Order (Tattoos and Ties Duet #2)(47)
“Sounds like a productive day. What does that have to do with Fox and Mack stopping by?” Alec asked, leaning his bare ass against the sink. Clearly, Alec’s lines were blurring too. Either he wasn’t picking up or didn’t care about the that’s-all-I-want-to-say vibe Keyes was laying down between them. He pinned Alec with a pointed stare, one that left his mister completely unfazed, before rolling his eyes.
“Bullshit with my old man.” His father was a downer and a deadbeat lowlife asshole. Keyes flat didn’t want anything that hateful man’s name conjured anywhere near this home.
“I’m not fond of your father. He’s not coming back to the tire shop, is he?” Alec asked, trailing behind Keyes as headed for the closet. “Alexa, turn on the bedroom lamps.”
The lights came on while Keyes pulled his underwear and socks from the dresser drawer.
“Nah, he’s not comin’ back.” That was truly no longer a worry. From that angle, his glass was half full.
=?=
When in the world Alec had ever voluntarily woken before five in the morning was beyond him. He had also never dressed a man before, but he did this morning. While Key put on his socks, Alec went to the closet and pulled out a pressed pair of jeans and an equally pressed T-shirt, bringing them both to Key. “These work?”
“Yeah, whatever’s good.” While Key continued to dress, Alec searched for his work boots and belt, hoping to keep his man openly confiding in him. He did feel as if Key continued to hide something from him, mostly likely about his horrible father, but he wouldn’t press for more there. Key liked to do things on his own terms, and more than anything, Alec wanted Key to trust him, and he was, which was enough for right now.
“I have some news,” Alec announced, bringing to Key the belt and boots he’d found. Alec then grabbed a robe, only because the mornings had turned a little chilly. He needed to remember to adjust his thermostat.
“Okay, but first, tell me about the costume,” Key said, using his chin to hold his T-shirt up while he threaded the belt through the loops.
How had he forgotten the purpose of the costume? He would have thought sitting two hours in the hot spandex, waiting for Key to come home last night, might have been enough to keep him on task, but the hi-honey-I’m-home make-out session, ending with dinner in bed because Key had thought that was Alec’s attempt at role play, had been enough to make him forget the party.
“A friend of mine from the office, remember the one who had the engagement party?” Alec waited for Key to nod before he added, “She’s having a masquerade party on Saturday night. It’s the perfect decoy for us. We can dress up and go out together—very covert. My housekeeper secured us Batman and Robin costumes,” Alec said, waggling his brows, and took a seat on the edge of the mattress.
“Except I can’t go…” Key said, the bed dipping as Key dropped down to pull his boots on. Alec got stuck on the “I can’t” portion of his lover’s refusal and heard nothing more. He had expected Key to scoff at their going out in public. He’d even prepared for all of Key’s reasons, but the “I can’t” meant something altogether different.
“What? Why not?” he asked, feeling his body deflate in disappointment.
“We’re havin’ a club party—a barbeque fundraiser. Part of the reason for the prez’s drive-by yesterday was so that he could personally ask me to come,” Key explained, glancing up as he pushed the jeans down over his boots. Whatever he saw froze Key in mid-motion. He stayed bent over but continued staring at him.
“No,” Alec said lamely, his feelings suddenly hurt. He had already planned the whole night in his head, even talking himself into getting a hotel in the Uptown area. Two separate, but adjoining rooms. It made so much sense to him. “Saturday’s my night.”
“I can’t blow this off. It’s a club celebration because the fed’s case dropped. I think they’re expecting the DA to stop her bullshit too, which will make business start rampin’ up again. Weekends’ll be harder to make happen—especially during the holidays. That’s why I got Louis closing,” Key explained, as he sat straight up. Alec stared at Key as the man ripped the metaphorical rug out from underneath him.
Wait. Did Key just in a roundabout way say he wouldn’t be coming around as much on the weekends?
No. That was their time together.
“Babe, I’m disappointed. We won’t have another chance this great,” Alec said, rising and walking the length of the bedroom. He needed distance to help him think straight.
“We’ll have next Halloween.”
Alec went utterly silent, turning to stare at Key. It was silly how much he’d started looking forward to the idea of them going out together. If the costume party worked, then the doors were opening for them in other areas too.
“Stop lookin’ so hurt. You go. Have a good time.”
“When will your party end?” Alec asked as Key stood and headed toward him. Alec held his ground, but stuck out a hand, keeping Key at arm’s length.
“It’ll be late,” Key’s said, respecting his boundary up to but not including his hand. Key curled his long fingers around Alec’s, drawing his knuckles up for a sweet press of lips, which somehow made his feelings hurt worse. “I should probably stay at my place Saturday night, maybe get a few extra hours in at the shop, see how much business actually returns.”