Dolce - Part Two: The Lunch Meeting

[churbooseanon]

Special love and nod to my secret co-writer.

Dolce - Part Two: The Lunch Meeting

It wasn’t that he was looking for the name, just that it was a bit distinctive when it showed up on Felix’s schedule of clients almost a month later. Locus Castille wasn’t exactly a name you’d run into on a daily basis. Especially given the guy didn’t bother to just reserve under his first name or last name or some alias like other people did. It was Locus Castille when Felix went to meet him for a second party in the same limo, with the same briefing folder with some ‘updated’ details on their relationship in case they were asked. Locus Castille, a beautiful, insanely wealthy young man from Felix’s research after the second engagement, who apparently kept requesting him by name. Locus Castille who asked him to play buffer at the highest class of parties, who sent him to a high end tailor before the second one so he’d have 'something more appropriate’ to wear. Locus Castille who let him spar with Lily Johnson and enjoy the fury on her face whenever her and her mother excused themselves.

Locus Castille who booked him for a third party. For a fourth. Whose name at last appeared on a rare midday engagement in the middle of the summer that came with instructions to dress 'respectably casual’ and had a small three hour chunk blocked out at double Felix’s normal rates. Which was almost as mind boggling to Felix as it seemed to please Kimball and drive Tucker up the wall with speculation as to just what the fuck was up with this particular repeat client. Felix, for what it was worth, was just enjoying the new, huge fucking TV that he’d bought for his apartment from his income from Locus’s engagements alone. Sometimes it was just nice to splurge.

And speaking of splurging, Felix sighed as he stretched out on the couch in Locus’s office as he waited for the real part of this fifth engagement to start, contemplating what to do with the extra income from this job. Maybe he could look into replacing the frame of his bed. There had been this really fucking awesome one he’d seen at the store that was black wood with bookshelves built into the headboard and drawers under it, and if it got that he’d have to get a new mattress and all new bedding. Or maybe he’d just take a night or two off and go on a club crawl and enjoy the way people looked at him while he danced and how they longed to touch and couldn’t unless he allowed it. Go out and get laid… Yeah, that might be nice.

As soon as he was done with this, a lunch with Locus and Joyce Johnson.

“Maybe I was too good that first night,” he sighed to himself as he stared up at the ceiling of Locus’s office. “Like, that lady, Mrs. Johnson, she keeps what? Asking about me or something? Maybe I should tell her what I do for a living and get her to hire me.”

At last he pushed himself up to a sitting position and let his eyes dart around the plain black, steel and glass décor of Locus’s office before his eyes settled on the man himself, his attention fully on some paperwork in front of him on the desk.

Something about what he had said, he wasn’t entirely sure what, drew a soft chuckle and a brief shake of the head from Locus, drawing Felix’s attention back from the city view through the windows too handsome for Felix’s good man. Honestly, some times he needed to remind himself of his hands off the clients policy. Not that it was company policy or anything. Well, no, it was. No screwing with clients, literally, on the clock. If you wanted to take them home and nail them when they weren’t paying, well, that was your business. Felix, though, didn’t mix business and pleasure most of the time. Made clients too clingy. That didn’t mean the temptation wasn’t there sometimes.

Still, somewhere along the line he’d gotten used to being himself around Locus, rather than the professional persona he adopted with clients outside of the public eye, or the characters he put on in public with them. Characters, for example, like Locus’s devoted boyfriend, a charming young man new-ish to the city with a job in retail who had reconnected with a figure out of his past and fallen in love with him. Felix didn’t quite like that sap, but he was getting as easy to put on as it was to let himself be himself around Locus.

“Mrs. Johnson does, in fact, have a strange fondness for you. I assume it is because she doesn’t know how much of a pain you really are,” Locus commented without looking up from his work. “Either that or the bullshit story I fed her. I hadn’t expected that to explode in my face like this. How was I to know she was a hopeless romantic? Did you have to come up with that story? You were only digging us a deeper hole.”

“God, it’s exactly like you said,” Felix groaned, throwing his arms up in defeat. “She’s like… so desperate for her own love life to return that she’s projection onto us! I have to keep thinking of things that won’t let her down. Though I’ve got to say, that last fake date was awesome.” He smirked widely at Locus and put on his best dreamy, swooning voice. “You surprised me at work, picking me up and taking me to dinner at one of the most in demand restaurants in the city, and after you took me out to replace the clothes the airport lost.”

