A Royal Secret

by Jerry Cole

  He was broken out of his thoughts by a shadow falling over his table. Thinking it was the barista, he looked up, only to be faced down by two people he recognized from a couple of classes but couldn’t say he knew well.

  The shorter of the two, a guy with a hearing aid obvious in his ear, and a smirk that could give Jamie’s a run for its money, nodded at Steve. “You’re Steve, right?”

  “Uh,” Steve said, not sure what they would need him for. “Depends on who’s asking.”

  “I’m Noah,” the guy continued, then jerked a thumb at the red-headed woman next to him. She had sunglasses perched on the end of her nose, and her smile was kind, but with an edge Steve couldn’t put a name to. “This is Helena.”

  “Okay,” Steve hedged. “Still don’t know why you wanna know if I’m Steve.”

  “Enough with the dramatics, Noah,” Helena said, sliding into the chair opposite Steve. She had a thick accent, and Steve couldn’t place it exactly, though it sounded a lot like Eastern European or Russian. “I knew it wouldn’t work.”

  “Please,” Noah said, leaning against the back of her chair. “It would have, if you’d continued. Bobby always makes it work.”

  “Bobby’s an idiot,” Helena said, her voice laden with fondness.

  Steve raised his eyebrows. “You guys know Bobby?”

  Noah nodded. “Friends.”

  “Probably the closest friends he has,” Helena mused. “Not that we’re in a contest or anything. Bobby’s a difficult guy to like.”

  “Uh, no offense,” Steve said, bristling about the words. “Bobby’s easy to like. What kind of friends—”

  “Easy,” Noah said around a laugh. “We’re just testing you, Steve. It is Steve, right?”

  Steve sighed. He should have known. It wasn’t like he, Sam, and Jamie didn’t talk shit about each other all the time. Getting so angry about Bobby so soon after meeting him was going to lead to nothing good. “Yeah, it’s Steve.”

  Noah let out a small laugh and leaned down closer to Helena. “I told you he was the right guy.”

  “As if Bobby hasn’t talked about him enough to pick him out of a crowd of the same looking guy,” Helena said with an eye roll.

  Hearing that Bobby was talking about him a lot was great, and though Steve knew he had to be blushing up a storm, he didn’t give a shit. It was proof he and Bobby were clearly compatible and had the same feelings. At least, Steve wasn’t alone in this sudden infatuation.

  The barista approached the table with his coffee, and Steve took it gratefully, checking his watch. He still had a half hour before his lecture, but he had to make it all the way across campus and find a decent seat.

  “As much as I’d love to talk to you guys about Bobby,” Steve said, picking up his backpack from the chair and slipping his phone into his jacket pocket, he gestured toward the university buildings. “I have a lecture, and I kinda need to get going.”

  Helena and Noah shared a look, and Helena stood smoothly. “We can walk you to your class.”

  Steve was startled by the insistence. “Uh, no offence, but I can get there myself. Besides, I’m probably not gonna tell you anything you wanna hear.”

  Noah sighed more dramatically than Steve’s rebuttal warranted, but Steve was struck with the thought Noah and Jamie would get on like a house on fire. “Pity. We had some stories to tell.”

  “Again, not sure I wanna hear them,” Steve said, moving toward the door, unsurprised when he was followed by both Noah and Helena. “I’d like to learn about Bobby from Bobby, if it’s all the same to you.”

  Again, the two shared a look that had Steve wondering if they had some form of mental communication. Then again, perhaps they had known each other as long as Steve and Jamie; sometimes Steve knew what Jamie was thinking just by staring at his expression.

  “You’re gonna do fine,” Helena said abruptly, squeezing Steve’s bicep as she moved past him in the doorway.

  Noah followed a little more slowly, leaning into Steve. “Hurt him, though, and they’ll never find the body.”

  Shovel talk. Great. Steve watched them disappear around the corner and followed quickly, picking up his pace the closer he got to the arts building. It was a photography day and he was looking forward to it, but his mind was half on the talk with Helena and Noah. He was glad Bobby had such great friends, and the fact they were willing to protect him was great, but it made Steve think; he would only turn Jamie and Sam lose on Bobby when he was sure something was there and he wanted it to continue.

