by Willa Okati
Gavin pounded the door with the flat of his fist and gave up.
Odd. What is that? Gavin tilted his head. Strange, but he’d never noticed that scratch on the inside of the elevator doors before. He traced it with his fingertip, a Y shape, and flinched back with a hiss when the touch of flesh to metal emitted an electrical spark that stung him.
Half a floor from ground zero, Gavin could hear the messenger talking almost clearly enough once more to be heard. He couldn’t make out the exact words, but the tone -- that wrapped around him as toastily as a fire-warmed blanket in winter and made him… made him…
* * *
“The man you what?” Kayla hooted. “Come on, Ford.”
Ford didn’t let her reaction stop him. He touched the brushed steel of the doors, reverent and amazed. “I’ve got an extra ticket for a Tori Amos concert coming up soon. Won two in a radio contest. I should have known I’d have someone to take with me.”
“You’re serious?” Kayla shook her head. “Of course you’re serious. I’ve known you for all of five minutes, and I already know the answer to that one. You honestly accept this.”
“Because it’s true.”
“I don’t know, Ford.” Kayla had fallen into a comfortable spot in Ford’s life as if she’d always been there. Considering the circumstances, a positive omen for what lay ahead. Rather, what was about to step off the elevator. “The other stuff -- that was… believable. Weird and awesome, yes, but believable. But this?”
“You’ve already seen for yourself how the signs work and that they do.”
“Yeah, but marriage?” Kayla was apparently having a heck of a time wrapping her head around that one. “Doesn’t this freak you out at all?”
“In a good way.” Enthusiasm and a tiny bit of nervous energy wound Ford so tight -- still in a good way -- making him all but vibrate. Waiting for the elevator to slide down that last floor was better than counting the seconds until Christmas morning.
Although… “I can’t even keep a plant alive for longer than a month. I’m going to have to step up my game.”
Kayla gave up her apprehension to join in the anticipation. “What’re you going to say to him?”
“Honestly? I don’t have a clue. He’s the love of my life. Something will come to me. I’m sure of it.”
“Wait.” Kayla frowned. “Not to burst your bubble, but if he’s going to be the love of your life, I have to ask. Are you going to be the love of his?”
“Uh-oh. Good question. See? It’s lucky that I met you. Hang on.” Ford scanned fast for a sign.
There? Possibly. A tea spill on the pavement, comfortingly familiar tasseography spread out in soothing whorls. Ford read the signs with care. “Whew. Signs point to yes. I think.” Not an easy yes, though, just like Kayla’s half-booted stumbling. “Twists and turns,” he said, tracing the spirals of tannin. “Ups and downs and roundabouts…”
Kayla squeaked and tugged Ford’s sleeve. “Doors!”
“Sure picked its moment, didn’t it?” Ford stood and rubbed his hands on his thighs, wishing the brushed-steel doors were shinier and more reflective. As it was, he could only crouch down and rely on a glance in a window at a diagonal angle to get a hinted suggestion of thick Black Irish hair, fair skin, and blue eyes. “Do I look okay?”
“Good enough to make me wish signs pointed to your marrying the first deliverywoman you met today, even if you do need to work on your approach.” Kayla gave Ford a nicely platonic and appreciative once-over. “Whoever this is, he’d better know how lucky he is, or he’ll have me to deal with.”
“Okay,” Ford said on a breath out. He cracked his knuckles and faced the doors. “Let’s do this.”
* * *
Slowly, an inch at a time, as if they enjoyed the suspense, the elevator doors eased open. Slim but masculine hands decorated with a scattering of dark ink smudges shot out to grasp the reluctant edges and help them on their way.
Ford acted without thinking. “Here, let me help.” Careful not to mash the poor guy’s knuckles, he placed his hands above the man’s and put his back into the push. Together, they got the door open.
Together, they stopped and stared. Ford didn’t know exactly what the guy saw, but he was pretty sure it couldn’t be as good as what he got to look at. The elevator’s passenger blinked at Ford from behind round glasses that made him look adorably bookish and boyishly hot at the same time. The sexy geek of every dirty dream Ford had ever entertained. He loved smart men.
