Part 2! One more part to go. A tad of smut. A tad of fluff. A bit of angst. You're welcome.

COMMENTS AND VOTES! MWAH!! Xoxo

***

They made it past the quick fire round, as Louis fondly referred to it during their trip to the grocery store that morning. Liam's mom had been enthusiastic in her questioning, but kind enough.

                 Liam, do you take him out? You better.
Of course I do, Mum.
To fancy places? He's looks the fancy type
He does, ma'am. Very fancy.

Oh Louis, has Liam told you about his doll collection?
Mum! They're called action figures!
Of course, dear.

Louis had himself a laugh at that before pulling Liam's knuckles to his lips for a reassuring kiss. Liam had flushed and shifted his eyes to the floor.

Now, they were simply watching some evening sitcom and lounging in pajamas. Geoff was rubbing one of Karen's shoulders in a massage unconsciously. Louis couldn't stop flicking his eyes over to them, then to Liam, who was almost always looking back. They looked like such a happy family. Louis could see where Liam got his sunny disposition.

Louis threw his legs over Liam's lap casually and laid his head on Liam's shoulder. For just a moment Liam tensed, but then he wrapped his arm around Louis' back and pulled him in. Louis refused to let the comforting warmth warp his thoughts into something dangerous. Liam was just like any other client. A paycheck and a log in his little black appointment book. Nothing more.

Liam lowered his head, and Louis felt the gentle press of lips in his messy hair. A shiver ran down his spine, which Liam must have interpreted as a chill. "Warm enough?" Louis just nodded, eyes locked on the TV screen. "Okay." Liam pulled him closer anyway and tugged a blanket off the back of the couch to cover them.

Shit. Shit, no. Just another paycheck, Louis reminded himself again.

***

Saturday was the day out with the 'rents. A whole day of flirting and holding hands and domestic talk. Liam was secretly ecstatic, but he thought he'd been good about hiding it for Louis.

Louis came around from behind him and laid his head on Liam's chest, as he'd taken to doing the past couple of days. "Your heart is beating really fast," Louis noted and put a hand next to his face on Liam's chest. "You don't need to be scared. It's just a regular day."

"Boys, we're ready- Oh, am I interrupting? I'm sorry," Karen backed out of Liam's room with a sly smile on her face.

Liam sighed and pulled Louis' hand from his soft shirt into his own hand. "I'm fine. Just ready to go."

Louis leaned up on his toes and kissed a short peck to his cheek. "Okay, then. Let's go." He pulled Liam from his room and met the parents at the door. Geoff was gathering his and Karen's coats while Karen was making noise in the kitchen.

"Liam?"

"Yeah, Mum?" Liam passed Louis his coat and they both shrugged into them.

Karen came from the kitchen holding a bag of chips. "I didn't know you liked barbecue?"

"Oh, uh, I don't..." Liam looked at the bag confusedly.

Louis raised a hand next to Liam. "Guilty, Mrs. Payne."

"Oh," Karen scoffed like she should've guessed, like she knew Louis at all. "Of course." Karen went back to gathering snacks as she mused, "They are so cute."

Liam tried his best to contain his smile, but, when he finally looked away from Louis' twinkling smile, Geoff was watching him, assessing. Liam avoided that potential topic like the plague and shuffled them all out the door quickly.

The aquarium was quiet, but not dead. There weren't many families this early in the day so it was mostly older couples and singles. Louis and Liam walked ahead of his parents as they walked past the salt water fish wing of the venue. Liam watched as Louis' eyes caught the movement of every fish that swam by, never staying on one very long. His smile was small and relaxed and left Liam considering whether or not he should hold Louis' hand. He really wanted to hold Louis' hand.

"Babe, look at this!" Louis made the decision for him and grabbed Liam's hand to pull him over to a shallow pond of stingrays. Liam totally kept his cool and didn't smile like a schoolgirl when Louis fisted at his shirt in excitement.

"Would you like to pet one?" the attendant asked.