  Did that mean Bobby was hoping for the same thing from him?

  Chapter Five

  “What made you bring us here?” Bobby asked, staring out over Manhattan with a smile on his face. “Bit of a trek from the campus.”

  A trek was an understatement for having to spend the weekend in Manhattan, but Bobby’s expression when Steve told him what he was planning had been worth the travel. At least Steve knew what flying with Bobby was like, at least short haul, and the two of them would have to share a hotel room that night. It was sure to answer the question of whether they would be sleeping together any time soon.

  “It seemed like the kind of thing you’d be in to,” Steve admitted, as they made their way across the old rail bridge. “Engineering and all that.”

  “Admit it,” Bobby said, lips quirk up teasingly, “you went online and searched for engineering sites in New York.”

  Steve tried to keep a straight face, but he was sure his red face was giving him away. “It worked, didn’t it?”

  Bobby’s smile was soft as he leaned into Steve, curling his fingers around Steve’s hand until Steve threaded their fingers together, and watched Bobby’s face. He was looking around the bridge, eyes taking in every inch of rail, every inch of grass and the flowers, and everything else that made up the reason Steve wanted to bring him here. “Yeah, it worked.”

  Jamie and Sam had tried to convince him spending a weekend somewhere was too soon, especially for a second date, but Steve had never been particularly normal. Besides, it was only one night in a hotel room, and Steve figured they could both bail if it got too much. He told Bobby as much when he’d shown him the tickets.

  “Don’t be an idiot,” Bobby had said quickly, his eyes bright. “People get married after knowing each other 48 hours, we’re practically glacial.”

  Steve wisely didn’t mention how many of those forty-eight-hour weddings actually lasted, but he was only too happy to have Bobby to agree to visit with him, so he let it go.

  The two of them spent the morning on the bridge, walking along it slowly, hand clasped, and talking about their studies, what they wanted from life, and about the things around them. By the time they decided to find somewhere for lunch, they had moved on to their friends.

  “I met Helena and Noah,” Steve pointed out, heading for the hot dog vendor. Bobby had been complaining all morning about never having had one, and though Steve wasn’t their biggest fan, he decided that would make a good lunch. “They threatened me, I think.”

  “Fuck,” Bobby said, wincing. “Sorry about that. They can be a bit much. Oh, Steve, fuck yes, hot dogs.”

  Steve snorted as he handed over the cash to the vendor, watching Bobby slap an unhealthy amount of ketchup and mustard on his sausage. “That’s disgusting.”

  “Shut up,” Bobby said, waving his hot dog under Steve’s face. “This is a perfect hot dog, Steven, and you know it.”

  “Sure,” Steve said easily, and the two of them found a bench to sit on, warm where they were pressed together, and tucked into their lunch. “To be fair,” he said, wiping at the corner of his mouth, “I’m pretty sure Jamie and Sam will be the same.”

  “I remember them from the coffee shop.” Bobby licked at his bottom lip and Steve watched his tongue carefully, ignoring the grin and pointed expression on Bobby’s face. “Eyes up, Steve.”

  Steve wasn’t going to be ashamed of himself. He could want it, and did want it, so he was going to let Bobby know it. �
��You should stop teasing then.”

  “I’m eating my hotdog,” Bobby protested, but Steve didn’t buy it for a second, especially when Bobby continued to eat the same way, and fuck him anyway. “As I was saying, I have already had the pleasure of meeting your friends. Not that I think they won’t wanna punch me if I hurt you.”

  That was easy enough to deal with. “I’m sure you’re not planning on it.”

  There was a pause, and for a moment, Steve almost didn’t want to meet his eyes. He did, though, bunching up the hotdog napkin in his hand. Bobby was staring at him, something soft and open in his eyes, and his smile was small, but wide.

  “Not planning on it, no,” Bobby said quietly.

  “Good,” Steve said, swallowing around the lump in his throat. “I’m not either, for the record.”

  Bobby nodded. “Yeah, I figured. You don’t seem like the heartbreaker type.”

  “In another life, maybe,” Steve allowed. “In this one, I kinda like making people happy, not hurting them.”

