Perfect Match

by AG Meiers

  Jayden jolted out of his sleep. The awful smell reminded him instantly that he was in trouble. Dust, cold sweat, and desperation assaulted him with every breath. When his captors had first locked him in the room yesterday, he had avoided the grimy, stained bed with the discolored bedspread, but at some point in the night he’d been too cold and too tired to care anymore.

  The bright sunlight in the room forced Jayden to lower his eyes. Shaking off the last blissful fuzziness of sleep, Jayden tried to prepare himself for the harsh reality of his surroundings. He’d had plenty of opportunity to study the room—it felt like he’d been locked up in here forever. Old, yellowed paint was peeling off the wall, and there were small, dingy windows with broken panes of glass. The dark-red stains on the old carpet had seriously freaked him out when they first locked him up. He’d been grateful for night’s darkness, as the room had faded into easier-to-handle grays and blacks.

  As he woke up fully, the pain came back. His whole body hurt. He knew his upper lip was cracked, and when he touched his face, he could feel a nasty bruise forming from being slammed into the wall when they’d broken into his home. With the pain, panic rose up again as well. They had taken everything from him: his wallet, his cheap cell phone, everything. Jayden had never felt this helpless or this scared in his whole life, but there was no use in wishing he had done anything differently. Yes, if he’d been smarter, he could have figured out the trap before he’d fallen into it, but now it was way too late. His life was all kinds of fucked up.

  Fear was taking over his body. Breathing became difficult, and Jayden struggled to choke back tears. His situation would only get worse. A lot worse. The men who had dragged him across town had taken tremendous pleasure in telling him in graphic detail how he was going to pay back the money he owed them.

  “He’s pretty all right,” said a deep, gravelly voice from across the room. Jayden’s eyes were still getting used to the brightness, so the two men who had entered looked like two dark figures standing in a hazy halo of light. But details slowly snapped into focus as one of the men walked across to the bed. Jayden had to get away. There had to be a way to escape.

  “Hey, Jayden. Jayden, you’re okay?”

  It took Jayden a few minutes to shake off the nightmare and realize that he wasn’t at the run-down hotel in Philadelphia. He wasn’t locked up in that awful room waiting for the men to come back and do the things they had told him would happen to pretty boys.

  The light flipped on and Sven leaned over. “Jayden, you’re okay?”

  “Just a dream.” Jayden’s voice sounded strange even to him. Rough, choked up. To his embarrassment, he noticed that his cheeks were wet. He must have been crying in his sleep. Jayden tried to turn away to hide from the dim light of the bedside lamp.

  “Okay.” Sven’s voice was full of sleep. “Want me to leave the light on?”

  Leave the light on. That was . . . kind. Jayden was tempted to say yes simply for that reason—because Sven had offered, because Sven was nice to him. But he didn’t want Sven to know . . . he didn’t want Sven to think he was a basket case who needed the light on at night. This was only their second night together.

  “Nah, I’m okay. Sorry for waking you up,” he said as he pulled the covers up and carefully moved a few inches closer to Sven, who didn’t say anything, just turned the light back off. The cabin was plunged into darkness again. Jayden took a few deep breaths and listened to the rain drumming on the roof. He wasn’t in danger anymore. Sven had promised him he would be safe, and Jayden believed him. Anyway, Cold Creek was isolated, tucked away in the mountains, a good place to hide.

  Jayden let out a low sigh and closed his eyes. Sven’s regular breathing next to him helped him to relax. Again, he edged closer and secretly wished he could bury himself in Sven’s arms. The nightmare had rattled him, but being close to Sven made it easier to shake the memories of being dragged down the stairs of his apartment, helpless and scared, and waking up alone in the dingy room waiting for somebody to come and sell him off to the highest bidder.

  Never again. Jayden had been naïve and stupid. But not anymore. He would find a way to figure things out and get his life on track again.

  The bed bounced as Sven turned onto his back. The cabin was pitch-black, but Jayden could feel the other man’s reassuring presence. Solid. Warm. Jayden wiggled a little more and rested his forehead against Sven’s arm and willed himself back to sleep.

