SIX
He was warm and way too comfortable. Something buzzed nearby. More like an electric hum than a buzz. His blanket was heavy. Micah opened one eye to find a stern old man glaring down upon him.
He wondered if he was having a flashback to boot camp until his blanket shifted.
Micah woke up really fast after that. Memories of the night before came flooding back. But he wasn’t really sure how Kit had come to be sleeping in the same chair with him. Or when they’d fallen asleep. The game was on pause on the huge fucking screen.
“It’s not what it looks like so don’t get your knickers in a twist, Jeeves.” Micah shifted the sleeping man off his hip and tried to climb out of the deceptively comfortable chair but couldn’t.
“My knickers are hardly in a twist. He’s sleeping. I guess I can withhold any comment if he’s sleeping.” Rochfort reached out a hand and helped Micah to his feet.
“I’m sorry for the mess in the kitchen. I had planned to feed him and clean up everything then go back to my room. But he lured me into a game and…what time is it anyway?” Micah stepped into his untied boots and looked around for the breakfast dishes and beer bottles. Yeah, there had been beer after breakfast. Kit could drink and still whip his ass.
“You should know that there is never just one game for Master Kit. It’s his one obsession. If you play you’re his for life. That’s why Kady has been here so long. She gets to help him beta test games.” Rochfort leaned over with a nod to the outer room. “That’s what she thinks he does. She doesn’t know he creates the games and that she’s his beta player.”
“I take it Kady is in the outer room shampooing the soup out of the carpet?” Micah whispered back conspiratorially. Anything to keep his gaze from drifting over to the sleeping man, who’d settled into the seat next to him to help him learn the controller. And never left his side except to get drinks. The one whose scent was now imprinted on Micah’s brain.
“That would be correct.” Rochfort didn’t have a problem regarding the sleeping master of the house. “Wonder if he’d wake if we moved him to his bed?”
Micah’s gaze followed and his stomach did this buzzing jumping thing that left him breathless. Kit’s long white hair had escaped the bun sometime while they’d played and was now spread out over the black leather lounge chair. His robe had come open in sleep and one pale shoulder was exposed. His long fingered hand rested on the seat where Micah had been only a few moments before. That hand had been over his heart. He could still feel the warmth of it on his shirt.
“I could carry him if you think he would be more comfortable.” Micah offered and Rochfort lifted an eyebrow at him, as if his offer held ulterior motives. “Oh please, if I was going to molest him, I would have already done it. He’s not interested. I’m not so hard up to force my attention on a guy who isn’t interested. Get over it.”
“Actually, Mr. Beasley, I wasn’t thinking any such thing. I was actually wondering if you could carry him. He’s not as light as he appears.”
Kit didn’t crack an eye but his hands were busy speaking for him. “And he can hear you,” he signed and Micah laughed.
“Then stop playing possum and eavesdropping, it’s rude,” Micah told him and Kit sat up straight, his hair a tousled mess, sleep still clouding his eyes. His hands moving in sign to which Micah answered. “I can read sign. Somewhat. Yes. I’m not fluent in it. But American Sign Language, Spanish, some German and Farsi. I’m multilingual…sort of. Does that surprise you?”
Kit sat for a moment. He yawned and stretched, causing his robe to fall down his arms when he dropped them. He signed back. “Yes. Stop staring at me. Go bother other people.”
“He’s cranky when he wakes up.” Rochfort scowled at his disheveled employer. “And rude pretty much all the time. Pampered little prince that he is.”
Kit’s next sign was international. One finger. Turned upward. But he smiled and Micah decided it was a running joke between the two of them.
“I guess on that note I’m going to go shower and dress for the day. I take it the winter weather we expected didn’t show up?”
“The storm went more northerly and missed us completely. So we are at full staff for the day. Kady is finishing up the carpet in the computer room. Mrs. Gibbs is working on dinner. I came to see where you might be since you didn’t answer your door. And I guess Master Kit kept you up until the wee hours playing his games.”
Kit had retrieved his keyboard, the one he called his voice and was one handed typing. “He wouldn’t lose, what else was I supposed to do? I don’t like to just let things go.”
Rochfort snorted. “You lose to Kady all the time and don’t complain.”
“That’s because she’s a gamer and she’s good. He’s not. It’s embarrassing to be beaten at my own game by a…a…dabbler. He dabbles.”
“I was trained in actual hand to hand combat. Not to mention weapons. I’ve actually been on missions like those in your game. I’m a dabbler? I’ve been shot. I wouldn’t call that dabbling.”
