Yeah, no. Kit was not going first. But this wasn’t the right setup when he was outnumbered. After a moment’s thought, Kit seized the coffee table by the legs.
“You should move your laptop,” he advised.
Once Holden moved the laptop, Kit dragged the table away. Then he sat on the floor, with Holden on his right.
“Everyone sit on the floor,” Kit ordered.
If anyone asked, Kit wouldn’t be able to explain why. More of a feeling than a strategy. Something about getting on the same level, facing everyone eye to eye. But James and Darius didn’t ask. They just sat as told, Darius to Kit’s left and James across from him. Just out of reach.
Watching. Waiting.
Kit took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts, then realized he might be interrupting. “Wait, is there more of the presentation?”
“Just the appendix,” Holden said. “You can take the floor, darling.”
Kit’s mouth twitched, a badly stifled grin. “Next presentation, I want one of those whippy stick things to gesture with.”
“I have a riding crop in the bedroom,” Darius offered. Such a gentleman.
The offer was tempting, but that was a delaying tactic. Time to face the matter at hand: the proposal to move in together, and the lack of immediate, enthusiastic yeses.
Kit pointed at Darius. “You first. What do you think?”
Darius looked surprisingly comfortable. His slacks wrinkled, but his overall demeanor read as if business meetings always happened on the floor. “Relationships were supposed to be a retirement thing. A few years from now, if everything went well. I would stop killing people for money and start dating more seriously. Obviously, a certain someone fucked that up.”
“I’m problematic like that,” Kit said, leaning back on his hands.
Darius grinned. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
All the breath left Kit’s body. Not just the words, but the easy way Darius said them. In front of everyone else. So much for the cool, calm assassin—except he was still cool and calm.
“You make me want to retire early,” Darius said. “I’m not going to—I have some things to wrap up. But I want to. Every time you walk out that door, I want to pull you back in.”
Kit couldn’t look away. “I don’t like leaving, either.”
Darius leaned in, and Kit closed his eyes—his own moment of cowardice, hiding from the brilliant fondness. But the tenderness of the kiss plucked at his defenses anyway. Soft lips and warm breath left Kit dazed by the time Darius pulled away.
“I’m already failing at keeping my distance.” Darius cocked a thumb over his shoulder. “And I suppose I can tolerate these assholes.”
Holden blew a mocking kiss. James threw a middle finger, though the gesture seemed half-hearted.
Ignoring them, Darius finished, “Yes, I want to move in with you.”
“Great,” Kit breathed. Then he cleared his throat. “That’s great. I mean, thank you for sharing. Um. James. What do you think?”
Tension silenced the room.
Pink and purple light from the slideshow reflected from James’s glossy hair. It didn’t reach his dark, downcast eyes.
“Do you want the truth?” James asked.
Kit’s heart sank. “That’s all I want.”
“It’s complicated,” James said, still looking away. “Let me get through it all before you freak out, okay?”
“No promises,” Kit said, trying for funny, landing more on stressed.
“I would have said yes, without question, a couple months ago.” James glanced at Holden. “Okay, I would have had questions about Psycho Undergrad, but the question would be ‘do we lock him in the attic or the basement’?”