  “I must stay awake tonight . . .” Jayden took another sip of his morning coffee and frowned in frustration. He was sitting alone in the cabin, eating the bagel and muffin Sven had left out on the small kitchen table for breakfast. Sven had left a note on the counter as well. EAT! it read, in capital letters.

  The poker party at the lodge last night had been rough, because Jayden hadn’t really known anybody. However, after Sven had found him alone in the kitchen, he had ushered them out the lodge through a side door to watch a movie back at the cabin. Jayden hadn’t even made it through the first fifteen minutes. The minute he’d cuddled under the old knitted blanket, his eyes had started to droop.

  The fact that he couldn’t even stay up past ten was pretty ridiculous, and it created a real problem, because he was supposed to have sex with Sven to fuel the illusion of true love. Based on Perfect Match’s instructions, there needed to be sex on the second, or at the latest, the third day of the assignment, because otherwise it could get awkward. When Jackson had explained this to him back in Wyoming, it had made total sense. Now Jayden wondered what could be more awkward than steamy sex with a stranger and then spending the next seven or eight days with him. Stranger sex was supposed to be a hit-and-run kind of thing.

  However, if he was honest, Jayden couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so drawn to another man. He’d messed around a little in college. Even for an outsider like Jayden there had been plenty of opportunities on campus and in college bars. But his past encounters had all been with other boys. Sven was different. Sven was a man. Angular face, strong jaw, intense blue eyes. A deep, reverberating voice that sent shivers through Jayden’s body. A Viking warrior.

  Yeah, Jayden was attracted to Sven, no question, but Sven had made it very clear that he wasn’t looking for anybody in his life, and he sure as hell didn’t seem interested in a skinny kid like Jayden. They’d slept in the same bed for crying out loud, and Sven hadn’t once tried anything. Instead, he’d been . . . Jayden tried to find the right word. Kind wasn’t quite strong enough, maybe caring?

  Memories of last night rushed back. At the lodge when they’d been surrounded by butch lumberjacks in flannel and boots, Sven had clearly sensed Jayden’s anxiety, and he’d gone out of his way to reassure him. And when Jayden had woken Sven up in the middle of the night with his nightmare, Sven hadn’t been upset at all. Instead he’d offered to leave the light on for him, which still made Jayden’s heart melt a little.

  Jayden poured himself some more coffee, wondering if he should call or text Jackson today and ask for advice. For sure Jackson would have found a way to get naked and fuck like bunnies to disperse all potential doubt. He would probably admonish Jayden for not using the nightmare as an excuse to throw himself at his mark.

  Suddenly, with full clarity, Jayden realized he could never do that—he could never play Sven like that. Yes, he had signed a contract with Perfect Match, but the most important part of his assignment was to stay the full ten days. He had to check in and keep Alex informed, but he didn’t have to give him any details or even tell the full truth. Whatever happened between Sven and him was nobody else’s business. Jayden didn’t care that Nicolas Carter would probably strongly disagree. Jayden didn’t have to throw himself at a man who was as much caught up in this mess as himself. They could just spend a few days together. Have fun. There wasn’t anybody around who could pressure them into things they didn’t both want.

  And if anything happened, well, so be it. Maybe Jayden could make Sven happy and make up for the betrayal. Sven was ho
t. Jayden closed his eyes, remembering the dragon tattoo on Sven’s back and the feel of the naked skin as he’d carefully traced the outline. Jayden was a complete sucker for his logger’s warmth and the woodsy smell. His broad shoulders, muscled arms, and pecs of a man who worked outside. The blond hair that covered his chest and the happy trail leading down to his pants promised . . .

  Stop! Jayden was getting hot and bothered, and he needed to keep his head in the game, because even if he took the pressure to seduce Sven off the table, he had to stay alert and ensure he didn’t reveal anything about the agency.

  Perfect Match didn’t have an employee handbook, but there were a few simple rules and keeping quiet about the agency’s side business was one of them. Nicolas Carter had made it very clear that Jayden wasn’t allowed to discuss details with anybody, especially his client. The owner of Perfect Match had scared the hell out of Jayden. Even now, the memory of Nicolas’s cold, dark eyes sent shivers through him. His exact words had been, “One wrong word and you’ll find yourself back in the hell hole I pulled you out of.” Jayden would have to be careful.

