“THAT’S THIRTY-TWO fifty,” Tate said as he slid two martinis across the counter and placed a beer down beside it. As the lady handed him a fifty, he turned to the cash register as Robbie stepped behind the bar and made his way down to him.

“Ahh, finally. Free for the night,” he said as Tate shut the cash drawer and moved back over to hand the woman her change.

After she’d thanked him, left a tip, and then walked off with the drinks in hand, Tate faced Robbie and asked, “You got big plans or something?”

It was the one Friday a month that Bianca closed for them both, and while he had a Christmas party to attend, Tate was curious what kind of adventures Robbie would be getting up to later. The two of them headed out to the back room where the staff put their belongings, and Robbie punched in his employee number to clock out for the evening.

“Nah,” Robbie said with a pout. “Sad, isn’t it? That someone as pretty as me has nothing better to do than spend a long, boring night in the tub by himself?”

Tate chuckled at Robbie’s put-out tone. “I suppose. I’m not really a tub kind of guy.”

“What, too girly for you?”

“No. I just find it difficult with the length of my legs. It gets too cramped.”

Robbie rolled his eyes. “Well, obviously you aren’t doing it right. You wrap your legs around Logan when you’re in the tub together, Tate.” He paused and then waggled his brows. “Or just put them over your head.”

“Aaand that conversation is now over.”

“Hey, I’m just trying to help. How else are you going to get all the hard-to-reach places?” Robbie said, and Tate couldn’t stop from laughing.

Jesus, he was a trip. Now back to the incorrigible man Tate and Logan had known years ago, Robbie went out of his way to try and shock Tate—daily. He was getting better at recognizing Robbie’s mischievous side, and he had to admit he got a kick out of it most days, so when Robbie reached inside his locker for his black coat and bright fuchsia scarf, Tate heard himself say, “Why don’t you come with us tonight?”

Robbie slipped into his coat, and once it was buttoned, he winked. “Well now, thanks for the invitation, handsome, but I didn’t think you and Logan were into that.”

When Tate realized what he’d said, he shook his head. “We’re not. So don’t go getting any ideas,” he said. “I’m inviting you to a Christmas party, smart-ass.”

“Oh,” Robbie said, and beamed. “I haven’t been to one of those in years. Is it fancy?”

“It’s on the new floor of Mitchell & Madison, sooo…”

“Yep, it’s fancy,” Robbie ended for him. “Shit, I don’t think Logan knows how to do it any other way.”

“That’s true, but this is for the entire firm. They have one every year. Free food, an open bar, dancing…”

Robbie screwed his nose up and ran a hand through his perfectly blow-dried faux-hawk. “The entire firm? So, Priest will—”

“Be there too? Yes,” Tate said, and wondered if that would persuade Robbie to go or stay away. It was no secret there wasn’t any love lost between those two. But would Robbie pass up an opportunity for a night out on the rare chance he’d have to converse with the guy? “About eighty other people will also be there, so the odds you see each other are slim. You can even bring someone, if you like.”

Robbie reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, and tapped it against his chin as if weighing his options, then said, “Okay. I’ll come.”

Tate grabbed his own coat, and before he walked out of the room, he couldn’t help himself from saying, “Not at the party, I hope. Only Logan and I are allowed to come at his place of business.”

When Robbie’s mouth fell open, Tate said, “We’ll see you tonight. It starts at eight. Don’t be late.”

* * *

LOGAN KNOCKED ON Priest’s office door as he was heading out Friday afternoon, and when he heard, “Come in,” he pushed it open to see Priest with his eyes locked on the computer screen in front of him.

He had a frown on his forehead and a stern line to his mouth. Always so serious, is the Priest.

“Still working?” Logan asked as he leaned a shoulder against the doorjamb, and Priest finally raised his head.

“Yes. I was just finishing up this deposition before I head home to get ready for tonight.”

“Ahh yes, tonight. God help us all,” Logan said as he looked around the stark office Priestley had commandeered when he started with Mitchell & Madison. There were no personal items in the room, no photos or trinkets like most people acquired after a month or so on the job, and Priest’s diplomas still sat resting up against the far-right wall. “Last year, one of the paralegals got a little out of hand with the open bar and we ended up with impromptu karaoke.”

Priest shook his head. “I don’t sing.”

Logan smirked. “Why am I not surprised?”

Priest didn’t bother replying to that. “How long am I required to stay at tonight’s event?”

Logan was so close to saying, Until the last drink is served, but not even he was that mean. Cole and Rachel had stayed last year, and with Rachel having just been ill, and Priest being the newbie, Logan was taking one for the team.

“At least for dinner. After that, you can do what you like. I’ll be staying until the final song is sung or I want to stick a red-hot poker in my eye, one of the two.”

“So it’s your turn this year?”

“Yes,” Logan said, not shocked at all that Priest had clued in to that little fact. “And don’t be so smug. It’ll be yours next year.”

“Fair enough,” Priest said, and then asked, “Is Tate coming with you tonight?”

“He is,” Logan said, and waited for Priest to share who he was bringing, and when he didn’t elaborate, Logan wandered inside the office. When he got to the middle of the space, he looked around and then brought his eyes back to Priest’s. “I love what you’ve done with the place.”

Priest leaned back in his chair, and Logan saw his lips quirk. “There was no point decorating when I’m going to be moving upstairs in a month.”

“Why do I get the feeling you think there’ll still be no point to doing it even next month?”