“You’ve been shot? Wow. Is there a scar? Can I see it?” Kit tilted his head up, his eyes slanted almost like cat’s eyes as he raked Micah’s body with his sapphire gaze. Micah’s dick responded. Jesus, the man said he was asexual, but goddamn, didn’t he know what kind of fire he was playing with right then?
“No, you can’t see it. What is this? I show you mine you show me yours?” Micah thought he was being smart.
“I already showed you mine…and it’s bigger.” It was easy to smirk when your mouth didn’t move to talk.
“Jesus, Kit…” Micah had to catch his breath after the man knocked him for a loop. For a supposed asexual he was seriously sexually…arousing the hell out of Micah.
“Master Kit, I believe you have an itinerary for your new head of security?” Rochfort chimed in which didn’t ease Micah’s new found distress much.
“Sure. I’ll email it to him. But I’m thinking I like him here. I think the bodyguard part is going to be his main job. After last night. I mean.” The voice was steady and almost completely without emotion but the man looked anywhere but at Micah, and was that a hint of a blush on those alabaster cheeks?
“And here I thought I’d be out in the stables with the guard dogs, how wonderful.” Micah wondered again if he’d fallen down the fucking rabbit hole. He was Alice, obviously, but who was the Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts? “Why am I suddenly waiting for someone to yell “off with his head’?”
He left both men looking bemused and returned to the kitchen. The dark haired maid he hadn’t met the day before poured a cup of coffee and held it out for him as if she somehow knew he needed one. “Thanks,” Micah said, hoping the smile he attempted didn’t scare her to death.
“Not a problem. Kit can drive anyone to drink. He’s really good at that.” She flipped the black braid over her shoulder as she joined him at the island.
“He’s not all that bad, Kady,” Mrs. Gibbs, the cook carried over plates and set them in front of the two of them. “Call Miranda for lunch, please. I’ll have Kit’s tray ready in a few moments.”
“Yes, Gibbs.” Kady didn’t shout, she pressed a button on the intercom unit on the wall. A second later a buzz answered. And that was it. Like Morse Code for the help. Wonder what his call sign would be? Three blips and a beep?
Kady settled back at the table and smiled up at Micah. “So, he let you play his game? And you beat him? That must have pissed him off no end.”
“He said only you could ever beat him.” Micah picked at the toasted bread on his plate, lifting it to find slices of real turkey, not deli meat, and bacon with lettuce and tomato. Homemade chips and another serving of the soup from the day before came with the meal. “This looks delicious. Thank you, Mrs. Gibbs.”
“Think nothing of it Mr. Beasley. That’s what I’m here for.” The older woman beamed with pride at the compliment.
“Micah. Or they called me Beez in—” Homesickness punched him in the gut. Not for a place, he realized, but for the job. God he missed the job. He missed…everything.
“Tough to go from being a cop to a rent a guard, huh?” Kady licked a dollop of mayo off her fingers as if she were out with her girlfriends discussing the guys she’d kicked to the curb.
“That’s insensitive, Miss Burke. Mr. Beasley is a decorated war veteran as well as law enforcement. It’s not like he asked to be shipped off to help us out in our time of need. But we appreciate the fact that he’s here to keep us safe. What with trespassers and robbers and those dogs running around all over the place.” Mrs. Gibbs transferred silver domed dishes to the tray as she scolded. She winked at him when Micah met her gaze. Kady, however, looked abashed.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Beasley. I guess I’m upset that you took my beta job away from me. He’s really competitive. I like playing with him. And I’m really happy you’re here.” She took the now ready tray and started from the kitchen, gaze averted.
“I’m thinking you have nothing to worry about in the gaming department. He was very complimentary of your skills. Mine, not so much.” Micah didn’t want hard feelings for something that wasn’t even a thing especially over something as trivial as a video game.
“I’m sure there was the added, for a girl, compliment. I’m used to it. Tough being a female in a male dominated—”
“Kady, the food is getting cold. Stop talking and go deliver the tray.” Mrs. Gibbs cut off what was surely a long running argument and Kady dipped her head in a nod and went off to beard the dragon in his den.
“Don’t pay her any mind. She’s Kit’s favorite and she knows it. I suspect she was a touch jealous after finding the two of you curled up asleep together. Not that Kit is Kady’s type, mind you.” Mrs. Gibbs set a plate on the table beside him as the little redhead he’d met yesterday came bustling in. “I believe you met Miranda. And with Spencer out today that makes everyone on staff at the main house. Mr. Rochfort is going to take you out to meet the rest of the estate employees if the weather holds.”