  Trying to prepare himself for Sven’s return, Jayden started to sort through the flatware drawer in the kitchen to settle his nerves. There were seven knives and only six forks in the drawer. Jayden searched all over the kitchen to see if he could find the missing fork but came up empty. However, he found a small box in one of the other drawers, which was perfect for all the random bits and pieces. Sorting through the drawer and putting things in order slowly calmed him down.

  Besides his failed seduction attempt in the morning, yesterday had actually been a good day. The apple pie had been a success, and by spending time with Orla, Jayden had learned a lot about Sven’s childhood. He could only imagine how horrible it must have been for Sven as a boy to be shuffled around from family to family without ever finding a home. Jayden might have felt that way in the last few months, but at least he’d grown up with a loving, wonderful mother.

  Jayden looked over his work. Knives, forks, and spoons were perfectly aligned now. All the small stuff was in the cardboard box, and there was still room for the bottle opener and other small kitchen utensils. Satisfied, he closed the drawer.

  Loud steps on the front porch pulled him out of his thoughts. An army of butterflies fluttered in his stomach, and his hands became a little clammy. He braced himself. He took a deep breath and stuffed his hands into the pocket of his hoodie.

  The door didn’t open. Jayden wondered if he’d just imagined the sound of boots on the porch, but then there was a low shuffling sound, and he realized Sven must be standing on the other side. Weird. What was he waiting for? It was his place, after all. Before Jayden could finish his thought, the door opened and Sven walked in.

  There was an awkward silence as they studied each other, and then Sven cleared his throat. “You’re dressed. Good! I thought we could go for a quick drive. I’m going to check out the bridge again. I also want to show you a few things around here before the rain is back. Here, put this on and we can go. The sun won’t last long.”

  Jayden blinked. So not what he had expected. Then Sven threw a bundle of clothes onto the bed, and Jayden’s eyes almost popped out of his head. The outfit he was supposed to put on was a pair of giant neon-orange overalls. No way!

  “I am not wearing this . . . this . . . plastic monster. Orange is not my color. Sorry, no can do.”

  Sven’s eyebrows flew up. “What? What do you mean? We’re driving through the woods. It’ll be wet.”

  “No way.” A shudder went through Jayden as he touched the rain cover. “Why can’t I wear something like you? Gray and manly?”

  “Says the man with nail polish on his toes,” Sven teased, but there was a twinkle in his eyes.

  “That’s completely different. It’s a statement and looks amazing. This . . .” Jayden waved again at the orange monster. “This is an abomination!” An honest-to-God full-body shudder of disgust went through him.

  “Still can’t believe you surprised me with painted nails. Who comes up with shit like that?” There was a funny expression on Sven’s face, and Jayden wasn’t sure what to make of it. The toenails had been one of Alex’s instructions after the initial, probing phone call with Sven. Still, Jayden knew with absolute certainty, he would never reveal that Alex had said the rugged mountain man reacted well to a bit of effeminate flirting. Some things in life were just meant to be taken to the grave.

  “Anyway.” Sven shook his head as if to clear it. “Seems like manly doesn’t come in your size. Let’s get ready. The rain will start up again soon. Times a-wasting.” Sven’s smile was somewhere between wicked and amused. He was clearly in a good mood this morning.

  Jayden bristled. “It’s a giant neon condom.”

  “And it will keep you . . . protected.” Sven took two steps in Jayden’s direction. He wasn’t even trying to hide his amusement now. Who are you? And what did you do to my grumpy Viking? Sven picked up the overalls and stepped closer to Jayden, looking like he intended to manhandle Jayden into the suit.

  “Stop right there. You’re having way too much fun with this.” Jayden was trying to channel his inner queen, but it wasn’t coming across too well, because somehow Sven’s laughter was contagious, and he was starting to see the humor in the whole situation. With red ears, he pulled on the orange monster. As soon as Jayden was done, Sven led them back outside.

  “Aren’t you going to lock the door?” Jayden asked as Sven simply closed the door behind them and walked down to the road with long steps, leaving Jayden no choice but to rush after him.

