Every Shade by Nora Phoenix
1
Samuel Norris rushed through the three blocks between his office and his boyfriend's law firm, taking care not to slip on the gray, sopping mush on the pavement. It had once been pristine white snow, but the combination of salting and too many people walking on it had transformed it into a slippery, dirty mess.
That was February for you. Even worse, it could stay like that till halfway through April. New York City in the winter, always a joy. It was a good thing he loved this city so much. Still, he should’ve taken a cab. Three blocks didn’t sound like much, but they were three blocks more than was fun in this weather.
He checked his watch to make sure he was still on time, then caught himself. He had been on time, waiting for Evan to pick him up for their date, only to get a text that he was still at work and could Samuel please come to him? Rationally, it meant he could slow down, but mentally, he was still trying to get there as soon as possible. They did have reservations at seven thirty, after all, and it was already close to seven.
He was looking forward to trying out the place where Evan had made a reservation, an up-and-coming French restaurant that was rumored to be receiving its first Michelin star this year. Evan had said they'd better try it out before everyone else discovered it, and Samuel thought he had a point. Personally, he was just as happy eating a good burger, but he knew fine cuisine was something Evan valued.
Plus, it was Valentine's Day, so all the more reason for a more romantic location. Samuel wasn't gonna jinx anything by spending too much time thinking about it, but if he wanted Evan to take the next step—and god knew he did—it wasn't gonna happen at a burger place. Evan had standards, so he liked to tell Samuel. Even though Samuel thought those standards a bit pompous and snobby at times—and that was saying a lot coming from him, what with his background and all—this restaurant could be an excellent opportunity for Evan to pop the big question. At least, that’s what Samuel had quietly reasoned in the back of his mind, too scared to allow that thought too much space in his head. That could only lead to disappointment.
But it was Valentine's Day, so today of all days, he allowed himself a little more leeway to dream about what could be. They had been together for two years now, so it wasn't too crazy to expect more, right? Of course, Evan hadn't even officially moved in with Samuel, but the reality was that most of his clothes were at Samuel's Upper East Side apartment. That’s where Evan spent all his nights as well, mostly renting out his own studio through Airbnb. That was a clear signal he was invested in this relationship, Samuel reasoned.
Sure, their relationship wasn't perfect, but that was life. None of his friends had the perfect relationship either—hell, both of his brothers were making a mess of the whole dating thing—though he had a few that came pretty damn close. He and Evan were well-matched, he had felt from the beginning. They had similar interests, never lacked anything to talk about, and they rarely had a fight. Okay, maybe that was also because Samuel tended to give in, but he hated confrontations.
The only thing Samuel would love to change was how much Evan worked, but that was kind of unavoidable with how focused he was on his career. Samuel cared a lot about his own career as a graphic designer, but his didn't require the same amount of hours. Or maybe, if he was honest, he was simply better at striking that right balance between work and life, but that was something Evan could learn.
Plus, he was well aware it was different for him. Samuel didn’t need to work, not for money anyway, whereas Evan still had student loans and whatnot to pay off.
And maybe, if he was completely honest, their sex life could be a little more fulfilling. It used to be, when they’d first met, with Evan open to Samuel’s ideas. So he loved to try new stuff, sue him. Evan had been into it at first, but that had quickly changed. Samuel had tried to bring it up, but that had not gone over well. Evan had accused him of being too demanding and had made it clear that he was too busy to fulfill that need for Samuel. Silly games, he’d called them, and that had hurt.
There had been the suggestion that maybe Samuel was a little too needy in that department, and maybe Evan had a point there. From what he could gather from their friends, none of them had as much of a drive for sex as he did. And none of them loved to experiment and play the way he liked. Oh well, good thing Amazon sold a wide variety of toys. And even better that he could make up all kinds of scenarios in his head as he used them. It wasn’t the same, but it did quench some of that need.
But something needed to happen, because it felt like they were stuck, somehow. Not moving forward, not moving backward, but not in a place that was fully satisfying either. Was Evan not ready for more commitment? Or was Samuel naive to believe that getting married was the solution to getting unstuck? That thought was unsettling. But what else could help them move on?
He kept mulling it over in his head, happy when he finally reached Evan’s building and quickly made his way inside through the revolving door, stamping off the remainders of the slush from his shoes before he walked up to the receptionist.
"I'm here to see Evan McLeod with Nash, Bunter, and Brookfield,” he told the professionally smiling brunette who clearly wasn't concentrating fully on her job, judging by the phone she reluctantly put down. Maybe she had exciting dinner plans for this special day as well. Samuel could only hope they would be as amazing as his.
"Can I see some ID, please?" she asked.
Samuel already had his wallet in his hand, knowing the drill by now. It was a shame the building, which housed many companies spread out over thirty floors, couldn't seem to hold on to their receptionist. He practically saw a new face every time he came here, which in general was about once every two weeks or so. It would save him the trouble of having to identify himself all the time. Still, it was a small price to pay, he supposed.
He showed her his driver's license, and her eyes widened as she recognized his name. To her credit, she didn’t say anything, only wrote his name on a visitor's badge and handed it to him.
"Thank you," he said as he stuck it to his chest with the little magnet.