Louis looked like a kid in a candy store when he looked up at Liam. Then Louis layered his hand over Liam's and brought them to run over the slippery soft skin on one of the stingray's backs. Liam gasped a little at how cold they felt, but then sat on the edge of the pool with Louis facing him and let Louis lead their hands over each of the creatures floating around. Liam's eyes stayed on the animals for as long as they could before gravity pulled them back to Louis.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" Louis asked towards the stingrays.

"Beautiful," Liam breathed, eyes held steadfast on the curve of Louis' lips.

Louis looked up and saw Liam looking at him instead of the pond and floundered for some witty remark to make the flutter in his chest dissipate. But it was so heavy, and Liam was so close, his hand still intertwined with Louis'. So Louis just did the only thing he could think of.

He kissed him. Deep and long and probably not appropriate for parental eyes. But Liam was kissing back, deep and long and with enthusiasm, so Louis scooted closer and tucked his foot behind Liam's ankle and wrapped his dry fingers in Liam's hair, and led his tongue over Liam's while his parents and everyone else watched. Their hands were still connected under the water while soft floating sea creatures ran along their fingers.

"Mm mmm." Louis startled when someone cleared their throat. "We're ready for lunch when you boys are." Louis nearly threw himself into the pond at the look on the poor father's face.

Louis stood abruptly and actually saluted the older man before wincing at his stupidity and clamping his hand to his side. "Yes, sir. Of course."

He turned to find Liam staring at him dopily, grin expanding across his face. "Wow."

Louis rolled his eyes and pulled Liam up so he could whisper, "Now is not the time."

Liam didn't seem to care. "But...wow." Louis groaned in frustration, but ignored him for now.

The rest of the aquarium was quiet. Louis was trying his hardest not to freak out because that was the first time he'd lost control with a client since he was a newbie. He had to keep up appearances, hold Liam's hand and pretend that making out in public wasn't a thing. Because they were boyfriends. That's the illusion.

By the time Louis finally sat down on Liam's couch, he was mentally and physically exhausted. After seeing how excited Louis got over the stingrays, Liam dragged Louis all over, pointing out pointy fish and glowing fish and sharks. Admittedly Louis had a blast, but the line between what was real and what wasn't was steadily becoming less clear.

"I'll start on dinner. You guys relax." With that, Liam left Louis and his parents in the living room. Almost immediately Geoff dozed off next to Karen, light snores tickling her shoulder.

"That was fun," Karen said, almost like a question.

Louis nodded, enjoying the meaningless talk before it turned into something else. "Tons."

"Liam is so fond of you."

Well that was fast. No beating around the bush for this lady. Louis could respect that. "It's mutual." It wasn't a lie. Liam was great company, and very kind. Louis could imagine him being a fantastic boyfriend to some bloke.

"I can tell," Karen nodded in agreement. "I see the way you look at him."

Louis laughed, a nervous bubbly sound. "That obvious, huh?" Was he really that obvious?

"A mother knows." And the way she said it had Louis believing she knew everything. Not just Louis' inner crisis, but the arrangement and everything.

"Lou, can you come help me for a minute?"

Oh, thank the good Lord! "Be right there!" He thumbed toward the kitchen. "I should..."

"Go, go. I've embarrassed you enough already."

"It's no, um-thanks." He got up and made it two steps from the couch before turning around. "Mrs. Payne?"

"Karen, please."

"Karen. You, um, you have a great son. He just wants to make you guys proud."

Karen's face turned soft. "He does, love. He always has."

Louis nodded, pleased with the answer, and went to the kitchen where Liam was handling things expertly. "Doesn't look like you need my help at all."

Liam chuckled. "Just figured you'd want a break from my mom. I'm sure she's harassing you for my deepest secrets."

Louis smiled and shook his head. "Nah, nothing like that." He walked up and wrapped his body around Liam's from behind, chin resting between his shoulder blades, before he even knew he was doing it. "She's a good woman. Obviously, I mean look what she made of you."