Priest shrugged. “I work better without distractions, that’s all.”

“And a wall hanging or a photograph would be a distraction?”

“If it invites questions from nosey people who like to gossip, then yes.”

“Are you implying I’m a nosey gossip?” Logan asked. “I’m hurt.”

Priest looked him dead in the eye. “I’m not implying anything. I’m stating a fact. You put photos up and people ask questions.”

“And you don’t like questions?”

“Not personal ones.”

Right. Cagey bastard, Logan thought. Maybe Cole was right and it was good to have someone who was discreet, someone whose personal life wasn’t the gossip of the entire office. Just because Priest’s evasiveness drove Logan batshit crazy, didn’t actually mean Priest was required to share it with them.

“Fair enough,” Logan said as he headed to the door. “Well then, I’ll leave you to finish up. I have to get going if I want to get across town and back here by seven. It takes a while for me to look this good.”

As he was about to step out the door, Logan heard, “I highly doubt that,” and he almost stumbled over his feet.

He glanced over his shoulder, about to ask Priest to repeat himself, but all he saw was the top of his head, as he busily typed away, concentrating on work with that tight set of his lips back in place.

Logan shook his head. Maybe he’d misheard. But even as he left Priest’s office, he couldn’t get the comment out of his head. He’d known Priest for years and never once had he made such a personal observation about Logan or anyone else.

But come on, Logan thought as he got in the elevator and punched the button for the parking garage. What straight man makes— No, Logan told himself. It was none of his business either way, but as he got in the car and headed home, Logan had to admit he was more than a little curious who Priest was bringing tonight as his plus-one.

* * *

“HOLY SHIT,” TATE said as Logan walked down the stairs dressed and ready to go after a record-quick shower.

“You look…” Tate paused as he got to his feet, his eyes roving over Logan’s navy-blue pants, matching sweater, and sports jacket. “Unbelievably hot.”

He walked over to where Logan was now busy winding a blue and purple scarf around his neck, and Logan chuckled.

“I’ll take that,” he said, giving a thorough once-over to Tate. “You look fucking gorgeous.”

“And I’ll take that,” Tate said as he reached for the scarf and finished tying it for Logan.

He’d obviously put his contacts in tonight, since his glasses were missing, and while Tate was a huge fan of those black frames, he also loved being able to look directly into Logan’s eyes. They were so vibrant and blue.

“What?” Logan asked as he tugged on the sleeves of his jacket, and Tate just shook his head.

“Nothing.”

“Uh uh,” Logan said as he sidled in closer and ran a hand down the front of Tate’s black turtleneck. “You were thinking something. I want to know what it was.”

Tate ran a thumb across Logan’s lower lip and smiled. “Just that I love the color of your eyes. They’re always so blue, but tonight, in this outfit, they’re incredible. I’m a lucky man.”

Logan nipped at his thumb and sighed, his body molding itself to Tate’s in a way that left little to no question that Logan most definitely felt lucky himself. “Well, I won’t disagree, but if you keep looking at me like that, you’re going to see just how lucky.”

Tate laughed, even as he stepped away from Logan. It was either that or drag him back upstairs. The man was too irresistible, not to mention up for any diversion, by the feel of him.

“Behave yourself,” Tate said as he grabbed his leather jacket off the coat rack. “We have to be back at your office in twenty minutes, and with the way you look in that outfit, anything less than an hour will not be enough.”

Logan’s eyes grew dark at the promise. “Jesus, Tate. That was just mean, even for you. Tonight was already going to take forever.”

Tate wound a red scarf around his neck and then rubbed the heel of his palm over his erection. “It’s not my fault you look like a walking fantasy to everyone with a pulse.” And that reminded Tate—Robbie. “Oh, hey, it’s okay that I invited Robbie tonight, right?” When Logan laughed, Tate frowned. “What’s so funny?”

“Oh, nothing. I was just thinking how Priest will likely make a run for it the second Robbie walks through the doors. He’s already planning his escape, and that’s without knowing a certain bar manager of ours is coming.”

Tate couldn’t disagree with that. But it was too late now, and as they headed out the door, he said, “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

“Right…” Logan said, and laughed. “One thing I know for sure is that tonight suddenly got a whole lot more interesting.”

Tate took Logan’s hand as they walked carefully up the shoveled path. “Your delight in their dislike for each other is a little unhealthy. You know that, don’t you?”

“Yes…and?”

Tate opened Logan’s car door for him and shook his head. “And nothing, troublemaker. Get in the car.”

Logan kissed Tate and said, “You’re the one who invited Robbie. I think you’re the troublemaker.”

“I invited him because he said his night was going to be boring.”

Logan really started to laugh at that. “Well, I can guarantee it won’t be that now. Priest is bringing a plus-one, the event planner is obsessed with him, and even though Robbie swears black and blue he hates Priest, we both know he’s full of shit.”

Yeah, this was starting to sound like a nightmare waiting to happen.

“You do remember how Robbie acts when he’s jealous, right?” As Logan’s eyes sparkled with mischief, Tate pointed inside the Mustang.

“Get in the car.”

As Logan slid inside, Tate heard him saying, “Tonight might pass by sooner than I hoped, with all this to keep us entertained.”

Tate chuckled as he shut the door, but as he walked around to his side and slid in beside his sexy man, he had to admit he was hoping it would fly too, because he couldn’t wait to bring Logan back to their place and get him out of that suit.