Our Little Nest: Book 4 of The Two Timer Series

by D. B. Watson

  Adam jumped, yanking the sheets to cover their visible skin, arousing Patrick by his hasty action. Relieved Patrick was waking up, Adam decided to hurry him along.

  “Pat,” he whispered as he glanced at the bathroom she went into.

  Patrick blinked, stretched, and yawned before turning to Adam, bewildered. “What?” he asked in a normal voice, squinting at him.

  “Pat, there’s a female in the bathroom,” Adam whispered again.

  Patrick blinked before sitting up, resting beside him. The sheet fell from his chest that Adam quickly covered again.

  “Why are you whispering?” Patrick asked, his loose, tousled curls haloing his face.

  “Because I don’t want her to hear me talking.”

  Patrick looked at him oddly. “Does she have short, red hair?”

  “Yes,” Adam answered.

  Patrick nodded his head in understanding, turning his attention to the bathroom. “Good morning, Cora!” he called out.

  Adam tried to cover Patrick’s mouth with his hand, only to have Patrick push it away.

  “Good morning, young sir!” she called back.

  Patrick looked at Adam and smiled.

  Adam sat baffled.

  “Cora is my room maid. She always wakes me up, gets the shower ready, and makes my bed.”

  “She does?” Adam asked.

  Patrick responded by shrugging his shoulder.

  Adam didn’t know how to take the response and asked for clarity. “Okay—but we’re naked right now.”

  “That doesn’t bother her.”

  “It doesn’t?”

  “She’s seen the naked form and has an outstanding girlfriend. Seeing me naked does nothing for her, the same as the female form does nothing for me.”

  “She’s seen you naked?”

  “Lots—so don’t be shy. I enjoy seeing your naked body.”

  “Thanks, but I’m not comfortable showing it to people I don’t know.”

  “Oh, big baby. Cora!” Patrick called again.

  Before Adam could respond to Patrick’s baby remark Cora walked into the room.

  “Yes, young sir?”

  “Mister Potter is put off by your routine. Could you come back later?”

  “As you wish, young sir,” she said with a smile and a small curtsey before leaving the room. Adam seemed to relax now that they were alone.

  “There. Happy?” said Patrick, pushing the sheet off and swinging his legs off the bed. Adam grabbed Patrick around the waist and pulled him back, spooning him.

  “I am now.”

  Patrick struggled with Adam. “Adam, we can’t now.”

  “Why not?”

  “We have to go down for breakfast with my family and introduce you to my uncle and cousins.”

  “No—I can’t.” Adam breathed his words in Patrick’s ear. “I need attention.”

  Patrick felt the attention Adam wanted against his ass. “Well, I don’t want to refuse you.”

  “Then don’t.”

  “We’re going to have to handle this in the shower, so we’re not late for breakfast.”

  “Deal,” Adam said, climbing off the bed and pulling Patrick with him to the bathroom.

  ****

  Adam held Patrick off his feet as Patrick hugged Adam’s neck.

  Patrick moaned into his shoulder as his detective held his cheeks apart for deeper penetration. Patrick was incoherent as Adam worked his body for release. The shower drenched them as Patrick’s cries bounced off the walls. Adam slammed his hips upward, feeling the need to release grow inside him. He kissed his lover’s lips, cheek, shoulder, and arm as his thrusting increased, then froze. His cock softened and slipped from Patrick’s body.

  “Fuck!” Adam snapped, confused by what happened. He dropped one of Patrick’s legs and grasped his cock, fisting it to regain its rigidity, but failed.

  Adam carefully lowered his lover to his feet. Patrick said nothing as Adam grabbed the soap, washing Patrick’s body clean. Patrick joined in and washed Adam’s body, both kissing now and then.

  “It’s all right, Adam,” said Patrick while Adam washed and rinsed his hair.

  Adam looked down at Patrick, whose sympathetic stare shot daggers at his pride. “You’re okay with my soft cock?” he shot back.

  “I didn’t say that.” Patrick blinked away the droplets of water that dripped from his eyelids, not wanting to cause any embarrassment. “Adam,” Patrick sighed. “You’re stressed about the party and meeting my family. And last night, someone attacked you.”

  Adam shut off the shower, ending their talk.

  Patrick caught on; Adam wanted to drop the subject. In silence, they dried and dressed in crew pullover sweaters and slacks.

  Patrick fixed his hair in the mirror as Adam waited in the sitting room, surfacing his cell. Adam needed something to take his mind off his poor performance in the shower. I’ve been in stressful situations and never had a problem performing, he reflected. “Why now? Fuck!”

  “Adam, what’s wrong?” Patrick asked, standing at the doorway to his bedroom.

