Work and Play Pt. 15

you gotta go back and read; I'm sorry folks : P

let's just do this shit

[if i'd known ten years ago that technology would be such a wild thing especially with AI I wouldn't have made Zeke Hartigan work at a damn tech company. please enjoy.]

---

Perhaps it was naive to think that I wasn't interesting enough to be a mystery to other people. Naive to think a work friend wouldn't be putting pieces together about me.

Shannon stares, and her smile is small, but her eyes are focused. My body tends to give me away. Nonexistent pokerface.

Secret boyfriend... secret boyfriend... secret... boyfriend...

"That's literally crazy."

"Is it?" Shannon asks, keeping her cool. Too cool. She could be a newscaster. "OrtegaTech employees can certainly date other OrtegaTech employees."

"Do I act like I'm in a relationship?"

"No, you act like you've never looked at a man in your life." Shannon is quick. "Which is more suspicious, maybe."

"I gotta say," I begin, as the elevator reaches the lobby, "Trying to fuck my way to the top would be something, wouldn't it?" I can't believe it comes out of my mouth, seemingly as much as Shannon. We walk out without a word, until we reach the parking lot.

Shannon grabs my sleeve. "Don't do that, Zeke. I'm not accusing you of anything. Aren't we friends?" There's something behind her eyes. More to the story. Something she probably won't mention.

We're friends. Who are colleagues. She also works with HR. "Of course we're friends. My friend wouldn't accuse me of something like that."

"Right."

I'm quiet for a moment. "I'm just being speculated about."

"Zeke--"

"Well I'm not so sure that Gabriel is my secret boyfriend. But you could ask him who his secret boyfriend is. And throw my name in his face if you want to. I don't know how he'd react. He'd probably be offended, if he remembers me at all." I hope I'm not shaking as much on the outside as much as I feel in my chest.

Shannon's face changes on a dime, and she shakes her head. "Shit, I--that was so out of line. I'm sorry--"

"You're realizing that now? You just... kinda... casually implied that I'm sleeping with the company big wig. Just because he said he was bisexual in a commercial. I don't know," I chuckle, stopping by my car. "Anyone else you wanna like... accuse me of fucking?"

Shannon closes her eyes. "I'm leaving the company."

My heart could stop. "What?"

"Zeke, I'm sorry for saying it like that. But I'm not crazy, right? I could tell you all the little things but it's like... I barely remember anymore. I mean... ever since March..." she shakes her head. "I actually have been applying for jobs for over a year now. And when Gabriel came here, I knew he wasn't going to stay for long. But he stayed..."

No politeness here. She won't let it go. "So you're still interrogating me? Wait, wait... you're leaving the company?"

"I don't think you're sleeping your way to the top, Zeke. I don't know what I think anymore. Maybe... I think I'm tired of being good at my job, and this is the icing on the cake." Shannon exhales, shaking her head. "Super-sleuth, heh."

I can't say anything. Shannon's demeanor is telling me she knows already, and everything I do just confirms it more and more. "Clearly. You're seeing things I don't see."

"I see that you're happy," she nods. "I want it to stay that way. So if you tell me something, I'll tell you something, too."

-----------------------------

The way Gabriel is looking at me has me questioning whether I've lost my mind. He must be thinking the same thing; that I've lost my mind.

What Shannon told me, however, makes all of this worth it.

"Say that again?" he asks, closing his eyes, cupping his hand behind his ear, and leaning my way. I don't know exactly what possessed me to say it the way I did, but he is being dramatic.

"I said... it's perfect timing."

He throws his hands up. "Uh huh. That's what I thought you said. Yeah, yeah." My boyfriend scratches his scalp, shaking his head. Like a dog. "Take me through your thought process, Zeke." At least he's being calm.

"Are you going to let me explain or are you gonna interrupt--"

"Because I certainly can't put the pieces together myself."

I'm quiet for a moment, in case he has anything else to say. "First of all... congrats on the commercial."

"Nope, Babe. I can't do that right now. Talk about the Shannon Briggs thing," Gabriel leans back on my couch, crossing his arms. I do the same on the sofa chair. "You're being really calm and it's making me not calm."

"I liked the commercial. I think most people probably thought it was a PR move," I reflect on Shannon's words. "I'm being optimistic, though."

Gabriel ditches his stubbornness for a moment, and he grumbles. "Mostly PR. Partially for myself. Please... explain why your HR friend and Clay Edgar finding out about us in the midst of this Roderick Tracy nightmare is perfect timing."

"Cancel the junior internships. Killing one of my projects takes the spotlight off of me," I explain. Gabriel frowns, putting his hands up defensively.

"But your sister--"

"It's okay. I'll have her visit for two weeks while we work this out," I sigh, taking a beat before dropping the bombshell. "In the meantime... Shannon said you and I should let the company investigate us."

"No."

I continue. "And then afterward, when they find that I haven't been unfairly treated or promoted beyond my means, I'll interview for CEO. Harper won't know any of this."

"Nope."

"People are investigated all the time, Gabe. For simple things. Random stuff," I shrug. "Relationships are investigated often in the company because of your whole dating rule."

"The company has no business knowing our timeline," Gabriel says, shaking his head.

"Because you hadn't broken up with her yet?" I ask, crossing my legs, tapping my own knee. Gabriel stiffens. "I don't care. But you know they will. We get a small team to investigate after submitting it ourselves, and it lays off more heat than the investigation being called after I'm CEO."

Gabriel nods. "Fair."

"It won't be perfect, but I'll have the chance to prove that I'm a viable candidate twice by being in good moral standing about my relationship with you, as well as showing that it was my credentials that put me in the running, not dating you. Which nobody would even know about to give me leeway."

He's silent for a moment, and then he nods again. "I... can see that..." He looks off into the distance. "Heat's on, then."

My turn to nod. "I wish things weren't this... serious. No... consequential."

Gabriel shrugs. "This is all your fault."

That makes me gasp, leaning forward so quickly I almost fall off the couch. "The hell?"

"If you weren't so horny for me back then we would've never gotten here," Gabriel says, shaking his head and standing up. "Slut."

I follow his stand, stomping over to him and shoving a finger in his chest. "You're not serious."

