HIDE

EPISODE 26 - I NEED A RELATIONSHIP FROM YOU.

“I don’t like it,” Britney said, watching Brandon put his charger into his suitcase.

“I thought you had your own key?” Brandon said, looking around and trying to remember if he packed his sunscreen.

His sister sighed. “Don’t play dumb. You know what I mean. I don’t understand why he needs you for this trip.”

“I’m his assistant,” Brandon reminded her.

Britney humphed, looking as sceptical as Brandon felt. “What will you be assisting him with during business negotiations at some fancy Italian mansion?”

Brandon shrugged, trying not to show that he’d felt equally confused ever since he’d found out the details of the trip from Becky—that they would be staying at Aldo Massimo’s luxurious villa on one of Italy's rare landscapes for the duration of the negotiations.

“Sicily sounds nice,” he said lightly. “Maybe I’ll visit that villa from all the vantage points while I’m there. I’ve always wanted to see Italy, but, I didn’t think it’d actually happen anytime soon—and free of charge.”

Britney snorted. “Free? I’m sure you’ll be earning it on your knees.”

Brandon glared at her, his face warming. “That’s not—that’s not why he’s taking me with him! It isn’t happening again.”

“Right.”

“It isn’t!” Brandon said, hating how defensive and weak his voice sounded, even though he was telling the truth. He was. He grabbed his suitcase and headed out, too annoyed with Britney to say goodbye.

But she caught up with him outside. “Sorry, I was being an ass,” she said, grabbing his arm and hugging him. “Have a nice trip, yeah? Do whatever makes you happy. I will be there every step of the way to support you.”

Brandon nodded, dropping a kiss on her forehead.

She pulled back and looked him in the eyes, her gaze serious. “Just be careful, all right? I don’t trust that man.”

Brandon could only smile faintly and nod.

He was almost late for boarding.

“Where have you been?” Wilson said sharply when Nate entered the first-class cabin.

“I’m here, aren’t I?” Brandon said, dropping himself into the seat next to his boss. His stomach clenched as he caught Wilson’s dark eyes. He looked away quickly.

Britney was wrong, right? Right?

He looked down, acutely aware of the man beside him. “My sister thinks you’re taking me with you to suck your cock.”

Someone made a choking noise.

Brandon flushed, realizing that there was someone else in the cabin—an elderly man in the seat by the opposite window. She was glaring at him, clearly scandalized.

Brandon shifted his gaze away from him to his boss, whose eyebrows were quirked.

“You gossip about me with your sister,” he said. “I’m flattered.”

“Oh, f**k you. So is she right?” He lowered his voice, mindful of the old man. “Because I’m serious: I’m not sucking your c**k again.”

“Your sister is wrong,” Wilson said.

Brandon gave him a suspicious look. “You have to admit, it’s pretty weird that you’re taking me with you on what is essentially a vacation in one of the most beautiful places on the planet.”

“It will hardly be a vacation. The negotiations will involve seven executives of seven different companies. They’re just being held in an informal setting.”

Wilson narrowed his eyes. He was hiding something. Brandon could feel it.

“And are all of those execs bringing their PAs with them?”

“I would hardly know, would I?”

When Brandon just gave him another suspicious look, Wilson sighed. “Fine,” he said. “I’m taking you with me for a very specific reason. But it has nothing to do with making you suck my cock.”

“What reason?”

“Aldo Massimo is in a relationship with a man. Making him think that I’m like him would make it easier to build a connection with him and—”

“Wait, what?” Brandon said. “You want us to pretend we’re in a relationship?”

Wilson shot him a rather fixed look. The plane started moving. “When you put it that way, yes.”

Brandon laughed.

Wilson’s expression shifted into one of annoyance. “What’s so amusing?”

Brandon just laughed harder. “You—in a relationship—with me!” He laughed so hard his ribs started hurting, but he couldn’t stop. It was the most ridiculous thing he’d ever heard.

“Stop. Laughing.”

The look of supreme irritation on Wilson’s face just made Brandon laugh harder.

He stopped laughing only when he felt the plane pick up the speed.

Oh, f**k.

His amusement was gone so fast, it gave him a pricking twitch on the side.

Brandon swallowed, looking at the scenery passing by, faster and faster. His stomach tied into knots, his palms feeling clammy.

“You look pale. Don’t tell me you’re afraid of flying.”

“I don’t—I didn’t know,” Brandon croaked out, trying to ignore the way the plane trembled. “This is my first time on a plane.”

Wilson stared at him incredulously before cursing in Italian.

They were about to take off. They were about to leave the safe, sweet ground and become a fragile piece full of people flying in the sky—

“For f**k’s sake,” Wilson muttered and grabbed his trembling hand. “Breathe. Calm down. Do that for me.”

Brandon breathed, staring at the strong, smooth hand gripping his pale hand. Wilson wasn’t gentle at all. But it was fine. His strength was reassuring. His insufferable bossiness was familiar and—god help him —comforting.