As he made his way to the elevators, another guy came in. Samuel only caught a glimpse of him, but he smiled inwardly at the contrast between his own snazzy suit and the stained cargo pants and work boots this guy was sporting. Samuel might look a bit more classy, but this guy clearly had the better choice of outfits when it came to this weather. Samuel knew for a fact he would not only have to remove the slush from his pants, but from his shoes as well to prevent permanent salt stains.
He whipped out his phone as he waited for the elevator to arrive, something that always took forever in this building. Too many floors and only two elevators, a clear design mistake if he'd ever seen one. He checked his email, his face turning into a smile when he saw the positive feedback from his boss on his mockup for a new campaign for a well-known diaper brand. The idea for that had come to him late last night and he’d worked till two in the morning to create something. Clearly, that had been time well spent.
A loud ding announced the elevator had finally arrived, and he put his phone back into his pocket. He pressed the button for the twelfth floor where Evan's office was, and the doors were already closing when he heard a voice call out, “Hold the elevator, please!"
On reflex, Samuel held his hand between the doors and they reopened. The guy he had spotted coming in after him shot him a grateful look. "Thank you. These elevators always take forever."
Samuel nodded. "I know. Glad to be of help. What floor?"
"Twelfth."
Samuel lowered his gaze a little, then studied him through his eyelashes. The guy was ruggedly handsome with his messy dark hair, a beard that needed a bit of trimming, and an outfit that indicated he was used to working outside and getting dirty. Samuel held back a giggle at that last word, amused at where his own thoughts were going with the word dirty. But the guy was one hell of a hot bear, and Samuel appreciated the view as they rode up.
Then the lights in the elevator flickered, a screeching sound erupted that hurt his ears, and the elevator came to a sudden halt, throwing them into complete darkness. As if on cue, Samuel let out a scream, grabbing the handrail inside the elevator with both hands. What the hell had happened?
His heart rate sped up and his lungs suddenly felt constricted, making it hard to breathe. Why weren't the lights coming back on? Had the power been disrupted? Oh god, what would happen to the elevator without power? It should have a backup generator, right? If not, they could plummet to…
"You okay?" A low voice interrupted his thoughts.
Samuel wanted to answer him, but it turned out talking was hard when your body had forgotten how to breathe. He gasped for air, his body trembling with the sensation of the darkness attacking him. Why was there no light? What was going on?
"You're breathing a little fast there, Samuel," that low, steady voice spoke.
What did he mean Samuel was breathing fast? He felt like he wasn't breathing at all, like his body was gasping for oxygen. But when he focused enough to listen, it turned out the man was right, as the sounds of his raspy, quick breaths filled the elevator. He was hyperventilating, Samuel realized, while at the same time unable to stop it.
"Don't pass out on me now," the guy said. "There's nothing to worry about. I'm sure that whatever is wrong with the elevator, they’ll fix it soon enough. We’re not gonna plummet to our death, if that's what you’re scared of. An elevator like this is attached to strong, metal cables, and they have nothing to do with power. They'll get us out of here, don't worry."
Samuel liked his voice, he decided. It was low, rich, and with just the right amount of authority to reassure him. He focused on it, allowed the deep timbre to roll through him. Still, he was getting a little light-headed.
"Samuel, I'm starting to worry about you. You need to slow down your breathing."
"I can't," Samuel managed to get out, wavering a little.
"I'm going to touch you now, okay? Don't panic, I'm going to help you breathe."
Seconds later, a strong, gentle hand found his neck. "We’re gonna sit down on the floor so you can put your head between your knees. I'll hold on to you, no worries."
For one second, Samuel thought of the devastating effects of that dirty floor on his crisp suit, but then he allowed himself to be pushed down. Breathing trumped a clean suit. He was lowered to the floor, two strong arms holding him, until he sat down between the man's legs, that big body behind him.
The guy gently pushed his head forward, and Samuel went with the movement, bending forward until his head was between his knees. After twenty seconds or so, his breathing finally slowed down, and the airy, dizzy sensation in his head disappeared.
"That's so much better," the man said. "You're doing great, Samuel."
The guy kept using his name, and Samuel only registered it now. How did he know it? Oh, right, he was wearing a name tag. The guy must've spotted it before the lights went out.
"What's your name?" he asked between gasps, and he didn't even know why that was the first thing out of his mouth.
A low chuckle rumbled in the chest behind him. “I’m Tris. It's a pleasure to meet you, even if the circumstances could've been better."
Tris.Samuel let that unusual name roll around in his head. He liked it. It was short, punchy, and it fit what he'd seen from the guy.
He stayed seated with his head between his knees until he felt like he was breathing normally again. Tris must have agreed with that assessment, because he allowed Samuel to sit up.
"I would like for you to stay seated for a little longer, just to make sure you're okay," he said, gently pulling Samuel backward until he was resting with his back against the guy’s chest.
It was an intimate position to be in with a stranger, and yet Samuel felt safe. "Thank you," he said.
"You're welcome."
Tris had barely sounded out the last syllable when a buzzing sounded, followed by a canned voice that echoed through the elevator. "Attention, please. We are experiencing technical difficulties with the elevators. Please know that we are working on fixing them as soon as possible. At this point, all elevators have been shut down while we await the arrival of our elevator technicians to diagnose and fix the problem. Please stay calm. If there are any urgent medical needs, let us know by pressing the intercom button."
The arms around Samuel tightened as if to reassure him. "Well, fuck it," Tris said. "We're stuck."
