On the Clock

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Synopsis

When Blake Raleigh's favorite rent boys, Tristan and Jared, retire from Market Garden, they recommend him to their friend, Jason, who they think will be a perfect match. On his next trip to London, American Blake decides to give Jason a try, and the new rent boy turns out to be everything he'd hoped for and more. Jason gets turned on by making money and driving hard bargains, but Blake quickly decides Jason is worth every penny of the thousands he shelling out for each of their sessions. When Blake invites Jason to visit him in the States, the pair grow closer, leaving Blake wanting more from Jason than just sex, so when Jason goes back to England, Blake can't bear to be without the man he's fallen for. He drops everything to race after him, but things might not go the way he'd like. Turns out Jason has been burned before by clients who thought they were in love with him, so he'll need far more than money and valuable trinkets this time to persuade him to give a real relationship with Blake a chance.

Review

On the Clock is the eighth and final book in L. A. Witt, Aleksandr Voinov's Market Garden series, which primarily follows the rent boys at the upscale brothel of the same name. In this one, we have American Blake (aka Rolex) who was a favorite client of Tristan and Jared who've since retired from Market Garden to be in a relationship with each other. Before leaving, they gave Blake a referral to Jason, another one of the gorgeous men who works at the Garden. On his latest business trip to London, Blake asks for Jason and he isn't at all disappointed with what he finds. Jason likes to play mind games and drive a hard bargain with the ultra-wealthy Blake just like Tristan and Jared did, which Blake finds exceptionally arousing. Jason seems to know exactly what Blake likes and proves to be everything he's looking for in a sex partner. After an incredible night together, they start communicating outside of Market Garden and every time Blake visits London they get together for more mind-blowing sex. Then Blake invites Jason to go back to the States with him, which Jason accepts. Although their visit doesn't precisely go as planned, it turns out to be pleasant and enjoyable for both of them, so much so that Blake feels lost after Jason goes back to England. Unable to get any work done for mooning over the man, Blake realizes that he's fallen hard, but this doesn't seem to be the kind of thing one sends over a text or email or even a video chat. So Blake drops everything to fly to London and declare his love. But this isn't the first time a client has told Jason they're in love with him, and he isn't sure if he can trust that Blake's feelings are actually real.

We met Blake in the very first book of the series, Quid Pro Quo, as the high-roller who hired both Tristan and Jared for the night. Although the exact extent of his wealth isn't specified, the fact that he doesn't hesitate to drop thousands of dollars on the rent boys at Market Garden and that he owns three luxury cars indicates that he's probably a billionaire. However, he's still pretty down to earth and hasn't forgotten his humble roots. Blake is disappointed that Tristan and Jared are no longer at the Garden, and he's a little nervous meeting Jason for the first time even though the other boys recommended him. He's instantly attracted to the gorgeous blonde and after their first interaction, he's already feeling more at ease. Jason also likes to play the same mind games to get him to part with his money and that really turn him on, so their first night together is off-the-charts amazing. They exchange information and continue communicating even after Blake returns home. Knowing that Blake loves to watch, Jason treats him to an unforgettable Skype session. Everything is going so well that on his next trip to London, Blake invites Jason to come home with him for a week, which Jason accepts. Even though Jason comes down with the flu, Blake doesn't mind keeping him company and nursing him back to health. It all feels so homey and domestic that after Jason goes back to England, Blake is at loose ends, missing him terribly. It's then that he realizes just how hard he's fallen and decides to fly back to London just to declare his love, but Jason is skeptical that the feelings are anything more than just a crush. Blake may be rich and unhesitatingly showers his money on the boys at the Garden, but he's not stuck up and never lords his wealth over anyone. Even before realizing he's in love, he treats Jason with respect and not just like a body that's there for his service. He understands Jason's need for independence and is willing to work through the obstacles to find that HEA. Best of all, I loved his grand gesture at the end.

The book is written exclusively from Blake's perspective, so we aren't really privy to Jason's thoughts and don't get to know him quite as well. He worked as a stripper before turning to escorting and prostitution because they paid better. He absolutely loves having sex and has a kink for getting paid, so he enjoys his job. Tristan and Jared gave him a heads-up that "Rolex" would probably come looking for him. Jason seems intrigued by Blake from the moment they meet and doesn't hesitate to go with him. He drives a hard bargain just like Tristan and Jared, which makes his client happy. Jason seems to really like Blake and although the sex is amazing, he appears to genuinely like hanging out with Blake, too. When he goes to the States with Blake and gets sick, he feels guilty that he can't perform, but Blake isn't the least bit perturbed about it, instead taking good care of him. But when Blake comes to London declaring his love, Jason can't quite believe it. He's had more than one client say the same thing and it was never the real deal. A part of me wishes we could have gotten to know Jason a little bit better, but I liked what I saw. He's very good at reading Blake and anticipating his desires. I got the sense that he was vibing with Blake really well, because I'm sure he wouldn't have wanted to see him outside the Garden if he didn't genuinely like him. When it was time for him to go back home after his visit with Blake, I could tell that a part of him wanted to stay longer. I was happy with how he was open-minded enough to give Blake a chance to prove himself.

I've enjoyed this series so much, I'm a little sad that On the Clock is the final book. Having Blake bookend the series by being a supporting character in the first and two subsequent books, then getting his own HEA ending in the last book seemed a fitting way to wrap things up. Blake and Jason have sizzling chemistry from the moment they meet. They just seem to get each other and fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. The sex between the two of them is incredibly steamy in and of itself, but the Skype session and the foursome that Jason treats Blake to are so blazingly hot I'm surprised my Kindle didn't go up in flames.;-) Sex aside, the scenes when Jason comes to visit Blake were sweetly domestic and the longing between them when Jason leaves is palpable. I adored Blake's grand gesture at the end, and once Jason is willing to let Blake say his piece, the things he utters are wonderfully sweet and romantic, wrapping up the story on a very high note. While a little more character development, particularly for Jason wouldn't have gone amiss, I still very much enjoyed On the Clock, and think it was a great finale for the series. It's left me looking forward to checking out more from both of the authors.

Note: This book contains explicit language and sexual content, including voyeurism/exhibitionism, and M/M/M and M/M/M/M menage scenes, which could be objectionable to sensitive readers.

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L. A. Witt

Aleksandr Voinov