Liam went loose in Louis' arms and turned the heat down a little before turning and wrapping his arms around Louis' shoulders. "So today..."

Louis could see the spark in Liam's eye and panicked. "I'm sorry for what I did. Earlier."

"Oh..."

Liam didn't say anything beyond that so Louis filled the space. "Yeah, I was wanting to put on a good show, and I got a tad carried away." He laughed, but it sounded raw in his throat. "Mum always said I should be an actor."

Liam's hold on Louis loosened, but didn't leave. "So, you didn't actually...you know, want to kiss me?"

Louis stamped down his sudden need to comb comforting fingers through Liam's short hair and hold him closer. "It's my job, Liam." He barely whispered it, but the truth of it rang out and bounced inside his chest.

Liam did drop his hold then. "Right, of course. I'm dumb."

"No," Louis urged. "You're not dumb."

"I'm the idiot that thought you actually enjoyed kissing me. Someone like you! Kissing me? Yeah, right."

"Liam don't-"

Liam spun on Louis then. "Don't what?" he whisper-yelled. "Don't get attached? Don't forget that I'm paying you? I haven't forgotten, Louis. Half when you're done. I know."

"That's not what I said."

"That's what you meant," he spat.

Beep beep! Beep beep!

Liam stared Louis down for another second before turning and taking what looked to be baked chicken in some kind of glaze from the oven. It smelled amazing and Louis wanted to compliment him on it, but knew he'd get something thrown at him in return.

"I'll go tell your parents that dinner's ready." Liam didn't turn around or acknowledge Louis at all so he just nodded, said, "You should smile. A mom always knows when her son is upset," and left the room.

Louis went to the living room, but Karen was already nudging Geoff awake. "Dinner's ready, hun, get up."

"I was just coming to get you," Louis explained.

"I can smell it. Honey ginger glazed chicken. A family recipe and my favorite."

Louis' fond went through the roof. He'd been there when they bought the ingredients, but he had no idea. "He didn't tell me it was your favorite," Louis pondered.

"That's because I wanted it to be a surprise." Liam came out of the kitchen with an oven mitt covering one hand and a smile on his face.

"Well, I'm surprised and looking forward to seconds." Geoff decided to add to the conversation now that Karen had woken him fully.

Louis followed Liam into the dining room where he'd served four plates of delicious-looking food. Karen and Geoff sat, but when Liam went into the kitchen to grab the wine, Louis followed him there, too.

"I'm sorry."

Liam didn't turn around. "For what?"

Louis groaned internally. "Don't be childish about this." Liam looked like he was going to say something, but then didn't. Louis was dying to know what the words we're going to be. "I'm trying to apologize here, Liam. Work with me."

"You haven't done anything wrong," Liam sighed. "I let my head get weird, but I'm fine now. Let's go eat, okay?" Liam put a hand to the small of Louis' back and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Louis felt the tilt though. The new air in the room. He'd messed things up and now he had to deal with it. But Liam was pushing him back to his parents so he smiled and sat next to Liam at the table.

"Liam. It's your house," Geoff reminded.

Liam nodded and bowed his head. Louis looked around in confusion for a minute before seeing Karen and Geoff follow suit. Louis quickly ducked his head and waited as Liam prayed over the food. They ate and conversation went smoothly, but Louis could practically feel the ice on Liam's cold shoulder. He would address Louis, but not directly, even if he was cooing over him, or lying about him.

Louis couldn't take the miles of distance anymore, so he slid a hand over and squeezed Liam's knee lightly. Liam covered Louis' hand in his and Louis thought that finally Liam was forgiving him. But then he tried to push Louis' hand away. Louis squeezed harder, nails digging into his dark jeans, begging for sympathy. Liam relented and let Louis' hand be. Louis released a breath of relief at that and went back to eating.

Halfway through his chicken, he felt Liam's hand again and clenched on his knee, but Liam pried it off gently and moved it up a couple inches and pressed Louis' hand, under his, into his thigh. Louis could feel the muscle he'd gotten a glimpse at his first night here and licked his lips at the thought.

