Law and Love

Author’s Note: Thank you so very much for my friend Kathy (kittie8571) who is the Beta of this story!

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Chapter Eleven: Boyfriends?

Ennis was happily leaving court. He had successfully proven that George Willis was not a murderer. The D.A.'s office was now opening a new investigation. But all this was nothing compared to the shock of the jury when two of the richest bachelors in the US admitted to be secretly romantically involved. He was sure that elderly woman in the first row would faint but the five minute break from the judge seemed to have helped her.

The press went nuts and in seconds the whole murder was totally forgotten. What people wanted to read about was the two hot American princes being gay. Ennis enjoyed a good scandal as much as the next guy, but he thought people sometimes forgot that there are limits. Ennis, of course, was forced to give a few interviews himself, which he truly hated, but after all, the defense had been a complete success.

George Willis had been so grateful for the results of Ennis's work that he had invited him out to dinner with him and his now public boyfriend, Robert Taylor. The gay couple had been nice company and after a few hours of conversation with topics ranging from their futures to the result of their coming out to the world, they'd left, promising to keep him in mind in the event that either of them needed a lawyer again.

Ennis had enjoyed himself that evening, even though some of the topics made him slightly uncomfortable since he wasn’t quite ready to hear about the gay community. The young couple seemed to notice that and the conversation shifted to other, more pleasant topics. But all in all, it had been a good night and had left him thinking that he truly needed to get more friends in New York City.

Ennis took another long look at the massive building, hopped into his car and drove to the firm. Elizabeth would be back to work today and they'd all decided to celebrate Ennis’s first successful case. He was excited about this party; Elizabeth, Jack and Ennis having dinner together in some very expensive restaurant. Good company, good wine, and good food. He was a simple man, more than happy to take pleasure in the simplest things.

Ennis arrived at the firm, waving at the security man who guarded their cars. He was a skinny man who looked like a cadet from the Police Academy movies. Maybe it was because of the blue uniform. Ennis had a random thought that Enrique should change the security division’s uniforms.

He took the elevator and sighed at the sight of his hair in the mirror. He hated the way the curls got wild when they were longer. And that was what he saw in his own reflection. He looked like an Italian statue, sculpted by the classic artists. Since he had moved to New York, his skin was paler and the stress had made him lose some weight.

Many years ago, his work partner from the university – a shy and intelligent girl, who had the worst teeth he had ever seen - used to tell him that he was the living description of Dorian Gray, the famous character from Oscar Wilde, with the exception of the brown eyes. Ennis had been surprised with the comment since he had no idea who such a character was. He'd never been one to read romances. His style was more in the lines of Agatha Christie and an occasional thriller. But since the girl had insisted so much and she had, in all honestly, piqued his curiosity, he decided to read the book. He'd had the shock of his life. Dorian Gray was a promiscuous guy, who acted like a woman. Or so he had thought after less than 20 pages. Ennis had thrown the book back in his partner’s bag and was furious with her for an entire week, feeling seriously insulted. She never mentioned it again.

Ennis couldn’t help but smile at the memory.

“Ah, to be young and stupid. What a blessing.” He murmured to the empty elevator.

He arrived at his floor and smiled at Mrs. Campbell. She was a serious woman, who seemed not to like people in general, but at Ennis, she smiled back. There’s no rule without an exception – they say – and Ennis had been the exception in this case. And he knew that the cordial way she treated Jack was only because of him. She saw him as her direct boss and was totally loyal to his decisions. Very uncommon nowadays, but Ennis liked it. He dealt better with the old ways of the world.

“Mrs. Campbell, I’m back.” He said, rather dizzy with happiness.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Del Mar. May I congratulate you on your success? It’s all over the news. I’ll send you the general comments and opinions by the end of the day.”

“Thank you. Anything else I should know?”

“Oh, yes. Mr. Jack Twist and Mrs. Noris are waiting for you in your office.” Ennis looked confusedly at Mrs. Campbell and the older woman understood.

“I thought so too. It seems there is some sort of important situation that the three of you need to discuss. That's all I know.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Campbell.”

Ennis opened the door and found Jack and Elizabeth talking. Jack didn’t look too happy and Elizabeth had a guilty look on her face. By their body language, it was perfectly clear that they had been fighting.