"Deadly," Gabriel shrugs, and I see the smirk on his face. Instantly, I soften, though I wasn't totally convinced before. "OTech is going down in flames because you wanted to sit on my dick. Imagine you don't get CEO because I fucked you too good."

"Excuse me? You just came out to the entire company and the Midwestern region in a commercial because you can't stay out of me."

He puts both hands behind his head, puffing out his chest, and he flops back onto the couch. "Eh... you're right."

"Exactly." I indirectly broke up you and your fiancee. I glare down at him, and he looks up at me through those long eyelashes. "Mr. Biracial, Bilingual, Bisexual--"

"Ah, you say it like it's a bad thing. Turn around, let me see it," Gabriel teases, tapping my hip. "Your ass."

"Stop objectifying me when I'm mad at you."

"You're not mad at me. You love me," Gabriel mumbles, pulling me in by the band of my sweats. He pauses, and seems to correct. "I mean you love my teasing."

Now I feel the need to correct.

I choose not to.

"You just love teasing me."

He looks up at me with those stormy gray eyes. "I mean well, rosa."

"That's new."

"You like it?"

"No," I giggle, straddling his lap, goosebumps already taking over. "But I... love when you try."

Gabriel seems to ponder that for a bit as he wraps his arms around my waist. "I want to try doing things that matter."

I take his face in my hands, kissing his plump bottom lip. "Do I matter to you?"

"Of course."

My voice softens. "Do... me."

He doesn't need much convincing. Gabe kisses me once, sighing dramatically. "If I must."

"If you remember how."

My offhand comment seems to catch his attention, and I see his eyes darken, feelings his arms tighten around my waist. He stares up at me for a bit, and I watch as his feigned offense seems to become actual offense.

"Oh, Zeke. I'm gonna take you very seriously right now."

"I was kidding--"

"'If I remember how,' tsk, like you don't know who you're talking to."

"I mean it's been a while--"

"A WHILE??"

"It feels like... five years, or something--"

Gabe stands up with little effort, hiking me up onto his waist as he shakes his head. "You learned to joke around and just think you're hilarious now, Zeke," Gabriel says, clicking his tongue. He smacks my ass, causing me to yelp and grip onto his shoulders as he hoists me up in the air.

I pout. "Ow. You don't think I'm funny?"

"Do you think this is funny?" Gabriel asks, starting to run toward my room with me latched onto his waist, which quickly results in me clinging to him like a bear cub, terrified he'll fall over or knock us into the hallway walls.

"STOP RUNNING IN MY HOUSE!!!"

--

--

Hard to stay annoyed with Gabriel when the sex is this good. Probably why I put up with so much before we were official. We're between rounds now, just laying on each other. Like usual.

"You're quiet," I comment first.

"You stole my line," Gabriel responds. "Was about to ask you what your big brain is cooking up."

"Nothing," I chuckle. "For once." It's him that I'm worried about. "I'm sorry I made things even more complicated--"

"You know, you don't have to do anything you don't want to do," Gabriel says, staring off into the distance as if he can't help it.

I pause for a moment. "You think I didn't want to ride your face just now? Or--"

"I mean with OTech. With your life... dating me and such. If you don't want... this craziness... I understand--"

"Hey, hey. What the hell?" I slide even closer to him, practically in his lap. "I'm doing what I like to do. And... I like you. A lot."

"Would you quit the company for me?" Gabriel asks, almost a little too quickly. My first reaction is to be offended, but I have enough of a mind to realize this isn't really about me. It's about what Shannon told me.

"Hypothetically," I shrug.

"What about realistically?" he asks. "If I made sure you were doing better somewhere else."

He's scaring me now. "No."

"Thought so."

"Gabriel... who cares about the investigation? We can still be... semi-secret. The investigation committee can't be that big, and--"

"I don't want to keep us a secret. I don't want to even be half as secretive as we currently are," he interrupts. Then a sigh. "I don't see how you can achieve what you want to achieve at OTech. I'm just seeing a dead end."

For us?

"Come on... being anxious is my job."

He pulls me closer, kissing the top of my head. "You're doing terribly. I'm picking up the slack."

Maybe I'm just better at hiding it than I was before. Then I get an idea. "We could have a little dinner party. You, me... Jiao... uh..."

"Ms. Briggs?" Gabriel asks with a scoff. "That's gonna be the jist of everyone who knows outright, unless you want to confirm anything for our speculators."

"Why not? Shannon can bring her fiance, Jiao can bring a friend... I'll cook?" It's not like there's much that can go wrong with a good dinner.

Gabriel probably can't even tell how much he brightens at the idea. It's cute. "I think Jiao has made a male friend recently."

"Mmm. Then we can do normal couple things," I smile, turning around to face him. "And we can even kiss in front of people..."

Gabe clicks his tongue. "Ah, I don't know about that one."

I feel my eyebrows furrow. "What? Why not?"

He shrugs. "It's a little weird actually," he says. "Everytime I kiss you, this happens. Watch." Gabriel gives me a peck on the lips, and then goes in for another kiss, deepening it and pulling me tight, grabbing at my ass. It takes less than a second for me to get lost in him, kissing back like my life depends on it.

Once he pulls away, I forgot what we were talking about until he calls it back. "Can't help it. It'd be inappropriate in front of guests."

"You don't have to make out with me every time we kiss."

"I do, though. I really do."

"Try again," I urge, feeling myself turn on yet again.

"I guess we should," he shrugs, leaning in to fully bear hug me, tackling me to the bed before I get the chance to understand what he's up to. I jokingly push him away after another round of filthy kisses, and as I gasp for my breath, he clicks his tongue again.

"Didn't work; couldn't help myself," Gabriel faux-complains, settling between my legs again. "I'm only half-joking."

"You're more than half-hard, so I can tell."

He smirks. "Oh, you felt that?"

I barely even have to make the face that says "of course I feel the limb you're packing between your legs, idiot" before Gabriel is kissing up to me again, hands drifting, wandering.

I can't help but smile to myself as he weaves his fingers with mine, pinning my hands to the bed. I last about ten seconds in silence before my mouth moves faster than my brain.

"What are we gonna cook?"

"... Zeke," Gabriel has been kissing down my chest, and he pauses. "Do I need to cover your mouth?"

