by Trina Solet
"All this time I was trying to show you I can be a gentleman too. But nothing gets done if we're both on our best behavior. Let's lock the door and..."
"Leon," was all Phillip managed to say.
"What? All good assistants boss their bosses around," Leon said in his defense.
"I asked Thompson to stop by with the revised Joiner projections. He'll be here any minute," Phillip informed him.
Leon leaned over his desk to say, "Fuck Thompson."
"What did I do?" Thompson asked from the doorway to Phillip's office. He had only poked his head in. He might have knocked beforehand. Phillip couldn't say for sure.
Leon turned his fiercest glare yet at poor Thompson then stormed out. Phillip looked to make sure he only went to fume at his desk.
"Let's make this quick," he told Thompson, who looked kind of scared as he glanced back over his shoulder at Leon.
Once Thompson was out of there – in record time – Phillip went over to talk to Leon.
"Am I getting a reprimand or something?" Leon asked as soon as Phillip approached his desk.
"Hardly. Thank you for making the first move. I'd like to reschedule sex on my desk for another time. For now, can we just take it slowly and get to know each other?" Phillip said simply. After last night, it was too late to backtrack, but he couldn't move forward recklessly either. It wasn't in his nature. Now his fear was rising with Leon's silence. Maybe this wasn't enough.
Leon stared up at him. Phillip could see his face soften from the scary, but attractive glower he had been wearing.
"Can I call you Phil?"
"No."
"How is this progress?"
"Neither one of us got rejected," Phillip said with a shrug.
Leon rolled his eyes, but he seemed happy. A smile lingered at the corners of his mouth though he looked at Phillip like he was saying, "You owe me."
Phillip silently promised to give him the best time of his life... once he got up the courage. Until then he enjoyed the sweet frisson between them and eventually went to pick up Ant from his new daycare place.
As soon as he brought him back to the office, Leon noticed Ant wasn't himself. "What's going on with this guy today? Why so quiet?"
"We're going to meet Ant's new pediatrician, Dr. Woo. She is a very nice lady, but Ant is a little worried." Ant didn't have a regular pediatrician. Lilly only took him to the doctor when she saw the need. He wasn't used to it and feared the worst especially after having to get vaccinated so he could start preschool.
"I don't wannna a shot," Ant said in a whisper.
"I told you. There won't be a shot," Phillip tried to reassure him.
Leon reinforced his point. "Sounds like you're just doing a meet and greet. Just a little look-see. 'Hi there, nice to meet you, doc.' Nothing to worry about," Leon said, but Ant still looked uneasy.
Phillip let him sit with Leon since he was better able to distract him. For a while Ant was diverted, and Phillip even heard his sweet laugh a few times. Then it was time for the meeting with the doctor, and Ant got nervous again.
"You want me to come with you," Leon offered and looked at Phillip for his approval.
Phillip had seen Ant brighten at the idea. Relieved to have Leon along, Phillip nodded. "It won't be so bad if Leon comes with us," he said and Ant agreed.
Leon sat in the back of the car with Ant and played I Spy with him. Ant's contribution was to say, "Where? Where?" every single time. Once they arrived, they walked into the doctor's office with both of them holding Ant by the hand.
Stepping inside, Ant squeezed their hands tighter. That characteristic doctor's office smell probably didn't put him at ease. Leon pointed out the other kids in the waiting room. Some of them were playing or looking at various electronic devices. One little girl smiled at Ant, and he smiled back tentatively.
"I know," Leon said, then he went up to the receptionist. "Can I have a piece of paper, a marker, and a paperclip, please?"
She handed them over. Leon wrote the word "Visitor" on the note and attached it to Ant's shirt pocket with the paperclip.
"That's your visitor's pass. Now everyone will know that you're not a patient, that you're just visiting," Leon explained.
"And no shots," Ant added leaning toward Leon to whisper. He didn't want the other children to hear.
