Logan set the wine glass down a little too roughly on the glass coffee table in front of him. They were nearly finished with the bottle he picked out, and Callum had stumbled to the kitchen to grab another. Callum was still working on his second glass, while Logan was nearly done with his third. He wondered if he should've grabbed the second bottle instead when he heard Callum stumble into the kitchen island chairs.
Callum really was a lightweight, and Logan couldn't help but feel bad about suggesting drinking together, but it was amusing to see this side of Callum.
He returned with a bottle of champagne, trying to pry the foil and cork off with his bare hands. He pouted at it after a couple of attempts before cradling the bottle to his chest.
"Here," Logan offered, extending his hand with the opener. Callum plopped back onto the couch before reluctantly handing the bottle to him.
Callum smiled lazily before curling his legs up to his chest on the couch. Logan poured Callum another glass of the newer bottle, mixing it in with the other champagne haphazardly. A bit of its contents spilled over onto the coffee table, but Callum barely noticed.
Callum took the glass greedily, taking a large gulp before grimacing. He set it back down on the table before staring at it with a frown. Logan laughed at the gesture before slowly sipping on his glass. Callum leaned against the back of the couch after a few moments of sending a glare at the champagne glass. His gaze settled on Logan's hands, occasionally glancing up at his face before falling whenever Logan noticed.
"What are you so sad about?" Logan found himself saying. He had noticed the frown appear on the CEO's face a couple of times, baffling Logan more than once. Logan was the one who had the crazy ex trying to stalk him, not Callum.
Callum shook his head. "It's nothing."
"Nothing? You seem pretty upset for someone indulging in alcohol." Logan poked him in the arm. "Tell me."
"No."
"Tell me," Logan whined. "Please?"
Callum's frown dropped at Logan's pleading tone. He looked away almost embarrassingly before frowning again. He couldn't look Logan in the face.
"You don't know how badly I want to kiss you." Callum frowned. "But why would you kiss someone with a reputation like mine."
Logan froze, his mouth falling open for a second as he watched Callum's eyes settle on Logan's lips. His gaze lingered for minutes until he scrunched his face and let out a yawn. With his eyes shut, Callum rested his head against the back of the couch, still in his awkward hunched position. Logan remembered to breathe then, letting the drunken words wash over him again in his head.
Kiss.
Logan found himself staring at Callum's pouted lips, slightly pressed up against the fabric of the couch. The thought of kissing Callum or anyone had been such a foreign concept after his falling out with Chris. Not that he thought it wrong to kiss anyone besides Chris, but moving on from a long-term relationship wasn't something Logan could see easily let go and seek other people, especially not this soon.
But Callum was different. At first, Logan imagined him stoic and standoffish like his peers said, maybe even cocky or too flirty based on his dating habits. But seeing the kind and often vulnerable person Callum proved to be, Logan couldn't help but wonder what it might be like to kiss or date someone like him.
Logan wanted to laugh at the realization but couldn't find it in him to disturb the snoozing man.
He dragged his lips across his dry lips, letting his brain paint fantasies of what it'd be like to kiss Callum, hold his hand, or embrace him. He blamed the alcohol for letting his thoughts run rampant and cursed the man before him for being the subject of those thoughts. Callum hadn't stirred even when Logan gulped the remaining champagne from his glass and set the glass down with a clang.
Logan took his time taking in his features, features he hadn't seen this close up before. The faintest scar above his right brow or the speckle of blackheads Logan would've loved to squeeze out. Even the pretty tint of red that marred his face looked lovely on Callum's skin.
Gosh, what was he thinking, finding his boss of all people lovely to look at?
Logan couldn't find it in him to chase those thoughts away, helplessly lost in his alcohol-induced haze of appreciating the man before him.
He leaned forward, using whatever strength in his body to prevent himself from falling into Callum, his eyes zoning out on the exposed cheek. Callum's head was preened to the side, his lips still splayed open from the side of the couch, and his neck exposed. Entirely and utterly vulnerable. Logan was sure the potency of the liquid courage was far stronger than the remaining shred of restraint. Maybe it had been worth that hefty price tag after all.
Logan smiled at the thought as he leaned unbearably close, his upturned lips just grazing the surface of Callum's exposed cheek. He could feel the baby hairs perk up at Logan's touch, and the faintest shivers ran through Callum. All sense of reasoning had been wiped from Logan's mind as his lips pressed firmly against Callum's cheek.