Felix couldn’t help but laugh as he shook his head. “They fucking ate that shit up. You’re so fucking lucky I know you well enough now to lie about everything to cover your ass. Nice office by the way. You’ve got a sweet view of the city.”

That made Locus to look up from his desk at last, and even found him setting aside his pen. Felix took the small victory with a smile.

“If you know me well enough to lie about everything then does that mean you don’t actually find the view impressive? It is one of the few perks of working up here. Well, that and the very protective secretary who normally keeps the undesirables out of my presence.”

Locus smirked as he leaned back in his comfortable looking chair. “I’d think a devoted boyfriend would have advice for how to improve the office if he disliked it. But that’s alright. Your taste is questionable as it is.”

“I said you office is nice,” Felix laughed, “I didn’t say I liked it. Could use more color, but that’s just me. It’s probably not your style of anything if it’s not a shade of gray. As your 'devoted boyfriend’ I say add some color in here. I don’t know, ask Doyle to bring in flowers or something.”

With that Felix pushed himself up and off of the couch, giving himself a chance to pace through Locus’s office. It was almost strange to be here, in this room, looking out over the city. Somehow before today—no, before the second engagement—he hadn’t thought much about the Castille building. It stood between his apartment and Dolce’s HQ, so that meant he had been by it more times than he could really count, and yet he’d never looked up at its towering heights, never wondered what went on in it, never fathomed the strange man who owned it. And to be honest, it wasn’t all that much now that he was here. A desk, a couch, some chairs, a few filing cabinets against one wall. And papers and folders and trays with more papers and folders in them. Granted the ceiling to floor windows were impressive, and probably the most interesting thing in the room. It was no surprise that he found himself standing there, looking out through them over the city.

“I can see my work from here,” he muttered quietly and put his finger on the window over the distant building. “Actually, I can’t, but I know it’s right there.”

There’s a sigh from behind him, pushing to his feet and joining Felix by the window. Felix caught sight of him out of the corner of his eye, could see the way Locus’s hand reached toward him and then pulled away.

“I dislike having the cleaning crew touch anything other than my trash can. Please don’t make them linger in here to clean the windows so shortly after their last time just because you feel like smudging them.”

At last his hand came up and wrapped around Felix’s to pull it away form the window, and Felix can feel how warm it is. How warm it has always been to be honest. Almost as suddenly as it was there around his Locus was dropping it, leaving Felix staring through the window.

“I suppose I can consider adding some color. But no flowers. I don’t like having them around. And before you ask, no, I’m not explaining why. Now, would you just return to the couch and wait for Mrs…”

The brief buzz of the intercom on Locus’s desk cuts the man off, a prearranged signal that Mrs. Johnson had arrived. She would be through the doors momentarily, and Felix knew they couldn’t just be standing here quietly when she showed up. So far as he knew Locus wasn’t supposed to have any meetings scheduled before this, so he was going to have to…

Felix found a hand tugging him around, an arm wrapping around his waist, the other to the back of his neck, and then he was pulled right up against Locus and there were lips against his.

“Thank you Doyle,” he could hear through the door.

Well, that explained why Locus was doing this. And if nothing else, he knew how to handle this now that it was a show. His arms came up and wrapped around Locus’s neck and kissed him back. In the process, he couldn’t help but file away little details about Locus. How he smelled this close (an ocean breeze), the way Locus’s armsfelt around him (secure and warm around his waist), how his thumb stroked gently over his cheek (following the line of his cheekbone), and even how he tasted (coffee with a touch of peppermint). What he hates himself is the fact that he can’t help the way he licks over Locus’s lips.

“Oh my, I’m sorry!” Mrs. Johnson’s voice pulled him from his attention to Locus.

And Felix did pull away, turning to look at the door and blushing from his actual embarrassment.

“I’m so sorry to interrupt, dears. I can come back later,” she smiles at them.

All Felix could do was clear his throat and curse himself mentally as he licked his lips, remembered the taste of coffee and peppermint. It took a lot to step away from Locus and try to find his voice. “Hello ma'am.”

“I’m sorry,” Locus added almost immediately, and Felix wanted to hit him over the amusement thick in his voice. “It seems that I lost track of time. I could have sword I had a few more minutes. It is good to see you again, Joyce. I hope your driver took the scenic route this time. Traffic on the direct route from your home can be so troublesome at this time of day.”

Felix found himself not even given a chance to speak before there was a hand in his, and even then no time before Locus was tugging him toward the older woman.

“I almost regret asking for the scenic route this time,” Mrs. Johnson laughed lightly. “It is truly lovely to see you, Locus. And Felix, you look handsome as always.”