When Ant's name was called, Dr. Woo did her part to ease Ant into the experience. A nurse showed him some equipment and how it was used. With both Phillip and Leon right there, Ant was somewhat reassured by the introduction. No one could say he was looking forward to his real checkup, but he was a lot less scared now.
Ant's more cheerful mood meant that Phillip could relax a little too. That's when he noticed that Dr. Woo and the nurse treated him and Leon as if they were a couple. Looking over at Leon, Phillip found the idea thrilling. That man could be his and everyone would know it. The thought of it had an incredible pull on his dick, his heart and his ego.
Chapter 25
As they dropped off Leon back at the parking garage at work, Phillip got out to thank him. His car door stood open while Ant was in his car seat busy playing with an interlocking puzzle he got at the doctor's office.
"That was a breeze because of you. Thank you for coming with us," Phillip said. He remembered how worried he had been about the appointment and how well things turned out once Leon stepped into the picture.
Leon didn't accept Phillip's gratitude though. "What are you thanking me for? That was nothing."
"I guess to you it's nothing because you're just being yourself," Phillip said. He was gazing at Leon, unable to look away.
Lately Phillip had a completely new, more personal appreciation of him. He seemed radiant to him and more intimately real since their kiss. He could still feel the length of his body pressed against him, the insistent hardness of it, and the yielding of his mouth. It was an intoxicating mix.
He was unsteady on his feet at the thought of it and almost ready to lunge at Leon right there. To remind himself of why he couldn't, he turned to look at Ant with his head down looking kind of mad at that puzzle.
"I don't deserve the credit. I think Ant brings out the best in people," Leon said, but his eyes stayed steadily on Phillip.
"You mean me?" Phillip said since Leon had given him that meaningful look.
"Sure, but me too. I like coming to the office now. I mean... I mean I like it even more now," Leon corrected himself.
Phillip laughed.
"Like that," Leon said pointing at Phillip. "These days I know there's a good chance I'll see you smile."
"That's not just because of Ant," Phillip said. His confession came out in a low voice. He looked down embarrassed and Leon leaned in as if he couldn't quite hear him.
He gave Phillip a teasing look. "Did you just say more than you meant to?" Leon asked. It was like he was reminding Phillip to take back what he said or forever hold his peace.
Rather than backtrack, Phillip decided to take a step forward.
"You should come home with us again," Phillip said.
Leon seemed to hesitate. Before answering him, he leaned in through the open car door. "Hey, Ant, is anything good for dinner at your place?"
"Are you gonna come over?" Ant asked. He obviously liked the idea.
"He might be. What should we make for Leon so he'll come over for dinner tonight?" Phillip asked him.
"Don't say cake," Leon warned him.
"French fries!"
Leon made a face. "I'm not a fan of frying. But first things first." He sat backwards in the front seat so he could talk to Ant. "Hey, little guy, let me ask you something. Is it OK if I date your uncle?"
"Date?" Ant said, tilting his head to the side.
"Is it OK for me and your uncle to have fun together, just us?" Leon asked.
"Yes. You can have fun," Ant said seriously.
"We promise to have lots of fun with you too," Leon told him.
"Parties!"
"OK, but tonight I wan
t to take you guys out to dinner. And yes, they have fries." Leon looked from Ant to Phillip.
Ant was for it, and now it was Phillip's turn to agree. "I guess we're going out."
"I have the perfect place picked out – Paloma's by Bronson Plaza," Leon said as he sat in the passenger seat facing forward.
"I know it," Phillip said as he got back behind the wheel. "But what about reservations?" It wasn't the kind of place where they were likely to get a table at the last minute.
"My friend Katya is a pastry chef there," Leon explained as Phillip drove. "She's my best friend's sister and also a friend in her own right. When her brother, Pavel, and I helped her move, she promised me a free meal at Paloma's. Her foldout couch broke our backs. I'll trade in the free meal for getting us in without reservations." Leon leaned back to ask Ant, "Ant-man, do you know what a pastry chef does?"
Ant shook his head.
