Order (Tattoos and Ties 2)

“What? You’re leavin’ the DA’s office?” Key asked, sounding surprised. “When did that decision get made?”

“My questions first,” Alec insisted, just now realizing he’d let his plans accidently slip out. That didn’t happen too often with Alec. He did talk a lot, but he was always aware of what he was saying. He was truly comfortable with Key.

“Clothes. What else would I leave at your house?” Key asked, again like that was the most obvious answer in the world. Alec reached for his gate’s remote, slowing as the gate started the process of opening.

Alec’s pushy side rejected the mental lecture he gave himself to let that be enough for now. He tried to convince himself it was purely economics that drove him to say, “It seems silly to keep paying for an apartment you aren’t using.”

It was dark outside, made darker on the unlit portion of his drive, but he still could feel the weight of Key’s stare on him as if he’d lost his mind. An expression he’d grown accustomed to this week. “I’ve got months on a lease. You’ve freaked my shit out tonight, Alec. Stop. I’ll give.”

The problem, Alec was officially freaked too, but in a weirdly satisfying way.

Keyes stood in the entrance of the small hall leading into the living room, the bulk of his weight resting against the wall, a cocktail glass in hand. He stared at Alec who was deep in thought, working on the piles of paperwork he had tried to explain to Keyes over dinner. Honestly, he hadn’t retained much of what Alec had said. Instead, he had focused on the way Alec’s eyes twinkled when he became excited and animated over his explanation. The way Alec used his hands to speak, or in this particular case, the fork and knife became instruments to guiding his talking points. Alec had whipped the utensils in the air as he spoke, pointing as if he were seeing a whiteboard in front of him. The lawyer commanded his attention.

As far as Keyes was concerned, Alec could talk all day long and he’d never get bored. He loved that the deep tenor rolled down his spine, soothed, and calmed him. Keyes relaxed, feeling safe and secure.

That was the odd part, the safety aspect. He’d managed his life all by himself and had somehow come out on top. He wasn’t scared of anything—he truly wasn’t—so to feel safe touched a deeper part of him. A part he hadn’t known was there. A piece of him that belonged only to Alec.

Keyes loved Alec.

Yup. Love.

Love had been an empty word, devoid of substance, until Alec Pierce gave it meaning.

He sipped at the watered-down Crown in his hand. Keyes was comfortable here. Not only did he feel he belonged, and he’d never belonged anywhere before, but Alec made him feel wanted as if he genuinely enjoyed having Keyes around. Alec had this great big house, but they stayed in these three rooms—the kitchen, living room, and Alec’s bedroom.

He again lifted the glass, sucking down more of the smooth whiskey as he stared at the gorgeous man who sat on a rug in the middle of the living room floor, bent over the paperwork. Keyes hadn’t seen Alec nude all week, which was weird. Alec didn’t believe in clothing, especially pants, yet tonight, he had on a T-shirt and a pair of loose-fitting shorts. He had one leg drawn to his chest with an arm wrapped around his knee. The other stretched out on the plush rug. The papers spread all around him.

“Did you get your things put away? Have enough room?” Alec asked, never looking up from the page he studied. His mister was funny. Alec had cleared half his closet and given Keyes a whole set of dresser drawers for his four new shirts, two pair of new jeans, and packs of unopened underwear, undershirts, and socks. Yeah, he had enough room.

“I did.”

“Rain’s coming again. Did you get your bike in the garage?” Alec asked, keeping his gaze lowered.

“I did.” Keyes left his spot and went for the wine bucket near Alec. He refilled Alec’s near empty glass. That time, Alec did acknowledge him, looking up to give a soft, pleased smile, and murmured a quiet thank-you. He lifted the glass and took a long drink before turning back to the documents.

Keyes stood there, staring down at the lawyer who continued to ignore him. Keyes’s dick was hard just from watching the man, which was technically nothing new. Alec was intense to say the least, with loads of sex appeal. He would always want this man. He had warred with the best way to fix their problem, and ultimately decided it might be too crude to shove his dick inside Alec’s magnificent mouth like he wanted to do. Instead, he placed his almost empty glass on the coffee table, took out the bottle of lube and condom packets he had in his back pocket then dropped his pants where he stood. They pooled at his feet as he tugged his shirt over his head, carelessly discarding it on the floor.