attacked you… if you got hurt in any way… Zach… I couldn't live with myself. I need you. I need you alive and healthy and in one piece. I'd die without you."

Zach stared at him and slowly smiled. "I love you, too."

Owen sighed. "Just stay out of the paddock."

Zach tilted his head and wrinkled his nose. "Can't do that."

Owen shook his head. "Fine. Still writing you up."

Zach shrugged. "Whatever you gotta do, love."

Owen just sighed.