âRowan, this is absurdâ Mycroft huffed, clutching the banister of the stairwell as though he might collapse. The cool, concrete walls felt uncomfortably close. To her credit, Rowan placed a steadying hand on the small of his back.
âYou did say that you wanted to be fitter. Well, here you are. Nothing better for you than taking the stairsâ
âNothing better? Allow me to redirect you to the elevator. Christ... Exercise shouldnât have to mean savageryâÂ
Rowan laughed, âSavagery is it?â. She extracted a bandana from her back pocket and wiped Mycroftâs face even as hers was irritatingly sweat free. âThis obsession with your weight is primitive in my opinion but Iâm supporting you nonetheless. This is just the warm up Mycroft, if you want to quit now I wonât force you. Itâs two more flights. Then you can have a good long stretch to catch your breathâ
âI am notâ he pulled himself over to the next handrail, âobsessed with my weightâ
âNo? Just vanity thenâ Rowan teased back. Even with her short legs she loped easily up the stairs. Mycroft had the feeling she knew the sight of her ass swaying up the stairs in front of him was what had gotten him up this far.
âI have... nothing to... be vain about... regarding my body...â he huffed, âThis is a... selfless measure... I assure you...â
They came to the last landing before his office where, once again, Rowan steadied him for a breather. His legs and lungs burned from the exertion. Every scone from breakfast that morning beat against his stomach wanting to know exactly what the hell he thought he was doing.Â
âA selfless measure? Howâs that?â
Mycroft studied his running shoes, already red in the face from exertion now redder from the shame. âI- I well, I want you to erm... when we.. yknowâÂ
Rowan cupped his cheek and kissed Mycrofts forehead. âI sincerely hope youâre not trying to say that youâre losing weight on my account. You know I like you as you areâ
âThatâs just itâ he latched on to the line of frustration, âI want to be better than just âlikeâ or ânot mindedââ he threw his hands up, irritated with the language of physicality and itâs awkward connotations. Rowan leaned him back against the smooth wall, forcing him to look at her on eye level before holding him by the chin to keep him from looking away.
âMycroft, I will say this as many times as it takes to get it through your head: I love you, I want you, you are second to none, you are a goddamned gem not someone to be settled for. Do you understand?â
He nodded meekly, half taken aback and half (loathe though he was to admit it) aroused by the way she took charge of him as naturally as breathing. Her hands traced from his jaw, down his neck, shoulders, waist, before settling just above the curve of his hips. And here he had thought that the stairs had gotten his heart pounding.
âGood. And by the way, if you didnât have the tummy control built into your suits, youâd be having a much easier time breathingâ
âYouâre not the only one here thatâs good with deductions Mycroftâ she winked, âNow go onâ
âWhat? You want me to strip?â
âI always want you to strip, but in this case just to the waist will suffice. I want you to see the difference it makes on the last flightâ
âAnd you just want to see me shirtless?â
âWould you like me to undress you personally?â she kissed his cheek, âdo I need to repeat myself already?â
Mycroft gulped hard, âIs that an order Ms OâConnor?â he began undoing his tie, feigning a pout, reveling in the knowledge that he was in for it.
She slid her down the front of his pants to untuck his shirt and gave him a squeeze for good measure. âThatâs Doctor OâConnor to youâ. Mycroft tried and failed to bite down on a moan. He quickly covered his mouth, vaguely aware that with each shirt button that can undone his stomach began to win its battle for expansion. When she finally got him down to just his tanktop she stopped, gave him a chaste kiss on the lips, âYou can say no. You know that right? If you want me to stop just say soâ
Incoherent from the litany of affections, it was all he could muster to lean down, return her a much less chaste, more desperate kiss, âI want itâÂ
Without further ceremony, the restrictive garment was removed and set aside. Mycroft felt immediately exposed. His soft, plump belly spilled free to muffin top over his too-tight waistband, the doughy chest, the jiggling potbelly all on display. Anxiety gripped him when he saw Rowan staring fixedly. Then, as though it were an autonomic response, he analyzed what he was seeing; dilated pupils, flushed cheeks, a just detectable increase in pulse. It struck him. âYou prefer me... well, plump for lack of a better wordâ It wasnât a question. âWhy go to the trouble of helping me exerciseâ
Rowan dragged herself out of the lustful look long enough to offer a chagrined half smile, âYouâve caught me. I did tell you I prefer you as is. I go to the trouble because while I have my preferences I consider them secondary to your happinessâ
âAre you telling me that I can satisfy you and never have to set foot on a treadmill again? Never subject myself to another diet?â
She smirked, âMycroft Holmes, did you just get hard?â
âI feel as though Iâve won the lotteryâ he chuckled in disbelief. He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her neck before suggesting, somewhat shyly, âWhat do you say we go the rest of the way up to my office hm?â
Rowan lifted Mycroft with ease, then started carrying him princess style up the last set of stairs, âSounds perfect darling, but I do still have one stretch to show youâ
She nipped his neck, âThe one where I stretch you arms over your headâ
He didnât even fight the sigh of pleasure, âIâm yours loveâ