Chapter 113: Dangerous Fascination [II]

"Get a grip," Tobias muttered under his breath, turning the corner toward the bathroom. "He’s just a man. A very big, very tattooed man, but still just a man."

The words did absolutely nothing to help him.

He pushed open the bathroom door and stepped inside, immediately grateful to find the room empty. It was an elegant space, finished in pale marble with polished brass fittings and a wide mirror above a long counter. A row of sinks stood beneath the mirror, while the private stalls were positioned along one side of the room. The bathroom smelled faintly of expensive soap and fresh linen, and its immaculate condition reminded him that he was in a royal palace rather than an ordinary public building.

Tobias shut the door behind him and leaned against it for a moment, releasing a long breath. He needed to calm down.

A few minutes alone, a little cold water, and he could return to the reception room without anyone suspecting that his sudden disappearance had anything to do with a stranger’s tattoos and broad shoulders.

His gaze drifted toward the private stalls, and an embarrassing thought briefly crossed his mind. He could take care of his problem himself. It would certainly be one way to settle the matter before returning to his family.

His face heated at the very idea.

Absolutely not.

He was in the royal palace, for heaven’s sake. This was a guest bathroom, not his private bedroom, and the thought of doing something so indecent in a place where servants could enter at any moment was enough to restore a fraction of his common sense. Besides, he was not about to let a man he had not even spoken to become the reason he behaved like a fool in the palace.

He pushed away from the door and approached the sink.

Turning on the tap, Tobias cupped his hands beneath the stream and splashed cold water over his face. The shock made him draw in a sharp breath, but he welcomed it. He did it again, letting the water run over his cheeks and down his jaw before reaching for a towel. Then he braced both hands against the counter and stared at his reflection.

His hair was slightly damp, and his expression looked suspiciously like that of someone who had just been caught doing something embarrassing. He straightened, ran a hand through his hair, and tried to arrange his features into something more composed.

"You’re an Ashcroft," he reminded himself quietly. "You can sit through one meeting without making a complete fool of yourself."

He paused, then scowled at his reflection.

"You’re also an idiot."

Because, honestly, what had he been thinking? Tractor had not even done anything. He had merely stood there, looking the way he did, and Tobias had proceeded to lose every sensible thought in his head. Worse still, the man had noticed. That smirk had been unmistakable, and Tobias could still remember the humiliating little sound that had escaped him when their eyes met.

He covered his face with both hands.

If he ever saw Tractor again, he would behave normally. He would greet the man politely, keep his eyes where they belonged, and proceed with his life as though their first encounter had never happened. There was no reason to believe they would even cross paths again after today. Tractor was part of the palace security detail, and Tobias was only visiting with his family.

A simple plan. An entirely reasonable plan.

Tobias took one last breath, adjusted his jacket, and turned toward the door.

It opened before he could reach it.

His body stiffened.

The man of his fantasies stepped inside.

For one suspended moment, Tobias could only stare. The man seemed even larger in the confined space, his broad shoulders filling out his dark clothing as he entered with the same unhurried confidence he had displayed outside. The tattoos covering his face were impossible to ignore, and his presence immediately made Tobias aware of how little room there was between them.

Tractor glanced at him.

Tobias spun back toward the sink so quickly that he nearly knocked his hip against the counter.

The tap was still running. He seized the opportunity to look occupied, reaching forward to adjust its handle even though the water was already flowing perfectly well. He turned it slightly, watched the stream weaken, then turned it back again. For several seconds, he busied himself with a tap that required absolutely no attention, pretending that he had suddenly developed an intense interest in the plumbing of the royal palace.

Behind him, he heard the bathroom door close.

His heartbeat accelerated. Don’t look. Don’t look. Whatever you do, don’t look.

He looked.

Only briefly, of course. Just long enough to see Tractor walking toward the urinals along the opposite wall.

Tobias immediately returned his attention to the sink, his face growing hotter by the second. He had not expected to encounter the man again so soon. He had assumed he would have time to compose himself, return to the reception room, and spend the rest of the visit trying to forget that Tractor existed.

Apparently, the palace had other plans.

He heard the faint sound of a belt buckle being undone, followed by the rustle of clothing. Tobias fixed his eyes on his own reflection, determined not to turn around. He had already embarrassed himself enough for one day. There was no reason to make matters worse by staring at a man who had every right to use the bathroom without being subjected to the attention of an overly fascinated stranger.

Then his imagination betrayed him again.

Were all those tattoos limited to Tractor’s face and body, or had the man been so committed to the idea of decorating himself that he had gone even further?

The thought arrived with such startling clarity that Tobias nearly choked on his own breath.

What on earth was wrong with him?

He squeezed his eyes shut and silently scolded himself. He had known the man for approximately no time at all, and already his mind was behaving as though Tractor were the most fascinating person alive. He needed to leave. Immediately. Before his imagination came up with something even more ridiculous.

Yet his feet remained planted beside the sink.

He could hear Tractor finishing up behind him, and every second that passed seemed to make Tobias more conscious of the other man’s presence. He had never thought himself particularly timid around attractive men. Usually, he could flirt when he wanted to, exchange a few teasing remarks, and move on without allowing his interest to overwhelm him.

But Tractor was different. There was something about his size, his tattoos, and that quiet, self-assured manner that made Tobias feel as though he had suddenly forgotten how ordinary conversations worked.

The sound of a belt being fastened finally reached his ears.

Tobias released a breath he had not realized he was holding. Good. Tractor was finished. He would wash his hands, leave, and Tobias could escape the bathroom without having to endure another second of this humiliating situation.

He heard footsteps approaching.

His shoulders stiffened again.

Tractor stopped at the sink beside him.

Tobias swallowed.

The distance between them was almost nonexistent by Tobias’s standards. He could see the tattoos on the man’s hands now, dark patterns extending over his fingers and disappearing beneath the cuffs of his sleeves. Even without looking directly at him, Tobias was painfully aware of the difference in their builds. Tractor’s arm was thick with muscle, and his shoulder seemed broad enough to block out half the mirror.

If the man shifted just a little closer, their arms would touch. The thought sent another unwelcome thrill through Tobias, who immediately tried to focus on something else. The sink. The tap. The marble counter. Anything that did not involve the enormous man standing beside him.

Tractor turned on the water and began washing his hands.

For several seconds, neither of them spoke.

Then Tractor glanced sideways at him.

"Are you planning to spend the entire day admiring that tap, or is there something else you’d rather look at?"