Tia left the table to take a business call from work, leaving Ashton at the table as Ryan rejoined him after putting the plates in the dishwasher. They were finally left alone to themselves. "So," Ryan began.

"Yes?" Ashton asked, folding his legs.

"About last night..." His fiance met his eyes, "what are your thoughts on what happened?"

"It was good. Why?"

Ryan didn't expect that kind of reply from him, but he did enjoy hearing that from him.

Ashton was observing him, seeing if there was something that was off. "I didn't expect it, but I did enjoy it. Thank you."

Ryan's jaw slowly went slack, then he smiled gently, blushing suddenly. "I think I relieved more than just your stress last night. I am happy I could be of some help."

"So was I... why do you look so taken off still?" He met the eyes of his fiancé again.

Ryan scratched the back of his neck, too flustered to look away. "I just never thought that we'd get that far... especially so soon. I'm honestly still surprised that you jerked me off too. I mean... are you sure you're okay?"

"You did what?" Both men whipped around when they heard a voice exclaim. Tia stood by the entryway, watching both men with shock on her face.

"Tia, give us a moment," Ashton demanded.

"Ashton!"

"Tia, please!" His eyes pleaded with hers. She sighed and looked to Ryan, who just set his sights on Ashton, too embarrassed to speak.

She nodded. "I'll just wait in your office." She turned and walked away. The men exhaled once she left.

"I'm sorry..." Ryan squeaked.

Ashton rubbed his neck. "D—don't be, Tia can be very nosey. She would have found out sooner or later."

"Yeah." He chuckled dryly.

"I don't regret what we did last night. So stop acting as if we just committed a cardinal sin." He stood from the table, and Ryan followed his actions.

"Ash..."

Ashton walked over to him. "If you apologize again, I'll tape your mouth."

He sighed before he was going to apologize. Ashton walked up to him, resting his hands on his shoulders. "You're not as bad as I thought you would be, Ryan."

"And you're much kinder than I thought you'd be, Ashton."

He laughed. "Sure."

Ryan touched his hips then pulled him closer. "Then, would asking for a kiss hurt?" He lifted his eyes to Ashton's handsome face.

He smiled at Ryan. "It wouldn't." He bent and took his lips in a kiss. Ryan rose his hand up to his forearm then his neck as Ashton hugged an arm around his waist.

"You're lips taste so amazing," Ryan muttered against Ash's lips.

"Yours are just as good." He replied. A shiver ran down Ryan's back, and a moan escaped him. He pulled him down as he kissed him again, licking at Ashton's lip as the man moved him back to the table.

"Ash... Tia's waiting."

"Tia can wait." He said, cupping his face as he delved his tongue deeper into Ryan's mouth, making the younger man moan as his vision blurred.

"Mhm, Ash..." Ryan ran his fingers through his hair and down his back as he lifted a leg to Ashton's waist, a hand shooting behind him to keep him up. He couldn't believe they were making out as if they were starved, teenagers. Ashton hadn't seemed to be the kind of guy who would make the first move like this or continue their dance after a night like last night. But Ryan was not about to complain as Ashton lifted him onto the table. "God yes, Ashton." He moaned, hand holding Ashton's head as he bit down on his neck. Ryan had grown hot, Ashton's touch sparking fire on his skin.

"Oh my God!"

Ashton jolted back suddenly, his eyes focusing on the figure at the entryway. "Tia," Ryan began, "don't say anything."

A smile grew on her face. "Me?" She squeaked out, touching her chest, as she tried to hide her excitement, "my lips are sealed... Ashton, maybe I should come back tomorrow?"

"No!" Ryan jumped off the table. "Don't make a big thing out of this." He combed back his hair in a hurry. "Ashton, go have your meeting, and I'll clean up." He said, patting Ashton's chest.

He opened his mouth about to protest, but Ryan stopped him. "I mean it, go discuss work. I'll clean up, and actually, I told my mother that I would meet up with her later today, so I should do that. Pay me no mind." He nodded to them both and hurried off into the kitchen before Ashton could have a word in.

"Well... I guess we better go see what we can do about that business deal." Tia nodded, a huge smile on her face. "I swear to God, Tia," Ashton said. He brushed by her and started for his office.

"Oh, but Ashy."

"Don't start, Tiannia!"

She giggled as she grabbed his arm and hugged it as they walked down the hallway.