I consider it. "But my asthma--"

"You're really funny now. Did you get that from me?" Gabe starts rutting against me again, and I hardly feel like teasing him back. All I want is for him to fill me again. Perhaps I'm spoiled. My half-hearted effort to free my hands is met with an aggressive squeeze, and Gabriel involves his teeth, making me shiver as his mouth trails down my body.

I'm just happy to be here. Happy to be his. "Mmm. I bet if we made ribs then everyone would--mmm!"

Gabriel's hand actually covers my mouth. "I knew you were gonna do that for some reason," he says, kissing between my pecs. With his other hand he works his magic, making sure I'm ready to take him all in again. "I used to think... you weren't paying attention to me. When you talked this much."

I moan into his hand, weakly pulling at his wrist as I feel him push in again, stretching me out and taking over yet again. God, I love this. I already forget that his hand is over my mouth again as I feel myself talking yet again.

"Mmf mmgh--"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. It's big," Gabe teases exaggeratedly. I shake my head. "No? Not big enough for you?"

"MMM!"

"You'll just have to cope," he sighs, shaking out his hair and beginning to grind his hips. I melt instantly, accepting his antics and lazily grabbing at his hips, following his rhythm as he fucks me slowly. "I can see it on your face. You wanna talk about that dinner so badly."

My eyes pop open. All I want is to tell him that he's the one bringing it up right now, but he won't let his hand off my mouth. "Mmf-mn, mmm hmn mgh--"

"That sounds great, Babe. We can do that, too," he teases, giving me a wink as he gets down to business, putting some gusto behind his thrusts, making me adjust my hips to take him better. "Tell me more."

Gabriel finally lets me fully breathe as he smoothly swings my leg over his shoulder. "Gabe--"

"No hesitation, huh? Tell me how you want it if you're gonna talk." He leans in close. "Harder?"

I shake my head. "What I was gonna say is--"

Gabriel shoves himself inside, starting to pound the breaths out of me. "Harder? I can do that, Baby. Absolutely." Without a second thought, Gabriel pulls me closer, practically lifting me off the bed as he slams down.

"Hnngh, I g-give up! I give up," I whine, feeling every thrust rattle my insides. Sometimes I don't think Gabriel knows how big his dick is. He thinks he does.

"That's what I like to hear," Gabriel's eyes close, chest and shoulders involuntarily flexing as he drives into me, intentional and deep. I watch him enjoy me. The determined yet entertained look on his face has me unable to look away, even as I struggle to keep my eyes open and tear-free.

There's a certain levity in him that I can't exactly place. I want to ask, but even if I wanted to conjure useless babble, I can't.

I should be used to it by now. His size, his stature. I'm reminded that he'll always surprise my ass every time I recover. I'll always have to ready myself to slurp him in. The intrusion will always stretch me beyond normalcy.

We've been quietly engrossed in our session for a while now, and as soon as I feel that stir in my stomach, Gabriel surprises me again, pulling out and kissing me passionately. "I wanna fuck you from behind." He smacks my thigh. I must have a Look on my face, because he raises his eyebrows, chuckling. That's what gives me goosebumps. "You nervous or something?" Uh, yeah. He's about to smash me until I'm drooling into this pillow, making hideous faces and worse sounds.

"No! I'm just... close again." I feel myself blush.

"Already?" Gabe clicks his tongue. "A little eager huh?"

I roll over, sticking my ass in the air, making a show of arching my back for him. "Right. I'll pretend you didn't have that 'right there' smirk on your face. As if you're gonna last forever," I mumble.

Gabriel pauses for a moment, and then I hear a scoff. "What kind of smirk?"

I feel gel drip down my ass, and I shiver. "Your 'right there' smirk. Then you switch positions to give yourself some hangtime. Then you're all 'right there, Zeke'. You know." I look over my shoulder.

The look on his face is something different as I catch him. Amused, but something else. He simply laughs, and I feel him push in again. "I didn't know. Now I'm embarrassed."

He's embarrassed, huh? I can't help but smile myself.

"Whatever," I sigh, ready to make those stupid faces. Ready to feebly reach my hand back to slow him down, and have it pinned behind my back. Ready for the Too Much of it all.

Of course, he grants my silent wishes. I've been taken down by him so many times now, it only makes sense. I accept each and every thrust, feeling my ass ripple with each pounding. I wonder how I must look to him. Wonder what he thinks as I slut myself out for him yet again.

A particular angle has me shaking, and I resist moaning out. I want to last, too. Not that it has to be over after I cum. I just love the effort he puts in. I want to put out.

Nothing gets past him, though. As soon as he feels me getting close, Gabriel focuses in, drilling me hard and forcing moans out of me as I try to bury them in the pillow. "Can't run from me, Baby," he teases.

"Fuck, ugh, shit, mmf, wait-wait--" like clockwork, my hand is reaching back before I can help it. This time though, Gabriel leans down, snaking his arm around under mine, and squeezing at my neck.

Oh, it's been a while since we tried this again. I didn't expect to get off easy anyway. The restriction is welcomed, and I'm lurching toward my next orgasm instantly. Gabriel is right in my ear, fucking deep, hard--

"Fuck, Zeke. Right there? I know you're close now."

"Right fucking there, Gabe, shit!" I choke out, basically going limp as my ass takes every thrust, every plunge.

The restriction makes me woozy, more accepting of his takeover. I'm sore in the best way. I'll be rocking in my own seat tomorrow, trying to ease the dull ache in my ass. I wish I cared even a little bit.

Gabe and I continue our dance, similar always but different each time, and I don't mind stroking his ego. I don't mind being a stress reliever, or an object to him. I crave for each breath to be knocked out of me.

As he digs deep inside me, overwhelming my every sense, I start tumbling down.

He slows, rolling his hips, slowly caressing his cock into me like slowly churning butter. I arch my back, getting onto my elbows, and leaning my head back as his hold around my neck loosens into a gentle hold. I open my eyes to find him staring into them, and he smiles, a bead of sweat on his nose.

"You're so pretty," he says.

Ahhh, why is this making me want to cry? What's wrong with me?

"Shit, Gabe, p-please," I whimper.

"I know. You're squeezing me to death," he moans.

"I'm not trying to," I pant, feeling a tear roll from the corner of my eye, down my cheek and jawline, settling in the crease of his hand around my neck. "Ahh--right there, Baby."

