“Even though Online Fallyn is a bitch?”
I wouldn’t put it that way. I rarely held grudges, and she didn’t deserve one. “Even though. Are you still going to be at the masquerade tonight?” After the conversation in Elliot’s car, I wasn’t sure.
“Until people figure out who I am and I get glared out of the room.”
I probably wouldn’t go full Link-Hulk on anyone, but if they said something like what Chris had… “I won’t let them do that to you.”
“You’d risk your reputation with your co-workers to defend me?” Fallyn sounded skeptical.
“Not only that, but I’ll tell anyone who asks that you’re as much of a friend as they are.”
Her grin was worth a million five-star reviews. “I have a panel to get to.” She pushed to her feet. “But thank you for the company, and I’ll see you tonight.”
I watched her walk away, and was more focused on the fact that I’d see her again than how her ass wiggled when she was wearing those heeled boots. Was she really giving me warm fuzzies? It seemed that way.
Was that bad?
I hoped not.
14/
elliot
When Link got back in the office in the afternoon, his mood was subdued. Normal for most of my developers, myself included, but odd for him.
As we worked our way through a couple of ideas for upcoming projects, I couldn’t help but ask, “Do anything interesting for lunch?”
“I spent most of it talking to Fallyn.”
Oh. And he came back in this kind of mood? What was I supposed to say in response or do with the unexpected jumble inside? “Cool.”
The rest of the workday passed without incident, and then most everyone was heading out to change into their costumes and masks for tonight’s party. A few of the developers were staying behind as a first line of support if anything in the game crashed.
I felt guilty leaving them here and going to have fun, but they had volunteered—they’d rather work than deal with people—and it was as important that I be a public face tonight as it was that they be here. It was tempting to leave Chris here, because I could, but I wasn’t sure I trusted him to be on call.
I brought Link’s and my costumes from my car up to an empty room. Our offices used to be a satellite branch of the community college, until they took their business classes online. Each department had a classroom or two, but we hadn’t filled out the entire place. The way we were growing it wouldn’t take long, but for tonight it meant Link and I had a room all to ourselves to change into our party outfits.
He joined me a few minutes later, after he wrapped up what he was working on. The smaller, unoccupied room was set away from all the other offices. There was some storage near the door, which made an artificial wall for us to change behind.
Not that anyone was around to see, and it wasn’t as though most of them hadn’t seen before.
I couldn’t say how many times I’d watched Link in various stages of undress in my life, but it never got old. I had my jacket and shirt off, and my jeans halfway down my thighs, when I had to pause to watch him stripping out of his own clothes.
There was an art in the way his muscles rippled along his back when he moved. The stretch of definition along his sides. His bare, taut thighs—
“Are you staring?” Link’s question cut through my thoughts.
I met his gaze. “Absolutely. It’s not every day one gets to watch an Adonis in motion, unobstructed by clothing.” Though I wanted it to be. I wanted him there every day. Naked. Clothed.Mine.
The sharp thought knocked my brain off-balance.
“Be careful. With pretty words like that, the people in charge will move you to story,” Link teased.
I raised my eyebrows. “Iamthe person in charge.” Shoving aside thoughts of my own state of undress, I stalked toward him.
Link was taller than I was by a few inches, and definitely bigger, but he still stepped back as I advanced, which made mesmirk. My thoughts had shifted, and the need to touch him, to become one with him at least for a little bit, surged forward.
“Don’t hurt me?” Link’s playful question made me think he wanted exactly the opposite.