"My friend Katya is a pastry chef, and she makes cakes and all kinds of other desserts."
Ant's eyes lit up at this news.
"I'm texting her so we can get special treatment," he told Phillip. She replied soon after. "We're in."
*
Leon was proud of himself not only for coming up with a plan on short notice but also for pulling it off, with Katya's help. After tonight, he was going to owe her. Whatever it took, he was just glad he could take Phillip out on what he considered their first date.
The evening air was just starting to cool and it was still light out when they got out of the car. Flowers were in full bloom around the fountain and along the paths. They walked through the Bronson Plaza and stopped at the three-tiered fountain. Ant watched the water jump and dance, and Phillip gave him some pennies to make a wish. Ant didn't quite get it but he wished anyway.
"Gimme ice cream!" he yelled at the streams of water coming out of trumpet shaped openings. He waited and when no ice cream appeared, he looked at Phillip. "What now?"
"Let's go eat," Phillip said.
"The fountain probably doesn't want you to have ice cream before you have dinner," Leon told Ant as he walked between them.
"The fountain is strict like Uncle Phillip," Ant complained as they walked to the front of the restaurant.
Ant kept looking back, but the fountain didn't spit out any magic ice cream. Good thing Paloma's had big windows looked out onto Bronson Plaza so Ant could still watch for the appearance of ice cream even after they were seated. With the fountain and the walkways all lit up for the evening, it was a nice view.
Inside the place was high end but not too intimidating. If anything, Paloma's was deceptively casual while being kind of pricey once you got a look at the menu. It was one of those places that keep it simple, but make you pay through the nose for premium ingredients. Katya was proud of working there and raved about the freshness and quality of everything they served. That's why Leon had chosen it. This seemed like a place worthy of bringing Phillip and Ant.
A little after they were seated, Katya came to their table to say hi. She was a petite and much prettier version of her brother. Reddish blond hair cut short, blue eyes, she greeted them with a dimpled smile as she approached.
When Leon introduced Phillip, he got up like a gentleman and thanked her for getting them in.
"I like pulling a few strings. It makes me feel like a big shot," Katya said with a wave of her hand then turned to Ant expectantly.
"And the little one is Phillip's nephew, Ant, and he wants your job," Leon told her.
"What a cutie," she said, disarmed by him instantly. "Hi there. My name is Katya."
"She's the one who makes desserts," Leon told Ant.
"And I'm going to make an extra special one for you," she said to Ant who looked pleased as well as shy.
"You're his hero now," Leon told her.
"You brought him here, you're the hero," she told Leon then she complimented him. "It's nice to see you all suited up. You two look well matched instead of a scruffy guy and a gentleman."
"I'm not scruffy," Leon said.
She pointed at his hair and his five o'clock shadow. "You're a little scruffy, but it looks good on you." She smiled at all three of them and then excused herself.
Once she went back to work, Phillip leaned across the table and told Leon, "This is on me."
"No way. I have some overtime money burning a hole in my pocket."
"Leon..." Phillip started to object but Leon cut him off.
"You can leave a generous tip."
Dinner was delicious though Ant's was fairly simple. He had one of Paloma's high-end, specialty burgers stripped of everything that made it special and fries on the side. Katya outdid herself with the desserts. Leon ordered a tower of chocolate pastry held together by a luscious peanut butter cream. Phillip had an assortment of fruit with a salty caramel dip. For Ant, Katya had made a striped ice cream concoction with spikes of chocolate sticking out of it.
"A hedgehog," Ant said. He was thrilled, but that didn't keep him from tasting all three of their desserts and eating most of Phillip's. He was a happy boy.
To walk off the meal and especially the dessert, they meandered around Bronson Plaza and enjoyed the nighttime scenery. Ant walked on the benches with Leon swinging him up and letting him jump down with his help. He could see Phillip's hand twitch and his lips press together every time Ant bravely hopped down off a bench.
"I won't let him fall," Leon promised him in a whisper as they walked side by side.