Felix smiled right back, putting on his kindest expression and slipping easily into the smooth, charming, sappy man she thought of him as. “Thank you. You look radiant yourself.”

With that she laughed more fully and motioned for the two of them to follow her. “Let’s be on our way then, shall we?” Mrs. Johnson turned on her heels and walked off, clearly expecting them to follow. Felix shot Locus an amused look before dragging him after her.

* * * * * *

The drive itself turned out to be rather pleasant, for all that it turned quickly to small talk and the little lies that Felix was paid to weave. Locus had proven after four previous encounters to be rather poor at making up the little details that their romance needed to be believed, and Felix had gotten so used to just sprinkling them into the conversation for Joyce’s sake. The one he indulged in on the ride wove the picture of the two of them having been spending some time apart while Felix settled into his new apartment and job. Which, of course, brought up all new questions from the older woman, most of them hinting not too subtly that Felix should have long since moved in with Locus, given how long they had been dating, given the fact that they had known each other 'since they were children.’

Felix found himself so unprepared for that comment that he had struggled for a lie—he never had to struggle for a lie—and then it had happened. Locus had provided.

“My fault, I’m afraid,” Locus had interrupted with a sigh. “Call me old fashioned, but I don’t want to disturb Felix with my schedule, as would invariably happen if he moved in with me. I keep hours much like my father did. It wouldn’t be fair to him to have him waiting up for me at night when I could easily be in the office well past two or three in the morning.”

Locus had offered him a soft smile and a gentle squeeze of he hand before continuing. “Besides, it is far more entertaining to have gifts sent to his apartment than to leave them for him in mine. He still doesn’t know how I got a copy of his apartment key before he did. I talked to the owner of his building and saw to it that there was a care package awaiting him when he moved in.”

“I was not expecting it,” Felix had quickly jumped onto the lie, grinning at Locus.

“Oh, it sounds like you do spoil him so.”

“He does,” Felix had chuckled as the car pulled to a stop outside of the restaurant Joyce had insisted on treating them to lunch at.

From there it was all boring and mundane again. Small talk about Locus’s work—boring—and Felix’s 'new’ job at a small clothing boutique while he 'got on his feet’ and really adjusted to the city, to Locus, to such a different life than he’d known before. There was the obligatory brief story talking about something sweet that Locus had done for him—a box of hand made chocolates to celebrate their anniversary—and future plans including a weekend out of town at a bed and breakfast. At last, though, the meal spun down, leaving Joyce asking after dessert and looking at the two of them with an almost expectant smile. Felix wanted to scream and throw his hands up in the air. For all that it had been an amazing, and free meal, he was so beyond ready to be done with this job. He had never liked small talk, even if he was good at it, and at least at the parties he had people to verbally spar with rather than be some mushy, gooey love sick asshole around.

He didn’t want dessert when it was offered. Wanted to drag his hands over his face and groan. Instead, in properly sickening romance movie fashion he turned his attention to Locus with a loving smile and playfully asked, “Want to share something?”

The answer would be no. That was the only reason he was asking, of course. He’d seen Locus poking around at the remains of his meal as lunch had run its course, but it was something he had to ask. It was considerate.

What he didn’t count on was the fact that Locus had gotten used to Felix. That he’d learned how to read the other man’s expressive face, even through the lies. Maybe especially through the lies. Locus couldn’t help but smile at the look Felix wore, adoring with a flicker of exasperation in those lovely hazel eyes. Already there was fatigue in Felix over the job, that he just wanted to get back to his own life. And the only thing Locus could find himself thinking of was the earlier snark over the lack of color in his office. No, that wasn’t true. He could remember a thousand other little quips while they’d waited for Joyce to arrive, and on the job before that, and before that, and before that.

Locus smiled at Felix, soft and sweet in the way he had learned to do just for his fake boyfriend, and managed not to laugh at the way he briefly shied away from him as he leaned closer to look over the dessert menu Felix was holding.

“The caramel fudge cheesecake looks wonderful. I wouldn’t ask if it was just for me, but if you’re willing to share, darling, then I’d happily take a slice.”

“Sure,” Felix answered, still smiling for all that Locus could sense the anger just under the surface, “that sounds good.”

Locus just smiled softly back at him as Joyce waved their waiter over, relayed the orders, and then excused herself for a break to powder her nose. The expected tirade wasn’t help back any longer than it told the old woman to get out of earshot, and Locus just grinned as Felix’s smile melted into an almost baleful glare.

