The whole museum had a quiet, hushed feeling, as most such places did, but the Horror Show exhibit demanded it with minimal lighting and dark walls. Stepping into it made Jesse glad for his suit jacket after all as a chill brushed past him, and he hadn’t even walked around the introductory wall and painting to see the displays. He made his way inside.
A long wall divided most of the room, though he could see that there were more pieces in the back section that reconnected the space. The Valless statue wasn’t toward the front of the room, but there were other statues and paintings. On the left side, a flat screen was embedded in the wall, and it ran a black-and-white movie. Jesse recognized it—a flick based off an Edgar Allen Poe story, starring Vincent Price—but it couldn’t hold his attention.
Because Bryce stood in front of it, watching the screen with only passing interest.
Going up to him might be pressing the issue of getting a second date, but Jesse needed an answer before he spent any more time hoping Bryce would say yes. As far as he could see, there was no one else in the exhibit. He wasn’t sure he’d ever get an opportunity like this one again.
He sidled over to Bryce’s side. “Hey, I was debating on texting you.”
Bryce startled, and then his shoulders went rigid. If he’d been a fortress when they first met, now he rivaled a glacier wall. He didn’t relax upon realizing who spoke to him, either. Instead he seemed more concerned.
“Jesse, what are you doing here?” Bryce asked.
“For starters, this is open to the public. There’s nothing saying I can’t be here,” Jesse replied.
“I just meant—I would’ve thought you had work.”
“I happen to be working, and no, I can’t disclose details.” Jesse frowned. “You never told me what it is you do. You mentioned something about research?”
“Yes,” Bryce said slowly.
And then he still didn’t elaborate. Jesse stepped closer to him and Bryce stepped away. “Okay, did I do something wrong?”
“When?” Bryce asked.
“I don’t know. During our date? Now? You were fine with me when you left the apartment and you’ve gotten weird,” Jesse replied. This time when he stepped closer, Bryce didn’t back away. “I thought we had a good time.”
“A great time.” Bryce fixed his gaze on Jesse’s hand, and then sucked in a deep breath and met Jesse’s eyes instead. “It’s complicated.”
“Because I’m an agent?” Jesse said. “Look, the job has its dangerous moments, but the day to day is computer work and filing court crap. I’m in way more danger of a paper cut than getting shot.”
“It’s hard for me to explain,” Bryce replied.
Jesse stepped even closer, happy that Bryce let him into his personal space and confused by his unexplained reluctance. Heshouldn’tkiss Bryce, not in the middle of a public space when he was technically on the job. And while Bryce had been fine holding hands walking down the street, that didn’t mean he was out, or that he was a fan of kissing with a potential audience. But there was no one around, and when Jesse hooked his finger into Bryce’s waistband, he blushed.
“What’s there to explain?” Jesse didn’t wait for an answer. He pressed his lips against Bryce’s.
God, he was a stone block. Jesse tugged on his belt and Bryce gasped. That shattered Bryce’s rigidness, and he warmed up to the kiss. Jesse wrapped an arm around him and pulled him tight against him. Their kiss deepened, and Jesse explored every bit Bryce would let him.
Fuck, he needed Bryce in his bed. Jesse ended the kiss, a little too aware that they were both getting erections. If Milton spotted him making out with Bryce and getting hard, it was bound to lead to trouble at the office.
Still, the breathless look and the sparkle in Bryce’s brown eyes was worth getting lost in for a minute. Maybe even for a lifetime.
“Agent Dawes?” a voice called.
Bryce and Jesse separated as if they’d touched a hot burner, but Jesse couldn’t help laughing, which made Bryce chuckle, too.
A woman in a security uniform came around the corner of the entrance. “There you are, Agent Dawes. I heard you wanted to speak to me?”
“Yeah, yeah. Just a second,” Jesse said back, violating the quiet of the exhibit. He cleared his throat and said, more quietly, to Bryce, “Text me.”
Bryce frowned, and Jesse could practically see him reconstructing the frozen wall he liked to hide behind.
“Hey,” Jesse said. The single syllable threw a wrench into Bryce’s mental gears, if his confused scowl was any indicator. “Whatever the problem is, we’ll find a way around it. You’re worth the effort.”
“How could you possibly know that?” Bryce asked, his voice a ragged whisper.
Jesse smirked. “Maybe I’ve got a sixth sense about these kinds of things.” He leaned closer, and lowered his voice. “And maybe I just like to watch you come.”
Bryce started turning a bright shade of red, and he was definitely getting an erection. Jesse really wished he had more time to flirt with him.
But duty called. Jesse slipped his hands into his pants pockets and strolled toward the security chief. “Hey there, I was hoping to take a peek at some of your footage.”
“That’s a lot easier in my office, and if I know the reason why,” the security chief said.
“Better I explain the details in private anyway. Lead the way.”
As Jesse went to leave the exhibit, he took one more glance back. Bryce was watching him go. The glow from the screen made him stand out among the art. When Jesse shot him one more sly grin, Bryce got bashful and looked away.
Yeah, Jesse was going to be surprised if it took Bryce more than a half hour to text him back.
