Milo stayed in the back by the bookcase as the Mean Guys fought over the two armchairs and the loveseat. He was surprised when Elio sat on the edge of Hector’s desk, as if he was in trouble and facing the class.
“Great news, gang!” Hector said cheerfully while Elio dragged his hands down his face, grumbling about bloody entitled brats under his breath. “von Hessen pulled some stringsand is going on a private tour of Brookhaven tomorrow night and he’s allowed to bring eight guests!”
“Allowed,” Elio snorted and rolled his eyes as he slouched next to Hector. “The only way they’ll let me on the Brookhaven campus is if Starlight guarantees I’ll behave and the only way Starlight will green light this is if Hector goes to supervise and we takeBradwith us,” he said and made a vulgar hand gesture.
Hector laughed and waved it off. “We’ll take one of the Starlight vans and I’ll drive.”
Someone would have to because neither Milo nor Elio could drive and Brookhaven National Laboratory was two-and-a-half hours away. The destination had Milo’s stomach souring and cramping as he considered the consequences.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Milo asked, raising his hand and widening his eyes at Elio suggestively.
Brad snorted as he turned in his seat. “Who asked you and what’s your problem, Mild? It’s up to von Hessen and we already know you’ll do whatever he says.”
“The heavy-ion collider and the synchrotron are my problem but you sound jealous, Brad,” Milo snapped back and disregarded him, turning his attention to Hector. “How can you guarantee anything with this group?” he asked and Hector spluttered for a moment, then laughed.
“What could possibly go wrong? We’re going on a field trip!” he said excitedly, making Elio look even more miserable.
“We’re going on a field trip,” he confirmed.
“So much could go wrong.” Milo rubbed his temple as his head started to ache.
“Let’s keep this our secret!” Hector said as he moved towards the door, signaling that the meeting was over. “We wouldn’t want anyone to feel left out.”
“Can I switch spots with someone?” Milo asked under his breath as Elio joined him and then followed the others out.
“Come on! This will be fun!” Elio said, elbowing Milo excitedly.
Milo groaned, picturing the iconic dome of the nuclear research facility’s High Flux Beam Reactor. “Fun? No offense, but what about the entire Eastern Seaboard? I don’t want to see it turned into a massive crater. Not that I’d be around to see it…”
“Do you think I’d put us in that kind of danger?”
“Knowingly? No…” Milo conceded but winced as he consideredwhyElio had set up this “field trip.” “I know you want to get a look at that collider and schmooze so we can go back later, but it’s too risky.”
“Shhhh! I promise I will not take us anywhere near that collider,” Elio said when they reached his office and he got the door for Milo.
“Youpromise?” he verified but raised a skeptical brow. “Because if we ever do solve time, we’ll need a collider to test our theory and the closest one is at Brookhaven.” Elio shushed Milo again and grabbed his wrist and reeled him in. “What are you doing?” Milo asked, checking to see if anyone outside the office was watching.
Elio groaned as he ducked and brushed his lips against Milo’s. “We have to go.”
“Go?”
“To Muriel’s. I need you, Milo.”
“Umm… Now?” Milo gulped and blinked at Elio cluelessly. They’d had sex three times since their date on the terrace and each time had been even more phenomenal than the last butnow? “It’s not even three,” he noted as he checked his watch.
“I know, but the way you handled Brad back there washotand you’re incredibly sexy when you’re stern.”
“I am?” Milo leaned away, dubious and wary. “Are you trying to distract me from the potential calamity at Brookhaven?”
Elio shook his head, toying with the zipper on Milo’s hoodie. He unzipped a few inches, revealing the top of Einstein’s head on Milo’s T-shirt. “No! I need to be alone with you now, in the dirtiest and roughest way possible.”
“Dirty? Rough?” Milo echoed, not sure what that would involve but not entirely opposed. “Now?”
“As close to now as possible,” Elio said and attempted to tow Milo to the door but he pulled back and locked his feet.
“Wait! It’s too early to go home and I was on to something here, before you made me go to that meeting.”
“That’s great, but—!” Elio widened his eyes. “I need you and I was hopingyoumight…”
