He disappeared for a moment and returned with the stain remover. “Here.” Hayden uncapped the pen, and Armi took it. He tipped his chin up. “I can’t see it. Am I there?”
Hayden’s fingers brushed his aside. “Let me do it.”
Having Hayden this close was disconcerting. Dangerous. The smell of his light cologne left Armi reeling and breathless. Hayden’s body heat surrounded him, and Armi’s eyes fluttered closed as Hayden worked on his shirt.
“All done,” Hayden murmured, and Armi drew air deep in his lungs to steady himself. “Good as new.”
“Th-thanks.”
They stood, staring at each other, Armi damning himself for lacking the courage to press his lips to Hayden’s.
For the first time, Hayden looked hesitant and uncertain. “I’d, uh, better get to work.” But he made no move to leave, his green eyes glittering.
“Yeah. And I have my meeting.” Armi licked his lips, and Hayden’s nostrils flared.
“Don’t want to be late.”
Every cell in his body yearned for Hayden, but he nodded. “I’ll see you later.”
Hayden stepped aside to let him pass.
Armi stopped at the door. “Uh, do you want to have lunch with me?” At Hayden’s raised brows, he rushed to explain. “We could go over what happened at the meeting and…” Realizing that meant having Hayden work through his lunch hour, Armi corrected himself. “Never mind. We’ll do it after lunch.”
He walked away, wishing things could be different.
Chapter Fifteen
Hayden hoped the meeting was going well. It was getting close to one, and Armi still hadn’t returned. No way would he leave until he saw Armi and heard from his lips that he’d held his own. His phone rang with the inter-office line.
“Yes, Josh?” Out of the corner of his eye, he watched a man in a suit approach.
“This guy blew past me, stating he was a friend of Mr. Winters.”
“I’ve got it. Thanks.” He set the receiver in the cradle. “May I help you?” He rose to his feet, facing the man. He was tall and well-dressed with a square jaw and neat haircut. Brown eyes scanned him and warmed.
“Hi, you must be Hayden.”
Confused as to how this stranger knew his name, Hayden blinked. “Yes. And you are?”
“Brent Taylor. A friend of Armi’s.”
“Brent?” Armi came over and stood between them. “What’re you doing here?”
Instead of answering, Brent kissed Armi.
He fucking kissed him.
Hayden’s hands balled into fists, and he saw red. Visions of him pulling Brent off Armi and tossing him into the wall flashed before his eyes. Who the fuck was this Brent person who was touching Armi? Worst of all, why was Armi smiling back at him?
“Hayden? Hayden.”
He pulled himself out of the visual of Brent sailing through the air. “I’m sorry?”
“Brent and I are going to have lunch. I’ll see you in about an hour or so, and we can discuss the meeting.”
“Yeah, sure. Of course.” He seethed, watching Armi walk out with Brent. He didn’t miss the smug bastard taking Armi’s hand and lacing their fingers together, like they were a couple.
When the hell had Armi met this dude? They obviously weren’t strangers, as Armi had let him kiss and touch him. More than let him, as Armi hadn’t seemed to pull away.
