Gideon (Boyfriend for Hire #3) - R.J. Scott Page 0,2

the end.

So while Gideon dreaded the season and its family obligations, Rowan counted down the days with an advent calendar filled with chocolates and chatted endlessly about this brother or that sister or what his moms had planned. This was the same PA who Gideon could guarantee would already have a Christmas playlist on his phone. He’d dance to the music as he filed or made coffee or even as he walked out for lunch. As of yet Rowan hadn’t put in his earbuds to play it when there were no clients in the office.

Not that Gideon checked.

Okay, so I checked.

There was an unspoken rule for respectful silence in the rarefied air of the offices of Bryant & Waites. At least, it had been an unspoken rule until what had become The Lady Gaga incident, and now it may as well be in huge letters in every contract. Returning unexpectedly to the office after a late meeting, Gideon had found Rowan with his earbuds in, singing along to the music he was listening to and dancing like an idiot in the kitchen. After he’d stood and watched for a good few minutes wondering what to say, Rowan had turned and spotted him. He’d explained there was no one in the building but him, adding something about the floor being polished, and that he wasn’t wearing shoes because he could slide better.

Gideon listened to it all and then, ashamed that he’d been caught watching, blew everything out of proportion and gave some lecture about solemnity and silence being the watchwords of Bryant & Waites. His face heated as he recalled that night because Rowan took the comments to heart and was as quiet as a mouse for at least two weeks until it became so quiet that Gideon was slowly driven mad. He’d left a Post-it note on Rowan’s desk apologizing for overreacting, and they’d never spoken of it again.

Although he still couldn’t get the image of Rowan dancing, or the hug, out of his mind.

Rowan was life and happiness and being in everyone’s business while totally efficient, and he fixed everything so Gideon had an easy life. He was the perfect PA and a thorn in Gideon’s side all at the same time.

He needed to stop thinking about Rowan getting married and leaving him, or recalling the way he moved, and his off-key singing, and how sexy he’d looked when—

Cats. Think about my cat. That’s safe.

I hope Kimi’s not too pissed that I’m away tonight.

Not that Gideon’s beautiful Ragdoll cat would be angry at his absence, she loved Hilda, his neighbor, and was probably being spoiled right now with fresh salmon and unending treats.

“Earth to Gideon,” Rowan whispered, and Gideon blinked down at him, seeing the twinkle in his brown eyes. “I can see the thought bubble from here,” Rowan added as the small group of people began to clap and Gideon joined in, although why he was clapping he didn’t know, then belatedly realizing that somehow he’d missed a vital part of the ceremony. Darcy and Adrian were kissing and then hugging, both grinning at each other as if they were the happiest people on earth.

Did I even hear Darcy and Adrian say their I Do’s?

“Don’t start with that bubble shit,” Gideon warned. Rowan had this thing where he would draw an oval shape in the air with extended fingers and then state what he thought Gideon was contemplating. Unfortunately, nine times out of ten he was right.

Rowan smiled. “You were thinking about something completely unrelated to the ceremony, and then you pondered about important clients, and finally you ended up thinking about your cat.”

Gideon ignored Rowan and stared back at the happy couple, after all the laughter in his PA’s eyes was way too alluring, far too beautiful of a thing, and he wasn’t going there.

“I was making a mental list of agencies who supply replacement personal assistants,” he said instead, trying for humor and realizing it worked when Rowan snorted with laughter, the noise lost in the clapping that continued on for a long time as Adrian and Darcy kissed and hugged their way around their friends and family.

“You’d have to find a magic agency.” Rowan leaned in and got far too close, and Gideon knew he should have kept his mouth shut, but no…he fell right into Rowan’s trap.

“What do you mean a magic agency?”

Darcy had nearly reached them, but there was enough time for Rowan to shrug and bite back a laugh.

“Only PAs capable of