“I’m going to puke on you,” Felix threatened easily. “I’m stuffed. Just so you know, I’m going to feed you more than half of that cheesecake.”

“Next time, don’t touch the windows in my office,” Locus chuckled in response. “And if you feed me too much you’re only going to make her harder to deal with. A deeper and deeper hole, Felix.”

To be honest, Locus wasn’t sure what he had expected in response to his comment. It definitely wasn’t the full, genuine laugh that Felix gave him. He thought back, genuinely strained for a memory of that sound before that moment, and couldn’t find one.

“Is this how it’s going to be with you now? I didn’t fucking mean to touch your window. Calm down.” His laughter trailed off as Felix gently patted Locus’s knee. Locus just stared at the action while Felix continued. “I’ll feed you a bit and we’ll see what comes of it. Seriously, she’ll get her fill of our sap and move on. Worst comes to worst down the road, just say you dumped me.”

Locus was left there staring at Felix, trying to figure out whether it was the suggestion or the fact that he too had eaten too much that left such a sour feeling in his stomach. He had just enough time to process Felix smiling softly at him again and plaster on his own tender expression before Joyce returned, almost at the same time as the waiter arrived with their dessert. And sure enough Felix was immediately cutting a bite off of the cheesecake and holding the fork out to him with a wide, expectant, and clearly barely composed grin.

It was all he could do to bite back a sigh and keep his eyes from rolling over Felix’s damn grin. It would hardly be an appropriate response for the relationship they were supposed to be in. Really, there was nothing Locus could do, especially with the way he caught Joyce looking on at them eagerly, but lean toward Felix and wrap his lips around the fork. He needed too badly to be on her good side for a series of negotiations coming up in the next week, there was no way that he was going to blow it now. The flavors, sweet and rich on his tongue, made his stomach quietly complain, but he still pulled back slowly, licking the fork as clean as he could while he went, keeping his eyes firmly on Felix’s.

At least it tasted as good as it had sounded on the menu.

That was the last thought he had a chance for before Felix was leaning forward and those soft lips were pressed against his again. It was brief, almost frustratingly so, there and then gone, replaced with Felix smiling as his thumb ran over the corner of Locus’s lips. Locus just stared as Felix’s thumb came back smeared with cream and chocolate, and his eyes wouldn’t have torn away from the sight of Felix sucking lightly on his thumb even if he had wanted them to. He was still staring in shock as Felix returned his attention to the plate and took a small bite of the dessert for himself.

Strange, he could hear Joyce talking, but not a single word seemed to settle in his mind. His attention was on Felix’s brief responses, and those lips. At last he tore his attention away and reached for his coffee for a brief sip, hiding behind the drink while he tried to figure out just what was going on. No, he decided after a sip, this wasn’t even remotely shocking. It was a simple gesture: small, empty, and perfect for the act they were putting on. In fact, it would make sense for him to join the act rather than be so flustered by it, correct?

With a new resolve Locus reached for the second fork on the small plate, spared Joyce a few words in response to something she said that he couldn’t remember half a second later, and cut a bite sized piece off of the cheesecake. Really, it was far too good of a quality for the escort to be graced with, but Locus still turned toward his 'boyfriend’ and held out his fork for Felix with a smile. Their eyes met, a flash of annoyance there again, before Felix was leaning in for the bite. The way his lips wrapped around the fork was practically sinfully beautiful. And dear god, the way he licked his lips clean after he pulled back fully was even worse.

Another look in Felix’s eyes, this one longer and more threatening and before Locus really knew what was going on the plate between them was clean, his mouth was filled with the lingering taste of chocolate and caramel, and he could see Joyce staring at them wistfully in the corner of his eye. Strange, he kept thinking he couldn’t handle another bite, and then Felix would hold out another forkful and…

“I think I’m full,” Felix cut the thought off with a simple comment after licking his lips clean. “You?”

Dear god, were those eyes lingering on his lips? Yes, Locus was certain they were. Those eyes on him while Felix had licked his lips, cleaning a lingering spot of chocolate off of his lips. A tongue he’d felt against his own lips earlier in his office.

Locus didn’t think. He just reached out, his fingers curling around Felix’s chin while he leaned in and pressed their lips together for the third time that day. They’re sweet, a hint of chocolate and the rich filling of cheesecake before Locus was pulling back and smiling at Felix.

“Now I am, too,” he whispered before releasing Felix and returning his attention at last to Joyce. “Why don’t you two start for the car while I settle the bill?”