  Adam turned, lowering his phone. “Oh, hey, are you ready to go down?”

  “Don’t change the subject, Adam.” Patrick stepped to him and embraced him. “It’s just stress. Don’t think about it anymore. Just know that I love you and always will.”

  “I just don’t want you to think less of me,” Adam said, tucking his cell in his pants pocket.

  “I would never do that,” Patrick said, stepping back. “I will always see you as a strong, loving man.”

  Adam formed a smile, sending hope to Patrick, but the sentiment lasted for a moment.

  “What happened to you, Adam?”

  Adam tried to find the words to explain but his mind seemed to repress them. “I can’t—"

  “You showed up here beaten and wounded. And you can’t tell me why?”

  Adam realized things were escalating. He moved to Patrick and grabbed his shoulders.

  “Pat, I swear to you I am here for the party and you. What happened to me is over.”

  Patrick’s shoulders relax under his touch. “Really?”

  “Yes.”

  Patrick glanced away, staring at nothing, then back at Adam, apologetic. “I should have said nothing about your performance. Sorry,” he said in a whisper.

  “It’s all right,” Adam said.

  “It’s just—I want to make a good impression with my family. I want them to see that we are happy and in love,” Patrick said, hugging Adam and pressing his cheek against his chest.

  “We are.”

  “Yes, but—”

  Adam made Patrick look at him. “Pat, do you love me?”

  “Yes,” Patrick said right away.

  “Good answer,” Adam smiled. “Because I love you too.” Adam didn’t give Patrick time to say anything else when he kissed him with intention. When they parted, Patrick’s tense demeanor relaxed in his hold.

  “Now, no more doubts. Let’s go downstairs and have breakfast with your family.”

  “All right, but not together.”

  “Wait, what?”

  “Adam, you showed up here unannounced. I need to prepare them for your arrival.”

  “I’m not getting breakfast?”

  “Just give me a five-minute head start.”

  “It’s your call.”

  Patrick kissed Adam. “Thanks.” Patrick went to the door but turned back to Adam. “Remember, five minutes.”

  “Got it,” Adam smiled.

  Patrick flashed a smile before leaving the room, shutting the door behind him.

  Adam removed his cell and called Justin.

  CHAPTER 29

  NuMbER

  Justin allowed Ethan to spend the night at his place. They went out for breakfast at the diner near his job. After having their meal at the counter, they waited for the check.

  Ethan popped his last piece of waffle in his mouth before sighing his approval of the meal. He glanced at Justin
, who finished his white egg omelet and swallowed down the rest of his coffee. Ethan wanted to kiss the blonde. But he knew Justin would scrutinize him for doing a gesture that only lovers did.

  Justin went into a relationship not thinking he was in one. His mission was to only have fun. When things got too serious, he would bolt without a second glance.

  So far, Ethan kept their imbalanced relationship from toppling over. He did what Justin expected him to do. If people, asked if they were a couple, he would brush it off by changing the subject. After a night of drinking and partying, whichever of their places they ended up at, it was usually Justin’s. Unless Ethan was too drunk, or Justin wanted seconds he would leave after. Sometimes without a goodbye.

  “Have any plans for your two days off?” Ethan asked.

  Justin stared at his coffee cup and considered getting a refill when Ethan asked him a question. He glanced at his repeat fuck that—for some reason, he couldn’t shake. Ethan took him to a sex toy demonstration party for laughs. Everything was going well until they brought out the drinks called Zombies. Then the party turned into an orgy. Since they both weren’t home, Justin invited Ethan to breakfast. “My boss wants me to research a town called WillowMoss.”

  “Never heard of it.”

  “Me neither. But it’s a two-hour drive from here.”

  “You’re going to this town?” asked Ethan.

  “I thought I’d get all the Intel off-line.”

  “I thought you were a researcher.”

  “I am,” Justin said defensively.

  “So, what’s the best way of getting research?”

  “I don’t want to drive all that way and back.”

  “I’ll go with you.”

  “Really?”

  “Sure, I’ll even help. Then you can get done faster, so we can have some fun.” Ethan bumped Justin’s knee with his, giving the blue-eyed blonde a smirk.

  “Yeah, why not? Adam never said not to go to the town.”

  “Then it’s a road trip. I have my brother’s car until tomorrow. I’ll set my GPS on my cell, and we can grab some snacks for the road,” Ethan said.

  “Sounds good.” The waitress delivered the check and before Ethan could grab it, Justin snatched it up and paid the bill.

  ****

  A nonstop drive to WillowMoss turned out to be fun for Justin. Ethan drove the Range Rover as they shared their likes and dislikes in movies, music, and food. Ethan talked about his parents and that he was an only child. Justin only shared he too was an only child, but nothing more about his parents.

