by Bru Baker
Mateus grabbed his elbow and pulled him farther toward the edge of the trees. “There’s a barn,” he said, pointing toward the east. It was about 500 yards from the house, but it looked structurally sound, which was all Crawford cared about.
They’d made it a few steps before the rain stopped and the sky lightened. It turned a sickly green, which wasn’t something Crawford had ever seen before. Apparently Mateus had, because he looped the picnic basket through one arm and reached back with another, grabbing on to Crawford’s hand and tugging him forward as he broke into a flat-out run. “Hurry!” he yelled, tucking his head down.
Crawford couldn’t even get out a question before he felt something sting the back of his neck. Once, twice, and then suddenly there was a deluge, too many to count, sharp pricks battering him all over. He ducked his head like Mateus, then used his free hand to unfurl the blanket, making a shelter for them. He shook free of Mateus’s grip and held it up over them as best he could as they ran. The ground around them was littered with tiny pieces of hail. They didn’t look bigger than peas, but they’d felt like boulders when they hit his skin. The blanket didn’t keep them all off, but it was better than just being completely unprotected.
“Do you think it’s locked?” he yelled as they neared the white clapboard barn.
“Probably not,” Mateus yelled back. “These pole barns have to be padlocked, and I don’t see one.”
Crawford had no idea what a pole barn was, but he vowed to read up on barns and become an expert if they made it through this intact. They stumbled to a clumsy stop in front of the huge barn doors, and he sighed in relief when he realized they were closed with a large piece of timber. There was a spot for a lock, it looked like, but nothing was there.
Mateus hefted the large bar up, and the barn doors creaked open. They rushed inside, but Mateus didn’t close the door behind them. There weren’t any windows in the barn, and closing the door would plunge them into darkness.
Crawford let the blanket drop with a breathless laugh. “Oh my God,” he panted.
Mateus took one look at him and started to laugh. He put the picnic basket down at his feet and closed the distance between them, his hands coming up to pluck at Crawford’s hair. Crawford started to laugh when he realized he had hail in his hair. Mateus did too. It felt natural to return the favor, his fingers skating through Mateus’s dark locks as he swept the melting ice out of it.
Crawford’s heart was pounding from their run, and it sounded unnaturally loud in his own ears in the heavy silence of the deserted barn. He and Mateus were standing close enough that their breath mingled, and Crawford couldn’t stop himself from stepping closer, near enough that he could count the drops of water in Mateus’s eyelashes.
He hesitated, hovering within kissing distance until Mateus closed his eyes and leaned in the rest of the way, collapsing the small gap between them. He tasted like rain, wild and earthy. Electric, like the lightning that had chased them into this musty barn. Crawford pressed in, chasing the flavor across Mateus’s lips and into his mouth when Mateus melted into the kiss and let him in.
Crawford’s hands fisted in Mateus’s wet sweater, pulling at it until Mateus backed away and took it off with one swift motion. He tossed it onto a bale of hay in the corner, and Crawford scrambled to take his own shirt off. The buttons were a challenge for his rain-chilled hands, but Mateus swooped in to help, and the two of them managed to wrest the stiff, wet fabric out of the way.
Crawford shivered once his skin was exposed, but when Mateus crowded in against him a moment later, the chill disappeared. Skin to skin, heat flared between them. Crawford ran his hands up and down Mateus’s back, his fingers greedy for any part of him he could touch. He’d wanted to do this for weeks, and he wasn’t about to waste any time now that he had Mateus bare in front of him.
He groaned when Mateus’s lips left his, a thrill running through him when a second later Mateus latched on to his neck, licking and mouthing softly, leaving a trail of tingling skin in his wake. They’d kissed in the airport office a week ago, but it hadn’t been like this. Mateus seemed to know exactly what buttons to push. This time when Crawford shivered it had nothing to do with being cold and wet. He was coming apart under Mateus’s hands, and they’d barely gotten started.
