"Hey, Duncan, have you seen Marcus?" Noah asked one of his co-workers.

Duncan shook his head. "Not lately."

"Damn." He sighed.

"Problem?"

"No, just needed to ask him something." Noah was not about to let one of the office gossips know what he really needed to ask Marcus. They had been talking enough as it was. "I’ll ask him later."

"You need me to let him know you’re looking for him if I see him?"

"No, it’s not that important."

Duncan shrugged. "All right." Then walked off.

Noah continued to mingle and discreetly look for Marcus, but to no avail. The office really wasn’t that big, but there were many rooms and cubicles in the small space, certainly more than enough places to hide should one need a little quiet time. With the party in full swing, Noah’s thoughts seemed to run along Marcus’s: find a place to lay low for a while. At the moment though, a bathroom break was more in order. After making his way there, Noah opened the door, and then froze. The object of his searching stood at the sink, water dripping from his face, eyes slightly dilated from the spiked punch. He turned toward Noah, a fat drop of water rolling over his lips and down his chin. Noah didn’t think, simply stepped toward Marcus, pulled his head down, and lapped at the water on his chin.

"Noah," Marcus breathed unsteadily.

"You taste so good." Not giving Marcus time to say anything more, he took those full lips and devoured them, thrusting his tongue deep.

The whimper from Marcus nearly became Noah’s undoing, but he was not about to have their first time in a public restroom. He did continue to plunder Marcus’s mouth, using all his skill to taste and tease, suckle and lap, until they were both trembling and moaning. Then Marcus suddenly stiffened in Noah’s arms and jerked away, his eyes panic-filled.

"Marcus, what’s the matter?" He tried to step closer, but Marcus held out a shaking hand.

"Don’t, please." He stepped around Noah as if he was afraid. Though of what, Noah had no clue.

Noah stayed still, clearly confused at Marcus’s odd behavior, yet he made no move to pick up where they left off. "Marcus..."

"I have to g... go," Marcus stammered as he reached for the door handle.

"Wait."

"I can’t... I just... have to go."

Then he was gone, leaving Noah feeling like he had missed something, and so aroused that he was about to bust. Several minutes passed before he could leave the restroom without embarrassing himself. By that time, Marcus was gone. A few co-workers let him know that Marcus seemed upset and refused to say why he was leaving. Noah had no clue as to why he was upset either. He had thought that mind-blowing kiss was to be the start of something amazing. It had been returned, and with body-hardening expertise that nearly melted his eyeballs, but the after reaction was more than surprising. It was downright odd. Then Noah damned himself a fool for moving so fast and continued the self-damnation as several weeks passed and Marcus refused to talk to him, in or outside of work. His avoidance had definitely left Noah with a sour feeling. This then led to Noah’s current and mayhap ill thought-out predicament, standing in a hallway outside of Marcus’s apartment, fist raised and ready to knock. He hadn’t planned what he would say to Marcus, but he did want some straight answers, and he felt determined to get them. It was time to turn his pucker into a sweet smile.