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30 Days of Prompts, Day 25:
A Tempting Offer
Chris followed Leon into the empty elevator and watched as the other man pressed the button for the sixth floor.
He had been half in love with Leon for years. But somehow, it’d never been the right time, or their work got in the way of things. Until tonight. Chris had really only wanted to check on Leon after Colorado and Arias. And not just because of his injury, which seemed to have healed just fine. He’d had a hunch that just one conversation, the one in the back of the Osprey, wouldn’t be enough to lift Leon’s spirits completely. It was just too easy in their line of work to find yourself at the bottom of a bottle. He himself had been there and if it hadn’t been for Piers he probably still would be.
He’d wanted to remind Leon that he wasn’t alone, just like the other man had reminded him after China. But it would be a lie to say that he hadn’t enjoyed the casual, playful flirting.
“Enjoying the view?” Leon asked, and Chris suddenly realised he’d been caught staring.
“Well, it is a very nice view,” Chris offered in return. It wasn’t exactly the smoothest of lines but luckily, he was saved by the elevator having reached the sixth floor.
Chris shifted his gaze to the elevator doors and made an after you gesture once they opened. However, Leon made no attempt to move.
“I thought you were meant to be the one taking me back to my hotel room,” Leon enquired finger on the button to hold the doors open.
“And that would be?” Chris, ever a man of his word, asked as he stepped past Leon and out of the elevator.
“634.”
“Alright. This way,” Chris checked the sign on the wall, before turning to Leon and indicating the right corridor with a tilt of his head. Letting a small, gentle smile grace his features.
Chris began to move up the corridor with Leon falling into step beside him.
“So, where are you staying?” Leon asked, making conversation.
“Ninth floor,” Chris responded.
“Shame, I was going to offer to let you bunk with me,” Leon flirted back, “But I suppose you’re one of those always prepared types,” he added, with a look that was almost indecent.
As much as Chris wanted what Leon was clearly offering him, he was beginning to wonder if this was really such a good idea. He couldn’t and wouldn’t deny his feelings for Leon, but he knew he wanted more than an alcohol fuelled night of passion, and he wanted to make sure this was what Leon wanted too. Not some fling. He didn’t want either of them to regret it later.
As he turned to face forward again, he noticed they were virtually outside Leon’s room.
“Here we are,” Chris announced, stopping just beside room 634.
Leon stopped too. He removed his keycard from his pocket and paused.
“You going to tuck me in too?” He asked, stepping into Chris’ space.
“As tempting as that sounds,” Chris swallowed, “that wasn’t part of the wager,” he tried, but found he couldn’t move away, even as Leon pressed closer.
“How about a night cap then? Wasn’t you having a drink with me part of the wager?” Leon asked, moving closer still.
“Leon,” Chris closed the distance between them both and gently took the other man’s hands. “I want this, more than you know. But,” Chris sighed, “We’ve both had a few drinks and I want us to be sure this is what we really want.”
Leon looked like he was about to argue, but Chris cut him off, “I want to do this right. I want to treat you the way you deserve to be treated. Let me take you to dinner—”
“Breakfast,” Leon interrupted, wrapping Chris’ arms around his shoulders.
Chris couldn’t help but blink.
“Ok,” Chris agreed, “Breakfast. Let me take you to breakfast.”
“I suppose that that’s a rain check on the night cap then?” Leon asked as he wrapped his own arms around Chris’ waist.
“Meet me in the lobby at 7am,” Chris instructed in way of an answer, smiling fondly.
“Yes, Captain,” Leon teased.
Chris sighed. He was pretty sure Leon was going to be the death of him.
“Goodnight Leon,” Chris smiled, amusement colouring his tone.
“Goodnight,” Leon responded, matching Chris’ smile as Chris finally pulled away and headed back towards the elevators.
“Breakfast, tomorrow,” Chris reminded him, stopping for a moment to turn and look at Leon.
“Tomorrow,” Leon agreed.
Chris turned away and went to take the elevator up to his room, grinning all the way.