“Hi, everybody.” Ennis said, placing his briefcase on the floor.

“You knew and you didn’t tell me.” Jack directed this statement at Ennis, not really angry, just slightly annoyed.

“I just told him about Mary Bingley working with me again.” The small woman told Ennis when she realized he had no idea what they were talking about.

“Baby, you know that Elizabeth had asked me to keep it a secret. And I told her she needed to tell you.” Ennis said placing a hand on Jack’s arm and using the gentle pet name he rarely used in front of anybody else to calm him.

“I know, I’m not really mad. It’s just… I’m not used to Elizabeth having secrets from me. We tell each other everything except the details of our sex lives! This is something major. I should have known since the beginning.”

“Kid, you never liked her. She’s back and I don’t really know how things are between us. I needed the space. We’ve only gotten together a few times and only as friends. Nothing major is happening. I only told Ennis because I needed someone to pick the photos for me and you know her -- she doesn’t like to have strange people messing around her office. Plus, she would have been furious if I sent you.”

“We didn’t get along that badly. Professionally, we respect each other very much. But we’re just too different to take each other seriously sometimes! And I do understand, Beth, but it took me by surprise.”

“Just this once, can I have my space to deal with this?”

“Of course. Although I don’t see what could have convinced her to return.”

“That is one of the questions I want to find answers for by myself!”

“Guys, take a deep breath and move on with this.” Ennis pointed at them.

“Ok, Elizabeth. Now go and leave me alone with my champion boyfriend. We'll see you tonight at dinner.”

“Ok, just tell Ennis what you feel he needs to know… about this. I don’t want him to think we’re crazy. By the way, congratulations, Ennis, nice work.”

“Thank you.” Ennis replied, but still looked confused and was curious about the exchange between Jack and Elizabeth. When the small woman left his office, he looked at Jack and smiled.

“Boyfriend huh? Is that what you keep saying to everybody?” Ennis said, teasing Jack, moving closer to the man, wrapping an arm around his waist.

“Aren’t we?” Jack answered leaning closer.

“Actually, I recently told someone you were my boyfriend too. It just slipped out…”

“Really? And who was that?” Jack’s hands moved to Ennis’s neck and he glanced at the door checking if Elizabeth had locked it.

“Robert Taylor, the major witness in my case.”

“The rich British guy? Who turned out to be gay?”

“It just came out of my mouth. But you know we shouldn’t lie to people like that. It’s wrong.” Ennis said smiling.

“Good boy that you are, I'm sure that you have a plan to make it all right.”

“Yeah.” Ennis hugged Jack closer and looking at the intense blue eyes, he asked, “Jack, baby, do you want to be my boyfriend?”

“Yes honey I do.” They kissed softly and slowly, as if it was the first time. Ennis smiled, in the way he only did around Jack and moved to take something out of his briefcase. It was a box, too large to be jewelry, which he placed on the palm on Jack’s right hand with a small smile.

“How did you…” Jack said looking amazed at the box.

“I’ve been thinking about this since… Since that night on our first date. We were so good together and it had been so much so fast…” He looked at the floor, feeling stupidly shy again. “Just open it. I’m dying to know if you like it.”

Jack opened it, feeling extremely nervous. Ennis seemed to have a thing for surprises. When he least expected it, Ennis would come out with something amazing. He wondered how far he had gone this time.

He looked at the inside of the box and his heart stopped. Lying there was a magnificent watch, all in silver, with black hands. Jack was astonished by its beauty. He owned many watches, but this one was something else. Ennis must have spent a fortune on it. He was so focused on the watch that he was surprised to see Ennis’s hand coming and turning it over so that he could see the inscription.

TO JACK

MY ONE AND ONLY

ENNIS

There was a small orchid on the bottom. Or at least it looked like one. Jack was speechless and tears started falling from his eyes. All of the feelings he had in these last few months, all the fight to win Ennis, all the surprise he felt when they first met, all of that converged in a moment, in a small object. It was all too much for him emotionally. Then all he could feel was Ennis’s arms around him, keeping him from falling and Ennis’s fingers brushing away the tears and caressing his face.

“I… I love you, Ennis.” Jack said, crying in Ennis's chest and he truly didn’t know if he was crying tears of relief or tears of happiness, for those were the two feelings filling his heart. He wasn’t fully aware that he had finally confessed his ardent love to Ennis.

