Page 4 of Due Dilligence (Takeover)
Chapter Two
Someone had turned the surreal dial up to eleven in Todd Douglas’s life. That was the only explanation for Fazil Kurt standing in a conference room, in a suit, and giving that presentation. He couldn’t even touch the guy to make sure he was real. Wanted to. Though he wasn’t sure whether to hug Fazil and never let go or punch him in the head for nonchalantly walking back into his life after all those years.
Todd flexed his fingers against the counter of the unisex bathroom he’d ducked into. Actually he knew exactly what he wanted to do to Fazil, but that involved a bed, a lot less clothing, and a couple of uninterrupted hours. Jesus, that body. Last time he’d seen Z in a suit was at their high school graduation, and that had beennothinglike this. Fazil had filled out from the gangly kid he’d been. Same slim hips that begged to be grabbed, now topped by a powerful torso and arms that seemed acquainted with the inside of a gym. The jet-black hair that had been long and wandered every which way back then had been tamed into a short cut that highlighted how dark his eyes were.
Beautiful. Even more so now. But given fifteen years of silence, he doubted Fazil had any desire to jump into Todd’s bed. He’d made his point quite clear the autumn after they graduated.
Hey, I’ll give you a call or drop you an e-mail once I’m settled on campus.
Days had passed. Then weeks. Then years.
He couldn’t ignore Fazil, not when he was here from Sam Anderson’s company. Nor could he pretend they didn’t know each other. His only option had been to ask for lunch. Maybe they could clear the air enough to get through the next two weeks without too much awkwardness.
Todd scrubbed a hand over his face and stared at himself in the mirror. He’d needed to catch his breath and remind his dick that Fazil didn’t want anything to do with him.
He wasn’t ready to face his coworkers’ questions yet. Too many had overheard his brief conversation with Fazil. They’d want to know what he knew about him. Which was absolutelynothing. Well, not anything he was willing to share.
This was going to be interesting. He straightened, washed his hands for the hell of it, and left the room. He almost made it back to his cube before someone stopped him, and in seconds, half of engineering was piled into the hall.
“Youknowthat guy?”
He wasn’t sure who asked. The voice had been male. Maybe Ganesh.
“Out with the intel, Douglas.” That was Nathan, who pushed his way to the front of the crowd.
Todd held up both hands and backed into his cube. “I went to high school with him. I have no idea what he’s like now.”Other than completely fuckable.Pretty sure Nathan was the last person who wanted to hear that. “This is the first time I’ve seen him since we graduated.”
“Oh come on.” Erin leaned against the cube wall, arms crossed. “Give us something.”
Todd flopped into his chair and peered at his coworkers. He was only a project lead, but he’d been Stephen’s right hand man recently, documenting as many procedures as possible before the Anderson team arrived. Every person in the hall had worked with and for him at one point. He owed themsomething.
“He was smart and dedicated. Graduated fifth in the class.” Todd ran a finger under his watchband. “He’s the reason I went to college. Tutored me in math. I thought I was hopeless. Turned out I just needed some help.”
So many of those nights had turned into make-out sessions on Fazil’s bed, kissing and grinding and sucking until they’d both come.
“Good kid. Sarcastic around the edges, but we were teenagers. We lost track of each other after graduation.” He shrugged to cover the pain in his chest. He’dtriedto keep in touch with Fazil, but that effort had been one-sided.
“Where’s he from?” Nathan again.
“Outside Philly, same as me.” He’d seen Fazil before high school—they’d gone to the same middle school—but he’d been so far above Todd in everything, he’d never spoken to him.
“No, I mean where’s hefrom?”
Todd stared at Nathan. “He’s—I told you. We were born in the same hospital.” All true, and he certainly wasn’t about to give Nathan what he wanted. “That’s all I know, honest.”
There was some grumbling, but eventually they trickled away. A few out to lunch and others to eat at their desks. His stomach was in too much turmoil for him to think about shoving anything into it, so he grabbed some water, brought up his tasks for the development sprint they were in, and tried to lose himself in code. Didn’t work. He could trace a line of history from his current job back to the first time he’d kissed Fazil.
Todd rubbed his eyes. He didn’t remember howI can’t believe I got an A on that test! I so could kiss you right now, manhad turned into kissing, then touching, then humping so hard they’d both come in their jeans.
But he could remember the taste of his lips and mouth, the blinding orgasm, and Fazil’s whisperedholy shitbefore he’d kissed Todd again. God. He wanted to know how Fazil kissed now, if he tasted the same, if he moaned like he used to.
There went any illusion he’d ever gotten over Fazil. It fucking hurt, too. There should have been a phone call. An e-mail. A damned Facebook or LinkedIn request. Something. Not... walking back into Todd’s life as if he hadn’t run away all those years ago.
None of the code on his screen made sense. “Fuck it.” He grabbed his water bottle and headed for the exit. Maybe a walk and some fresh air would clear his head and he’d have a better reason for his pounding heart other than Fazil fucking Kurt.
***
The walk worked well enough. Todd snagged a sandwich before arriving back at his desk and descended into the bliss of problem hunting and solving. An hour and a half later, a gentle rap on the cube frame and the low murmur of his name startled Todd away from the code he’d been fixing.