Didn’t hurt that the rest of Sexy Geek was as appealing as early-summer strawberries. Pink, shading toward red, suffused his cheeks. Smooth, rich brown hair fell to chin length, no doubt all the better to hide behind if he bent his head as he did now, hiding tea brown eyes. Tea. A drop of proof.
Even better, Sexy Geek wore a green sweater. Green for go. The sweater’s V-neck arrowed down over a black T-shirt beneath, both well fitting but covering enough to suggest modesty or even shyness. From this angle Ford didn’t think the guy had a single thing to worry about, and he was close enough to know it was a sin to cover up any of that.
This was the man fate had decreed Ford was going to marry? He must have done something great in a past life.
Sexy Geek didn’t move. His breathing quickened, and his pupils widened, his attention riveted so intently to Ford that Ford couldn’t have moved either, not even if he’d wanted to.
“Hi,” Ford said first, quieter than he usually spoke, soft and awed. He waited, holding his breath, eager to hear the first thing his future husband would say to him.
“You’re staring at me.”
Ford could have hoped for better. But they’d have time for second chances. This man would be the love of his life? Without a doubt.
If he believed in love at first sight, as Ford did, he’d know he’d already fallen.
Sexy Geek blinked, his surprise innocently sexy. “Do I have something on my face?” He touched his lips.
Not yet. Whoa, wait, better take it easy there, cowboy. Ford rustled up some control. Better to keep the X-rated thoughts under cover for now. Learning Sexy Geek’s name first would be the civilized way to go.
Behaving like a gentleman came easy with this one. Ford stood aside to clear the path. Because the playfulness had worked so well with Kayla, Ford took a chance on upping the ante. He extended an arm behind himself, and bowed with every last ounce of old-school charm he could muster up.
It didn’t work as well as Ford had hoped. Sexy Geek’s eyes widened and he took a step back. “Are you all right?” He took his time with each word. A stutterer, more than likely. Ford didn’t mind. Everyone had their foibles.
“I’m great,” Ford answered honestly. Who wouldn’t be when they could enjoy the sight of Sexy Geek’s plush pink lips parted in -- Okay, the wariness in his expression wasn’t great, but he did have a hot mouth made for doing naughty things. Ford would bet he’d be a kisser beyond compare.
“Uh-huh.” Sexy Geek didn’t exactly look soothed. He tried to scoot past Ford and failed. Not a good moment for that, as the elevator loosed an alarming screech and jolted down a quarter of a floor, leaving Sexy Geek at Ford’s mercy, still holding his hands. Ford would have hated to find the love of his life only to have said love yanked away and sent plummeting past the basement and subbasement to his death minutes later.
Sexy Geek groaned. He muttered something to himself that Ford couldn’t make out, took an unusually deep breath, and looked up at Ford. God, those were some gorgeous eyes. “Can you give me a hand?”
“Absolutely.” To have and to hold. Ford scrambled, but awkwardly, not wanting to break eye contact. Sexy Geek proved to be heavier than he looked. He must have some nice tight muscles under that sweater, more than a casual -- okay, not so casual -- gander hinted at.
Once Ford had hauled Sexy Geek to safety, he hung on to one of the hands he’d taken in assistance and sandwiched it between both of his. “How about we start again?”
Sexy Geek’s eyebrows
drew together. “I don’t understand.”
“I’ll show you. Like this. Hi,” Ford said, still quiet, but unable to stop his smile from breaking out bright and warm.
He got a much better response the second time around. “Hi,” Sexy Geek whispered without looking away. The pink in his cheeks deepened even as a hint of a likely unconscious smile flirted at the corners of his mouth. Ford couldn’t have asked for a better omen than that.
“I think that’s my cue.” Kayla zipped past the two of them and into the elevator. The doors scrolled closed as smoothly as silk, shutting on the picture of her watching them with hearts in her eyes, delivery flowers clutched to her chest, and a happy sigh on her lips.
“Alone at last,” Ford said, trying to get Sexy Geek to smile. Funny how he had a feeling that might be a challenge. “What’s your name?”
“Gavin,” he said, almost too quietly to be understood. “Gavin Yamea.”
Ford liked the way that rolled off Gavin’s tongue. Exotic, tempting, hard, and soft at the same time. “Gavin. Do you believe in fate?”
Gavin’s lips parted. Gorgeous lips. Plush, soft, sweet, begging to be nibbled and sucked between Ford’s teeth. “No,” he said, taking his hand back, and not gently. “Not in the least.”
