Milkshake Hearts

Chapter 23: Calm Down

A/N: Content warning for one single explicit statement in one paragraph but the rest of it is pretty PG. Also, throwing in some side references to another ship every now and then from here on out.

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They do actually have to concentrate while they discuss the final details of the live shows. They'd had a rough rehearsal of the basic outline of the show the previous week, but it was improv, so each would be a little different. Still, they do a final table read of one of the more sketch-y sections of the show, and a vague run-through of the other segments or at least a description of what they are and in what order. It keeps Shayne's – and Courtney's, because truthfully, as much as she was enjoying Shayne's more vocal comments throughout the day, they were making her own thoughts go a particularly Shayne-focussed direction – mind occupied, for the most part. Mostly.

Courtney shifts in her seat, sitting up straight and tall as she speaks to a question Ian had asked about one of her more active portions of the show. It causes a thought to emerge in Shayne's head that shocks him so much he splutters into a coughing fit, grabbing for his glass of water to try and stop it before it gets too disruptive. Courtney stops speaking mid-sentence, and he can feel her side-eye him before she continues.

"Sorry, I don't know what that was," he mumbles when she finishes, trying to brush it off. Courtney shrugs as if accepting his apology.

"Okay, what actually was that spluttering?" she asks him after the meeting, grinning, and he laughs.

"I shocked myself with my own thought..." he trails off, "I don't think I could actually verbalise it here."

"You think I could convince you?" she asks, raising an eyebrow, and he glances around to ensure they're very much alone – they've wandered away from the meeting room off into the breakroom, and everyone else has stayed out in the office or gone elsewhere. Someone could probably see them, but they definitely can't be heard.

"You could convince me to do pretty much anything," he replies, honestly, "but mostly by touching me and I know you aren't going to do much of that right now."

"You never know..." she trails off, glancing around herself as she casually walks backwards into the part of the room most hidden from the windows, and she lets go of his hand as she walks but he follows her anyway. She laces their hands together again when he stops in front of her, although she doesn't get any closer. "You sure you can't verbalise it?"

"You sure you want me to?" he jokes back at her, but she merely raises an eyebrow expectantly. He can't help but glance around nervously before he decides it's safe to speak. They're as alone as they could be in this office, probably, but his still leans closer and lowers his voice, "I just... you shifting around and sitting up tall like that just made me think how much I would like to be... okay, god, this is difficult to say."

He laughs his own awkwardness off, and it causes her to settle her face, looking at him softly.

"You don't have to say anything if you aren't comfortable with it, baby, I'm just messing with you a little," she reassures him, but he shakes his head.

"I want to, really. So, um, yeah- it kinda made me think how much I'd like if you were sitting on me like that riding me," he admits. He lets himself rock backwards away from her again, after he finishes, and he knows he's blushing but watching Courtney react sends his confidence skyrocketing. She lets out a breathless laugh, her own cheeks reddening slightly, and she doesn't meet his eyes for a second until she does and her gaze is so hot he can't look away.

"Hey hey dudes, can we come in or are you in the middle of saying something we don't want to hear right now?" Damien's voice breaks through the energy between them what could be full minutes later, although both of them freeze, not saying anything for a moment.