Although Avery’s voice sounded firm, as if giving him no choice, inside he was shaking. Now that David knew his true identity, he had no reason to visit him in the club anymore. In fact, he had no reason to be attracted to him at all, since he was just a boring barista and not a tempter from hell.

“What’s the bribe?“

Just as Avery had held their entire interaction in his hands until now, he lost that advantage just as quickly. 

David stopped frowning; instead, a bright smile played across his lips, and he looked far more relaxed than before. His hands were still on the barista’s hips, massaging with his thumbs through his shirt, while he looked him directly in the eyes.

It was not what Avery had expected, despite having played out a million scenarios in his head about how this revelation could go.

“What?”

The frown—or rather, the angry grimace meant to be strict—fell from the blond man’s face and was replaced by confusion.

“What are you offering in return?”

“Isn’t my company enough?” Avery asked, with the same confidence he would have as Diablo, surprising even himself. His mind still hadn’t fully realized that his two worlds had collided, and the consequence was… this. He didn’t even know who he was anymore.

“Of course it is,” the CEO didn’t hesitate to reply.

“But?”

“One thing’s missing.” The smile on David’s lips boded no good, and Avery still wasn't sure what to make of his positive reaction. He had expected yelling, reproach, maybe questioning whether he was telling the truth, but instead, the CEO behaved just as he did in the club. Avery was thrown off balance.

The blonde didn't even realize he had tilted his head slightly to the side, just as he did as Diablo; the only difference was that this time his hair didn't reach his waist and didn't move with him like a veil. 

Honestly, if David hadn’t been convinced until now, he could have no doubts anymore. No, not when Avery automatically started behaving in his presence as if he were a companion and they were now sitting in Burning Temptation, not Bean & Blossom.

“What?” This time it was him who had trouble forming words.

Before the dark-haired man answered, his gaze flickered down again for a second, and he didn't even try to hide it. Avery quickly found out why. 

“A kiss.”

He should have expected it, but he didn't.

Their lips had always been so close, always on the verge of pressing against each other, yet never in a full kiss. It was the one rule Avery never intended to break in the club—but they weren't in the club now.

On the other hand, David already knew his identity, knew where to find him practically every day… if he kissed him, would he even have a reason to go to the club anymore? Wasn’t that the last remaining mystery keeping his interest alive?

Before the blond could overthink it any further, he decided to act.

The moment he pressed his lips to the CEO’s, neither of them expected it. Still, neither hesitated to let the moment reach perfection. 

Avery kept one hand on the other man’s tie while sliding his other hand to the nape of his neck, threading his fingers through David’s hair.

David adjusted his hands too. Instead of gripping Avery’s hips, he wrapped his arm fully around his waist, pulling him closer, even though it barely seemed possible, while his other hand moved higher, holding the blond by the back of the neck as if afraid he might run away.

After all these months of longing, they finally knew what it felt like to kiss each other. 

Their lips pressed together firmly, expressing all the yearning they’d been forced to suppress, moving against each other to find a rhythm that perfectly mirrored their eagerness without being too much for a first kiss.

At least, Avery tried not to give him more than a kiss—more than what he’d demanded—though at this point, he wasn't thinking with his brain anymore; he was letting his body speak for him.

Every touch, every tug of hair, every suppressed moan. He barely controlled himself, even though he was supposed to hold the power. 

The line between a kiss and a makeout session was thin, and they were on the edge. He wanted this so badly, probably more than David, and their kiss reflected that—it was desperate and needy.

Soft lips melded in movements that weren't quite so soft, as they were both eager to get as much out of it as possible. Although it was meant to be just a fleeting touch, that plan failed before it could even begin.

Avery only came to his senses when David swept his tongue across his lower lip in a silent plea, making him realize this had long since ceased to be an innocent kiss.

Though it took a great deal of effort, he pulled back, creating a gap between them.

Or rather, he tried to, because the moment he broke his lips away from the CEO’s, the dark-haired man leaned forward, chasing Avery's lips with his own, unready to let go. Avery was faster, however, moving his hand from David's hair to the front so he could press his thumb against his mouth, while his fingertips lightly grazed his neck.

For a brief moment, the only sound between them was their heavy breathing, which they desperately needed to get under control.

Their gazes locked once more—ocean blue sinking into dark eyes that now looked less brown and more black, like a void, as it was hard to distinguish where the pupils ended and the irises began. More proof of the influence Avery had on David, even without a disguise.

The barista was the first to look away, his attention caught by the man’s lips. Not out of desire this time, but confusion. Not even the blonde’s thumb could prevent them from curling into a wide smile.

“Why the hell are you smiling like that?” he asked automatically, before he could think twice about the words. The fact that he felt heat rushing into his cheeks—a blush no mask could hide now—didn't help his patience.

Before David answered, he moved his hand from Avery’s back to free himself. Instead of just moving the blonde’s fingers away from his face, though, he took advantage of their proximity to his mouth and pressed a gentle kiss to Avery’s knuckles before lowering their joined hands between them.

Then he provided the answer to his question: “I’m holding you in my arms and it's Wednesday. I always have to wait til Thursday.”

At those words, Avery lost all of his. All he could manage was to stare at him. As it seemed, the dark-haired man didn't mind and gave him space to pull himself together.

While holding his hand, the palm still resting on the blonde’s waist began to move in a fleeting rhythm up and down—a supportive, or perhaps soothing, gesture. All his touches were so tender that the fact it wasn't Thursday was the smallest paradox in this situation.

David was supposed to be the one in shock, the one confused… maybe even disappointed. So why was it Avery whose head and heart were in such a mess?

“You're ridiculous,” was all the blonde could finally manage to say.

“Yet you’re still here,” the CEO reminded him, seemingly unfazed by his words.

“And where will you be tomorrow?” Avery finally remembered the reason he had done all this.

“You know I would have come anyway, right?” David surprised him with the question, and not just because he posed it instead of giving a direct answer.

The blond’s expression must have betrayed more than he intended, as the CEO no longer looked relaxed and cheerful; instead, something more serious crept into his gaze.

“I could never stay away from you for long.” His tone was less teasing and more sincere, as if trying to prove he meant it. As if it were another dangerous confession delivered under the club's neon lights.

“You didn't come for two weeks,” Avery reminded him. This time his tone sounded less accusatory and more sad, not that the barista intended it. Apparently, without the mask between them, he was the one who had a harder time controlling himself.

“I know.” The CEO suddenly looked guilty. “I panicked. I’m sorry.” He looked down for a moment but immediately raised his gaze again, and their eyes met. “I didn't want to cause you trouble.”

The barista didn't like this tone. They always flirted and teased, but they never had serious conversations. He knew why David had panicked before, why he was careful about who saw him coming and going from the club. He didn't need to talk about it. Not now, when it meant David might start asking questions in return.

“You can make it up to me by helping me close,” he suggested in a playful tone. The same technique as in the club—when things got too real, deflect.

“I can even drive you home, if you want.”

The blonde yanked his hand from the man’s grip and placed it on his chest. He pushed gently, pulling away from him. “Slow down, cowboy. It's enough that you know where I work,” he said. “In both cases.” It would take him a while to get used to that.

Despite his refusal, the CEO still looked pleased and surprisingly agreed.

That evening, they finished closing the café together, and after leaving through the back exit, Avery walked David to his car. To his surprise, it wasn't a Ferrari or a Bugatti as the blonde had once assumed. He drove a simple Audi, and although it was an expensive model, it wasn't as flashy as one might expect given his wealth.

That, however, wasn't the biggest surprise of the evening, and so the blonde couldn't give it much thought. No, not when everything had officially changed and he had no idea what the future would bring.