The Law of Attraction
The taxi was pulling up outside Belinda’s flat now.
“Okay, yes, sorry. I didn’t mean to be callous. I’m just in shock.” She took his hand. “You’re coming in for a drink. This conversation isn’t over.”
Alec was a lawyer. He knew when negotiation was possible and when it was a waste of oxygen. Anyway, a drink sounded like a great idea.
Inside her flat, Belinda switched on the lamps and kicked off her heels.
“Sit,” she said, walking to the drinks cabinet to fetch glasses and a bottle.
Alec sat. Belinda’s sofa was an enormous thing covered in red suede, with black-and-white polka-dot cushions.
“Whisky okay for you, darling?”
“Yes, thanks.” Alec was already anticipating the comforting burn in his throat and the fire in his belly.
“So, tell me about him.” She curled up at the opposite end of the sofa, facing him. “I want to know everything.”
Alec took a deep breath and launched into an account of their meeting. He edited out some of the sexual highlights—not that Belinda would have minded the details, but Alec wanted to keep those for himself. Then he went on to describe Ed’s position at Baker Wells and the interactions they’d had since he started to work there. When he got to the part about propositioning Ed last Friday, she gasped in horror.
“Oh, Alec. What on earth were you thinking by even suggesting it? It’s so unlike you to be that rash.”
“I wasn’t thinking,” he replied dryly. “Or at least, not with my brain.”
She leaned forward to refill his glass with a generous slosh of the amber liquid. “This guy’s really got to you, hasn’t he?”
Alec took another long swallow as he thought about how to answer. His face heated, and he finally allowed himself to admit it out loud. “Yes, damn it. I can’t stop thinking about him.” He turned to meet her sympathetic gaze. “He’s smart and funny, and there’s a sweetness to him. It’s impossible not to like him. This would be so much easier if it was only about sexual attraction. But it’s more.”
“So why don’t you tell him that? He probably thinks you just want a convenient fuck. Maybe he’d feel differently if he knew this meant something to you.”
“No. I have way too much to lose. I can’t make myself any more vulnerable than I already have.” It wasn’t in Alec’s nature to show his hand, professionally or personally. Knowledge was power, and although he might be drawn to Ed, he didn’t know if he could trust him.
“What are you going to do, then?”
“Back to plan A, I suppose. Pretend that nothing ever happened, act like the professional I’m supposed to be, and hope I get over this ridiculous obsession soon.” Alec turned the glass in his hand. He’d emptied it again already and the whisky in his veins was stirring him up, dragging his emotions too close to the surface. “Sometimes I wish I could find the courage to be honest about who I am.” His voice betrayed him, going tight and hoarse as he fought back the loneliness that threatened to swamp him with miserable self-pity.
“Oh, darling.” Belinda put her glass down and scooted along the sofa so she could put her arm around Alec and pull his head down to her shoulder.
“Life would be so easy if I was really in love with you,” he murmured.
She chuckled. “Apart from the little detail that I’m not in love with you. Never have been, never will be. I adore you, but you’re not my type.”
Alec laughed. “Good point.”
Belinda’s type was rather more feminine than Alec. She had a penchant for androgynous-looking men—preferably blonds.
They slipped into a relaxed silence, and Alec let her hold him, enjoying the sensations of a warm body against his and gentle fingers combing through his hair. He realised how starved he was of touch as comfort poured into him, temporarily filling and soothing the empty space inside.
Plan A went fairly well for a few days. Alec continued to push Ed hard in the office, demanding 110 percent in everything he did. Much to Alec’s frustration, Ed rose to every challenge and accepted each Herculean task with grace. It drove Alec crazy, because Alec wanted Ed to lose his cool. He wanted to see his temper flare, to have Ed push back and rebel. Alec wanted an excuse to yell at him, to relieve some of the unbearable tension between them.
Finally, on the Thursday night of Ed’s third week, Alec had his chance.
They were the only two left there that night, working in one of the breakout rooms that led off their main office space. It was nearly ten, and even the cleaners had been and gone.
Alec had insisted Ed stay and go through the draft purchase agreement to check for errors. The agreement had been drafted by Alec, checked by James, and already approved by Katherine before coming back to Alec for a final read-through. Alec had said he wanted one more person to look it over before it went out to the clients. Ed had agreed, but when Alec refused to let him finish the work at home, Ed had done a poor job of hiding his irritation. He was currently hunched over his laptop with his back to Alec and his chin resting on his hand as he scrolled through the document.