"Who's 'right there' now?" he muses. "I love--I love when you get like this."

My stomach and my heart feel like they've switched places as my insides churn, and I desperately try to hold onto reality. But my brain is just forcing and shoving three words to the forefront of my tongue, and I can't understand why it's making me shake. I can't do it.

Gabriel leans in close, gently kissing the tip of my nose, and I crumble instantly.

The friction of the sheets helps along my very very intense orgasm, which I didn't think possible given the last hour we've spent in this bed.

Any other time, I'd feel pitiful making these desperate, drawn out "oooohhsss" and shaking like I'm caught in a snowstorm, but Gabriel relishes it, And as I hold back a precious sentiment that might scare him off, I let the tension go through desperate, craven moans.

When I finally can see, Gabriel's wide thumbs having brushed tears from my eyelashes, he flips me over. I don't even have the energy to blot the cum from my own stomach, and he quickly, gently, swipes it away with a towel.

He looks down at me like he's proud of me or something. "You're seriously pretty," he says again.

"Stop," I flush, putting my hands up to cover my face. I reach one out to grab his shoulder, feebly pulling him closer. "I'll die."

Gabriel's face gets serious for a moment, thick brows furrowing, grey eyes pointedly focused.

"Never."

I feel the need to apologize for some reason. "Save me, Mr. Ortega," I say longingly, dancing my fingers on the back of his neck.

Gabriel smirks, looking down. "I have... the cure."

My eyes widen. "The cure? To all the cum leaving my body?"

Gabriel practically shines. "Oh my god, I'm taking credit for your sense of humor."

"Finish the joke," urge, my foot creeping along his calf as I spread my legs again.

Gabriel clears his throat, dramatically shaking his head as if he's getting back into his acting mode. "The cure... to your dilemma... is fortunately... about nine inches in length."

"Ohhh... the cause is also the cure," I say, tilting my head.

"Too much of a good thing," Gabriel says, leaning in close, kissing me sensually as ever. I feel him prod at me, and I take him in, trying to breathe in through the stretch again. He pushes in deep, and I feel him shudder. "Wait, you're into roleplay? Is this something we should do?"

"I'm into you cumming inside me," I pant, my cock still hard for some fucking reason. He grunts, nodding as I lay there spent. I'm taken to a new dimension again as he steadily grinds into me, the fullness lulling me into mindless gasps and endless praises.

Gabriel sucks a red mark into my collarbone, and I pinch my nails into his shoulderblades as he mumbles something in Spanish, and he begins fucking me with his whole body. It's as if I can feel every softly etched muscle strenuously, sensually, rolling into me with his every thrust. Impossibly close, we share the last of his energy until he gasps into my mouth, spilling inside me yet again. I'm not sure how he has anything left.

He stays there for a while, on top of me. Inside. I'm wrapped around him like a weed.

When we finally detach, I can't look away for some reason. Even though my eyes are barely open, I just want to stare. I feel the results of his effort trying to slip out of my ass, and I keep it in. "You're brave. For the commercial. For doing what you think is best for us."

He gently traces a finger from my ear, to the bottom of my chin. "So are you."

I don't know when we've fallen asleep, but I do know that I wake up smiling. Almost so much that it kind of stiffens my jaw.

"Good morning," I say softly. More of a wheeze.

"It's 8pm," Gabriel says, just as softly. I hold out my hand, and he reaches back toward my sidetable, plucks the plastic from the surface, and hands me my inhaler.

-----------------------------

I'm grabbing coffee when I hear some guys chatting as they roam the hall on the way to the elevator. More accurately, I'm scouring for the creamer I bought myself, knowing that within a week, it couldn't have been totally used up, even if someone else were mooching.

"Why'd they kill the internship program?" one guy says.

"'Cause nobody wants a bunch of idiot kids running around," another chimes in.

"No, they're gonna make it for college kids instead, and during a different part of the year. It's a good idea. Just needs wings."

"Well they should do it when I'm not here. I don't wanna babysit a bunch of tech-junkie kids."

I'm frozen in place, wondering if anyone saw me. Likely, nobody knows the internship was exactly my idea anyway. And canceling it. As far as Gabriel's informed me, it's on the backburner for now, and will be until the court case blows over, and after the CEO pick.

Being at work is making me nervous again lately. Ever since the commercial, I can't help but wonder if it's my imagination running wild, or if the last three-ish weeks have been a little... iffy around the office.

Not about me, of course. But I notice that there's a lax attitude. Not so much relaxed as... lazy.

I feel myself getting more irritated by everything around me, and by the end of the day, the list of annoyances is so long, I have to physically write them down to make sense of it all. At least that's what my brain wants me to do. So I start, pulling out a ballpoint pen and getting to work.

Annoying music outside for some reasonWhere the fuck is my coffee creamerThe tag on the back of my shirt is itchyThere's an uneven cutting on my office wall and it's bothering me every time I look at itNobody replaced the printer ink for two days and there's only a few people with access to the inkI may have to become a "printer ink accessor" just to get some damn files doneI don't know who to talk to about becoming a "printer ink accessor" and I'm not fond of that name eitherThis list is becoming pointless

"Zeke?"

"Hey Grayson," I put my notepad away.

"Funny thing," he starts. For some reason, the first thing that comes to mind is that he knows about Gabriel, but if there's anything I've paid attention to lately, it's office gossip. Nobody seems to be chatting about my boyfriend. He and I have made sure not to be in contact at work.

"Hmm?" I urge, gesturing for him to sit. He does.

"A day ago, I was outside after you and I went to lunch, and someone approached me. Trying to poach me from this job."

My eyebrows raise. "Oh? What's that about?"

Grayson nods. "He was all, 'Hey, I don't wanna be rude, I heard you've had an amazing track record at this company, and I think you'd be an awesome fit, blah, blah. I told him I was flattered but not interested."

I tilt my head. "Mmmm, you think it was a scam?"

"Nope. it was for Senitrand." Grayson pulls out a business card, setting it on my desk.

My eyes widen. If OrtegaTech is number, say, four in communications technology, Senitrand is probably number one country-wide. Number two worldwide.