“That sounds like a plan.” The weather outside the window looked fine to Micah. Snow on the ground but the sun was making an attempt to return. Hardly threatening at all. “I need to change clothes and make a couple of calls and then I’m all his.”
“That would give me time to see to the rest of the household.” Rochfort came in followed closely by Kady, who winked at Micah as she grabbed her plate and went back to the inner sanctum. “Kit challenged Kady to a game during her break. He thinks maybe you somehow tricked the system. Wants an expert opinion on whether or not the game is too easy.” The last was said with a hint of a grin.
“How come he never asks me to play video games?” Miranda settled on a bar stool across the island from Micah as Mrs. Gibbs set a plate in front of Rochfort.
“I didn’t know you played?” Gibbs raised an eyebrow at the girl, a hint of humor in her eyes.
“I don’t. But it’s not fair, she gets to have him all to herself and I get stuck cleaning the bathrooms.” The maid pouted, while Mrs. Gibbs and Rochfort sat looking at her as if they’d never seen her before.
“So, you’re saying that you think Kady and Kit are in there doing more than just playing video games?” Micah wanted to know which way the wind was blowing with the people he worked with. Right now he’d be willing to wager most of the money he had in his bank account that the cook, the butler and the dark haired maid were about the closest thing to family Kit had. Sort of a de facto set of grandparents and a little sister.
Miranda’s pout turned to shock as if she hadn’t meant to say what she said. A look that she hid very quickly. “Well, what else would he want from her?”
“Someone to play epic war games with who isn’t trying to get a ring on her finger would be my first guess.” Micah almost choked when Mrs. Gibbs slammed that one home. “And besides, dearie, Kit isn’t exactly Kady’s type.”
“Then what type is Kit interested in?” Miranda missed the whole point, but she did look his way when she asked that question.
“On that note, I’m going to take my lunch to my room and…find other things to pretend I didn’t hear.” Micah grabbed his plate and his cup and started back toward his rooms. “If that’s okay? I didn’t ask.”
“It’s fine, dear. You had a long night. We completely understand that Master Kit kept you up until the wee hours.” Mrs. Gibbs winked at him, her eyes alight with mischief.
“Ah, man, is everyone here gay?” Miranda’s whine would have been funny, except for the small fact that it wasn’t. “It’s bad enough Spencer is married, but now the bodyguard gets a chance at the rich guy and I—”
“Should probably keep that thought to yourself before you talk yourself out of a job,” Rochfort scolded as he picked up the newspaper. “I’ll be with you in two hours, Mr. Beasley.”
“I’ll be ready.” And Micah got while the getting was good.
* * * * * *
“So, Beez, he’s cute, right?” Kady set her lunch down on the table beside the tray she’d brought in for Kit and pulled up the rocker chair. Kit leaned back in the one he’d occupied since Beastly had left him, half asleep and half confused.
“I don’t know. Is he? You’re a girl, you tell me.” Kit typed into his voice with one hand and signed with the other. Slowly. He was teaching Kady some basic signs. She didn’t retain much, but it was something else to do when he wanted someone to talk to but didn’t feel like gaming.
“Come on, Kit, you can’t be oblivious to everyone on the planet. There has to be someone out there who does it for you.” Kady rolled her eyes and picked up one of the chips on her plate.
Kit sighed and gave up signing to eat and type. “Well, since very few people out there ever make it in here, how would I know what does it for me? And what is it he’s supposed to be doing for me?”
She growled in frustration. Hands flinging up in the air to accompany more eye rolling. “Yes, he’s cute. The scar makes him hot. Not that he does anything for me. But I can appreciate a fine fucking man when I see one.” She lost her manners, usually within five minutes of starting a conversation with him. When they played she dropped the F-bomb more times than he’d ever heard from his online players. That’s why he liked her. She didn’t put on a fake front with him.
“I liked the scar. Makes him dangerous.” Kit wouldn’t tell her exactly how much he knew of Beastly’s past. Or just how dangerous he really was. He wouldn’t even tell his uncle exactly how much he knew…about any of them.
“Enough to fall asleep in his lap?” Her smile turned gloating as she popped another chip. Kit felt his face flame up. God, what the hell had he been thinking to get so close to the man? And stay there. “Aha, I saw that.” She pointed at him, like some silly kid on the playground.