“Love you too Jack. More than anyone else in the world and more than anybody before.”

Jack smiled, happy to be in the arms of the man he loved most in the world, the man who was trying so hard to change for him. The man who, most of all, loved him back. And the thought of it made him smile.

“I never saw you as the romantic type Ennis.”

“Does that mean you like it?” Both Ennis and Jack laughed. Ennis picked up the watch from the box and placed it around Jack’s wrist, where it belonged. Ennis stayed like that for a few minutes, observing Jack wearing his “boyfriend's” gift. It had never occurred to him that someone could give a watch as a symbol of love and affection, but then he could understand the pressure that Ennis would have felt to pick it and how much worse it would have been if it had been a ring.

“Oh, Ennis, I almost forgot. I need to tell you something. It’s rather important. Can you focus on this matter?” Jack asked. still resting his head on Ennis’s chest.

“Of course, go ahead.” Ennis said blinking twice and remembering the talk with the Elizabeth a few minutes before. This had to be about Mary Bingley.

“Ennis, there is a reason why Elizabeth didn’t want to tell me about Mary’s return. Actually there are many…” Jack paused, leaning against the table and caressing the new watch. “I don’t know how much you know about her, but I'll tell you what I think you need to know.”

Ennis sat in a chair next to Jack and waited for him to proceed.

“After Jessica died in that tragic car accident, Elizabeth was a different woman. She was never very comfortable with her orientation. I guess being homosexual was something she didn’t expect and a part of her she'd never accepted. Elizabeth is not like you and me. She comes from a very old family. There were things that were expected from her…” Jack trailed off, not sure how much he should say.

“So when Jessica died, she thought she'd closed that chapter of her life for good. She was going to live alone and as a heterosexual female for the rest of her life. The problem was, she was too beautiful, too young and too intelligent to never fall in love again.”

“Of course, many women tried their best to seduce her. She was even known as the ice queen. I was in the university back then, but Elizabeth and I were already friends. I don't think she ever saw me as "younger" because as soon as she wasn’t my teacher anymore, we became very close. She would tell me about her life and I would unload my problems on her. One day the private detective with whom she used to work was found murdered by some unhappy criminal’s wife. I really don’t remember the details.” Jack said proceeding with the story.

"Anyway, Elizabeth needed a new one and that’s when she met Mary Bingley. It was love at first sight. Elizabeth was so physically attracted to her that I feared for her and I was right! We had lunch together and the two of them barely noticed my presence. Mary and Elizabeth were like polar opposites. Fights would go on for hours and flirting that would last even longer.”

“Elizabeth and I always kept our personal lives from each other. I guess they were too different to share and also because Elizabeth never seemed comfortable enough. But one day, she confessed to me that Mary wasn’t really happy. With all the difficulty of accepting her feelings, Elizabeth was giving Mary a bit of a hard time. She'd never felt that kind of attraction before, not even with Jessica, so that made everything worse for her. She kept feeling that it was wrong.” Jack waved his hand. “You know what people say. So good that it can do you no good.”

“She once told me that she had problems like that with Jessica. She wasn’t expecting it to happen with Mary too.” Ennis said, remembering the conversation he shared with Elizabeth when Jack returned from the Katsoranis case.

“But that wasn't the worst part. Mary wanted something else and that was the main reason they broke up.” Jack paused knowing this part might surprise Ennis. “She wanted a family. The woman who was famous for sending criminals to prison wanted children.” Jack smiled. “When Elizabeth told her she would never do it, Mary decided to get away and took an important job as a detective in Canada. Their relationship was over. Or so I thought.”

“I wasn’t expecting that. So that’s why she didn’t want to tell you. She just doesn’t like to talk about it.” Ennis said sadly.

“Yes and it makes me wonder if Mary has a child now. After all, it was almost four years ago and she wanted it so much. She’s the kind of woman you think could have anything she wants.” Jack looked at Ennis’s surprised face. “I see that Elizabeth hasn’t told you much about it.”

“You’re right, just a very short recap and nothing about babies. But then she doesn’t know me that well. I'm sure she wouldn’t feel comfortable telling me all this. My question is why did Mary return?” Ennis asked, puzzled.