  “Nah, we won’t be gone that long. Here, hop on.”

  Jayden still hesitated. “Why? I mean, why are you taking me?” He immediately regretted his words. If Sven wanted to spend time with him, why was he questioning it?

  “Well, I do want to check the road and the bridge. See if there is any damage we need to call in.” Sven brushed his hand through his hair, avoiding eye contact. “Yesterday, I . . . Maybe we started on the wrong foot yesterday. Let’s just go while the sun is out.”

  Sven pointed to a four-wheeler with huge tires and a narrow seat like a motorcycle. He added a small helmet to Jayden’s ridiculous getup. To Jayden’s dismay, this time Sven broke into boisterous laughter as he sat down and started the engine.

  “Come on! Let’s go.”

  Jayden wavered for a quick second. He had never been on a quad. But this was actually kind of cool. Sven revved the engine a little, and Jayden couldn’t suppress an excited laugh as he climbed behind Sven.

  At first, he just focused on staying put on the narrow seat of the four-wheeler. Tried to find something other than Sven to hold on to, but when Sven hit the gas for the first time and the ATV jumped, Jayden gave up and wrapped his arms around the bigger man’s middle.

  At first, they went down the main road, backtracking the way Jayden had walked two nights ago. What seemed like an endless walk in the rain was just a few minutes on the quad. When they got to the bridge, it was completely flooded. The roaring water was rushing over the barely recognizable structure. Relief washed through Jayden with similar intensity. Yeah, for now I’m not going anywhere.

  Excitement completely took over when they left the road behind and entered the woods. It looked like the Old Forest out of The Lord of the Rings. Large, scattered trunks were dark and wet. Mist clung low to the ground between moss-covered trees: brown, gray, and all shades of green. It was truly beautiful, and Jayden relaxed.

  But just when Jayden started to truly enjoy himself, Sven stopped. “Come on. I want to show you something.”

  Sven parked the ATV in the middle of the narrow path and led Jayden into the woods. The ground was soaked with moisture and made little squishing sounds under their boots as they walked into the thick green forest. There wasn’t really a path or anything; they simply walked across small plants and undergrowth. The roaring of the river got louder as they moved on. At some point, they had to climb across a fal
len tree. Sven steadied Jayden as he jumped down from the slippery trunk.

  After a few minutes, the trees gave way to a clearing, and they were standing on a small plateau overlooking a waterfall. Gushing water cascaded down a narrow passage of rocks. The soft mist from the water hit their faces. Jayden’s eyes went wide. He moved a few more steps forward to get a better look, and for a while he just soaked in the grand display of abundant nature around him.

  “Wow.”

  “Pretty cool, huh?” Sven said with a chuckle. “Especially if you know that Cold Creek is usually a small stream. The melting ice and all the rain turns it into a roaring river. It won’t last more than a few weeks.”

  “Really? Hard to imagine that now. It looks . . . intimidating? No, that’s not right, but you know what I mean. Out-of-control nature. Rampant?” Okay, weird. Jayden threw a nervous glance at Sven to see if he was already rolling his eyes at him, but he only saw an amused smile.

  “Bet you don’t have that in Philadelphia.”

  “No, definitely not. Wyoming is a little bit like this.” Jayden waved his hands around.

  “Oh, you’ve been to Wyoming?”

  Jayden froze. Oh shit. He wasn’t supposed to give that away. His persona was a city kid from Philadelphia, and Perfect Match didn’t want people to know that they had an office in Wyoming.

  “No, I—I just saw pictures, ehm, of Yellowstone?” Heat rushed through him at his lie. Despite the cold, he felt sweat breaking out.

  “Oh okay. Pictures aren’t the same. Have you been to Canada before or is this your first trip?” Sven asked as he started to walk up the bank, guiding Jayden along.

  “My first time.” He rushed to add to get back on more solid ground, “I’ve been to the Smoky Mountains. Tennessee. As a kid I spent a summer there in camp. I loved it. We had a lot of fun.” He focused on his feet to make sure he wasn’t going to slip and fall. But he almost stumbled when Sven stopped at a large, flat boulder.