“Tart?” Grant asked softly as he stared through the passenger door.
“Are you coming?” Royce asked as he bent at the waist and frowned at Grant through his sunglasses.
“Right. Walter,” Grant recalled then gave himself a shake and got out. Royce was already striding up the driveway and Grant jogged to catch up. “I can’t believe you think I’m tempting,” he chuckled as they climbed the steps and Royce made a resigned sound as he tapped at the door.
“Like a veritable Circe. I’ve been worthless as an agent since we’ve met,” he complained. Another laugh burst from Grant as the door swung open.
“Well, isn’t that the most delightful sound?” Walter asked as he beamed and waved his scarf at Grant.
“Isn’t it lovely?” Royce agreed as he took Walter’s hand and kissed it. “You’re a vision in teal today,” he noted. Grant took in Walter’s shimmering teal jumpsuit and matching eye makeup. His hair had a soft teal tint to it and was shaped into a tall spiral and Grant realized Walter was radiant.
“You’re making me moist, you wicked thing,” Walter scolded as he slid his arm around Royce’s then smiled over his shoulder at Grant. “I’m going to feel up your new beau but you have to pretend you don’t notice. It’s more exciting that way,” he added with a silky purr and a wink. Grant blushed and laughed softly as he nodded.
“As long as you’ll let me watch,” he replied and Walter gasped at Royce.
“Oh, I love what you’ve done with him!” He cried as they passed the dollhouse village and made their way down the hallway. Royce shook his head as he spun and walked backwards.
“It wasn’t me. He’s done a good job at fooling us all into thinking he’s timid and tame but he’s kept me on my toes and saved my ass a few times. He’s better at this than I am lately,” Royce whispered to Walter as he got the door to the garden.
“Stop,” Grant protested but it was weak and his lips twitched as he pretended to admire a large potted hibiscus.
“I always knew he was hiding his light under a bushel,” Walter declared and directed Royce to the table with a wave of his scarf. Grant hid another smile as Royce dutifully prepared a drink for each of them and then held Walter’s plate so he could fill it.
“You did say that,” Royce agreed as he followed and paused here and there so Walter could pile pastries and fruit onto his plate. “Last time I was here you said you’d been watching the Lees for years. What did you mean?” He asked. Walter turned and raised a teal brow at Royce pointedly.
“I meant exactly what you think I meant,” he said then smiled sweetly at Grant. “I didn’t find my way to Aspenville on accident,” he shared and Royce smirked.
“You’re the kind of person everyone tells everything to and you’re the last person anyone would suspect was a spy,” Royce stated and Grant swung to Walter.
“Really?” He asked in shock and Walter pointed.
“Exactly! I was invited to everything and styled everyone and they couldn’t keep their mouths shut. All I had to do was put a glass of wine in a bitter woman’s hand and she’d tell me everything she hated about her husband and all the stupid things he’d done,” Walter explained as he swanned around the pond and lowered onto the daybed then stretched onto his side. Royce sat and waited until Walter was settled against his chest to set the plate on the bed. Walter moaned in delight as he snuggled closer and pulled Royce’s arm around him. He plucked a grape off his plate and Royce opened his mouth so Walter could feed it to him. It was a bit like watching someone’s elderly aunt tease a panther. Grant was fascinated and weirdly aroused but he didn’t want to interrupt their conversation or distract Royce by acting like a tart. Grant clapped his hand over his mouth to catch the laugh that burst from him. He glanced at the daybed and Royce gave him a peeved look. Grant loved the little eclairs and raspberry jam sandwiches but he stuck with the fruit and a few pieces of cheese then took his lemonade to his usual seat by the daybed. He sat forward and rested his elbows on his knees and did his best to be quiet and not tempt Royce. Another startled giggle slipped from him and Grant whispered an apology then stuffed a piece of cheese into his mouth. “That’s just marvelous!” Walter said with a delighted flourish of his scarf then batted his eyes at Royce. “Now that you’re paying attention, what would you like to know?”
“How do you know Waites?” Royce asked and Grant became alert. It was only the third or fourth time Royce mentioned the name but whenever he did, Grant heard the kind of deference and awe one reserved for the Pope or past presidents. Which spoke volumes coming from Royce.
“Jim Waites and I joined the agency at the same time, at the height of the Cold War. We trained together and shared several missions but we found ourselves on very different career paths,” Walter sighed. “He was always plotting his next move and aiming at bigger targets, I just enjoyed the work. I saw that Jim was obsessed with gaining power in the agency and I knew he wouldn’t be content until he had control of everything. Not that that’s a bad thing, necessarily,” Walter added quickly. “Some people are ambitious and ruthless but it takes a hard, steady hand, guiding things behind the scenes to keep us safe.”
“Indeed,” Royce agreed as his brow furrowed. “You parted ways but you stayed in touch,” he noted and Walter hummed in agreement.
“I had an opportunity to go into semi-retirement and moved here shortly after the Lees,” he said and Royce snorted.
“You told me as much when we first met but I completely missed it, I was so focused on Grant,” he confessed.
“I’m afraid that might be my fault,” Walter mused as his gaze stretched past the lemonade urn.
“What do you mean?” Royce asked but Walter was lost in his thoughts.
“I ran into Waites a few months ago. It was one of those awful things where a bunch of us dinosaurs get together to drink flat wine with defense contractors and cabinet types in a hotel ballroom and bore each other to death,” he explained then nodded slowly. “I wasn’t going to talk to Jim, we had a bit of a falling out, but we crossed paths at the refreshment table so I decided to make the best of it. I asked Jim to do me a favor and send his hottest agent to Hopkins Creek, because I had a handsome but lonely gay friend in need of a little adventure.” Walter threw Grant a very lewd wink.
“I appreciate you thinking of me, but maybe next time, don’t?” Grant asked gently but Walter laughed as he waved it off.
“Nonsense, it’s about time someone took you off the shelf and made you belle of the ball, my dear. You’re too good of a man to go unloved and that heart’s too big to stay empty like that,” he scolded tenderly then gasped. “You haven’t RSVP’d to my party, you beast.”
“I’m always there. Why wouldn’t I be there?” Grant asked but Walter’s lips pursed before his eyes slid to Royce.
“He does his best to wiggle out of it but I’ll trust you to make sure he shows up and the two of you look appropriate. Every year he tries to pass off a mask and a clip-on tail as a costume but I’m expecting more from the two of you,” Walter stated and Royce humphed in agreement.