* * * * * *

If the ride to the restaurant had been pleasant, the ride back was anything but for Felix. On the surface it’s the same. The same small topic, except new topics. And for all that he tried to focus, Felix found his mind always circling back around to the same thing. Over and over to the kisses. They were sitting so close to each other, because what else would be expected of them, especially after their little display with the cheesecake.

All Felix wanted, and wanted desperately, was to shift away from Locus. To put distance between them that the charade couldn’t hold up in the face of. So he let himself sit there, chitchatting, his hand in Locus’s between them. What he didn’t put up with was the way he found his thumb running absently over the back of Locus’s hand, a fond little gesture that was absolutely unneeded in this situation. While he didn’t pull his hand away from Locus’s, he did force his thumb to stop, let his mind wonder what the fuck he was doing. He just wanted this damn job to be over and to be free to go back about his life.

So why, dear god, did Joyce have to insist on walking them all the way up to Locus’s office once more? Felix wanted to scream, to shout, to shake the damn old woman, or maybe punch Locus just for spite, but he was being paid far too much for such an indulgence. He kept his civility, his feigned fondness, and his peace until the door of Locus’s office closed behind them, leaving Joyce on the other side to talk to Locus’s secretary, Doyle. Now Felix found himself stranded in Locus’s office once more, no way out any time soon, and stuck with Locus himself.

“I hope you don’t mind that I wait her out in here,” he mumbled as he flopped down in a chair in front of Locus’s desk.

“I fear you’re going to have to,” Locus returned immediately as he circled around his desk and sat down, opening a file that hadn’t been there when they’d left. Felix watched as he spread the papers out, selected a pen, and turned his attention to the work in front of him. There was silence for a long moment before Locus spoke again, not even bothering to look up for all that he smirked. “I will say that you did, as ever, an admirable job today. I do apologize for Joyce, though. I still cannot begin to fathom why she likes your company.”

Locus kept his eyes glued to the paperwork, pretending to review the information item by item, but he knew he wasn’t going to get anything done while Felix was sitting just across from him. Not when he still had the taste of those lips, sweetened by chocolate. Worse was the way the sweep of Felix’s tongue still lingered in his head. Frustrated his hands came up unthinkingly to tug his hair free. There wasn’t anyone he was due to see for another hour, save this unintended time with Felix. He could afford the small indulgence of letting his hair down for a while, so to speak.

“At least she didn’t bring Lily with her. I think she’s come to accept the fact that you and Lily will never get along.”

His comment earned him a snort from Felix, who leaned back in the chair and resisted the urge to put his feet up on Locus’s desk. “I’m not that bad of company, am I?” He grinned playfully at Locus, for all that he could see the other man was pointedly not looking at him. “You don’t enjoy our fake dates? I gotta say, that apartment key story earlier? Very nice. I could practically see the hearts popping off of her.”

Felix shrugged as he watched Locus lean more over his paperwork, tried not to watch the way his hair fell around his face. How would it feel, he wondered, to reach out and grab a handful of it, just to really feel it between his fingers? Feel it in more than passing. To roll it between his fingers, pull on it and see how Locus would react. With a sigh he shook his head and told himself not to think about it. Turned his attention instead to the conversation at hand. “I’m pretty sure that if she brought that bitch with her, it would be lunch and a show.”

He couldn’t sit and stare, couldn’t let his eyes keep lingering on that hair, those eyes, those lips. He pushed to his feet and wandered back over to where he had stood by the windows earlier.

“Hey, look! You can’t even see my fingerprint here. What if I just slap my palm right on the glass? How annoyed would you be?” he teased, raising his hand to do just that. It hovered there, just short of the glass, and he looked back over his shoulder toward Locus in his chair.

Locus didn’t move, of course. Just sat there behind him. Felix bet he didn’t even look up from his papers as he spoke.

“It sounds like you don’t want your good behavior bonus,” Locus observed, struggling to stay staring at his papers. Yet he couldn’t help but wonder just what it was in Felix that made the other man always try to get a rise out of him. Almost worse was the fact that he couldn’t begin to figure out why he wanted to get a rise out of Felix.

“I will admit that I don’t dislike your company, Felix,” he admitted at length. “You are too good at what you do to be complete frustrating. I just don’t find it amusing in the method by which I come by it. I could have a sarcastic, self-assured friend, or boyfriend, as far lower cost than you come to me by.”

