One Plus Two Equals... - 15

"This is crazy," Julyan told Jack while he waited for the coffee to finish brewing. "I went up there to try and sort out my feelings about Duane and there he was."

"Duane?"

"What? Oh, no. Auden. The man who kissed me last night."

"Oh boy. So now what are you going to do?"

Julyan shook his head. "I wish I knew. How come after months of having no one around who was interested in me, or who I was interested in, there's suddenly two men who seem to think kissing me is… Hell, why are they kissing me? Am I sending out vibes of some sort?"

"It's your sexy, pouty mouth."

"I don't have… Oh, damn it, why's everyone teasing me, too?"

Jack chuckled. "Because you fall for it so easily."

"I guess I do, don't I?" Julyan took two mugs from the cabinet, filled them with coffee and, with Jack's 'Have fun' lingering in his ears, he headed back up to the roof.

For a moment he thought Auden had left then he saw him at the side of the roof. He went over, handing him one of the mugs before sitting down cross-legged a few feet away. Safer here, he thought, staring up at the night sky.

As if reading his thought, Auden chuckled. "I'm not going to bite, and I promise I won't try to kiss you again."

"Oh?" For some reason that made Julyan feel less than happy.

"Well, not unless you want me to."

"Oh." Needing to get the subject changed and fast, Julyan asked, "What do you do?"

"For a job?" When Julyan nodded, Auden told him, "I'm a freelance photographer."

"There's money in that?"

"Yeah. It's sort of hit or miss but I've got enough name recognition now that magazines and newspapers will hire me for special assignments."

"I don't recognize your name."

Auden clapped his hand to his chest in mock dismay. "You wound me to the core. I'm famous. Well, in my own mind at least."

Julyan laughed at his antics, but something about the gesture reminded him of how Duane had done the same thing earlier. But then people do, it's a classic move. "What is your name? I mean your last name."

"Reviers. Auden Reviers, at your service."

"Weird. That's almost the same as my boss's name."

"He's an 'Auden' too? That is weird."

"No. His first name is Duane, but his last name is so close. Reives. Well, there's only one 'r' but… Okay, I'm tired if I'm trying to make them seem the same just because they have almost the same letters… and I'm babbling."

"Just a bit but it's okay." Auden took a drink of coffee, looking at Julyan over the rim as he did. "You're cute when you're flustered."

Julyan dropped his eyes. "Oh God, I'm not 'cute'. At least, I hope I'm not."

"No." Auden put down his mug and moved to sit in front of Julyan, mimicking his posture. "You're not cute. Good looking and sexy would be more like it." He rested his hand on Julyan's knee.