Leem grasped Anthea by the shoulders and set her back as Mycroft strolled through the entrance at the far end of the hall. The bright light from outside flashed as the doors swung closed. At almost the same instant, the phone in Mycroft's pocket rang so he stopped for a moment to take a call. His voice drifted down the corridor. Leem sighed as he looked back to his co-worker.
"You are a shameless flirt, Thea," he said in a low voice.
She smiled and wrinkled her nose. "I try, but you've become immune to me, haven't you?"
He couldn't help himself and laughed. "Yup. I sorted ya out a while back."
She crossed her arms and even though she had a bit of a pout, she still couldn't hide her smirk. "Damn, I'm losing my touch."
Leem looked towards Mycroft as he tapped his umbrella on the tile floor and spoke icily into his mobile. His eyes assessed the pair of them, then darkened before he turned away to reply to something he must have been asked.
"I wouldn't say that," Leem remarked. "He looks none too happy."
She crooked a brow and sneaked a peek before she poked her lips to one side. Leem watched a flicker of uncertainty cross her face. He felt bad for Anthea. She was in love with her boss but Mycroft was a very different bloke and had never showed any inclination to change their relationship. She glanced back his way.
"Did I ever say I'm sorry for the mixed messages, Leem? I mean, I've always had a soft spot for you but-"
He shook his head. "I ain't bothered, Thea. I'm a big boy and I like ya, but you didn't break my heart. You weren't ever for me anyways."
She cocked her head to one side, reached up and patted his cheek. "No, you deserve better than myself, that's for sure. You need someone as brilliant as you."
His face warmed. "Shut up now, or I'll start likin' you again."
She twitched her brows. "Don't you dare."
Anthea's eyes lingered on Mycroft once more. In clipped tones, he ended his conversation and walked towards them with his head down. Leem grabbed her arm.
"Let's give him something that'll get 'im really hot under the collar," he said with a smile. "Maybe that'll grease his gears."
Anthea's eyes went round. "Oh, crap, I don't know!"
Leem waited until Mycroft's head came up before he grabbed Anthea, dipped her and planted a kiss on her surprised lips. He almost laughed against her mouth as she giggled. Lord, he was sure if he had a sister, kissing her would feel the same. She didn't do anything for him and as she stiffly wrapped an arm around his neck and pretended to enjoy herself, he was certain she felt the same. Awkward didn't even begin to cover it.
Mycroft's shoes squeaked on the floor as he came to a stuttering stop. Leem listened to him gasp and clear his throat.
"What the hell is going on here?"
Leem suppressed a smile and swept Anthea back to her feet. He winked and then spun her away from him.
"Boss!" He feigned surprise.
Mycroft stood very straight looking down his nose at them with his lips slightly parted. His eye twitched. Then he blinked several times.
"My, my, Mr. Coley, you've become quite the Lothario," he said with an undercurrent of menace," and it's absolutely unacceptable. You're on the clock."
Leem looked away quickly so that Mycroft didn't read his deception. "Apologies, Boss."
His eyes flicked to Anthea. Her smirk faltered as she seemed unnerved by the tense exchange.
"Go fetch the doctor, Mr. Coley," Mycroft murmured, his gaze did not leave his assistant.
Leem caught Anthea's eye. She nodded her head towards the lecture hall where he had left Fil and Katherine earlier. He wasn't worried about leaving Mycroft and Anthea alone together. She wouldn't get in any trouble.
Anthea started after Leem but with a snap of his wrist, Mycroft halted her advance by setting down the spike of his umbrella in her path. She placed her hands on her hips and twisted her brow.
"Problem, Boss?"
He stepped closer and studied her face with down-turned lips. She held her breath as she turned to find him a mere six inches away.
"I'm surprised at you, Anthea," he muttered.
She lifted her chin. "Surprised at what?"
He huffed a breath. "Oh, let me think. Hmm, how about your unprofessionalism? I mean, really. You are not getting paid to cavort with Leem Coley-"
She scoffed. "It's Saturday. I'm not getting paid at all."
His brows drew together. He pulled his lips back a moment. Then his head tilted sideways as he thought about something. He looked uncomfortable.
"You should put in for overtime remuneration then," Mycroft straightened his back.
Anthea snorted. "It's not worth my time to do the paperwork required for a few paltry quid."
A ripple of confusion travelled through his face. He shook his head. Suddenly, Anthea felt the need to escape. She was so tired of being taken for granted by him. He dropped his umbrella and grabbed her arm before she could brush by him.
"D-Do I not pay you enough?"
"For this job? No, you never have."
His fingers tightened around her wrist. She swallowed as she felt his thumb absentmindedly rub her palm.
"Why didn't you say anything?" He murmured. "You're unhappy. How did I miss that you were unhappy?"
He scanned her face. Anthea turned her head as the search went on.
"I-I can't have you unhappy, Anthea," his voice lowered as he pleaded. "What do you need? Name your price."
Her fingers trembled as she looked up into his blue eyes. "There is no price. Money has nothing to do with why I am at your beck and call, Mycroft."
He blinked as she said his name. It even sounded a little strange to her own ears. She always addressed him as 'Boss' or 'Sir'.
"I don't follow," he breathed, but his eyes betrayed a glimmer of understanding.
They went round all of a sudden. If her nerves weren't so frayed, she'd laugh. He appeared dumbfounded. Few people could put that expression on his face. In fact, she knew of only one other - his little brother, Sherlock. Her flesh began to tingle where he held her wrist. She could count on one hand the number of times he'd incidentally touched her. She couldn't remember a time he had ever made deliberate contact. This was so out of character for him.