He tamped down hard on the part of his brain that told him none of his objections had been addressed. Things were no different than they had been when he’d put the brakes on two weeks ago, except this time he didn’t have the willpower to walk away.
Mateus seemed on board, if the way he’d plastered himself to Crawford was any indication. But Crawford wasn’t going to be satisfied with just a few kisses this time, and he needed to know that Mateus felt the same way.
“I have to—God,” Crawford gasped as Mateus palmed him through his jeans. “Jesus, wait. Wait, Mateus. Stop.”
Mateus stepped away, breathing hard. There was just enough light coming in from a window in the hayloft to set his eyes sparkling. They looked dark and full of want, but Crawford had to be sure.
“I want you,” Crawford rasped out. “God, I want you. I’ve wanted you since I saw you in the airport. I just—I have to be sure. Do you want this? Not out of any sense of obligation, but actually want this?”
Mateus threw back his head and laughed. The sound echoed through the barn, drowning out the constant thrum of the rain against the roof. “There isn’t anything I want more right now. I swear.” He stepped forward, coming in close again. “You’re the most frustrating, oblivious, stubborn, beautiful, amazing man.” Mateus was toe to toe with him now, their gazes locked. “And I want any part of you you’ll let me have.”
Crawford’s knees nearly buckled with relief. “Thank God,” he muttered. He took more care this time, now that he knew he was allowed to touch. Their kisses before had all been stolen moments, and Crawford meant to savor what was coming next. He couldn’t do half the things he wanted to with Mateus here in this barn, but Crawford wasn’t going to let that stop him.
He tried to tug Mateus down onto the hay, but Mateus pulled back, shaking his head. “You are so clearly a city boy,” Mateus said with a laugh. He grabbed the discarded blanket and spread it over the pile. “Trust me, there are places you don’t want hay.”
Crawford’s pulse spiked at the insinuation. When Mateus started to unbutton his jeans, Crawford snapped to attention, frantically tearing at his own. They were both soaking wet, which made the process more comedic than sexy, but it hardly mattered. When they had both struggled out of their clothes, Mateus lowered himself down onto the blanket and reached his hands out for Crawford, inviting him down as well.
He blanketed himself over Mateus, hungry for all the skin-to-skin contact he could get. Mateus didn’t seem to mind. He laughed softly and then drew Crawford in for a kiss that had Crawford’s toes curling.
Crawford couldn’t help but start to rut against Mateus’s hip, his breath catching every time Mateus’s cock brushed against his own belly. Mateus made a frustrated noise and rolled them to the side. He rutted against Crawford’s cock, and pleasure spiked through Crawford, leaving him feeling like he couldn’t draw in enough air. It wasn’t enough, though, so he licked his palm and wrapped both of their lengths in his grip, teasing the most beautiful sounds out of Mateus’s mouth as he stroked them.
Mateus ran a hand down Crawford’s side, urging his pelvis closer as he rutted up into Crawford’s hand. Between the friction against Crawford’s cock and the delicious sounds Mateus was making, Crawford could barely hold himself back. He tightened his grip on the two of them, and Mateus groaned, canting his hips forward in tiny thrusts as he came. Crawford wasn’t far behind, Mateus’s come easing the way and letting him stroke himself harder and faster until he spilled over his fist, his come mixing with Mateus’s.
Mateus pressed in closer, licking lazily into Crawford’s mouth as the two of them regained their breath. Crawford had worked up a sweat, and now it was cooling on his skin. He shivered, an
d Mateus soothed him with another soft kiss as he drew up the sides of the blanket around them like a cocoon.
Mateus snuggled into his side, laying his head on Crawford’s chest. The rain was still beating down, loud in the silence of the barn now that their breathing had returned to normal. Crawford felt like he should say something, but he didn’t want to break the magic of the moment. He was truly content for the first time in a long time, and he didn’t want to risk losing that.
Mateus seemed content to just lie there, and Crawford took his cues from him, staying still until his arm had fallen asleep and his foot started to cramp. The rain had stopped a bit ago, and even though he was loath to leave their little nest, it would be smart to get back to the house in case it was just a break in the storm.