"I know." When Phillip turned to him, Leon could see trust in his luminous, gray eyes.
Back at Phillip's, Ant had definite ideas about their after dinner entertainment. "Let's watch Finding Nemo again," Ant said. Of course Ant would love a movie about a little fish and a bunch of other sea creatures.
Phillip looked at Leon like he thought he might say no. Say no to Ant – impossible. They watched it together, and Ant was engrossed as if he was watching it for the first time. Phillip was into it as well.
"You like that movie," Leon said.
"I can relate," Phillip said ruefully no doubt thinking about his search for Ant and also his brother.
When it was time for Ant to go to bed there was a minor struggle and some whining.
"But Leon is here," Ant protested.
"You gave me permission to date your uncle, remember?" Leon told him. "We need to spend a little time alone together."
Ant frowned but then grudgingly said OK. He marched off to get ready. Leon could hear him complaining how he had to brush his teeth "all the time!" But once he was in his pajamas, he ran back to the living room to hug Leon goodnight. He was such a sweet little guy.
"We'll watch Shark Tale next time," Ant whispered to him.
"It's a deal. Goodnight, Ant-man. Sleep tight," Leon told him.
Ant took Phillip's hand and let him lead him off to bed.
Going to the big windows, Leon looked out at that impressive view. City lights filled his vision. Beyond them the world was shadowy and black with strings of lights marking the highways as they crisscrossed in the distance.
For a moment, Leon caught sight of his own reflection and frowned at himself critically. Was Phillip really attracted to all this scruffiness and inner turmoil? Leon sighed. What could he do? He was who he was – a lanky guy with curly hair, who needed a shave. The real problem was inside. He was kind of a mess. Trying to ignore his own reflection, he waited impatiently, or was it nervously, for Phillip to come back.
When Phillip walked into the living room, Leon tried to breathe evenly. It was no big deal, just the man he wanted more than anything coming over to him, putting his hands on his hips, and looking into his eyes.
"Is this really a proper date with Ant coming along and Finding Nemo as our date movie?" Phillip asked. "I was thinking of something more formal and adult."
"We can get more adult about it. If we wait until Ant is good and asleep and we mess around, then it will be a proper date," Leon suggested.
"Don't forget that Ant is a
light sleeper," Phillip reminded Leon just as he pulled close to him.
While Leon's arms went around him, Phillip's hands stayed on his hips. Feeling his halfhearted resistance to any serious action, Leon pressed himself up against him harder. Staring into his eyes and acting braver than he felt, he warned Phillip, "Give it up or I'll get drunk and seduce you."
"You mean get me drunk and seduce me?"
"No. Then you'd be impaired and that would be wrong." He didn't mention that he was the one who needed the booze induced courage.
"For what it's worth, you wouldn't have to do much to seduce me drunk or sober," Phillip said in a low voice and inclined his head toward him.
"That's good to hear," Leon whispered and his breath caught in his throat. Phillip's hands had slipped to his back and he was holding him tighter now. Leon shouldn't have stopped breathing. Now he didn't know how to start again. His vision was swimming as he leaned in, his lips inches from Phillip's.
The heat of Phillip's body was burning him. Both their cocks were thickening and getting hard. There was no air between them only hardness and heat. Then Phillip's lips were on his, soft at first then firm, unrelenting, his tongue probing. Leon moaned, dizzy at the sensation that burned through him like a fire.
Phillip's hold on him was almost crushing, the kiss getting deeper all the time. His arms were like steel. Leon couldn't breathe. He struggled away from Phillip and then laughed at himself for not taking a breath when he had the chance. There was a little bit of panic building inside him, but it wasn't too bad.
He threw himself into Phillip's arms again. "I could drown in you," Leon told him.
"Me too. We better go to my bedroom," Phillip said as he held him off lightly.
They stumbled to his bedroom between kisses, pulling and pushing each other until the bedroom door was closed behind them.
Chapter 26