His eyes remained shut, but Logan could feel the muscles in his cheek lift, and as he pulled away, the gentlest of smiles graced Callum's face.
"Callum?" Logan whispered against his face, but Callum was already fast asleep.
***
Logan didn't remember how he wound up in the CEO's bed—of all places—nor did he remember if he took a shower before falling asleep.
Logan did remember the drinking, given the massive headache. He remembered the team dinner, the ex-boyfriend, and the kiss on the cheek; he wasn't sure if that was good or bad. Surely being in Callum's bed was far worse than a peck on the cheek. But as he surveyed the room, the other side of the bed was empty and cold.
Clutching his throbbing head, Logan slowly peeled the covers away from him. He was still wearing the same clothes as last night, and the ensuite bathroom was empty. He patted the bed for his phone, but it wasn't there and not on the bedside table. As he stood up shakily, Logan took in the room. It was sleek and modern, just like the kitchen and living room, but there were a few noticeable pieces of memorabilia and parts of Callum's personality. A couple of ties were strewn over a lounge chair, and a couple of picture frames rested on the dresser.
As Logan strolled over, he recognized Callum in one of the pictures with an older gentleman. His father, most likely. In another photo was Callum with Charlotte and a few branch managers. There was one frame that was faced down. The curiosity got the better of Logan, and he flipped it over. A wedding photo, a smiling Callum in a tuxedo with a woman in a gorgeous gown, dawning curly black hair. He caught himself staring at Callum's expression until a sound in the living room caught him off guard. He flipped it back face down before heading to the living room.
Callum had hit his shin on the coffee table, judging by how he rubbed his lower leg on the couch. Logan bit back a laugh as he approached him. "Morning."
Callum's heart nearly skipped a beat. "Morning."
Logan rubbed the back of his neck. "I hope I didn't cause any trouble. Using your bed and whatever."
Callum tilted his head. "It's fine. The couches aren't exactly comfortable, so it was smart you chose the bed."
Logan nodded, recognizing the same clothes that Callum had on from yesterday. So they hadn't done anything, Logan deduced. That was good, he said to himself, but the frown on his face betrayed him. He cleared his throat. "Have you seen my phone?"
"Phone?" Callum looked around, but Logan found the device on the other end of the couch, wedged between the cushions.
Logan tapped the screen and frowned. "Did you use it yesterday?"
Callum blinked any recollection from seeing or even handling his phone completely wiped from his memory. "Did I?"
Logan pinched the bridge of his nose before showing Callum his lock screen. A flurry of missed messages and calls from Chris.
"Shit," was the only thing Callum could say. Logan opened his phone and messages app before scrolling through the nearly a hundred text messages Chris had sent. Callum could only watch as he cradled his aching head.
Logan's face blanched, and before Callum could ask, Logan cursed and handed him the phone.
Your not his boyfriend
I am
His boss [failed to send]
"Fuck," Callum said under his breath, groaning when he saw the response his messages had garnered from his failed message. "I am so sorry. It must've been going off, and I—"
"Don't be," Logan said, scrolling through the followed messages. "It's kind of funny. His reaction to it, anyway."
Callum laughed nervously before glancing at the carnage of half-empty glasses and open bottles on the table and in the kitchen. "God, I must've been a nightmare to deal with yesterday. I really should be apologizing."
Logan laughed. "I encouraged it, so we're both guilty. You really are a lightweight."
Callum rubbed his forehead. "You didn't believe me? Surely, Charlotte must've mentioned it. She loves to rub it in."
"It's not like you did anything too scandalous."
Callum frowned. "Oh, did I say something weird? I did, didn't I?"
"No," Logan said, but Callum's confession replayed in his head. He wanted to kiss him. Did Callum forget that? Then again, Logan had placed a kiss on his cheek. If anything, they were even, except Callum hadn't remembered any of it. Probably for the best now that Logan thought about it.
"That's a relief," Callum said before looking in the kitchen's direction. "I'd offer to make breakfast, but I'm a shit cook, and I don't think there's much in there."
"I'm a shit cook too, so it's fine," Logan mused. "Although, we did get into some fancy bottles. I could treat you to brunch to make up for it?"
Callum opened his mouth to argue, but Logan's smile made him hesitate. "I'd like that. I'm pretty starved. I didn't eat much last night."
"Me neither," Logan remarked. "We should probably shower and change first, though."
Callum looked down at the wrinkled clothes and laughed. Logan smiled back, finding the sound of his laugh contagious and endearing.
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