Uh-oh. Not good. “What about luck?”
“Like rabbits’ feet and pennies?”
Ford brightened. He could feel the lucky penny warm and snug in his pocket. “Yeah, exactly like --”
“No.” Gavin crept slowly backward, his shoulders now almost pressed to the elevator doors.
Wait. Was he scared? No no no. Ford pushed through the space between them and tried his best to project kindness, not force. “Don’t go. Let me explain. Besides, we’re still not done saying hi, are we?”
Gavin stared at him, a t-t-t noise all he could push out. Stuttering, as Ford had thought. Pair that with obvious shyness, and Ford had to fight the urge to hug the stuffing out of Gavin. He liked hugs. So what if they were girlie? At Ford’s size, he could get away with ordering cocktails that came with sparklers if he felt like it, and no one would dare call him on wussiness.
Gavin swallowed hard. His fingers spread in Ford’s grasp, as if trying to break free, then curled around Ford’s, and the handshake eased from awkward to firm. His hand was as good to touch as it was to look at.
This close to Gavin, Ford could smell the freshness of shampoo and soap and laundry detergent. Gavin dressed so neatly and was so well put together from outfit to baby-smooth shave that he begged to be rumpled up. Loved hard and left with kiss marks somewhere that couldn’t be hidden.
Unable to resist, Ford touched Gavin. Drew the backs of his knuckles down the angle of Gavin’s jaw. He couldn’t help treating Gavin gently, and with Gavin, the gentleness came easy. “You are so beautiful.”
“Men aren’t beautiful.” Gavin licked those pretty lips, making Ford weak in the knees. Better still, a discreet -- he hoped -- glance down showed a promising stir in the zipper region and a contraction of Gavin’s stomach muscles as his body tried to insist on having its way.
Tea stains and traffic lights weren’t the only signs Ford knew how to read.
A small anomaly caught Ford’s attention. He touched his fingertip to Gavin’s left shoulder and came away with a hair. “You’ve got a little… Wow. Not little.” He held the hair carefully. Fairer than Gavin’s and coarser too. “What kind of animal did this come from? I’m saying animal because if it’s from a boyfriend, I’ll be really embarrassed.”
Was that the hint of another shy smile? “Animal,” Gavin said. “His name’s Oscar.”
Ford studied the fur with new fascination. “What’s Oscar, a dog or a small pony?”
“He’s an F1 cross.”
“I have no idea what that means.” Ford held out the hair balanced on his fingertip. “It’s not an eyelash, but you can still make a wish.”
“I told you, I don’t believe in --”
“Humor me,” Ford coaxed.
Gavin rolled his eyes, or Ford thought he did. Hard to tell when they were downcast and shaded by long, thick lashes. He did puff out his cheeks and blow. The pursing of his lips did highly intriguing things for Ford’s libido, only to be topped when he pushed his glasses higher up on his nose.
“Thank you for… um… for the hand out.” He colored deeply and looked down. “That came out wrong.”
“It doesn’t matter. I understood what you meant.”
That didn’t seem to please Gavin. Stiff and stubborn, wasn’t he? “I should be going. I just came for the packages.”
“No, wait.” Ford didn’t give up that easily and didn’t let go of Gavin. “I’m Ford. Can I buy you a cup of tea? Morning’s more of a coffee time, and normally I’m a soda guy, but I have a debt of thanks to repay to the patron saint of --” Ford checked the spill. “Does that look like oolong or Earl Grey to you?”
Gavin’s eyes widened behind his glasses. “You… uh. I… um…”
Oh God, he was adorable. Ford wanted to wrap him up in a blanket and cuddle him. And then he’d crawl underneath the blanket to keep him company, and…
“You’re staring at me again.” Gavin cleared his throat. “I knew I shouldn’t have,” he muttered.
“Wait, what?”
“Never mind. Just… let me have the package. Please.”
“Sure,” Ford said, digging in his bag. He laughed when he saw the name on the address label. Looked like he had an ace up his sleeve. “As luck would have it… the package is for you anyway.”
Gavin blushed as he signed for the letter, his handwriting lopsided and going completely screwy when he glanced up at Ford between first and last names.
Ford chanced it. “Can I change your mind about that tea?”