“We should get back,” Mateus said. He sat up and brushed hay out of his hair. “Duarte and Bree will be worried.”
Crawford didn’t know what to make of that, so he concentrated on getting into his wet clothes.
Chapter Seventeen
IT was still overcast when they emerged from the barn, but even the low light felt bright after the darkness indoors. Mateus blinked, trying to adjust to the sudden change, while Crawford closed up the barn behind them.
Mateus wandered up the gravel drive toward the house. Lace curtains hung in the windows, but they were open enough to allow him to peer inside. He could see a large stone fireplace, gleaming hardwood floors, and doilies on every flat surface. The furniture was dated and worn, but the place looked fairly well-kept.
“Who owns this?” Crawford asked when he joined Mateus on the porch.
“I don’t know. I just know it’s for sale. It was a boarding house, I think. Back in the forties. Duarte told me about it a while back.”
There was a Realtor’s lockbox on the front door, and Crawford took out his phone and entered the number into his address book.
“Are you interested in this house?” Mateus asked, incredulous.
“I’d like to get a closer look.”
Mateus tried not to let his hopes run away with him. Crawford hadn’t made him any promises. He’d been clear in the barn that he wanted Mateus, and that had been enough for Mateus at the time. But they hadn’t exactly traded sweet nothings in the hay. They’d had sex. Hot, frantic, no-holds-barred sex. And now Mateus had no idea where that left them.
Except Crawford was looking at a house in Beverly.
That had to mean something, didn’t it?
Crawford was pacing along the porch, his footfalls soft against the faded planks. “This has a lot of potential, don’t you think? From what I can see, the bones of the house look pretty good. I’d replace this door with a nice set of french doors, and they’d open into a sitting room with overstuffed chairs and antique floor lamps for reading. And I’d keep a fire going there, even in the summer.”
Mateus tried to see what Crawford did, but he didn’t have the vision for it. Crawford bit his lip, his expression intent as he looked in every window he could reach from the porch.
“I bet the kitchen is really outdated, but I’d need to update it with commercial appliances anyway. I’d have to serve food, being this far out. It’s not like there are a bunch of restaurants in town, right?”
Mateus shook his head dumbly. “There’s not much of a town, really. What exactly are you thinking? I’m lost.”
Crawford’s entire face lit up. “A bed-and-breakfast.”
Mateus looked around. The place was pretty, sure. But it wasn’t like Beverly was a tourist destination.
“It’s every hipster’s wet dream out here. Lots of land, an old farmhouse. I could have vegetable gardens and bill it as a farm-to-table kind of experience. Ecotourism is big right now, and it’s only going to get bigger. People want to feel a connection to the land, and we could do that here. Hell, maybe we could get the orchard involved too. Apple-picking packages in the fall. And the barn—it’s perfect for weddings. With the right decorator and caterers and the right marketing, it could be a huge hit.”
He whirled around. “It would be crazy to buy this house, right? Tell me it would be crazy.”
Mateus hated to agree, but it was. “It would be crazy,” he said matter-of-factly.
Crawford’s face fell.
Mateus hated that look. “But it couldn’t hurt to call the Realtor and get a look inside. Maybe do a little research. You can’t just open up a bed-and-breakfast on a whim.”
Crawford grinned. “It isn’t a whim. I mean, this location, yes. That’s a whim. But I’ve always wanted my own place. I’ve been saving up to buy a place just like this for years. This is just a little sooner than I’d planned for it to happen. But I don’t have a job, and if this place isn’t too ridiculously priced, I have the money. I could give it a go. Do you mind if I call the Realtor now?” He waved his phone. “I have a signal up here at the house.”
The thought of splitting up so soon after Crawford had arrived made Mateus’s heart sink. Mateus didn’t want to dampen Crawford’s excitement, but he needed to get back to the orchard and had thought they could spend more time together there.
