Page 18 of Smart Ass

He made one loop before Max’s soothing voice returned. “There’s a cafe down the corridor to your right. Buy yourself a coffee and something to eat.”

Ben closed his eyes. Max had to be sentient, right?

He wasn’t feeling hungry at all but, well… It was kind of nice to think that someone was there for him. That even with Evan in the hospital, he wasn’t all alone.

He liked to imagine that, um, some Dom with a sexy voice named Max actually cared enough to want to take care of him.

“You’re being awfully pushy for a computer, dude.” Yeah, that was what came out of his mouth.

Max didn’t say anything in reply.

Maybe Ben needed some coffee.

He was already in the cafe and downing the first sugary sips when he realized something he should have thought of earlier. Max had known exactly where he was. He’d said “to your right.”

“Max, are you watching me right now?”

“Yes.”

He searched the corners of the room. Then over the doors. There were at least four cameras that he could see, and apparently Max had hacked those, too.

Oooooo-kay.

“You know that’s illegal.”

“I’m not watching anyone else.”

Creepy or sexy? Maybe both? Alright, fine. He liked knowing Max was watching him.

“You’re a weirdo.”

No answer.

“Any suggestions for what I should do now?”

“Call Wally and tell him you’re taking time off.”

Well, that wasn’t any fun. Ben would much rather enjoy his coffee. And fantasize about Maxamillion.

“Ben, call Wally.” Max’s voice was all smooth like smoked honey, but there was a firmness underneath it.

Ooh… that was hot.

Ben blinked when he finally realized what the words meant. He’d been drifting.

Shit. “Okay.”

“I’ll connect the call for you.”

Ben raised his eyebrows. For Max-“I’m not a spark”-amillion, that was taking a hell of a lot of initiative. Usually he made suggestions, but waited for permission before carrying them out.

But the phone was already ringing, and Ben had to do the talking-with-people-like-a-grown-up thing.

The call connected. “Wallace speaking.” The man already sounded pissed off.

Did Ben really have to be a grown-up?

Ah, fuck it. Better to just get this over with.