"That's really awesome, Grayson, what the heck?" I look at the business card. "Was it for--"

"Then the guy said, 'well, Mr. Hartigan, if you ever want to give Senitrand a go, we'd 100% have a place for you.' Then he walked off."

My jaw drops. "What? M-me? He thought you were me?"

Grayson nods. "I told him to wait while I went and got you, but you were long gone and he didn't wanna wait. Sorry I forgot to mention it. He'll likely drop by again, though." Grayson slides me the business card.

I'm amused. "I'm also not interested, though," I say, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks. Not sure if it's because I hadn't considered that my work might be wanted by other companies, or because Grayson was confused for me.

Grayson shrugs. "Consider it. At least for the money."

I just got a raise relatively recently. I'm trying to be one of two regional CEOs of OTech in the country, head of all communications tech here. I'd considered CFO, but that position won't be cycled back to for a few years. Maybe close to a decade.

We make small talk for a while, and Grayson seems on edge. I decide to avoid Gabriel as a topic, but I can't help but ask. "You notice how everyone's acting?"

Grayson's eyes narrow a bit. "Since the commercial?"

"Y-Yeah... just weird. Like we don't have deadlines," I remark. Grayson nods. "Maybe morale is down because of the court case."

"Stocks are up," Grayson says. "That's what I'm paying attention to." He lingers for a moment. "But if Gabriel is hiding something from us while he's in the building, that does suck."

"He's probably hiding a lot," I sigh, pulling out my list of annoyances.

Too cold in this room.

"Yeah, probably." Grayson stands up. "You should ask him out."

My pen scratches down the page as I snap my head up. "Why the hell would I do that?"

"Get company secrets?" Grayson shrugs. "I wonder what kind of guys he's into--"

"You should ask him out, then," I scoff. Then I shake my head. I shouldn't be offering up my boyfriend on a plate. "Don't do that. I can handle it."

Grayson laughs. "I was... kidding." Then he thinks for a moment. "Maybe you should, though."

This feels like fate, somehow. I should take this and run with it. Gabriel would know how to handle this.

"Are you kidding again?" I ask, faking curiosity. Grayson closes the door, and he nods. "Grayson, why--"

"What? You barely know each other. He's probably not gonna be here much longer, so. You could have some fun with him 'til he leaves."

"As in play with his feelings," I clarify.

Grayson shakes his head, blushing deeply. "I'm gonna... say something really selfish that I shouldn't say."

He does that a lot, so I wonder why he's announcing it now. "O... kay..."

With a deep breath, Grayson shakes his head. "If you could finally start seeing someone else. I think I'll finally get over... whatever I thought I wanted with you."

I suppose I kind of asked for it. Despite being at work. He did tell me it was selfish.

"So I have to do the work to get you over me?" I scoff, keeping it light.

Grayson shrugs. "If I want to really move forward with Sean, I kinda want to confirm that there's no chance--"

"That's not fair," I mutter, turning back to my desk. If I told him about me and Gabriel right now, the months we've spent together, he'd crumble. He's lying to himself. He's suggesting that I become a boy-toy to get company secrets from the man I lo--

Woah. Relax.

I mean, how inappropriate does it get? I've had sex in this building more than a few times. Grayson and I have kissed, I almost sucked his dick... it was destined to boil over. I just don't know how to proceed.

I feel my body move before I think about it, and I stand up, walking over, popping my own personal bubble to get into his. He's already against the door, and I step forward, one leg between his own, shoving him against it.

"What do you wanna do?" I ask, getting close. Just a few inches away. I feel his panicked breaths on my face, and I look him in the eye. "What? Grayson?"

He's basically jumping out of his skin. "Ah! Zeke?! What's wrong with you? Y-you're a different person lately, a-and--"

"You still wanna screw me that bad?" I ask. There's too long of a pause before Grayson's hands are on my shoulders, and he--quite easily--pushes me away.

"No. No. No. No." Grayson puts his hands out. "Stop it. I'm with Sean."

"Ha. I'm gonna say something," I announce as he did earlier, straightening up my shirt, pushing my glasses up.

Grayson nods. "Okay."

"Something mean."

His eyebrows furrow, and he puts his hand up. "Zeke--"

"You should break up with Sean. He deserves better than this. Really."

Grayson stands defensively for a moment, and he stares at the wall above my head. Then he breathes out, a clarifying breath. "I'm sorry."

"Whatever, man," I wave him off.

He puts a finger up, and it's like that anxious look disappears from his face, and a pondering one takes over. "Thank you."

I tilt my head down. "Huh?"

"Nothing," he shakes his head. "That coffee is strong, it's like, seeping into my nose." Grayson chuckles to himself, and he looks around, then at me. "I don't want to sleep with you."

I'm not exactly sure what's happening, but I nod, my own anxiety starting to creep back in. "Oh. Alright." Then I physically put my foot down, pretty embarrassingly. "G-good. Good!"

Grayson nods again, and he opens my door, then he closes it again, still facing the exit to my office. "By the way. If you've been seeing someone for a while and you haven't told me, that's messed up."

So what?

"What's messed up is that if I were seeing someone, I can't tell someone I considered my best friend in the office because he's been pining over me so badly," I say softly. As if we haven't had some version of this conversation a few times before.

Grayson nods. "I know."

Then he leaves.

I wonder if it's finally over.

Of course not. I should've told him. This isn't just on Grayson. I had the opportunity right then and there. He went fishing for solutions to my disinterest in him, and I should've just confirmed it.

I promise myself that the next opportunity I get, I'll tell him. The ideal timing would be right after having dinner with Shannon.

Time to start sorting out the things that matter. Saying what I need to say.

------------------------

I'm putting my jacket on the hook when it hits me that we're about to socialize as a couple for one of the first times. With people we know. I'm excited in a way I haven't felt before. It's a big deal no matter what angle I look at it from.

Gabriel is dressed in something that looks too expensive for me to breathe on, and I look down at my threads in comparison. I thought I paid a lot for these shirts in the double or triple digits. Gabriel's softly patterned tan and green woven sweater makes him look like a damn model. Not that I don't think he looks amazing all the time, but he really looks like a model.

He catches me staring. "Earth to Ezekiel."

"Mmm. Let's cancel the dinner," I nod, creeping toward him with my fingers wiggling. "And you can wear nothing but that sweater." Gabriel looks behind me with a chuckle, and I turn, jumping out of my socks as I see Jiao a few feet away.