“Something tells me we'll find out sooner or later. New York City can be a very small place sometimes.”

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Dinner went marvelously. Ennis and Jack managed to avoid Mary Bingley as a topic of conversation, as hard as it proved to be. Ennis was dying to know more about the story, but he managed to control himself and so did Jack.

Elizabeth commented on the watch, what made Jack smile and Ennis blush. He still felt odd when other people noticed him and Jack exchanging glances or when Jack leaned closer to him while they were walking Neve. These were small gestures of affection and he'd always thought that those were what truly matter in life, mostly because they are unscripted. But thank God they lived in New York, because it seemed like there were homosexual couples all over the city, or maybe he was just noticing them more now. At any rate, he and Jack didn’t call much attention.

He was dealing with this line of thought when he and Jack moved out of the elevator and arrived at his door. As usual on Monday nights, they would hang out together at Ennis’s apartment. Usually Jack slept there but because it was all very new in their relationship, he was never really sure of anything. Sometimes he was struck by the immense fear that Jack would one day simply change his mind and leave him. Then he would be alone with all these new feelings he didn’t know how to react to, unable to move on.

He opened the door and little Neve came out from behind the couch and started meowing around them. Jack immediately picked him from the floor and started caressing his fur. Ennis noticed that his boyfriend never seemed to get enough of his pet. He even bought Neve a few toys that he would pick up in the shops and then demand that Ennis tell him, in great detail, everything the cat had done with it in his absence.

“Did you miss me? Has Ennis been treating you right? Don’t worry baby, Jack’s here now.” Jack said, nuzzling the cat against him, who was by now extremely fond of Jack. If the presents hadn’t been enough, there was also the fact that Jack was easily won over by animals and usually fell for all the cat’s charms.

“Why wouldn’t I treat him right? I just don’t spoil the cat like you do. He’s small and needs discipline. Lucia agrees with me and we’re making some progress in the training if you want to know.”

“Of course she agrees with you, she has almost adopted you in less than a week. She thinks you’re the son she never had. Actually, it's kind of cute and reminds me of Matilda. And stop being jealous about the cat, it’s ridiculous.” Jack said, sitting on the couch and cuddling the cat like a baby.

“Hmmm.” Was all that Ennis respond, not really wanting to start a fight about the cat. It had been a wonderful day and if Jack wanted to be all touchy about the cat, he wasn’t going to stop him. Let him have his way this once. He was quite aware of how stubborn his boyfriend was but he had yet to lose his temper about it.

He moved to the closet, deciding to put their jackets in a safe place. He looked around. The place was definitely cleaner. In the past, he'd never minded doing the cleaning in the apartment but lately he just didn’t have the time. Lucia May was a good woman, grateful for the job, and she wanted to repay Ennis. He was growing quite fond of her. His only fear was her growing curiosity about cooking dinner for two on Mondays and not cooking dinner on Wednesdays. Ennis knew that sooner or later she would find out, but he didn’t want it to be sooner. So he drew a clear line, without really saying it, about what she could and could not interfere with in his life. Ennis liked to be in control of his life and women often scared him because they seemed to threaten that.

He closed the closet and looked around. Jack had taken off his tie and was now using it to play with Neve. The white cat was jumping, desperately trying to grab it but Jack always moved too fast. Ennis looked and shook his head. Jack Twist was going to be the death of him. How someone could be so mature and yet so childish at the same time he would never know. Part of him was so professional, so mature and intelligent. But then he also had happiness about life, a passion about helping and he was so stubborn and spoiled. It was an odd combination that Ennis had never thought would eventually do the trick for him.

He leaned against the wall, crossed his arms in front of his chest, and watched the interaction closely. Neve, as with any young cat, had energy to run and jump for hours and hours, but he also was very smart and every stupid game would eventually lose his interest quite quickly. And that was exactly what happened. When the cat got tired of all the chasing, he jumped off the couch in one leap and disappeared into the kitchen. Jack then realized Ennis was back and quickly stood up, grabbing Ennis's tie suggestively.

“Tired of playing with the cat already? You want to play with me now?” Ennis said smiling.

“The question is…” Jack was interrupted by the sound of his mobile phone ringing and Ennis didn’t try to hide his frustration. Jack laughed but still looked at the screen and quickly picked up the call.

