Only in His Dreams

Chapter 4-2

Darrell blinked and tried unsuccessfully to read the blurry numbers on his computer screen. He removed his glasses to see if they were smudged even though he’d only just cleaned them. He put them back on and shook his head. There was no hope for it. His eyes were just too damned tired. And no wonder. It was just shy of seven o’clock. He’d wanted to get this invoice in before leaving, but he just couldn’t do it anymore. He powered off his computer, stretched and yawned loud in the empty, quiet office.

As he got up from his chair, he heard a loud banging coming from down the hall. Frowning, he turned that way, peering into empty offices as he went. To his knowledge everyone else had left. He supposed it was possible the firm had a rat, which he would be speaking to the office manager tomorrow about if that were the case, but if so, the rat must be one big and loud bastard.

Approaching the end of the hall, Darrell realized the light was on in Travis’s office. Blowing out a breath of relief, he poked his head around the door. Sure enough, there was the man himself seated behind his desk. He whacked a stapler on the side of the desk.

Darrell cleared this throat. “Hey, I didn’t know anyone else was still here.”

Travis put down the offending stapler, his cheeks slightly pink. “Hi, Darrell. Sorry, did I disturb you? Damn thing is jammed.”

“No. I was just getting up to leave when I heard you. I thought I was the only lunatic here so late on a Friday night.”

Travis sighed. “Yeah, I guess I should go home.”

The way he said it gave Darrell pause. “You don’t want to go home?”

“To my empty house? Not really.” Travis shook his head. “But I can’t stay here all weekend either.” He stood.

Darrell almost commented on how he could hardly believe someone as hot as Travis didn’t have a date, but figured he probably shouldn’t say something like that. Should he?

“What?” Travis asked, looking at him expectantly.

“I just…I would have expected you’d have dates lined up I guess.”

Travis laughed. “Hardly. But I suppose I understand what you mean.”

“You do?”

“I would have thought the same thing of you. Great looking, smart guy like you. I’ll bet you have men eating out of your hand.”

Now that gave Darrell some ideas. “Definitely not.” His earlier conversation with Barnaby playing through his head, Darrell decided to take a chance. It might be a huge mistake, but, life was full of risks. Or it should be anyway. “I was going to go home and grill some fish. If you really have nothing else to do, why don’t you come over?”

Travis stilled and didn’t respond for so long, Darrell wished he could take the words back or crawl into a crack in the floor. He’d just made a total fool out of himself. His stomach in knots, he opened his mouth to say something…anything. It was a joke, maybe.

“That sounds great,” Travis said. “Are you sure you have enough for me?”

Darrell felt lightheaded and giddy just that fast. He told himself to keep it cool. Just because Travis had agreed didn’t mean the man was interested in him, it could be that he was just nice. And lonely, of course.

“Yes, I have two swordfish steaks. It’ll be perfect.”