“I’m not into guys.” He signed that…because he couldn’t trust himself with the real words.
She watched him for a moment, looking as if she was trying to remember the hand signs. “And you’re not into girls either. Miranda is trying her best to get you to look her way just a little. Why do you think she wears the skirts and the skin tight tops even though old Roch tells her not to?”
“I thought maybe she was trying to get your attention,” Kit said, stunned. He had no real idea what the other maid looked like. He’d never much paid attention. Except to Roch’s bitching about her attire, even if it did technically fall within his set uniform range.
“Ha, that girl is straight with a capital prude. No way she’d ever even think about another chick.” Kady chewed on her sandwich, her snark not really reaching her eyes.
“And that bothers you?” He turned the tables on her.
Kady ignored him for a moment to fiddle with the game box on the table. She finally looked at him. “She’s cute. She’s funny too. I like her.” She took another bite of sandwich and chewed as she looked everywhere but at Kit. “But you’re right about one thing, there’s no one from out there every going to come here. And I don’t mean to the house. I mean to this town. Sometimes I wish I could go. I mean, Kit, don’t get me wrong, I love working here.”
“But there’s other things to do besides clean this ugly old house,” he said, he lost them all eventually, the young ones at least. No one stayed. Except Gibbs and Rochfort. Spencer had lasted longer than Kit expected, but Kit didn’t see him often.
“Yeah,” she said, her voice held a wistful note that Kit felt echo in the dark part of his mind.
“Yeah.” He agreed. Because what else was there to say? She’d hang around for a few more months and then he’d be looking for someone else to play games with. “Why don’t you apply to college? You’re never too old, you know.”
“Because I almost didn’t get through high school, silly.” There was no censure in her voice this time. “I don’t math.” She shivered, delicately.
“What about art school?” He knew she liked to draw. He’d seen her sketches and let her use his art supplies more than once. She’d make a good anime artist. She had a thing for the big eyed characters.
“I don’t know, Kit, that’s more your thing.”
“I never went to art school. Imagine what I could do if I ever did,” he said, pausing to clink the spoon against the bowl while he contemplated the day old soup, last seen splattered over his feet at midnight. “Imagine what you could do if you went. Maybe even get into making video games instead of helping me beta test them.”
“Why didn’t you go to school?” She said quietly. They’d never talked about his life beyond this room. “What are you so afraid of?”
He was unprepared for that question. No one had ever really asked him before. Everything but that. He shrugged. “Beastly said I was beautiful. Am I beautiful?”
She didn’t answer.
“Never mind. Stupid question.” Kit lost his appetite for food. And for company.
The clicking sound startled him into looking up as Kady snapped another picture of him. When she was finished she shoved her phone into his hands. The picture of him in profile with his hair tucked behind his ears was first. He could see the downward tug of his too red lips. The rest was all pale skin and sharp angles. He swept the screen to the next picture. The one with him looking directly into the flash. His eyes blazing blue but that was all he saw. A scarecrow with big eyes. Like those boys she liked to draw.
“You are beautiful, you ninny,” she said softly, after he’d handed her phone back to her.
“My hair…” He fingered a strand that fell into his face.
“Is unique. Not many people could pull off that color. And no one has hair that color naturally. You were blessed.” She jumped at the sound of the buzzer. They both knew what it meant. Kady’s lunch break was coming to an end and Kit was going to be alone while everyone did what they did so they could go home.
“Beastly…I like that, he’s sort of growly isn’t he?” She gathered up her plate and drained the last of her drink in one gulp. “He could be a friend, Kit. If you let him, he could be more than a friend.”
He looked at her, his confusion must have shown on his face. She rolled her eyes and huffed again. “A boyfriend. He said you were beautiful. He must have been moved by something to tell you that. He doesn’t strike me as the type to shout out to any guy he meets what he thinks of their looks. And…you must have taken something from it, to bring it up. So my opinion is you need a friend your own age, who might turn out to be something more…And since you don’t even know who Miranda is much less what she looks like, I’m thinking Beastly might be just the thing to jingle some of those parts you’ve let grow rusty.”
She didn’t hang around for more. The buzzer sounded again and she took her dishes and ran before Rochfort had a chance to come looking for her.
Kit turned on the television to a movie channel and turned the volume up loud. He left his food and curled up in the lounger that he’d awakened in that morning to watch without ever seeing what was on the screen. What the hell did she mean by jingling parts he’d let grow rusty? He didn’t have any rusty parts.