“Hi, Elizabeth.”

Ennis sat on the couch listening. It was odd for Elizabeth to call such a short time after leaving them. Maybe it was some sort of problem at the firm. Ennis sighed. He wasn’t in the mood to spend the night working. He wanted to go to bed and sleep spooned with Jack.

“No you didn’t. A few more minutes and you probably would have.” Jack looked at him with a lascivious look smiling. Ennis felt the need to look at the floor, Jack and his big mouth. He bet he could be with Jack for a thousand years and he still he wouldn't have the nerve to make such remarks.

“Yes.” And then silence, Jack listening to Elizabeth, his face wearing a serious expression.

“Really? That’s unexpected.” More silence.

“Ok. I’ll tell him, don’t worry.” By now, Ennis was predicting bad news.

“Yeah, I know. If it's official, there's nothing we can do.” Jack nodded unconsciously, hearing Elizabeth talking on the other end of the phone.

“We’ll talk tomorrow morning. Love yah”

“You too, Beth.”

“Bye.”

Jack looked at Ennis and wet his lips, in the way he usually did when he was thinking about how to express himself. And that could only mean that this was complex news, or at least Jack still didn’t know how to deal with it.

“Ennis, Elizabeth just called because we've have been assigned to a new case. It was a last minute decision from the board. She decided we should know as soon as possible.”

“Together?” Ennis was confused. If the board had decided, then that meant it was a huge case.

“No. We’re representing different parties. It’s a divorce case. The firm is representing both Mr. and Mrs. Thurston. There's still a lot that's not very clear.”

Ennis was silent, thinking about what Jack had just told him. But then he remembered Enrique Twist's words. The older man was making his move, trying to test Ennis in the worst way possible -- by interfering in the balance between their personal lives and their work lives. He couldn’t help but wonder what he'd done wrong, but the answer was clear. Madrid. It had been a mistake and he hadn’t fully paid for it yet. So Ennis Del Mar decided to take it the honorable way, in silence.

“Never heard of such a thing. What are the odds of the same firm representing different parts of a divorce with different lawyers? I would think that would be a conflict of interest.”

“Ennis, the Magnet Firm is very well known among the rich and famous. They want the best and the best is our firm. It doesn’t happen all the time, but it has happened before a number of times. Both parties sign a waiver.” Jack said sensing the irritation radiating from his lover.

“Ennis is that such a bad thing? We can do this. It’s just another case. It might be odd for us, for sure, but we'll manage. There are other couples at the firm, some of them even married and they can’t always work together….” Jack said sitting on his lap.

“You’re right.” Ennis said trying to manage a smile. He was determined not to tell Jack anything about his conversation with Enrique Twist. He didn’t want to start a war. He had the intention of winning this one and keeping the prize all to himself.

Jack moved closer and wrapped his arms around Ennis’s neck. Ennis wasn’t the only one with fears and doubts. Jack was almost the same. This as all so new between them that sometimes he feared that Ennis would run away again. And the fear he had seen in Ennis’s eyes a few minutes ago was still troubling him. Even in the most common situations, he still felt this irrational fear.

Ennis felt the tension and quickly pulled Jack closer to him and Jack eagerly responded by caressing Ennis’s neck. Soon they were both feeling much calmer.

“Where were we before all this?”

“I believe you were trying to have your way with me.” Ennis said shortening the distance between their faces.

“Really? You thought so? I can’t remember.” Jack said avoiding Ennis’s lips. He was almost falling from Ennis’s lap.

“I also remember you didn’t give me my winner’s kiss.” Ennis said leaning closer again.

This time, Jack didn’t avoid the kiss. Their lips touched and Jack remembered just how much he had wanted to do this all day. Since that very nice kiss in Ennis’s office, his mind had been set on showing his appreciation in a more physical way. He shifted in Ennis’s lap, rubbing in all the right places. It didn’t take long to make Ennis moan and he could clearly feel that Ennis was already feeling his appreciation.

