Chapter Four
Bowie
“Could you hold the door for me?” a deep, sexy voice asked from behind Bowie.
He glanced back to see his neighbor-boyfriend, who lived in the apartment on the floor above his, and a buzz of excitement rushed through him.
Rex had moved in six months ago, and initially all they had shared was a fleeting nod.
This had progressed since the brothers had returned to Hazardville, which made things a little tricky with the extra hours Bowie worked to help Kari keep on top of the additional workload.
Not that Rex seemed to mind. They were going slow and getting to know each other.
Bowie loved that there was little expectation to rush into sex when he had no experience.
The one time he’d tried to talk about this with Frey hadn’t gone well, so he let Rex be the guide.
Bowie was nervous enough with Rex being his first proper boyfriend.
Bowie smiled shyly seeing Rex’s arms full of brown sacks with food spilling out the top and stepped aside to hold open the door leading into the foyer of the apartment block, leaving enough room for Rex to get past without issue.
“Thank you, you’re a godsend. When I left the shops, I didn’t consider how heavy the sacks would feel seven blocks later,” he continued offering Bowie a smile that left him a little breathless, the same way Kari did when he did something right.
Bowie nodded, a little tongue tied, and waited until the man was inside, then closed the main door, making sure the lock snicked into place.
He’d once been shouted at by one of the men who manned the desk in the foyer when he’d not noticed the door hadn’t locked behind him. He’d been careful ever since.
Bowie looked around, checking the man behind the desk wasn’t paying them any attention before whispering, “Howdy neighbor, want some… company? Seems as it’s Saturday?”
An odd look appeared on Rex’s face and then disappeared before Bowie could try to guess what it meant. Rex’s shoes clipped on the polished floor as he strode to the elevator. Uncertain, Bowie followed, a heavy feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. Had he overstepped?
Rex stood wearing a look of impatience as he pointedly looked at the keypad next to the elevator that required a code to access it. Bowie entered the numbers, pressing the button to call the elevator, all the time chewing his lower lip.
Awkwardness came and stayed when Rex remained silent. Maybe he’s had a busy week and is tired?
I don’t like him, his animal side stressed, making Bowie wince at the emphatic way it spoke. It had a tendency to do that when Rex was around.
He’s nice.
“—so what do you say?”
Bowie blinked owlishly, trying to figure out what he’d missed. Blushing, he confessed, “Sorry, I missed that.”
The smile… there was something about it that made Bowie nervous. “I was suggesting you come and share a sandwich with me. I have plans for this evening, but I’d like your company now.”
He’s not interested in you. Can’t you hear it in his voice? What plans does he have? Ask him. If he is your boyfriend, why isn’t he inviting you along?
He wasn’t sure what to make of his animal side being so insistent about asking questions today. Normally he let the subject drop.
“Are you sure?” he asked tentatively. The guy was attractive and had an air of authority about him that appealed to Bowie, so he ignored his animal.
“Of course.” The doors to the elevator opened, and he stepped past Bowie. “I wouldn’t ask if I weren’t sure.”
Was there a clipped edge in his voice?
Bowie didn’t have time to over analyze it when the doors were going to close, and he had to dart inside or look foolish. Something he really didn’t want.
“Did I see your picture in the newspaper recently?”
The causal enquiry came with a smile, but there was curiosity.
It had been over a week since he’d seen Rex, so Bowie wasn’t surprised by the interest. After the fallout at a work press conference to announce Silas as the face of Starling Enterprises, things had gotten a little out of hand with the press.
Hollis and Taylin’s relationship, something Bowie was still coming to terms with, had been speculated about mostly.
But the press had done some digging on all of them, not that there was much to say about him.
The principal topic between the PAs was how everyone appeared to have missed the signs that Hollis and Taylin were interested in each other.
Bowie didn’t feel bad when he wasn’t the only one who hadn’t noticed.
A recent work trip had brought to light the attraction between Hollis and Taylin.
The group chat he had with his friends had blown up over that.
Bowie’s gaze narrowed fractionally when a fresh worry poked at him. Rex was very private about their relationship. “Are you worried they’ll write about us?”
The chuckle held a wealth of humor as Rex shook his head.
“Not at all. There is nothing for the press to report, is there?” He didn’t give Bowie a chance to answer as he carried on.
“If they choose to look into my life, they’ll find I own a successful advertising company.
That’s it. Lacy & Co. has no skeletons in its closet. ”
Bowie’s pulse slowed at that information, despite not getting why skeletons would be in a closet unless that was where Rex stored his trick or treating decorations.
“Oh. That’s good. Do you like to put up decorations for trick or treating?
” Bowie witnessed Rex’s change in expression and immediately knew he’d taken a misstep.
He didn’t slap his forehead, but he wanted to at how lame he was acting.
He was always the same. It was why he never dated until Rex had persisted, making him believe it was possible.
Except right now he was back to doubting it, when he had never seen Taylin look at Hollis like Rex looked at him.
“So, do you want to come in for a sandwich?”
“That would be nice.” It was.
No, it’s not.
He followed Rex down the hallway, his sneakers making no sound on the plush carpet.
It continued to be a surprise that he could afford to live in such an upmarket place.
Having sold his old apartment the previous year when a company had finally offered him above the asking price, intending to tear down the old building and create new condominiums in what they called a regeneration project.
It had happened when Lane had stepped in to help him get a great price when the solicitor had practically bullied Bowie to accept the original below market valuation.
With Lane’s aid it ended up with him having enough money to afford to buy a bigger apartment with great security.
