A Bid For Love

middle as he folded up on the pale carpet.
    That look stripped the most immediate of the anger away, leaving Asher lost and disoriented. He blinked down at his fallen teammate. "Scott?"
    The groan he got in response didn't help the rising guilt. He dropped down beside the kneeling agent.
    "Damn. I forgot how strong you are." Tight words whispered out through Scott's still-clenched teeth. Even so, a smile lurked in there somewhere. "Really would much rather you took that drink and let me explain." Eyes a deeper blue than his own turned up to meet Asher. "I promise it's not what you're thinking."
    "Well, then what the hell is it?" He couldn't bring himself to swing again, but betrayal rose up bright and bitter on his tongue. "You know, I'd expect something like this from Poppy. But you..." His own gut shriveled up quite nicely even without a physical blow. "I never thought you, of all people, really needed this grand a laugh at my expense."
    "I don't. But I do need you." Scott's hand gripped Asher's wrist before he could protest or form a rebuttal. "This is what you were thinking it was before you saw me. Or at least part of it. You know me, Asher. You know how much money I have. Or rather don't have. Well, I just spent every spare dime and then a bit to get you here alone. No one knows where I am. Well, no one that doesn't have a need-to-know for US security. And none of them know the real why."
    He paused to gulp air and groan. "Could you help me up on the bed before you try to kill me again? Damn, you have to be the strongest man I know." A faint twinkle did enter his eyes then. "And about the prettiest."
    Okay, Asher's hearing must have been affected by the force of his punch. Still, he offered a hand to pull Scott up. "I'm sorry? I believe I heard you wrong. I'm afraid I thought you just called me..." He raised a hand to ward off the answer just yet. "You mean to tell me you are the mysterious anonymous bidder who put up over a thousand dollars to purchase me? Sent all those..." His voice closed up for a moment at the thought of the precious sentiment he'd believed. "Those emails?"
    "Meant every last word in every one of them. And had to hold back from writing a great deal of pure mush that would have likely scared you off. You'd have taken me for a complete stalker." The twinkle definitely returned full force. "Yeah, all me. My own money, earned the hard way. And I don't doubt you're worth every penny."
    "For what?" Anger returned with a vengeance, pushing him out of arm's reach before he decided to punch again. "Oh, no prank. Just a play act directed to imply all manner of things about my character and my lifestyle. Even you don't have money to burn for that. Not by yourself. What'd you do, get Noah and every unit in the building to take up a fucking collection?"
    Years of ignoring all that went on around him, pretending the slurs and digs about his sexual orientation meant nothing, exploded in a flood of pain. "Get me here alone. And how many little cameras are peeking around, Jamison? Just what did you expect would happen? Evidence for all the snide little rumors floating around the whole damn Hoover Building no one thinks I hear? Roses, poetry, the opera...you really think I don't know what you Neanderthals think of me?"
    God, it hurt to admit, but it hurt more that Scott was a part of them. Asher gathered enough pride to swallow the tears burning behind his eyes and glare straight into that lying blue gaze. "I really thought I might, just might, have one real friend in the Bureau."
    "You do. I just want to be more." Scott's gaze never wavered. "And yeah, I know what they all say. Heard it. A hundred times over. They think you're gay. They think that makes you weaker or less a man. They're wrong, of course." That well-known smile blazed up. "You're not. You're bi. Just like I am." The faintest laugh punctuated that particular lie. "And I'll bet you half of what I spent on you, no one ever said that about me." The smile faded, but something more primal took its place. "I sit across from you every day of my life, and it's driving me crazy. I can't think half the time. Actually put me off food a time or two. You sitting there, looking so damn good I want crawl right across the desk and kiss you blind."
    The snort actually burned Asher's sinuses. He took another step back, pushing away the thought of getting his sidearm from his luggage with speed born of desperation. If he lingered on the thought even a moment,