  Bobby looked even more endeared. He polished off the rest of his hot dog and tossed his dirty napkin in the trash can next to the bench. “So, how are you gonna make me happy now?”

  Steve shrugged, throwing an arm over the back of the bench and doing the customary boyfriend arm move. Bobby rolled his eyes, but seemed content enough to let it happen, pressing back against him, eyes on the people moving around them on the sidewalk. “How come you’ve never been to Manhattan?”

  “Never had the opportunity,” Bobby said with a shrug. “I only came to America a couple of years ago.”

  “Oh,” Steve said. “You wouldn’t know it from your accent.”

  “Thanks,” Bobby said, huffing a small laugh.

  “Did your parents have to move here?”

  Bobby was silent for a long time, but he didn’t seem to be angry with the question, just thinking. Steve let him take his time, content to people watch. If Bobby wanted to change the subject that was fine too. Steve was happy to learn which topics were acceptable and which ones weren’t.

  “My mom died when I was a kid,” Bobby said at last. He looked sad, but not devastated, so Steve figured he had at least come somewhat to terms with losing her. Or as much as you could. Steve couldn’t even remember his father, but while it did still hurt from time to time, it wasn’t debilitating. “I don’t know my dad. I’m staying with Helena at the moment.”

  Steve didn’t know what to say to that. He turned, watching Bobby’s face from the side. He didn’t seem reluctant to talk, but there was a part of him that didn’t look welcoming about the subject. Steve made a mental note not to go there again and squeezed Bobby’s shoulder. “Come on. I’m sure we can find something else to do in Manhattan.”

  Bobby blinked, taking the hand Steve offered him, letting Steve tug him from the bench. “Not sure, Steve. Seems like a nowhere town to me.”

  “Shut up, idiot,” Steve said, knowing his tone was fonder than even he was expecting. “Didn’t cost nowhere town prices.”

  “Cheap, Mitchell,” Bobby said, laughing. “Trust me to pick a guy who’s cheap.”

  “I’ll show you cheap,” Steve threatened, pleased when Bobby grabbed his hand again and pulled him down the sidewalk. “I’m gonna treat you to a dinner so nice, you’ll never call me cheap again.”

  It would hurt his bank account, but Steve had a job for a reason, and Bobby was worth it, he was sure, even when he was being cheeky and ridiculous, which didn’t seem to change, even after hours of walking and joking. It seemed Bobby had a never-ending supply of sass and jokes, and he was more than willing to be affectionate with Steve in public, something that was surprising, but not unwanted. Steve liked the thought of having everyone around them know Bobby was with him.

  When they finally made it to the restaurant that evening, it was cheap enough Steve didn’t mind how much they ate, but Bobby hooked a finger in the belt loop of Steve’s jeans. “I can help pay you know.”

  “No,” Steve said immediately. “I planned this whole thing—”

  “Exactly,” Bobby continued, and he leaned against Steve as they waited to be seated. “You paid for us to get here and for the hotel. At least let me pay for this dinner.”

  Steve wanted to object yet again, but he could see the stubborn set to Bobby’s jaw—and how did he know that already?—and the fact Bobby had an expression on his face that was making Steve’s chest tight with emotion. “We could half it.”

  “Nope,” Bobby said, popping the p. “I’m paying, then we’re going back to the hotel room you paid for, and we’re gonna cuddle the fuck out of the evening, on the couch.”

  It was a convoluted way of asking for cuddling, but Steve wasn’t about to disagree. “Fine. You pay for dinner, but I get breakfast.”

  Rolling his eyes, Bobby paused while the waiter led them to their table. As soon as he was out of earshot, Bobby smiled. “I accept your terms.”

  Not that Steve would have cared if he hadn’t. He had fought Jamie and Sam over who got to pay the bill enough he was sure he could take Bobby. Not that Bobby didn’t have muscles or look like he could bench press Steve if he wanted to, but Steve was aware of the pounds and height he had against Bobby. He could put them to use if he had to.

  Not that Steve was in the habit of figuring out just how he was going to fight his prospective long-term boyfriend, which was kind of idiotic now that he thought about it.

