"Which opera house?" It was a pathetic attempt at distraction and they both knew it. They also knew it was Ray's way of winning through frustration. It was surprisingly effective, although Florian didn't seem to realize that.

"The opera house where I pretended to pass out so you could steal a topaz brooch. The one where I almost passed out for real because of that ridiculous... costume you forced me to wear." He was heating up now and color tinted his pale face and made his amethyst eyes glitter.

"I do seem to recall you complaining incessantly about that, yes." Ray leaned forward a little to get the best view of his irritated companion.

"Then I'm sure you remember me saying that I was never letting you put me in a dress again, even if it was a million carat diamond you fancied." Florian calmed a little and added, "Besides, you can always dress Laila up. She's actually a woman after all. I hear that's a tremendous advantage when wearing a dress."

Ray reached for a cigar from the nearby box, using the movement to hide his amusement. Apparently Laila and Florian were squabbling again. It was like living with children some days. Speaking of which...

"I suppose Noel would do. He's girlish enough and it would be less expensive to buy girl's garments."

"Never!" Florian leapt to his feet, eyes flashing. "You are not involving that innocent child in your criminal activities. I won't allow it."

"Won't allow it!" Now Ray was on his feet, his eyes flashing just as passionately as he closed in on his companion. "And what makes you think you're in any position to allow anything?" He pressed Florian back until his knees hit the edge of the seat. Florian reached back and clutched at the chair arms to keep from dropping into the chair. He'd been pushed around by Ray often enough to know not to give him any advantages.

"You have a very short memory, my dear Florian. You seem to have forgotten who the master is here. You owe me an astronomical amount of money and I am well within my right to demand repayment in whatever form I choose." Ray grasped Florian's tie and used it to pull him close. He leaned slightly to the right and whispered into Florian's ear, "I could make you strip to your undergarments right here and you'd have no reason to refuse."

"You wouldn't!" Florian was scandalized. "Anyone could walk in. Even Solomon, who has no concept of social niceties. Would you want him to see me like that?"

"Not in the slightest," Ray assured him. "Which is why you'll put on the garments in that box before any of those people arrive." He gripped the back of Florian's head and held him steady as he leaned in for a deep kiss. When he finally pulled back, Florian's eyes were a bit glassy and he was smiling in spite of himself.

"What is this for, anyway?" Florian grumbled as he staggered across the room to the topmost of two white boxes that had been delivered last evening. He hefted the lid off and set it aside, immediately taken with the patterned, jade-colored silk nestled in layers of tissue paper.

Florian couldn't resist touching the rich fabric, lifting it carefully out of the box. It was lighter than he expected and sinfully soft. He blinked down at the second garment still lying in the bottom of the box.

"This is a dress?"

"Yes, an oriental garment. A dress with slits on the sides and pants worn underneath." Ray moved closer and lifted the pants from the box, holding them up against Florian for length. "Looks like the tailor got it right. We measured against one of your pairs of trousers since you got lost on the way to the shops again."

"I wasn't lost. You gave me impossible shopping lists. I had to go to seven shops. Seven! Just to find that book you had to have and then you didn't even read it. You had Laila shelve it as soon as I got home." Florian was so caught up in his tirade he barely registered Ray's movements until he was suddenly silenced with a passionate kiss.

"Will you try this on, for me?" Ray asked once he had pulled back.

"Is it to help you commit a crime?"

"Someone might call it that. The list of illegal activities is quite long."

"Will other people see me wearing it?"

"They will, but they won't know it's you. Look." Ray dug under the tissue paper and pulled out a long jet-black wig.

"I'll look like a ghost in that."

"It's perfect then, since this is for a masquerade ball."

"It is?" Florian was interested now, in spite of himself. He didn't really like parties and formal balls, but he did like dressing up. Sometimes. His eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Ray. "So you do want to steal something."

"Not at all. I've already stolen it." This came as absolutely no surprise to Florian.

"So you've finally run out of things to steal. What will you do now, put them back?"

"Hardly," Ray snorted. "I assure you, there are many lovely items I have yet to possess." He moved around Florian as if studying him. "Of course I already have the best."

"If you compare me to a jewel again, I will hit you."

"Would I do such a thing, my dear Amethyst." Ray laughed as he caught Florian's fist in his hand and used it as leverage to bring the smaller man in for another kiss and a not so discrete grope.

"You're a beast," Florian assured him in a tone of voice that implied it wasn't necessarily an insult.

"And you need to try on this outfit. The party's only a week away and the tailor will need time if alterations are needed."

"Where is this party and why am I just learning about it? I'll need to make arrangements with the staff for Noel."

"It's all taken care of. The party is here, after all, and the boy is attending. For a while, anyway. I've already had Laila help him try on his costume."

"Here! But you hate parties." Florian considered carefully, then frowned. "You're not planning to steal from your own guests!"

"Would I do such a thing? Particularly with Solomon in attendance?"

"You invited Solomon?"

"Of course. I haven't had a chance to properly irritate him in weeks."

Florian had a sudden, terrible revelation. "Where's your costume?"

"Upstairs in my wardrobe, of course." Ray was grinning like a cat with a bowl of cream. It told Florian everything he needed to know.

"You're throwing a party just so you can dress up as Noir in front of Solomon." Florian shook his head half in disbelief, half in amusement.

"You're incorrigible."

"Thank you," Ray bowed low and took Florian's hand, brushing a kiss against it before standing again. "So will you wear your costume?" He motioned towards the silk dress that Florian had returned carefully to the box.

"Just for the costume party," Florian agreed cautiously. Ray had a way of finding loopholes in anything Florian agreed to. "I'll take it upstairs and try it now." He started to lift the box, then stopped, frowning. "If this is my costume and you and Noel have yours, what's in this second box."

"Oh that's not for the party," Ray answered smoothly, leaning back against the bookcase and watching as Florian set his costume aside and started to open the second box. He waited until the lid was removed and Florian was staring at the filmy nightgown before adding. "It's for after."

Florian's outraged shout echoed all the way to the kitchen.