"I made that for him," Jiao nods. "Well, not me. A very talented crew of professionals in my brand."

My joke about canceling the party falls flat, especially because this is a great opportunity to get to know one of the most important people in Gabriel's life.

"I want a sweater," I say softly. Jiao smiles.

"Sea blue and tungsten would look great on you," she winks.

"What's your brand?" I ask, reaching out to touch the fabric on Gabriel's torso as if he's a mannequin. He stands up straighter, striking a pose.

"DownHavyn by Liang. Just DownHavyn to the white people."

"I will call it what it's called," I nod, probably too seriously. Gabriel and Jiao laugh a bit, and we begin the night with a drink. The next forty-five minutes or so is spent setting up, glazing ribs and roast from the oven, buttering rolls, salting vegetables, etc.

Finally, I hear a car pull up outside, and I'm glad I teemed my nerves with a few drinks.

As soon as Shannon and Nathan are at the door, it sets in that this is real, it's happening.

I know Gabriel mentioned something about Jiao seeing a man recently, and as our final guest shows up, I wonder if it's him. Jiao greets him with a hug, and I'm relieved for a moment that there's someone else who isn't familiar with the atmosphere. His name is Ethan.

As he goes inside to put his coat away, I turn to Jiao. "He's cute."

"Ethan? Oh, we're not anything special. He's just a guy."

Maybe I'm being nosy. "I thought you were talking to someone."

"Oh, no. He wasn't anyone worth inviting over tonight. It's alright. Ethan is my friend from our college days. Gabe, I told you he was in town," Jiao says, waving us off. "Hi, Shannon!"

Once Gabe and I are in the kitchen, we make eye contact at the same time. I watch him blush, and I wonder if I have something on my face, or if I look too drunk, but then he leans forward, curling his finger to urge me closer.

"I'm nervous."

"What is up with all this honesty lately?" I scoff. "You're not allowed to be nervous around your friends. What am I gonna do, then?"

Gabriel shrugs. "I'm leaving all the hard topics up to you tonight."

"What hard topics?" I frown, wondering how much he's joking about this.

"When and how we met, how many times we've fucked in the office--"

I gently push his shoulder as I glare. "You're not funny, truly."

At the same time, we both eye the duplicate bottle of wine on the counter, and with a mutual nod, he pops the top of it.

Luckily, by the time dinner is ready, I haven't really had to lift a finger, given our planning ahead. This makes me an entire two wine glasses tipsier than Gabriel. I tell him he should catch up. So far, Shannon and I have only exchanged niceties. Even over dinner, I mostly watched as everyone around me seemed to mesh together like they've been good friends. Even Shannon's fiance.

"So how did you two meet?" Ethan asks Gabriel and I once we've been caught together after dinner. "At work, I'm assuming." I hadn't noticed how attractive the guy was before. Tall, brown eyes, dirty blonde hair. Soft but strong look about him.

I find myself instinctually looking up at my boyfriend to respond, and he turns his head as if he's checking out his own living room. So, he's really going to make me talk to people I don't know. Rude.

"R-right," I stumble. "Sorry, I'm a little tipsy already."

"Apologizing already," Ethan nods. "Jiao said you were really sweet. No need to be scared of me. I've known Gabriel for years now."

"Oh? What do you think of him?" I ask. That's when I hear Gabe choke on his drink, and he coughs. I turn around to pat his back. "What--"

Ethan laughs. "Great question. Um... kind of a douchebag, honestly," he says with a laugh, shoving at Gabriel's shoulder. "Hasn't changed since we were 22--"

"C'mon, man. Don't be like that," Gabriel sighs. "We played football together. Fucking sucked."

"So bad," Ethan concurs. Then he sticks his hand out to shake mine, and I take it. "You make him look a lot less douchey."

I take the opportunity to flee, as it seems like this is the perfect time for them to catch up, and then I run right into Shannon as I make my way to the kitchen. She gives me a soft smile, and I step over to hug her.

"Dinner killed. I'm excited for this cobbler or whatever you made," she winks.

"Thanks," I nod, putting a couple plates in the dishwasher. "Thanks for entertaining this."

She shrugs. "Thanks for acting like a normal couple even though I scared you a few days ago. I'm sorry about that..."

The goosebumps take over, and I stand up straight. "The alcohol helped. Kinda forgot... you were there."

"Ah, good. That's actually good to hear. I'm actually really honored you cared to, you know, let me get to know you guys. Together."

I feel myself blush. "Oh, come on. We've barely talked tonight yet."

Shannon scoffs. "You come on. I'm nosy. I've been watching."

Hadn't occurred to me for some reason. "Could you not say 'you guys are cute together' or something--"

"You guys make sense."

Me... and Gabriel... Make sense?

It gives me pause for a moment, but I nod. "Thank you."

Shannon bumps me with her hip. "And. It's very cute."

"Can I ask what makes sense about us?" I might regret the question.

Shannon shrugs. "Two attractive people who seem to drive each other closer to their goals. I think that's awesome. And it's especially awesome when it stays that way, even when things get hard. Of course... I can see how much you care about him."

It seems like there's a 'but' in here somewhere. "You know--"

"I think he'd probably do anything for you. And he cares a lot. He has... no other reason to be here. In this state," Shannon shrugs. "I think he likes you a lot."

I try not to completely gush over this observation, and it helps that the rest of the group makes their way back to the kitchen, mumbling about drinking a lot more. I can't argue with that.

We've made it through a few rounds of some word game that I'm trying not to take too seriously, and dessert makes the rounds. This is when I notice that everyone seems to be on the drunker side of tipsy, and the usual flare of anxiety I'd feel through a night like this hasn't come up once. Not even chatting with Shannon. Not meeting random people and having them eat food I prepared.

It was only a matter of time before they all started sharing stories about their times together, and I listen with amusement as I hear more and more stories about Gabriel. None of them surprise me. Just adding more and more to my Gabriel Encyclopedia. I love how sometimes he gets embarrassed and quiet, and other times, he takes over part of a story someone else will tell about him. Everyone has these moments. But when he does... it just feels more special to me somehow.

"Okay, okay. Most inappropriate thing you've done at the office, go," Shannon's fiance asks the room, but mostly Shannon.

