quickly, quickly

10

The soft hum of conversation and the clink of glasses faded as soon as the office door closed behind us. Tyler leaned against the edge of my desk, his arms crossed, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.

"So, this is where all the magic happens?" he teased, glancing around the room.

I chuckled, stepping closer to him. "More like where all the stress happens," I said, letting my hands rest on either side of his hips. "But seeing you here makes it feel a lot less suffocating."

His smirk softened into a smile, and his hands slid up to rest on my chest. "I'm proud of you, you know. Everything you've done here—it's incredible."

Something in his voice tugged at my heart, and before I could think twice, I leaned in, pressing my lips to his. The kiss was slow at first, tender and familiar, but as his hands moved to the back of my neck, pulling me closer, the heat between us ignited.

"Tyler," I murmured against his lips, my hands tightening on his waist.

He grinned, tilting his head back slightly. "What? You're the one who brought me in here."

I groaned, capturing his mouth again, my pulse quickening as I felt him respond with equal fervor. For a moment, the world outside the office didn't exist—no gala, no donors, no Brendon. Just us.

His hands slipped under my jacket, tugging at the fabric as I pressed him against the desk, my lips trailing down to his jaw and neck. Tyler let out a soft laugh, his fingers tangling in my hair.

"You're going to mess up your suit," he teased, his voice breathy.

"I don't care," I replied, kissing him again, deeper this time.

Tyler's hands moved to undo my belt and he reached his hand down my slacks feeling how hard I was becoming.

"Did I mention how hot you look wearing that suit?" His whisper sent a chill down my spine.

He then wrapped his hand around me, his gentle touch was all I craved and more. I moaned into his ear, gripping him tighter. He was so gentle yet so passionate. I wanted to rip all of our clothes off in that very instant.  

The sound of a voice outside the door froze us both. My heart dropped as the handle jiggled, and the door creaked open just a crack.

"Josh?" Brendon's voice called out, accompanied by the soft knock of his knuckles on the door.

I stepped back from Tyler so quickly I almost tripped over my chair. Tyler, however, just laughed quietly, his face flushed as he adjusted his blazer.

"Uh, yeah?" I called out, my voice a little too high-pitched. "What is it?" I quickly tried to tuck my shirt back in and fasten my belt.

The door opened wider, and Brendon's face appeared, his brow furrowed. His gaze shifted between the two of us, and for a brief moment, something unreadable flashed in his eyes.

"Didn't realize you were busy," he said, his tone carrying a hint of something—sarcasm? Amusement? I couldn't tell. "Just wanted to check on the donor arrival schedule."

"It's... fine," I stammered, clearing my throat and straightening my tie. "Everything's on track. I'll be out in a minute."

Brendon lingered for a beat longer than necessary, his lips quirking into a small smirk before he nodded and pulled the door shut behind him.

As soon as he was gone, I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair. "Shit."

Tyler burst out laughing, his head falling back as he held onto the edge of the desk for support. "Oh my god, Josh, you look like you just got caught stealing."

"This isn't funny," I said, though my lips twitched despite myself. "He's going to think—"

"What?" Tyler interrupted, grinning. "That you were fucking your husband in your own office? The scandal."

I shook my head, but his laughter was infectious. Soon, I was chuckling too, though the knot of worry in my stomach hadn't completely unraveled. Brendon's expression had been... odd. And while Tyler found the whole thing amusing, I couldn't shake the feeling that this would come back to haunt me.

"Come on," Tyler said, hopping off the desk and smoothing out his clothes. "Let's get back out there before someone else comes looking for you."

He grabbed my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze, and for a moment, I let myself believe that everything was fine. That tonight would go off without a hitch. But as we stepped back into the crowded gallery, Brendon's smirk lingered in the back of my mind like an unwelcome shadow.

—

The bedside lamp cast a warm light over the room as Tyler changed into his sleep clothes. His shirt was slightly wrinkled, his tie long forgotten somewhere in the mess of the evening. I watched him from my side of the bed, still half-dressed, undoing the cufflinks on my sleeves. The gala was over, the guests gone, and the weight of the day lingered in my chest like a stone.

"That went pretty well, huh?" Tyler said, his voice lighter than mine felt. He flopped onto the bed, his movements loose and unsteady. The red flush in his cheeks gave away the champagne he'd been enjoying for most of the night.

I forced a smile. "Yeah. Everything came together in the end."

Tyler rolled onto his side, propping himself up on one elbow to look at me. "Except Brendon," he said, smirking. "What a piece of work. Does he always have to act like he's God's gift to the art world?"

The comment caught me off guard, and I didn't respond. My hands froze on the buttons of my shirt as I stared at him, my throat tightening.

Tyler noticed my silence and laughed, his words slightly slurred. "Come on, Josh. Even you have to admit he's insufferable sometimes."

I looked down, pretending to concentrate on the button I was fumbling with. "He's... confident," I said carefully. "It's part of what makes him good at his job."

Tyler waved a hand dismissively, his laughter softening as his head hit the pillow. "You're too nice to him. I mean, the guy practically oozes arrogance. If I worked with him, I'd lose my mind."

I didn't respond. Tyler's words echoed in my mind, but I couldn't bring myself to agree or disagree. The truth sat heavy on my chest, unspoken and sharp. Tyler didn't notice my silence this time; his eyes were already starting to droop, the wine pulling him into sleep.

"Love you," he mumbled, his voice muffled by the pillow.

"Love you too," I said softly, leaning over to kiss his forehead. He let out a contented sigh and rolled onto his side, his breathing evening out within minutes.

I stood and grabbed the blanket, pulling it up to his shoulders and tucking it around him. He looked peaceful, his usual furrowed brow relaxed for once. My heart ached as I watched him sleep, guilt gnawing at the edges of my mind. He deserved so much better than the mess I'd brought into our lives.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand, breaking the quiet. I picked it up, squinting at the screen. The notification was from Brendon. My stomach twisted as I opened the message.

"Hope you made it through the rest of the night unscathed. You looked good up there, by the way. The suit? Perfect. We should talk soon—about a lot of things."

I stared at the text, my heart pounding in my chest. The compliment felt charged, a reminder of everything I was trying to push away. My thumb hovered over the keyboard, but I couldn't bring myself to respond.

Instead, I locked the phone and set it face down on the nightstand. Tyler stirred slightly in his sleep, mumbling something incoherent, and I sat down beside him, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, though I wasn't sure who the apology was for—Tyler, Brendon, or myself.

The weight of the night pressed down on me as I turned off the light and slid under the covers. But sleep didn't come easily. My thoughts were too loud, and Brendon's text felt like a neon sign flashing in the darkness.