Page 37 of A Real Good Lie

“I never had a chance to ask,” Rhys said conversationally, angling himself to face them. Callahan tightened his hold on Jace’s hand. “How did the two of you meet?”

“Sebastian set us up, actually,” Callahan answered, remembering their true lie, and happily unable to hide his amusement at Rhys’s surprise.

“That seems unlikely.”

“You can ask him yourself.”

“And how long has this been going on for?” Rhys shot another judgmental look at them. The elevator doors slid open and the bustling sounds of the ground floor filled the space.

“Long enough to know,” Jace said. “What’s it been now, babe?”

“I lose track of time with you,” Callahan answered him, even though they’d already agreed on a timeline. A year. They’d been together a year, but Jace had also said to stick with as much of the truth as possible, so he did.

Jace’s jaw worked and he held his arm out to keep the doors from closing.

“After you,” he said, and Rhys stepped out.

“Are you coming?” Rhys asked.

“We’ll be right there.” Jace smiled and pushed the close door button.

Callahan watched as the doors slid together, locking them back into the confined space.

“Where are we going?”

“I just need a minute.” Jace shook free of Callahan’s hand and turned, banging his forehead against the wall of the elevator.

Callahan needed more than a minute because the circuits in his brain were scrambled and he didn’t know if he wanted to get naked with Jace and risk the heartbreak or suffer through the weekend and then go back to his normal life.

He found himself curious about what was going on in Jace’s brain, but afraid to ask.

Jace turned back and smoothed a hand down the front of his shirt. The tiny white buttons laid flat against his chest and he exhaled a long breath, then nodded.

“Alright,” he said, pressing the button for the lobby again.

Callahan glanced at the control panel. The elevator began descending, five floors until they were back in the lobby.

“He’s going to be there waiting for us,” Jace said. “As soon as the doors open.”

“I know.”

“Good.” Jace reached out and looped Callahan’s tie around his hand and pulled him across the elevator. “Now kiss me like you mean it.”

Jace crashed their mouths together just as the door opened. They tumbled against the wall, Callahan slamming his hand in the space beside Jace’s head to stop them from falling to the ground. Jace put his hand on Callahan’s waist, like he had in the hallway, but with heavier intention, and he opened his mouth, for the first time letting Callahan control the kiss.

“Juvenile,” he heard Rhys scoff before shoes clacked across the lobby floor, quieter with every step.

Callahan knew he needed to end the kiss. He understood they didn’t need to act anymore, but Jace tasted like toothpaste and his body had the most amazing lines and angles, and…

Jace closed his mouth and tilted his head to the side, breaking the kiss for him.

“That was convincing,” he murmured.

Callahan cleared his throat and stepped back. His lips tingled and he wanted to kiss Jace again.

“We should get to dinner,” Jace said, but Callahan saw the way his face flushed, the way his cheeks had darkened after the encounter. If Jace didn’t want to talk about it, Callahan wouldn’t make him, but Jace’s expression had him fairly sure the feelings were mutual.

Callahan took his hand and walked toward the restaurant with Jace at his side.