"Oh, come on," Shannon complains.

"Actually, that's a good question for everyone," Ethan chimes in. "I want to know if corporate life is actually all tight-knit and quickies."

"Hardly," Shannon scoffs.

I already know I have a huge blush on my face.

"Except for you two," Jiao mumbles, thumbing Gabriel and I's way.

"Hey, hey. Ezekiel and I keep it appropriate in the office," Gabriel pats my thigh.

I feel my mouth moving before I can even think it out. "Except that one time when you scheduled a meeting for the floor and ditched it just to screw me in my office."

The room is in an uproar with that confession, which would usually make me anxious as hell, but all I can do is laugh with them, even as Jiao leaves the room.

After taking some lighthearted beratement, Gabriel explains it away. "If you guys were me, you would do the same."

Shannon shakes her head. "No way. I'd be too chicken."

Her fiance Nathan chimes in. "Shannon is worth the risk."

"Oh hell, yeah," she giggles. "None of your other ugly little exes, though."

Nathan scoffs. "Your exes are ugly. I'm the hottest man you know," he winks.

Shannon holds back a smile, her fiance teasing her again. "What's that face for?"

"Come on. Out of this room, I'm betting you've dated the most duds, babe," Shannon shrugs. I'm surprised at her honesty. "And on the other hand, I probably have the best track record. Including dating you."

This comment rouses the room again, and then Ethan pipes up. "Are we having a 'who has the hottest ex' contest? Is this healthy?"

"I'm not playing. And I'd lose," Gabriel leans back, putting his hands up.

"Oh come on," Ethan says, pulling out his phone. "Everyone come on. Show us your hottest ex. We're all adults."

Gabe waves his hand again. "I'm serious. I know I won't win. Plus, Zeke is the hottest and most reasonable person I've ever dated, so."

"That's cute, Babe. But I wanna see who you consider to be your hottest ex, so pull out that phone," I tease him. "I don't have any exes, so. I'm actually out of the game."

"Wait, Zeke, you've never dated anyone else?" Shannon asks as if she can't believe it.

I nod. "N-nope." At how eerily quiet the room gets, and the looks on everyone's faces, I decide to clarify. "Not that it'd matter, but Gabriel isn't the first... g-guy I've... I mean, look--"

"Okay, okay. We get it," Ethan nods, and I'm grateful toward this stranger. "Doesn't negate the game. And I want to see exactly how much game this group has."

Nathan laughs. "You want us to stalk our exes on instagram or something?"

"You scared?" Ethan teases.

I hear Gabriel sigh as he pulls out his phone.

"This is shallow. Not playing, but I'll be nosy," I shrug. Gabriel chuckles.

Shannon joins in. "Ah, come on. Zeke, you too. If it's not an ex, it can be someone--"

"What's going on?" Jiao enters the living room again, bringing a few glasses from the kitchen, and another bottle of wine. "Game time again?"

"Yesss. We're apparently playing 'Who Has the Hottest Ex,' which will notoriously not cause any tension or annoyance among the couples in our group," Shannon chuckles sarcastically, and she pecks Nathan on the cheek.

Jiao scoffs, crossing her arms. "No point in playing. I win. I don't even have to look at you guys' exes."

The group complains, and Ethan speaks up. "You've only dated a million people, Jiao. I'd hope some of them were tens."

She sips her drink and shakes her head. "Nope. No. You all have no idea. Have your fun, show your exes and then watch me blow you all out of the water. I insist."

"Yeah, right," Gabriel sighs.

As everyone seemingly decides to play along, I realize I don't have a single guy on social media who I've even slept with, let alone dated. "I think I'm actually out of this round."

"You're adorable, Zeke," Jiao pats my head.

Gabriel scrolls his phone right in my lap, and I wonder if this is some benchmark, or a test. I'm watching him look up three profiles of pretty women right in front of me, and I'm obviously not supposed to get jealous. Easier than I thought. The very fact that I watch him scroll, so uninterested, semi-flippantly... there's no reason for jealousy.

It's Nathan who goes first, and he barely wants to turn his phone around. He turns bright red as he shows us a few photos of a girl who... really doesn't compare to Shannon at all. I think I understand the appeal of this game now.

"So why did you guys break up?" Ethan asks, seemingly adding another rule to this game.

We're all sharing laughs as he tries finding another photo, and other people in the group openly scroll through profiles of semi-attractive people, and tell their breakup stories. Then I notice the stiff hand on my leg. Then, I notice the cup that was full in Gabriel's hand has emptied quickly. He's not really laughing anymore.

I turn toward him, kissing his cheek, about to reason why he shouldn't feel bad about dating beautiful girls before he landed me.

That's when Jiao speaks up. "Oh, Gabe. You remember Jalen."

He snaps his head up. "What?"

"Let me find a picture," Jiao says, scrolling her phone. "I barely dated him for six months. Still, take a look," she says to the group, showing a photo of them together from seemingly six years ago. She looks at it fondly as the group seems to marvel at him. "I win."

"I... think you might win this one?" Shannon beckons Jiao's phone over. "Was he a model?"

Jiao laughs. "Nope. He was a party planner. Well, he was just getting started with that when we were together. I don't know what he does now."

Gabriel is quiet, and he pours another drink.

Ethan looks at the photos. "At the risk of sounding suspect, I'm inclined to agree that you win, Jiao. Why did you two break up?"

She ponders for a moment. "Hmm. I cheated on him. Very. Very stupid."

Gabriel's attention snaps her way. "You never told me this."

"I know," Jiao says, getting embarrassed as she sips her drink. "Because it was very stupid."

"When was this?" Gabriel asks, pressing further. "Is this true?"

"Yes, it's true, and it was when we went to Vegas that one time," Jiao says, getting more embarrassed. "I didn't tell you because of the way you're reacting right now."

Gabriel sips at his drink again, and he shrugs. "Okay."

Jiao pats his shoulder. "Okay."

Ah. I thought I wouldn't feel that anxiety. Things have been going so well.

"Let's see his instagram," Shannon urges, and Nathan gives her a Look. "What? He's not my ex. This entire group thinks that man is attractive."

Jiao seems to happily oblige, and then she gets an inquisitive look on her face as she scrolls. "Hmm. No way."