His hand was warm, dry, and firm.

Brandon focused on it, on the safety he could feel, on the subtle, familiar scent of Wilson’s aftershave.

He breathed.

It was fine. It would be fine. Millions of people travel by plane every day. Nothing happened to them. He was being silly.

“It’s never going to work,” he managed, trying to distract himself from the fact that they were going to be thousands of feet in the sky. “Your plan is ridiculous.”

“And why is that?” Wilson said, gripping Brandon’s hand harder as the plane took off.

Fuck, it took off.

They were airborne.

“Because…” Brandon swallowed. Breathe. “Because they’ll never buy it.”

“Why not?”

Brandon chuckled distractedly. They were higher and higher, the clouds the only thing visible now. He breathed deeper, taking a lungful of his boss’s scent. “Because you don’t even do relationships. You have no idea how they work. And you and me?” He chuckled again, meeting Wilson’s dark eyes. “It’s just ridiculous. No one will buy it.”

Wilson didn’t look fazed. “You weren’t wrong when you claimed that you know me better than ninety-nine percent of people. I don’t see why they wouldn’t buy it.”

Trying to ignore the disgustingly pleased feeling caused by Wilson’s words, Brandon shook his head. “I can claim that I know you better than most people do, but that actually doesn’t mean much because you don’t let people close. Couples have a certain intimacy in their interactions—”

“You have sucked my c**k,” Wilson said flatly. “It doesn’t get much more intimate than that.”

Brandon scowled at him. “I’m not talking about that kind of intimacy. s*x doesn’t equal emotional intimacy. You should know that better than anyone.”

Wilson shrugged, conceding his point. “Then what do you mean?”

“People in relationships… they touch each other outside of s*x—”

“You touch me all the time. In fact, you’re touching me right now.”

Brandon glared at him, but he had to admit Wilson did have a point. As his PA, Brandon was used to touching him and being manhandled by Wilson frequently.

“Still,” he grumbled. “People in relationships smile at each other and stuff.”

“Your arguments are getting more illogical by the minute,” Wilson said, smiling condescendingly.

Asshole.

“Your condescending smiles don’t count!” Brandon argued, playing with Wilson’s fingers absentmindedly as he tried to come up with better arguments. How could he not see that it was a terrible, ridiculous idea?

“People in a relationship kiss!” he finally said.

Wilson’s forehead wrinkled. “No one would expect me to kiss you in front of everyone during serious business negotiations. That would be just tasteless and immature.”

Brandon had to admit he was right. “Still,” he said. “I don’t like lying to

people.”

“You wouldn’t have to lie to anyone. Just keep your mouth shut, stick close to me, and smile. It’s not hard.”

“Just like a sculpture?”

“Just like a sculpture. Besides, I don't want it getting out of hand to avoid second class problems.”

Brandon frowned. “And that’s all I’ll have to do? You promise?”

Something shifted in Wilson's expression.

Brandon tensed up. “You are not telling me something.”

“It would be helpful if you build a good connection with Jacob Ford, Massimo’s lover,” Wilson said, at last, clearly carefully choosing his words. “He will likely be more honest and straightforward than Massimo.”

“Why me? Why can’t you do it yourself?”

“He won’t talk to me. But you… everyone talks to you. You seem—honest.”

“Honest?” Brandon said, torn between laughing and rolling his eyes. He settled on doing both.

“Kind,” Wilson said, looking like he’d swallowed a strawberry. “Friendly.”

Brandon snorted. “Right. No one would call you kind or friendly. So, what, you want me to spy for you?”

The look Wilson gave him was distinctly unamused. “Not a spy. Just do your usual thing. Smile. Look approachable and friendly. Steer the conversation toward Massimo and me. I hear Jacob Ford is pretty talkative and likes having fun.”

“But wouldn’t Massimo know that you’re actually straight? You’ve never been seen with a man.”

Wilson shook his head. “It doesn’t mean anything. Massimo allegedly dated only women too until his relationship with his Ford.”

“You have an answer for everything, don’t you?” Brandon said with a sigh. He didn’t know why he’d even bothered to argue—his over-intelligent boss never changed his mind once he decided.

“Fine,” Brandon said. “What is in it for me?”

“What?” Wilson said, surprised.

“A wise man once told me that business is about giving and taking.”

“Would that wise man be referring to me?”

“Sure. Whatever. So, what do I get out of this whole thing?”

“You get to enjoy me first-class. Spend time with me and have a free vacation.”

Brandon rolled his eyes. “As if-” he decided to change the topic. “I thought you said we weren't vacating.”

“There is no harm in having a less work draining time whenever we can.”

“I hope we don't mess things up,” Brandon said, leaning back in his seat and closing his eyes.

His hand was still in Wilson’s when he fell asleep.