Chapter Five
Gibbs watched as Tobias processed the information and all it meant. He turned to Tony then back to Gibbs, his eyes flashing and jaw clenching and unclenching, but no words came out yet. When he finally spoke, it wasn’t what Gibbs had expected him to say.
“Emily always said you were watching Tony’s ass when she saw you two in the field.”
Gibbs gulped down his drink. He was not having this conversation here.
“And with the red hair. Hell, I should have known that was about you, Jethro. You two been together a long time?”
How the hell was Gibbs supposed to answer that? He looked away, breathing a sigh of relief when Tony jumped in.
“We’re not actually. Bossman…Gibbs…” Gibbs turned to look at Tony, surprised at how tongue tied he was. Tony wasn’t ever the one who had problems articulating. That was Gibbs’ problem, rarely Tony’s. Gibbs had to rescue him.
“Just exploring something here, Tobias. Don’t push. It’s too new.”
“Ah.” Tobias sipped his drink, nodding and falling silent.
Gibbs risked a glance over at Tony, who was looking at him with a mixture of naked interest and gratitude on his face. At one point they’d finished each other’s sentences and answered questions before they were even asked. Could they take the ease of that friendship that they’d buried and bring it to a whole new level? Had they unleashed something they couldn’t control, something that had the power to destroy the both of them professionally?
“Emily’s your daughter, right?” Tony asked, genuine interest in his voice. That was all Tobias needed to go off on a tear about his little girl. Gibbs let the conversation surround him, turning his attention to DiNozzo and looking at him with a critical eye.
Tony caught his gaze and turned his head, giving Gibbs a smile that stopped him in his tracks. The red hair…it should have looked so wrong on DiNozzo, as if he was an overgrown teen or in the throes of a very early midlife crisis. Instead, it made DiNozzo look younger, a little more vulnerable, giving him a little bit of an edge. As Tony turned his full attention back to Tobias, Gibbs took another good long look.
Tobias’ voice petered out and he muttered something about going to the bathroom and Tony’s gaze fixed on Gibbs’ again. “I hate that, you know.”
“What?” Gibbs asked as he shifted closer, their knees touching now.
“You give me a look, and all I can read is that it’s intense. I can’t tell if you want to talk or headslap me or kick my ass.”
“You’ll learn,” Gibbs replied, his voice dipping into a lower range.
“Oh, God. Is that how you sound in bed?” Tony asked, his mouth opening slightly. He was breathing more rapidly now and Gibbs’ body started reacting to Tony’s clear interest.
“You’ll see,” Gibbs said in barely a whisper. Tony glanced down in the direction of Gibbs’ crotch, licking his lips, and Gibbs had to fight the urge to growl as he started hardening. “Don’t do that, DiNozzo. Don’t start playing with fire here in public like that.”
“Not doing anything, Boss.” Tony’s sexy whisper wasn’t anything to be ashamed of. Gibbs’ thigh muscles bunched and he forced himself to stay seated. DiNozzo knew how to play this game too.
“Yeah, you are,” Gibbs retorted in that low voice.
“Like you’re not doing anything,” Tony replied, growling slightly. The sound turned Gibbs on and he made a small possessive noise, clenched fists resting on his thighs. “But if you don’t stop, I’m gonna embarrass the hell out of myself when I try to walk out of here.”
Gibbs let his own eyes slide down Tony’s body and he smirked at the bulge he saw. “Good, DiNozzo. Good work.” He could spin this so he had the upper hand. Then and only then would Tony learn that he’d entered into a game with the master.
“What is Fornell going to think when he comes back?”
“He’s seen the predator in hunt mode. He knows how it works.” Gibbs watched as Tony swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “He knows when to step back and let me work my magic on the redheads.”
“R-right,” Tony replied, watching wide eyed. “So you’re the hunter and I’m the prey. Wasn’t supposed to happen that way. That wasn’t in the cards at all.”
Gibbs smirked. All throughout dinner he’d been wondering what Tony’s endgame was and this was the confirmation he needed. He still needed to dig a bit deeper, but he had the opening he needed now.
“What was the master plan, DiNozzo? And who was in on it? You, Abby, McGee?”
“I…Boss…”
“You call me boss again and we’re gonna have problems.”
“What’s the problem with Boss?”
“Turns me on even more,” Gibbs growled. Tony’s eyes widened, but he was silent outside of his rapid respirations. “That’s why you do it right? Not the only one turned on by it.”
“Boss…” Tony’s voice was a gentle plea now and if Gibbs was a generous guy, he might have stepped away and given Tony some breathing space. But Gibbs was anything but that right now and he wanted DiNozzo to ache as much as he was. The tension was coiling between them and while it might have been the smartest thing for Gibbs to rein it in, there was no way he could. This game energized him and this man turned him on.
Tobias stepped into Gibbs’ view, surmised the situation, nodded, and handed the waitress his credit card. This one would be on Toby then. That was one distraction that Gibbs didn’t need when he had DiNozzo almost where he wanted him. Gibbs caught Tobias’ eye and gave him the ghost of a smile before turning all his attention back to DiNozzo.
“If calling me boss works on you, what should I call you in return, Tony? Your name doesn’t pack the emotional charge you need. Maybe boy,” Gibbs said, pouring the words over DiNozzo and studying his reactions. “You ever been called boy before, Tony?”
“I…uh…” He trailed off, coloring deeply. Yeah, Gibbs had hit a magic word there and now that he knew, he was going to use it to his advantage. It made sense with all of Tony’s father and male authority figure issues and now that he knew that it wasn’t a hot button word for Tony, he was gonna wear the hell out of it. Wasn’t as if they wouldn’t both benefit.
“Okay, Boy. I know you’re hard. So’m I. Dark enough in here that nobody’ll see if we walk fast. Just get up and walk out. Fornell paid. Nothing more for us here.”
“What?” Tony looked as if he might break the mood by asking about Fornell, but then he met Gibbs’ eyes and Gibbs read the intent there. “You better follow through, Gibbs.”
“You think I won’t?” Gibbs shot back, amused. Before Tony answered, he strode purposefully out of the restaurant and onto the dock, knowing that Tony would be right on his heels. The dark was largely abandoned, which was a damned good thing.
“I don’t know,” Tony said from behind him, his breath tickling the sensitive skin at the nape of Gibbs’ neck. Gibbs shivered, closing his eyes and trying to keep his iron hold on control before he turned around, locking his gaze with Tony’s, breathing DiNozzo’s turned on scent in deeply.
“Don’t know what?”
“If you’re gonna follow through, Boss. But I want you to…”
They were both incredibly turned on, rock hard and aching. Gibbs could scent them both in the air, Tony’s arousal different from his own. All Gibbs wanted to do was kiss Tony hard, drive him against whatever wall was most convenient, and get them both off. But he had to be patient, he had to do this the right way. DiNozzo was way too invested for a quick hand job and a “See ya Monday.” And Gibbs knew he had a shot at something here. There was no way he wanted to screw it up.
He leaned in close, thigh brushing over Tony’s hard dick, gliding into the other man’s personal space until their noses were almost touching. “I told you I’m playing to win, Tony. Your place or mine?”
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