》》》》》

Ryan giggled, his cheeks red and his body hot at that fact that Ashton's hands and mouth had scorched him with their memory. He sighed and looked down to see the beginning of a new problem. Ryan groaned and reached for his cell, knowing that she'd be in her office. He dialed two and waited as it rang.

"Carolina Johannes-Cyruson speaking."

"It's me, momma."

"Ryan, baby, what, are you alright?"

"Are you busy? Can we have lunch?"

"I'm never too busy for my baby. Oh darling," she cooed, "our favorite place?"

"Yes, please." He shoved his hair away from his forehead as he bit his lip. "I love you, momma."

"I love you too." They hung up the call, and he turned to finish loading the dishwasher before he ran upstairs to take another shower, this time a cold one to get rid of his erection. He got dressed in a rush so that he could catch some fresh air away from Ashton. He couldn't think straight with him so close by.

Ryan stepped out of their room in a white blush pink button-down and a white pair of jeans with matching pink Toms. He pulled out his cell to see his mother replying that she's on her way out of the house. Great, now all he had to do was tell Ashton that he was leaving to meet his mother.

~~ ~ ~~

Ashton and Tia didn't speak as they walked back to his office after Ryan left them to busy himself cleaning up. Ashton didn't want to explain his actions to Tia, but knowing her, she'd ask him and persist that he give her reasons for what she saw them doing. He held the door open for her, and he entered in after her, and as soon as he shut the door, she folded her arms and turned around to face him.

"Tell me everything, and do not leave out a single detail." She demanded.

He flopped back into his chair. "Well... quite a lot happened. I mean, we made out the day he moved in. We were talking after breakfast, then he began to tease me as per usual, and that led to a rather steamy exchange... There was the pool incident," He ran his hands through his curls then sighed, "then there was the massage last night that led into... other things that we did not plan."

"Wait, what pool incident?" She yipped, hopping onto the edge of his desk. "How many times have you two—"

"Stop," Ashton said, covering his eyes as he groaned. "Please... don't, look, Ryan is a flirt and a reckless one at that. Do I need to go over all of it?"

She pursed her lips and nodded. "Don't leave out any information."

He sighed and gave her a tired look. 

"Ok, off my desk. It's a bit of a long story."

"I love long stories."

~~ ~ ~~

A knock came from the door, alerting the best friends. Ryan stood outside waiting on Ashton to answer him, then he heard a loud gasp and yanked the door open to let himself in. "Ash, Tia?"

The friends stared at him, standing by the door. "Ryan... where?" Ashton began.

"Mom and I are having lunch, umm... I just wanted to tell you that I'll be back later since you two will be busy."

"Oh, alright, well, give her my love and enjoy your lunch."

Ryan smiled. "You too." He turned to leave, paused, and glanced at Tia, who was quieter than her usual talkative self. He put a fist to his hip. "You told her, didn't you?"

Ashton chuckled. "No."

He nodded, lips pursed. "Even the pool?"

"Yes."

"Fuck. I think I'll take my leave now. Goodbye, you two." He closed the door, and Tia burst out laughing.

"Oh my God, he's so mad. He looked ready to pop." She held her belly as she wiped a tear from her eye.

"It's all your fault, Tia."

"Mine!?" She exclaimed, "It's your fault that you couldn't keep it in your pants while I was here."

"Last I remember, it was my house." He hissed.

She waved him off, checking her nails. "Oh, whatever. I practically live here too."

He scoffed, refusing to prove her right.

"You two are going to become so envied."

Ashton rose a brow to her statement. "And why would we be?"

She rose a brow, then scoffed and sat up straight. "Ash, you're gorgeous men, who are going to announce your gay union soon. Do you know how many millennials adore LGBTQ+ celebrity couples? You and Ryan are gonna be the talk of the town. And whether you like it or not, you are going to be seeing your faces plastered all over this country."

Ashton huffed out, almost as if he deflated at hearing what she said would happen to them. He didn't want to be an icon in celebrity pop media. He only wanted his peace, but now... Everything had changed. "Let's... Umm," he swallowed softly, "let's get on with our business, please. We have an important client to worry about." He opened his file cabinet and took out what he had been working on.

Tia nodded, seeing the cloud of gloom that had grown above his head and didn't say any more. She took out her notebook laptop and nodded. "Work time. Serious mode. Got ya." She forced a smile to him, but he hadn't even looked up. Instead, he made himself busy with work. She sighed. This road would be a long one.