“I should go,” Mateus said, holding back a sigh. “I need to make sure the hail hasn’t damaged any of the trees. Do you think you can find your way back on your own?”
Crawford was already dialing. “Yeah. And if I can’t, I’ll call.”
Mateus took a steadying breath and nodded. “Sure, okay. I’ll take the basket back with me.” And the blanket that was still covered in their come. Mateus was tempted to unroll it and check for proof that he hadn’t imagined what had happened between them in the barn.
Wallowing wasn’t going to get him anywhere, though, and he had work to do. Mateus didn’t look back at Crawford as he set off through the trees. He’d thought having sex might make things clearer between them, but it had only muddied things further.
CRAWFORD had appeared just before dinner, flushed and ecstatic. While they ate, he’d talked a mile a minute about the details. He’d gone through the house with the Realtor, and he’d already talked to Adam about drawing up papers to buy it. He was certifiably insane, but Mateus seemed to be the only one who thought so.
Bree pulled up websites for four other ecotourism bed-and-breakfasts and had immediately started planning with Crawford. She’d been most excited about Crawford’s idea to use the barn for weddings, though. Within an hour, she’d filled a Pinterest board with ideas for how they could decorate the space, and Crawford had hung on her every word.
Duarte had even offered to go over and take a look at the barn to see if it was usable or if it would need some work.
Mateus managed not to blush when Duarte had mentioned the barn, but it had been a near thing. He’d put the quilt in the washer the moment he’d walked in the door, and Bree had given him a sly, knowing look. Probably because he still had hay in his hair and his sweater had been on backward.
Mateus went upstairs early, unable to deal with the chatter about bamboo linens and whatever else Crawford and Bree were going on about. He’d spent a good three hours out in the orchard, picking up debris from the storm and restaking trees that had almost blown over, and all he wanted was a hot shower and bed.
Would it be awkward to share a bed with Crawford after what had happened between them? Mateus still had no idea where they stood, and it was eating at him. The mature thing to do would be to take Crawford aside and discuss it, but Mateus wasn’t ready for that. It was possible—likely, even—that given his views on love and relationships, Crawford viewed Mateus as a hookup and nothing more. He’d been very clear that he needed Mateus’s consent, but it hadn’t been for anything more than sex.
It would be Mateus’s own fault if he ended up heartbroken.
He took a too-hot shower, since he’d been unable to shake the chill of being caught out in the rain, and emerged tender and red but finally warm. One good thing about sleeping cuddled up with Crawford was their shared body heat, but Crawford was still downstairs. He could hear
his voice drifting up the stairs, alternating with Bree’s as they traded ideas back and forth.
Mateus put on a pair of boxers and slid between the cold sheets. They had a week until Officer Suarez came for their home visit, and after that, what? Would Crawford stay here if he bought that house? Or would it be an investment property that he had someone else run for him while he went back to LA?
As Mateus burrowed into his pillow, he wished he was still in the barn curled up on Crawford’s chest, before things had gotten complicated and awkward.
He was still awake three hours later when Crawford tiptoed into the dark room, expertly avoiding the squeakiest floor planks and managing to get changed without turning on the light. Mateus wished they’d stayed in the guest room, because now he wouldn’t be able to sleep in here without memories of what it was like to sleep in here with Crawford. Maybe he’d move into the guest room after they were done playing happy family for Officer Suarez.
Crawford climbed into bed behind him and curled his body around Mateus’s, hooking his arm over Mateus’s ribs. Mateus turned over so he could face him, hoping that maybe Crawford wanted to talk.
And he did, but not about them.
“I talked to Adam again, and he said all the paperwork looks good. The owners are desperate to sell. They moved to Florida last year, and the place has been empty ever since. The Realtor hired someone to take care of the grounds and keep up with the maintenance, so it’s in really good shape. We scheduled a home inspector to come out in the morning, but if everything looks good, I’m going to sign the offer paperwork tomorrow afternoon.”