"What?" Ethan asks.

Jiao scrolls. "Well. This makes the third guy I've dated who was gay, I guess," she says, passing her phone around. I catch a glimpse at the first three photos, and already see that he's seemed to pose with a man in them.

The can of worms has been opened, and both Gabe and I aren't laughing anymore. I pour myself another glass.

A moment later, we've decided to set up another game on the patio, and everyone seems interested in a second round of dessert, so I go to the kitchen with Gabriel as our guests socialize outside.

"Hey," I say softly.

"I fucked up," he says, just as softly.

"Shhh. Just don't say anything tonight. The topic is over," I step over, hugging him from behind. "And then. You'll tell her tomorrow."

He gasps, turning around. "Not a fucking chance."

"So you're going to keep this secret for the rest of your life? Seems so healthy," I say sarcastically.

"I can't do it, Zeke. And... I have a feeling she brought him up because--"

The door opens, and Jiao tipsily makes her way inside. "Couple of the night. You guys should join us outside."

"We will," Gabriel assures her. "You can help us grab some plates, though--"

"Hey, Gabe," she interrupts, and I watch the little smile on her face tilt, and her eyes narrow. "I know I never told you about me cheating on Jalen. I should've."

Gabriel looks at me, then he shrugs. "We can... t-talk about that later. Not in front of Zeke, maybe."

Jiao smiles, tapping the counter. "I don't care if Zeke hears. Might knock me down a peg in his mind." She doesn't even look at me as she says it, and I actually do feel like maybe I should clear out.

"If you guys want to talk, I'll--"

"No," she says plainly.

Then, I'm in the middle of a face-off.

There isn't a word said for a moment, and then Gabriel breaks the silence. "I don't think you're a bad person, obviously. I don't really have a right to judge, given my history with Yessica." He looks at me for a moment, and then he clears his throat. "Jiao. Actually. I-I have to tell you something about Vegas. And that trip."

Now?

"Mmm. Gabriel... you really think I don't know that Jalen cheated on me in Vegas?" Jiao chuckles. "I mean. Come on. I know what happened."

I quickly turn away from them, putting plates in the sink, some in the dishwasher. My ears are burning.

"If you knew... why didn't you say anything?" Gabriel asks softly, cautiously.

"Ah... I don't know. I figured maybe some of that good Catholic guilt would eat at you and you'd say something. But of course... I cheated on him, too. And he probably knew it. So that's probably why he did what he did," Jiao explains. "I thought maybe he told you that I cheated on him or something. And you just thought we should cut our losses."

Gabriel facepalms. "How in the hell was I supposed to tell you? Why are we doing this now, anyway?"

"Shit, Gabriel. I don't know. We haven't talked about him at all, I finally brought him up. Figured it could all be out there in the open. I'm not mad," Jiao scoffs.

"You're not mad?" Gabriel asks in disbelief.

Jiao chuckles. "It'd be pretty stupid to be mad at you over that for six and a half years and not say anything."

Personally, I'm just wondering if having this discussion in front of me is necessary.

Gabriel seems relieved. "If you knew that Jalen and I slept together all this time, why were you surprised when I told you about Zeke?"

No!

I find myself tapping my fingers together, and no matter what I try, I can't quite put a stop to it. It was only a matter of time. I can feel the tension shift from whatever I thought bad was to horrendously worse, and I can't do anything to stop it.

Jiao's playful expression disappears, and she tilts her head.

"What?"

Gabriel catches on as soon as I do. He echoes her. "What?"

"What. Do you mean?" Jiao takes a step back, and I watch her process the bombshell.

"Jiao, wait--"

"I thought. He'd brought a girl to the suite. I thought both of you did. That's why you both acted so weird..." she closes her eyes. "You fucked him?"

Gabriel puts his hands up. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Jiao, I-I'm sorry--"

"You fucked him?" she asks again, as if she didn't just hear his apologies.

Another standoff. Worse than the first one. It feels like a lifetime as I stand just as still as the both of them, the sound of a ticking clock filling the air. I don't think any of us have breathed. Until finally, a word.

"Zeke?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Get the fuck out of here."

"Yes, ma'am."

---

Later on, Ethan, Shannon and Nathan leave, complimenting the dinner and the company, and I give Shannon an extra long hug. Ethan says he'll stop by in a couple days.

I decide it isn't even safe to breathe a word about what happened, even to Gabriel. I put on my best "everything's just fine" face, explaining that Jiao and Gabriel were divvying cleanup in their shared space and we shouldn't wait for them to have dessert. I put on music, even, just in case any aspect of their "discussion" got loud enough to warrant concern.

Only a few minutes later, they joined us. Jiao was easygoing as ever as if nothing happened. Gabriel spent the rest of the night with a drink in his hand, being comforted by none other than me as he tried to act like everything was fine, but I could read it in the subtleties of his expression.

Not like I can save him from this.

Finally, I make my way out, letting him face the consequences. I wish I could stay the night. That's not happening. "Alright. I better go... you gonna be okay?"

"Yeah, of course," Gabriel says, and it doesn't seem like he knows what he's saying. "You got your stuff, got everything?"

"Yeah, Gabe... um..." I indicate Jiao angrily doing the dishes. "Tell me how the night goes. After I leave."

"Hmm? Of course, Babe. Yeah."

"... Are you going to be okay? Can you snap out of it really quick?"

"Oh yeah, I'm fine. It's fine." Gabriel kisses my forehead as I stand in the doorway, and he seems to gaze just past my shoulder. "That your ride?"

I nod, and kiss him one last time. "I'll let you know when I'm home. See you tomorrow."

"Alright Babe. Love you."

"Love you, too. See you later," I say, kissing him one last time.

As the door closes, I literally jump at the sound. I'm standing there frozen as the words we just said set in. Here, just now...

What...

What was that?

---------

It's been years since I read this (my first writing project ever) and I had to go through it! I thought, "how corny. How awful." but so many of you wouldn't have read it if you felt this way. So I instantly changed my mind on that. And this is for fun! It's about some guys that I made up a LONG time ago fucking each other's brains out (and more of course). Thanks for reading!! I appreciate every single comment and every eye that comes across this story. Maybe I took it too seriously in the past. The world is too serious to be so serious. and fuck AI!