Page 6 of Broken Wheels

Dix put the box where Josh indicated, then looked up to find the guy already staring at his pad. Looks as if I’m forgotten already. Ah, well. He was used to it. Not that he was complaining. He’d gotten his chance to see Doc, hadn’t he?

That made Dix’s day.

“See you later, Doc,” he called, then winced as the endearment slipped out. Again. Shit.

“Hm? Oh. Right. I’m sorry. I was checking my reminders. Thank you for your help… uh….”

“Dixon.” He never liked leaving Doc to flounder.

“Sorry.” Doc flushed. “I’m bad with names. I appreciate what you did for me.” He paused, his brow furrowed. “Did you just call me Doc?”

Fuck, he noticed. “Yeah, sorry.”

The furrows deepened. “Josh is good. You could call me that.” Then he grimaced. “Actually, it’s way better than what my ex, Christopher, used to call me.” Doc gave a shudder. “I loathed being called Joshy. Yeah, Doc is okay.”

Dix could stick with Josh. He probably should. But everyone else called him Josh, Wheels, or Doctor Malone. For some insane reason, Dix wanted a name he could call Doc that was his alone. It made him feel closer to the man he was enamored with.

Not that he could tell Doc any of that.

“Would you mind… I mean, if it’s okay with you….”

Well, fuck. Dix didn’t get tongue-tied. Ever. So why the hell did he suddenly find himself unable to form words?

Doc arched his eyebrows. “Go on.”

He’d gotten this far. “Would you mind if I called you Doc? I just… I like the word for you.”

Doc nudged his glasses down his nose a little. “I think Doctor is pretentious, but Doc? That isn’t so bad.” He smiled. “Sure, you can call me that.” He picked up a folder from the pile on his desk, then turned toward the coffeemaker. That frown was back. “When did I start the coffee?”

He hadn’t. Dix knew how much Doc needed that initial jolt to get his brain firing on all cylinders, so he came up as soon as he arrived in the morning and brewed a pot. He couldn’t believe how much he enjoyed doing little things for Doc. How his stomach fluttered when that rare smile graced that sweet face.

Yeah, fine. Big, bad Dixon Meeks had the hots for Doc.

Sometimes he’d work nights, and on countless occasions, he’d found Doc in his lab, having forgotten he was supposed to go home. The poor guy always seemed so exhausted, to the point where Dix thought he was going to pass out. He’d made the suggestion more than once that Doc should sleep on the sofa. Usually that worked, but there had been times when Doc insisted he was fine and drove himself home. Dix might have clocked out and followed him to ensure he made it inside safely, before returning to finish his shift.

When Gary had found out what Dix was doing, he thanked him, then told him to stay punched in, just in case he had to deal with anything along the way. Gary worried about Doc, just like Dix did. At first he thought it might be because Doc was CrossBow’s golden goose, considering the amount of money and equipment he gave to the place, but the more times he observed the two men together, he realized Gary actually cared for the mad scientist.

After the whole thing with Porter, Michael had made the executive decision that if Doc was at work past eight, he needed an escort home. Gary informed him that Dix had been doing just that since before Michael started. That earned him a bright smile and heartfelt thanks.

Much as he enjoyed Josh’s company, he was there to do a job.

“Okay, lemme get to work,” Dix muttered. “Have a great day… Doc.”

Doc glanced up from the document he was studying. “Hm? Oh, you too.”

Dix headed for the door, a little saddened by the fact that?—

“By the way, Dixon?”

Wow. He actually remembered my name without me reminding him.

“Yes?”

And there was that smile, a bright, full-wattage one that sent a shiver coursing through Dix. He’d do all manner of immoral or illegal things to ensure Doc never gave that smile to anyone else.

Doc’s eyes were bright. “Thank you for your help. I really do appreciate it.”

And just like a puppy with a bit of praise from his owner, Dixon knew he’d be tripping over Cloud Nine all goddamn day.

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