  “I have a dog named, Token,” said Ethan.

  “You have a dog, I love dogs. I never saw him when I stayed over.”

  “He was a rescue dog. I leave him with a neighbor when I’m out late. He hates being alone at night.”

  “I would love a pet, but I don’t have the patience.”

  “Well, you’ll love Token, he’s a flirt.”

  “So, you left him with your neighbor?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You should have brought him along.”

  “Yeah, he loves car rides. But I wasn’t sure you weren’t allergic.”

  “You worried about me?”

  “Is that so unbelievable?”

  Justin didn’t respond as he continued to smile and turned on the radio. A pop song was just ending when a second one that Justin loved came on. Ethan glanced now and then at the smiling blonde.

  “I’m starving. Are there any more granola bars?” Ethan asked. Justin turned and checked his backpack and found one handing it to Ethan.

  “Last one,” said Justin.

  “We can share.” Ethan opened it with his teeth and broke the bar in a not-so-perfect half. He handed the bigger piece in the wrapper back to Justin.

  “You gave me too much,” Justin said.

  Ethan shrugged it off as he chewed and kept his eyes on the road. Justin munched on his half and when he saw Ethan had finished chewing, he fed him more of his piece. Ethan didn’t protest as he opened his mouth, allowing Justin to pop the chunk inside.

  They passed the sign welcoming them to WillowMoss.

  “Okay, we’re almost there,” Ethan said. “Should we have a plan?”

  “We’re here researching the town, not spying on anyone,” Justin stated.

  “Right.” Ethan gripped the steering wheel and took a deep breath. “This is exhilarating.”

  “Yeah, but it could be dangerous,” Justin said.

  “Dangerous, why?”

  “That’s something Adam always tells me when investigating something.”

  “But we’re only researching the history.”

  “And that’s all. If we see anything weird, we drop everything and leave, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  Justin’s cell rang, and he checked the caller ID.

  “It’s Adam.”

  “Who’s Adam?” Ethan asked, feeling the sting of jealousy.

  “My boss,” Justin reminded him.

  “Oh yeah.” Ethan remembered Adam when Justin was escaping the Harlequin, who broke into Justin’s apartment to kill him. Justin managed to climb out of a window and jump for safety injuring his leg.

  Justin answered on the second ring.

  “Hey, boss.”

  “Justin. I need you to do some research for me,” Adam said.

  “I know. On WillowMoss. I’m on it.”

  “What? How do you know about—” The words hung in Adam’s head but wouldn’t come out.

  “You called me about it, remember? Don’t worry, I’ll gather all the intel.”

  Adam didn’t remember calling his assistant. “Justin, listen, don’t—” Suddenly, the call dropped. Justin checked his battery and saw it at full charge.

  “That’s weird,” Justin said.

  “What?” asked Ethan.

  “The call dropped.” Justin tried to call Adam back, but it wouldn’t connect. “Now I can’t call out.”

  “Here.” Ethan pulled out his cell from his pocket and handed it to Justin. “Use mine. The password is 0228.” Justin tapped in the password and tried Adam’s cell number again.

  “Damn, it still won’t let me call out.”

  “Maybe it’s a dead zone. We’ll be in the town soon; it should work there.”

  “Yeah, you’re probably right.” Justin sat back and turned his attention to the tree-lined road.

  ****

  When they reached the town, they parked in front of a bookstore. Exhausted from the long drive, Justin and Ethan climbed out of the Rover. Justin tossed his head back, stretching his back. Ethan overextended his arms above his head, doing the same.

  “So,” stated Justin, glancing around at the well-kept town. He noticed the buildings were in their original structures. “This is WillowMoss.” Justin walked over to a bookstore window. He glanced at the striking display of a book series he wasn’t familiar with.

  “Yeah, pretty nice,” Ethan said, shutting the driver’s-side door and walking over to Justin.

  “On the surface,” Justin mumbled.

  “Well, we’re here to find that out, right?” Ethan stared at Justin’s worried reflection in the glass.

  Justin pulled out his phone, checking for bars. “I still don’t have a signal.”

  Ethan checked his, discovering the same thing. “That’s not unusual. Some towns just don’t want cell phones.”

  “Or—internet?”

  “Come on, let’s walk around and find a phone.”

  “And a library. I want to jump on the research so we can get back to the city by nightfall.”

  “Whatever you like,” Ethan said.

  They took off walking toward the center of town. As they strolled, Justin glanced at the people. He watched them shopping, working, and playing with their kids at the park. He remembered his mother taking him to a similar park when he was small. She took pictures of him on the slide, in the sandbox, and swinging on the jungle gym. He also remembered hanging out in the s
ame park after hours with his friends when he was in high school.