"Dear God, Anthea," he stammered as his eyes enlarged. "Tell me I am mistaken. Tell me that you do not harbor any . . . sentiment for me."
She didn't know whether she wanted to slap him or surprise him by kissing him or something else equally as mad.
"Have you ever known me to lie?" She asked softly.
He shook his head.
"I am not about to start," she whispered.
He looked down momentarily to where he still held onto her and gave his head a shake. He cleared his throat.
"Why?" He met her eyes again.
Anthea frowned. "Why? Why do I have feelings for you, you mean?"
His nostrils flared. "Y-Yes."
In that moment, she saw someone she hadn't expected to see. Someone who thought themselves undeserving of admiration. She wanted to cry. She never cried.
"Because you are a good man," she whispered. "Because you always say you don't care but you care a great deal about everything and everyone. You have such amazing gifts and you use them exactly as you ought, to defend and protect those who cannot do so for themselves."
He swallowed. "You are mistaken. I-I am not a good man."
She reached up, hesitated and touched the buttons on his vest. His abdomen twitched beneath her hand.
"You are a great man."
Mycroft's eyes moved back and forth over her face as if looking at her for the first time and trying to make sense of what he saw. His brow furrowed, then he shifted forward. Anthea felt a flutter in her belly as the space between them disappeared. He finally released her wrist only to skim his hand up her arm until his fingers shakily feathered over her jaw.
"So, this business with Mr. Coley? What was it then?" He grumbled.
Her breaths felt weighty from her lips. She had never before seen that stormy look in his eyes. She couldn't resist splaying her fingers out over his chest.
"Erm, a cry for attention?"
His eyes constricted. "It was unnecessary."
She hiked a brow. "Oh, really? Because I-"
Anthea was unable to complete her rebuke. In a heartbeat, he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. A tremor coursed through her body. She felt a similar reaction in him under her fingertips. Then, the kiss deepened. She opened her mouth moved her lips eagerly in tune with his. She couldn't believe it. All these years she had wanted to know what it was like to kiss him and it was better than she had imagined.
A few moments later, he broke away with heaving breaths.
"Good Lord," he murmured, his skin was flushed. "I've lost my mind."
Her breath hitched. He must have observed her expression fall because his lips drooped.
"Apologies, my darling," he breathed. "I am just disappointed in my own behavior. I should not be pouncing on you in public and certainly not at work."
Anthea smirked. "So, . . . you want to pounce on me then? And I'm your darling?"
His face went red. He stretched his neck and opened his mouth to speak but he appeared flustered and nothing came out.
She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. "A simple 'yes' will suffice."
His eyelids fluttered. "Ahem, yes. Of course, but you know I am married-"
She frowned. "No, you are not!"
Mycroft sighed. "I am married to my job . . . to England. She will always come first. This is why I have never encouraged a relationship between us. You deserve more."
Anthea hugged him tightly, catching him off guard. His hands came to rest on her back shortly thereafter.
"I don't need to be first in your life, my love," she whispered. "I will settle for being your mistress. You don't need to leave your, hmph, wife."
His arms tightened around her. "Will that be enough?"
She nodded into his neck. "It's more than I ever hoped for."
"Where is Ka-, I mean, Dr. Adams?"
Leem had an uneasy feeling as if he had let her out of his sight for too long. He scanned up and down the lecture theatre and its rows of empty seats.
"She was just checking on something in the back room," Fil muttered.
Leem glanced at Fil as he stretched out in one of the front row with his arms crossed over his chest. His brow was slightly furrowed and his lips set in a line. He looked irritated.
"What's wrong wit you?" Leem prodded.
Fil shrugged. "Whatever. You know, I don't want ta get in the middle of anything."
"What do you mean?"
His brother just waved his hand in his direction.
"Spit it out before I come over there and slap it out of ya."
Fil sat up. "Good luck with that!"
"Fil!"
"She saw you with Anthea, dumbass. We came to find you and overheard your little conversation in the hall."
Leem felt his eyes go large. "You're kidding me! Fuck! How much did she see? Did she see me kiss Anthea?"
Fil huffed. "You kissed her? Jesus Christ!"
"No! I mean, yes, but it wasn't what it looked like. What did Kat see?"
"Just Anthea draped over you, kissin' ya on the cheek. Dr. Adams ran back in here pretty quick," his eyes skittered away. "Um, aaand I might have said something stupid."
Leem looked towards the room Katherine supposedly inhabited. The feeling of unease grew.
"What did you say?" He nearly shouted at his brother.
"Ah, well, I told her that you had feelings for Anthea b-but that nothing's ever happened between you two."
Leem started towards Fil. "I'm going to fuckin' kill you. For real, this time!"
Fil shot up to his feet and stumbled back. He waved his hands.
"It just slipped out. Sorry!"
Leem bunched his fists at his sides. He was pissed at his brother but it was his own fault for letting Anthea accost him. He took a deep breath. He just needed to explain to Katherine what she had seen, minus what followed, of course. He pointed at his brother with emphasis.
"I will deal with you later!"
He turned and in a couple of steps, yanked open the door to the room at the side of the lecture hall. The room was empty. The only signs someone had been in the space was an overturned chair, a purse spilled open next to it and the flapping of curtains in front of an open window.
Katherine was gone.