  Bobby didn’t seem to have noticed, talking about the many ways the kind of engineering Steve had introduced him too wasn’t the kind of engineering he did, “But honestly, Steve, it was beautiful, and I got to see Manhattan, so who the fuck cares?”

  That was the trouble with internet searches, Steve supposed. You never could narrow down exactly what he meant by engineering. Electrical, given the amount of times Bobby complained about his phone, his tablet, everything electronic that Steve kind of loved.

  “You’ll just have to make something better, won’t you?” Steve said, pouring himself a drink of water.

  Bobby smirked. “That’s what college is for, Steve.”

  Steve raised his eyebrows. “Good to know. I demand to have one of the first prototypes.”

  “Already promised to Lena,” Bobby said, regretfully. “But you could always fight her for first place in my heart.”

  Something about those words had Steve’s breath catch in his throat, and the expression on Bobby’s face was a touch regretful, which wasn’t what Steve wanted at all. “I could. Though I’m worried she would take me.”

  Bobby laughed at that, looking surprised by it. “I’m glad you said that. Not many people realize she could kick their ass.”

  “I know my share of impressive women,” Steve said. “I would be for it if my mom ever thought I was being disrespectful to a woman.”

  “She sounds like a great woman,” Bobby said, only a hint of sadness to his expression.

  They lapsed into a comfortable silence, finishing off the rest of their dinner. It wasn’t awkward in the way Steve felt sometimes, when he had dated the couple of times he agreed to Sam and Jamie’s pressuring. Bobby didn’t look like he was annoyed, or uncomfortable with the stilted conversation, or the apprehensive silences.

  “Thanks for this,” Bobby said eventually, when they’d both finished, and Steve was contemplating whether he could manage a dessert.

  “You’re paying,” Steve said, confused.

  “No,” Bobby said, with a small laugh. He sobered quickly, running a finger up the length of his spoon. “I mean for this whole weekend thing. It’s not…not many people would offer to take someone on a trip two dates in.”

  Steve took a moment to answer. It hadn’t been that big a deal when he thought of it, only afterward, with everyone voicing their doubts. There was something about Bobby, though, and while he didn’t think Bobby would laugh at him if he said as much, he couldn’t bring himself to form the words. “You’re welcome.”

  Bobby smiled, staring into his glas
s.

  “You’re worth it,” Steve said quickly, watching the surprise and fondness shift on Bobby’s face. He wanted to shy away from the intensity of Bobby’s expression but fuck it, Steve refused to be a coward. It didn’t matter that they didn’t know much about each other, sometimes people could tell that about themselves. “So far.”

  Laughing, Bobby shook his head at the waiter, throwing a quick glance at Steve. “I think we’re gonna get our dessert back at the hotel.”

  Steve tried not to read too much into that—dessert didn’t mean fuck, dammit—and nodded at the waiter, who promised to bring the check. Steve couldn’t wait to get the hell out of there; the air felt charged with something, with the way Bobby was looking at him, and the fact Bobby’s eyes kept darting down to Steve’s lips and then back up. Steve wanted more.

  Chapter Six

  The subway ride back to hotel seemed to take forever.

  It was packed, the two of them having to stand close together in the crush of people. Bobby seemed content to lean against Steve, one hand slipped beneath his jacket, clinging to the back of Steve’s shirt, the other curled around the pole. Steve had an arm around Bobby’s shoulders, and watched the walls of the tunnel race by. Their close proximity just seemed to force Steve’s thoughts back into how it would feel to have Bobby against him, no clothes in the way.

  Bobby shifted against him, looking up at Steve with a raised eyebrow. He pitched his voice low. “Subways do it for you, Steve?”

  Steve snorted, brushing his nose against Bobby’s temple. “You on the subway does it for me.”

  Bobby shivered, Steve could feel it against the entire length of his body, and he breathed out slowly, watching Bobby’s hair ruffle a little. Bobby’s grip tightened on Steve’s shirt. “You have no idea how much I wanted to sleep with you our first date.”

  “I kind of complained to Sam and Jamie you didn’t,” Steve admitted. At Bobby’s intrigued expression, he shrugged, eyes darting away as he felt his cheeks flame. “I thought we both wanted it in the museum, and I didn’t get why we hadn’t.”