first step was to pull the curtain and close the window, locking it for good measure. Then I turned and went over to check out the Mario artwork.
I laughed under my breath. A secret room accessed by giving Mario a high five would've been my childhood fantasy. I could see where a guy who was into age play and regressed to that age group would set it up for himself. Pretty slick, if you asked me. Taking a deep breath, I pressed Mario's palm.
Sure enough, a panel to my left slid open almost soundlessly. The tension in my gut settled. Neil was lying on his belly in the middle of the room, playing with an action set of tiny army men and vehicles, fully engaged in some imaginary battle. His cat was settled in the dip of his lower back, and Neil had his feet up in the air, kicking them back and forth.
What had I gotten myself into? Should've read the fine print, Brody. If ever there’s a catch, you’d find it there.
And yet… I didn't mind. If anything, the adorable scene I walked in on amazed me. I looked around for somewhere to sit catered to a man my size. My best bet was an oversized beanbag against the wall, fire engine red and made of godawful Naugahyde, guaranteed to stick to your skin if you were wearing shorts.
As I took my seat, I quickly discovered it wasn't friendly with jeans either. It gave a loud squeak, and my jeans rubbed against the material, sounding like someone was tooting their ass off. Neil glanced over his shoulder with a knowing grin. He sat up and turned around so fast his cat went flying with a disdainful hiss. She walked several feet away to glare at the both of us, but Neil was too busy giggling to notice. As I struggled to get comfortable, he laughed harder at every farting noise. I couldn't help but chuckle along with him. Let's face it, farts are always funny.
Once I was finally settled, I reached into my pocket to grab the goodies I brought with me. Actually, my small bit of movement set off more fart noises. I lifted a brow at Neil and held up his snack. "Laugh it up, buddy. But when you're done, how about you come over here and take a break? You can have a snack while we chat."
I had to bite back a chuckle when Neil pushed up on his hands and crab-walked over to join me. Plopping down within reach, he held his hands out. "Thank you, Mr. Brody. I'm super thirsty. How did you know?"
Going on a hunch, I removed the straw and poked it through the outer packaging, then passed the juice to Neil. When he beamed, I knew I had gotten it correct. While he sucked down nearly half the pouch, I opened the pretzels and offered them to him. "I would like to say I'm a good guesser, but I had to call your Uncle Jim once I realized you were missing."
Neil ducked his head, his face going red. "I'm sorry, Mr. Brody. I wasn't trying to hide. I forgot you didn't know about my favorite room." He set the juice down, then took the pretzels and made a show of twirling the end through the peanut butter and biting off half the stick. With every bite, his body bounced up. Even his facial expressions were childish… and once again, absolutely adorable. Watching him in silence, I tried to understand what was so compelling about this man. Client. Don't think of him as a man. He's not for you. This is an asset you're being paid to protect; don't get it twisted.
When he was done, Neil took his garbage to a wastebasket by the door before coming back and dropping at my feet again. He crossed his legs and rested his hands on the floor behind him as he studied me. "Am I in trouble, Mr. Brody? I'm sorry I got mad. And for not listening about the car."
I considered his words, then shook my head. "No, you're not in trouble. You scared me when I couldn't find you, but I can't punish you for breaking rules we haven't established." I sat up to lean forward, wincing at the fresh round of farts. "Do you even want guidance from me, Neil? If I'm in charge of your safety, do you want me to set rules and enforce them?"
His tongue swept across