He was lucky enough to buy it outright and have enough left over to buy some new furniture to fill the big space, and some kitchen items for baking.
A little jiggling of shopping bags and Rex had his front door open.
Bowie’s first impression had been cold. Sterile.
Everything being white with black accents made it…
there wasn’t one word that fit, and Bowie preferred to be in his own apartment.
He never said this because that was mean.
As far as Bowie could see, when he’d had the chance to look in other rooms, there was no color anywhere.
And he reminded himself that everyone had differing tastes.
This was how Rex liked his place, so it wasn’t wrong.
“Make yourself at home.”
That was impossible when he couldn’t relax, even after the few months they’d been dating. Except he kept that thought to himself. They hadn’t ventured beyond either of their apartments.
Don’t you think that it’s weird?
Why?
When folks date, they go out in public together. He doesn’t like that. I have to question why that is when you don’t see there’s nothing nice about the way he treats you.
He’s going to make us lunch. That’s nice.
He watched Rex place his shopping on the kitchen counter that separated the open plan room much the same as Bowie’s. Only Bowie’s was cluttered with gadgets for baking and jars full of things he liked, like cookies.
Rex pulled out the contents in an orderly fashion, nothing like Bowie. He laid everything on the counter, flashing Bowie a smile. “What would you like?”
“Cheese,” Bowie replied and got a frown in response. He could see the fresh packet. Did Rex have something else in mind?
Before he could suggest Rex pick, he nodded curtly. “Right, cheese it is.”
Was cheese the wrong answer?
The longer he stood waiting for Rex to tell him where to sit, Bowie grew more nervous, his gaze roaming the room searching for something to talk about. “Don’t you like color?”
Shit. Why did I ask that? Back was the urge to slap his forehead. He got the urge a lot around Rex. “Sorry, that sounded rude,” he added quickly, thinking he should give up now and leave before Rex asked him to.
It would not be the first time that had happened.
Rex’s laughter sounded forced. “It was. But what can I say, I like clean lines and uncluttered space.” He nodded towards the uncombable kitchen stools. “Sit here at the counter.”
It wasn’t a question, and Bowie was good at doing as he was told, sitting and folding his shaky hands together in his lap, unsure how his excitement at seeing Rex had tanked so badly.
What is wrong with me?
It's not you!
“Would you prefer wholemeal bread or white?”
He made it through the questions saying nothing wrong, and by the time he’d eaten the sandwich, Bowie was high fiving himself for not letting anything silly spill out of his mouth.
Rex was settled across the counter from him when he brought the subject around to Bowie’s work. They’d talked about what Bowie did, in depth, the first time Rex invited him into his apartment when he’d discovered who Bowie worked for. “You’ve not been around much of late, is work keeping you busy?”
“The increased workload for the brothers has us all doing extra hours. I was glad it was Saturday, to be honest.” He got to sleep in at the weekend and snuggle with his teddy bears.
Although he’d never say that aloud. Rex hadn’t asked to see in his bedroom, but Bowie hid his bear collection in the closet whenever Rex came around.
“Impressive work ethic,” Rex murmured, smiling in a way that made Bowie squirm a little on his seat at the praise. “Are there any major ad campaigns you’re working on?”
Rex’s interest in his work made his smile widen.
He supposed that, with him owning an advertising company, he had a good understanding of what Bowie did.
Which meant Bowie had no problem talking about this, because he felt comfortable in the shared interest. He chatted about up-and-coming projects with confidence.
A degree in market management with a specialist interest in fashion—some folks didn’t get it when Bowie loved the fashion side of marketing but had zero fashion sense.
It didn’t matter, Bowie loved pretty things, and a lot of fashion was pretty and sparkly.
Although he never said that aloud to Rex when he didn’t like anything other than black and white.
“What about you? How are things going with the projects you talked about last week? Did you get the new contract you were after?”
It’s a very competitive business. Cutthroat even, from what Bowie was learning from the conversations he had recently with prospective clients looking for new companies to take on their ad campaigns.
Rex sat back looking relaxed even in the smart button-down and tie he wore on a Saturday, which, now that Bowie thought about it, was a bit much for a trip to the market to buy food.
He waved a hand in the air. “Work is work. It’s challenging and gets the juices flowing.”
Juices?
Bowie didn’t ask what Rex meant. But the conversation, that usually Rex dominated, stalled.
Bowie wiggled his butt on the hard seat hoping to get some sensation back.
“I suppose I better be heading home. I’m sure you’ve a list of chores to do.
” He waited for a brief second for Rex to object, and when he didn’t, Bowie slid off the stool in relief. “Thank you for lunch.”
“What would you say about dinner next week, Friday?” Rex asked as they stopped at his front door.
Bowie was sure he blinked, but couldn’t quite say. His brain went as numb as his backside when he wasn’t sure if the dinner offer meant they’d go out and eat.
“Dinner?” he asked cautiously, not wanting to get his hopes up.
“Yes,” Rex chuckled. “Where we eat more than a sandwich. I’ll come to your place, and you could cook.”
His skin felt feverish at the prospect of getting an evening date when those were seldom, despite the dip in his stomach at the lack of an offer to go out to dinner.
“Erm… yes… what would you l-like me to cook?” Bowie stammered and stuttered, his mind on whether this would come with an expectation of getting naked.
“I’ll send you my menu choices, so you don’t make a mistake.”
Bowie was totally on board with that and grinned shyly. “Thank you,” he replied gratefully. This is great.
This is a disaster, his animal side grumped. We’ll be stuck with him in our apartment!