Somehow, it helped to remember that this was merely one of so many business transactions in his life. Yes, he was trapped in his office for a time with Felix, but it never had to happen again. All he had to do was tell Doyle to stop hiring him. Just stop paying. Locus knew that there was a file in a drawer in his desk that had the cover story Doyle had already provided for the 'break up’ with Felix. It would take nothing at all to play that card. A constantly evolving story that changed with every encounter and Locus relaying information to Doyle. Currently it stood at Locus going to visit Felix’s new apartment as a surprise and finding him having sex with another man. Joyce would not hold such a break against him, and it wasn’t like he had ever seen Felix at parties he had attended before this—he knew he would have noticed a man like Felix—so there would be no one to contradict his sotry.

Why couldn’t he bring himself to play the card? It was the center of his hand and he still held it so close.

“I’m just fucking with you,” Felix laughed, dropping his hand to his side and moving to lean on the desk right next to Locus’s chair. “You could hire someone cheaper, you know. I fucking guarantee that it would be a disaster of course, and I am, in fact, awesome.”

“But, you could try,” he admits, shrugging. “Pick a girl from Dolce instead. I can recommend a few. Of course, you won’t have half as much fun with them as you do with me. Cheaper yes, but you get what you pay for, Locus. There’s that and… Well, anyone else would probably try to sleep with you.”

That last thought came out a bit quieter, but worlds more amused. More because he needed it to than because he was actually amused. He knew for a fact that pretty much everyone else in the company engaged in sex with clients. There were always a few like himself that didn’t but it was always personal.

“And you are a good looking guy, so I wouldn’t blame them. Not to mention the fact that you, uh, kiss really nice.”

No, he shouldn’t look away. He had to finish, didn’t want to seem weak. Still, he did find himself looking away as he continued. “So… I can see it happening. But you’d probably kill them or throw them out of your precious window.”

“It almost sounds like you want me to hire someone else,” Locus observed dryly, and truth be told, he didn’t want to. He told himself it was because Felix was good at what he did, and honestly, he didn’t want a woman on his arm. Lily would tear into another woman far more readily than she already did with Felix. He’d had more than one date cornered in a bathroom and flee with tears in her eyes. He had long since come to hate her for that.

“In addition, if I wanted sex, I could get it easily enough,” he shrugged, not looking at at Felix beside him. “As you have noted, I am attractive. Or so I’ve been told. And, apparently, I am able to kiss.”

At last he turned in his seat to look up at Felix, let himself watch the other man for half a moment. “To be honest, I could care less about sex. That isn’t why you were hired. You came highly recommended. And I wouldn’t throw anyone from these windows… they don’t open. I’d take them up to the roof to push them off. Speaking of, would you like to see the roof?”

He smirked at Felix, letting his amusement come through so the other man would know he didn’t actually mean the light threat.

Felix, unbelievably, laughed. “Well, at least I know how I’ll go if I piss you off badly enough. And just to reassure your clearly fragile ego, yes, you are nice to kiss. Seriously, I’ve kissed a lot of people, but you’re by far the nicest to do so.”

His hand came up to wave the compliment off before it settled to be something more meaningful than Felix. “Anyway, you think she’s gone yet? You should phone Doyle to check and see if she’s still bothering him so I can get out of here and you go back to your exciting work I know you love so so much.”

“I’ll give Lily one thing,” Felix said as his hands moved without him wanting to, immediately finding themselves fixing the lapels of Locus’s jacket, to smooth it down. It was enough, close enough for him to easily reach out and briefly, gingerly touch Locus’s hair. “You do look better with your hair down. Unkempt… but nice.”

“No one’s watching, Felix,” Locus pointed out, managing not to breathe too hard at the warm hands briefly against his chest, or lean toward the light pull at his hair. “You don’t have to fuss.”

Why was Felix’s touch so intoxicating?

No. No, Locus had not just thought that.

“Doyle knows to buzz when she’s left. I imagine that should be…”

He was cut off by a buzz from the intercom. It broke the tension that suddenly seemed to fill the office, and he allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief at the sound of it. Finally, he would be free of Felix.

“The car will be waiting for you out front by the time the elevator gets you downstairs.”

Felix smiled as he pushed off of the desk, even allowed himself a brief laugh. “Can’t I, as the fake boyfriend, fuss over how his man looks?”

Of course the question came as he was walking around the desk and walking backward toward the door. “Hopefully there won’t be a next time, right? You’ve got to be sick of playing this game. Lord knows I am.”

Then he was through the door, leaving Locus staring down at his desk. After a moment he reached down for the desk drawer and pulled out a single red folder.

Clearly it was well past time to end their little game.