Gavin licked his lips. For a second, Ford was sure the answer would be yes.
“No,” Gavin said, rushing the words out and backing away. “Thanks, but no. I’ve got to get back to work.”
He kept his head ducked low as he tried to dodge past Ford. Surprise and basic good manners prompted Ford to move out of the way before he could stop to think. Holy cow, Gavin moved fast for a comparatively little guy.
“Wait,” Ford called after him. “Okay, no tea now. What about dinner tonight? Maybe, if we’re feeling really crazy, a movie.” Ford was not too proud to attempt winsome begging. “Please?”
Gavin stopped with his palm pressed to the elevator door, and turned to look over his shoulder at Ford. An oddly sultry pose, a sort of pin-up-girl stance that did wonderful things for Gavin’s profile. Then again, if you asked Ford, Gavin had Kayla beat hands down for prettiness, so there you had it.
Maybe he would have said yes. Maybe not. The world would never know, as at that precise moment, the elevator doors slid open with a bump and grind, and Kayla tumbled out. “Whoa, what a ride!”
“I think that’s my cue,” Gavin mumbled. “I’m sorry. Just… look, I’m sure you’re a nice guy, but you’re --”
“I’m what?”
“You remind me of someone,” Ford thought he heard Gavin say, but in too low a whisper to be sure. “You remind me way too much of someone, and no thanks.”
Ford yearned to approach him again, to ask what that was supposed to mean. He would have if Kayla hadn’t discreetly kicked him in the ankle and shaken her head minutely. Huh?
Gavin was already inside the elevator. Darn. “It’s great to meet you, Gavin,” was all Ford could settle for. For now. “I deliver to this building all the time.”
“And?”
“So I’ll be seeing you,” Ford said. He gave Gavin a wink and his most guileless smile as the elevator doors creaked shut. He got a last glimpse of Gavin’s deer-in-the-headlights wide eyes before he disappeared from sight.
* * *
No less than a second after the elevator doors closed, Ford wheeled to Kayla. “So? What did you think?”
Kayla made an obviously noble attempt not to giggle. Her lips twitched and gave her
away.
Ford took it down a notch just in case the elevator had gotten stuck and Gavin could hear him bubbling over. “Seriously. What did you think of him?”
Kayla ruffled the spikes of her hair back, creating a new and interesting sort of faux-hawk effect. “Okay. Do you want the honest truth, or do you want what you’d like to hear?”
That didn’t sound promising, but it was always better to know exactly where you stood. “The real truth. Lay it on me.”
“I think he’s gorgeous,” Kayla said for starters.
“His name’s Gavin, and I couldn’t agree with you more. Did you see his eyes? That cute blush? And his chin and his lips and --”
“Easy, Romeo.” Kayla waved him quiet. “I have the floor.”
Ford mimed zipping his lips. He even tossed an imaginary key over his shoulder.
“Yeah, we’ll see how long that lasts.” Since the insinuation was true, Ford let it pass. He nodded and gestured to encourage her to keep going.
“Gorgeous.” Kayla ticked that one off on her pointer finger. “And yes, I totally noticed all of the above. He’s prettier than I am.”
Ford kept obediently, and for once wisely, quiet on that. Besides, in her way, Kayla was as adorable as a ladybug perched on a teddy bear’s button nose. Just not the kind of beauty he looked for in a lover. A husband.
Ford’s mind drifted a few clouds away over that one. Husband. Someone to come home to. Someone who knew him, loved him, whom he could go to sleep with and wake up beside, and --
Kayla snapped her fingers under Ford’s nose. “Hello? Still in there?”
Ford dipped his head sheepishly, then nodded.
“Gorgeous.” Kayla started over again. Ford couldn’t blame her. It bore repeating. Gavin was absolutely yummy. One hundred percent. She went on faster than Ford’s imagination could waft him away and added a special dig to keep him anchored. “So gorgeous that I’d say he’s way out of your league.”
“Hey!” Ford broke his temporary vow of silence to pout at Kayla. “I’m not that bad looking, am I?”
Kayla’s eyebrows shot up. “Ford, have you ever looked in a mirror? No. You’re not bad looking. But there’s rough-and-tumble sexy, and then there’s ‘ohmyGod, hide the virgins.’ Know what I mean?”