There was something about Jack that nobody knew about. It was clear that he was a very determined lover. But not like many determined people everybody knew. No. Sexually, Jack Twist always got what he wanted, when he wanted. But he did it in a very distinct way. His clues and demands were so subtle that they left his lover with the impression that he was the one in control. And with Ennis, Jack was sometimes surprised. When Ennis was in his normal mood, he would let Jack be in control. And Jack knew that he let him. It was clear in every way, even if he never topped. But when passion would really rise, that was when Alpha male Ennis would come out and play. That Ennis liked it in a very animalistic way. Jack would never confess to a living soul, but every single time that happened, it had been the best sexual encounter he had ever had. He was a bottom who liked to control, but secretly liked even more to be controlled. The human mind was indeed complex.

“Let’s go to my bedroom.” Ennis said while kissing Jack’s neck.

“No. I want it here.” Jack answered quickly.

“Here?” Ennis hand was rubbing Jack’s groin through the fabric of his tailored suit pants.

“Yeah, here.” Jack answered while taking Ennis’s tie and throwing it to the other corner of the room.

“Couch?” Ennis asked while kissing and biting Jack’s neck.

“No.” Jack was working the buttons of Ennis’s shirt and Ennis's administrations on his neck weren’t helping him focus on the task in hand.

“Floor?” Ennis had unzipped Jack’s trousers enough to start stroking him under his boxers.

“No.” Jack said huskily, finally opening Ennis’s shirt. It was impossible to take it off since one of Ennis’s hands was quite busy.

“Wall?” Ennis was afraid they would never get to try, since he was clearly not guessing correctly and things were progressing fast. Jack moved his hips a bit more and Ennis was feeling quite trapped inside of his trousers.

“Close.” Jack said positioning himself with one leg at each side of Ennis’s waist. Ennis's hand moved away to rest at Jack’s hip and their groins rubbed against each other. Jack took the moment to strip Ennis of his shirt. But they didn’t stay like that for long because Jack had other plans. He quickly unzipped Ennis’s pants and smiled mischievous at Ennis's reaction.

“Aren’t you forgetting to ask me something?” Jack smiled was suppressed by a demanding kiss and Ennis took the chance to push down the boxer’s and pants, but longer than the hips because of their position.

“Closet?” Ennis asked when they broke their kiss, starting to open his boyfriend’s shirt.

“No. But good try.” Jack laughed softly as he let his shirt hit the floor and got up so suddenly from the couch that Ennis had been briefly surprised. Jack pulled him up and close to him and Ennis's hands moved to Jack’s pants and in seconds they were on the floor. Jack stepped out of them and proceeded to do the same for Ennis.

“Window?” Their naked dicks were rubbing together and they were kissing intensely.

“Finally.” Jack moved away and took what looked like lube from his briefcase.

“We’re going to do it against the window?” Ennis asked breathing hard.

“You have no idea.” And Jack pulled him with him, lying naked against the window, where one could see the lights of the city that never sleeps. The idea was warming in Ennis's mind, as Jack’s legs came to tangle around his hips and he started to prepare the other man slowly. And when Ennis hands came to rest on Jack’s hips, he was again surprised.

“Not like this, from behind.” Jack whispered to him, letting his feet fall on the floor again.

Jack's sweat was shining like diamonds, thanks to the light coming outside. And as he bent in front of Ennis, his hands on the glass and his legs spread, Ennis wondered if someone from another building could see them. But all was forgotten as he slowly entered his lover. He would never get bored of the feeling, it was so completely different from anything else. But Jack was demanding that night, and he made clear again what he wanted by thrusting back immediately. Ennis thrust harder and deeper and Jack surprised him again by moving his body against the window and he was forced to kneel a little.

He had to admit, it was a hot scene they were making. There was something extremely arousing about doing it this way. Ennis let his gaze move toward the buildings and the city outside as Jack’s sounds were sending him to the edge. Jack's face was the only thing that really wasn’t forced against the window and Ennis noticed that Jack’s cock was slamming against the window, covering it with semen.

Keeping the position was hard and Ennis thrust quickly while Jack growled a warning. God, did Ennis love Jack’s sounds. He was so free, so concentrated on feeling. The perfect lover for Ennis.

Jack came with a spray against the window and Ennis thrust a few more times, coming for a long time and leaning against Jack’s body. They eventually knelt on the floor, too tired to say or do anything else but breathe.

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On the next chapter: The details of the Thurston case are revealed and Jack and Ennis found themselves working with the least expected partners!