Liam still had his fork in his hand, but he wasn't eating anymore. He was focusing on breathing and feeling Louis' fingers press his skin. He was fighting the thought of what Louis' tongue had tasted like all night and when Louis sent out his small signal of need Liam latched onto it. He brought Louis' hand closer again; and then, it was so close to the curve of his jeans between his legs that he shifted in his seat.

Louis noticed and dropped his eyes to Liam's lap, his semi slowly becoming more and more noticeable. He wrenched his eyes back up to a proper place and tried to ignore the fact that Liam's parents were right there. But the pull to move his hand just those last couple of inches was intoxicating and he couldn't breathe with need. Turned out Liam was even more needy than Louis because he moved Louis' hand right over him and pressed his palm down on his clothed erection.

Louis' mouth fell open, but he quickly snapped it shut and smiled at his parents, who weren't really paying them much attention, thank God. Liam's fingers tightened around Louis' hand with the sensation and that, Liam's pleasure, made Louis move of his own volition and press into Liam again. Liam's hand tightenedmore so his fingertips were white against Louis' wrist.

"Liam? Love, are you listening?"

Liam pushed Louis' hand away and snapped his head up. "Yes, Mum, of course I'm listening."

"Then what did I just say?"

Liam rubbed a hand over his face and sighed. "Um, I need to visit more?"

Karen pursed her lips. "Lucky guess."

Louis laughed and brought his hand back to his own lap. "I'm quite full, so I'm going to go put the extra food away." He turned to Liam and gave him a small kiss on the cheek and squeeze of his shoulder before going into the kitchen.

"Wait, I'll help!" Liam jumped at the chance and nearly pushed Louis into the kitchen.

"Don't get it on the counter," they heard Karen call as they rushed away.

Liam didn't waste anytime before pushing Louis against said counter and slotting his thigh between Louis'. "Please don't hate me," he whispered as he pulled his and Louis' hips together, eyelids falling at the friction. "I mean, fuck- look at you."

Louis wanted to laugh, to sweep off the desperate compliment, but Liam was breathing hard and Louis was fattening up from the feeling of Liam against him, and he knew he was breaking every rule in his book so he put two fingers to Liam's lips and said, "Just once. One time," before slipping them inside Liam's pink lips. "You have to be quiet." Liam moaned around his fingers and wrapped his arms around Louis' waist. Louis kissed under his chin. "You're bad for business." He slid his hand down Liam's chest and into his waistband. Liam bit down on his fingers when he reached inside his pants and stroked over his swollen shaft.

He was keeping his noises at bay, but Louis could tell it was hard for him. Louis wrapped his hand around Liam and pulled him off slowly. "I swear, Liam Payne, I usually have more control." Liam nodded, but Louis was sure he wasn't actually listening because he was wet and leaking and cutting off the circulation in Louis' fingers.

"Lou," he mumbled around Louis' digits.

His voice was low and strained and Louis wanted to shove his fingers further and make him suck on them. "You're so needy," Louis groaned heavy in his ear. "Are you going to come in your pants for me? With your parents right around the corner?"

Liam's whole body tightened as he coated Louis' hand in his cum. Louis pressed on his tongue to stifle the moan and tugged him through it. Liam collapsed against his body, breathless and loose. "Lou," he panted.

Louis could tell he meant so much with that one word, but he couldn't deal with that right now. He'd just crossed the line, plowed over it actually, and he wasn't thinking right now. "I need...fuck- I need to wash my hands." He pushed Liam off of him and went to the sink. "Go change your pants and let's say goodnight to your parents." He dried his hands on a towel and huffed when Liam didn't move. "Liam," he snapped. Liam looked to him. "Go. Now."

Liam ran down the hall to his room while Louis put the food away. What did he just do? Tomorrow, Louis was attending church with his fake boyfriend and his fake boyfriend's parents and lying to friends and strangers about their relationship while getting paid for it. After that he'd never see Liam again. That thought alone left Louis a little breathless. Never see Liam again.