A Bid For Love

asked..."
    Holly rolled her eyes and steered Eva back to her own desk. "Noah, you got a problem with the support staff knocking off a few minutes early?" She nodded toward the dozen or so sets of curious eyes on the far side of the bullpen. "Seems to me there'll be enough chatter going around."
    Noah sighed and looked as long-suffering as a man possibly could. "No problem at all. In fact, I insist." A dark gaze fixed on Eva. "Administrative assistants can go home, too."
    At least Noah tried, Scott'd give him that. Not that it worked for a blessed minute on Eva. The other analysts and support people grabbed their stuff and cleared out, but she stayed right in her chair, dark eyes flashing with a bit more than shock now. "I'm not going anywhere."
    This time the sigh came from Asher. "No, I've no doubt you aren't. I, however, am going home. We were out very late last night and up very early this morning, and I've far better things to do than sit here indulging prurient curiosity." He pushed to his feet. "To keep you from staking out my house, I'll say this once and only once. Scott has chosen to grace me with his..." That steel-coated voice caught and lake-blue eyes fixed on Scott, stealing his breath. "Love." The steel morphed to velvet. "As such, I consider myself the luckiest of men."
    The gaze swung to Eva and the knife edge returned to his tones. "And I will not have him harassed in any way. So, yes, we're lovers. Yes, it's why I'm transferring. And yes, if my luck continues, it's a permanent arrangement." Scott didn't think he'd ever seen Asher go quite so cold. "I believe that should satisfy the worst of your inquisitive nature."
    She sank back in her chair a bit, still staring at him. "You're..."
    Asher gathered up his briefcase. "Well, I think everything's been covered." His gaze flicked to Scott, unspoken question plain for a fleeting instant.
    Really not wanting to hang around at the moment. Scott picked up his suit coat. "Works for me." He stopped on his way out the door, catching Holly by the arm and giving her a kiss on the cheek. "We so owe you roses, darling."

    * * * *
    "Well, that went better than I expected."
    Asher blinked and his head swung to his lover. Outed in the loudest, most obnoxious way possible and it went better than expected? "You joking? It was a horror."
    "Actually, yeah." Scott smiled and tipped an imaginary hat to the pair of rotors staring at them as they walked toward the elevators. "Eva said her piece all at once, not like we had any surprises there. Beats the hell out of constantly wondering what she's saying out of earshot." He reached out and took Asher's hand. "Told you, I'm proud to be yours. I'm just sorry you didn't have a bit more time. I know you weren't ready for the world to know about me yet." His fingers tightened on Asher's, offering additional apology.
    "She won't stop at one tirade." He should be able to shrug it off now. Scott had a point. "I just hope this one doesn't cost us our jobs."
    "Well, I doubt being together can get us fired. We could fight that." Those strong fingers squeezed Asher's again. "At least the wait is over. No more wondering when we'll get outed." He winked at a passing agent, the other man's gaze locked on their clasped hands. "Like you said, covered."
    "It's not getting flat-out fired that concerns me." Asher couldn't quite manage the easy bravado, but he did succeed in nodding a good-evening to Howard Jarvis at the elevator. The agent raised but a single brow and shrugged before heading up the hall. Asher found himself smiling. At this point, he'd take it as a rousing endorsement. He stepped into the elevator after Scott, grateful they had it to themselves for the moment. "It's the gradual...filing away, I suppose. Just a quiet shuffling to the back lines."
    "It's possible. But we're so flaming good at what we do, they'll have to think twice on that, honey." Scott grinned. "And weren't you just telling me you wanted to retire in ten years anyway?"
    "I-- What?" He wasn't sure he'd heard right. Until Scott's eyes lit with mischief. Asher drew himself up straight and pulled out his best glare. "I beg your pardon. I may be considered in many lights around here, but never 'flaming.'" The banter felt so good. "And you're so blessed Texan you've kept it secret for years. But hey, I can deal with the ruffled apron at home, if you really need it."
    Asher found himself pushed into the corner of the elevator. "If it makes you happy, darlin', I'm all