8. Percy
CHAPTER 8
Percy
Waking up in my room felt like walking out of the mist and onto a sunny hilltop. The rays of sunshine warmed my bare torso and my uncovered left leg in concentrated beams of sunlight. As I opened my eyes, I became aware of the arrangement of bodies in my bed. Mine was pushed all the way against the edge, my left leg bent and my knee poking over the side, my left arm hanging limp in the empty space. A corner of my duvet was available to me, covering part of my right leg and the embarrassingly tall tent of my underwear. Did I have some interesting dream? I wondered momentarily before putting that thought firmly out of my head.
The remaining three-quarters of the bed belonged to the sprawling heap of limbs and muscled torso of Finn Connolly, who slept soundly with his face on my pillow, his left arm hugging his pillow on the other side of his torso, and his legs spread like… No! But it was impossible not to see the curve of his back sloping down to his waist and then rising sharply to define the roundness of his ass. He wore black boxer briefs that hugged his butt tightly, the waistband low around his waist, the leg bands rolled and pulled up from moving in his sleep. It was just as impossible not to notice his defined calves or his round shoulders, the bulging of his biceps where he bent his arm to claim my side of the bed, and the adorable way curly locks of dark hair fell over his brow and eyes.
Shut up , I told myself firmly. Stop thinking about him. Stop thinking about everything. But I couldn’t pretend that I didn’t feel the heat of his body radiate and wash over me, that I didn’t know his forearm was a quarter of an inch away from the side of my ribcage, that my cock wasn’t excruciatingly hard. The last one was a mere coincidence, however inconvenient. It didn’t mean anything.
And yet, as my gaze caressed the taut skin on his rising and falling back, it throbbed eagerly.
I bit my tongue hard and furiously stared at the canopy above. There were only ever two ways to solve this problem and the other one was out of the question. So I wondered what Aunt Judith was up to this morning. Was she getting ready for the beach? It didn’t take long before the fire in my chest and groin went out.
Sighing with relief, I got up. My feet carried me lightly across the stone floor and into the en suite. Along the way, I picked up clean clothes and slipped into the shower. Cold water stabbed my skin and muscles like needles, but that was precisely what I needed. I hadn’t checked the time, but the pale freshness of the sunlight and the lightly cool air entering the bathroom through the small window meant it was still early.
I brushed my teeth and shaved my stubble for a fresh look, dried myself with a big, white towel, dabbed a touch of cologne on my neck, and dressed for the day. A light mint green linen shirt and black, knee-length shorts that emphasized my ass might have been, upon reflection, an intentional choice. Normally, I needed Kim to remind me about my appearance, but it looked like her droning about my wardrobe and physique had finally turned into an ingrained instinct.
As I returned to the bedroom, my gaze locked onto Finn. At some point in the last thirty minutes, he had turned around to lie on his back, a duvet tangled between his legs, one arm stretched out to claim the empty space on the bed, the other thrown above his head and bent as if he posed just to torment me. His torso was completely bare, the other tangled duvet trapped under the small of his back and forming a mound that made it look like he thrust his stomach out. And below…
I wheezed. Boy problems were universal and absolutely natural, but that didn’t make my heart beat any slower. His black underwear was stretched thin and a stiff bulge was hard to miss.
I cleared my throat as I spun away on my heels.
A sound escaped Finn’s throat and I knew I had woken him up. It hadn’t been my intention, but panic soared through me as the heat in my face threatened to slow-cook my brain.
“Mm…huh?” Finn’s awareness set in after a moment. “Morning. Oh. Erm. Oopsie.” He laughed shortly as fabric rustled around the bed. “That’s embarrassing,” he said lightly in a high-pitched voice.
I cleared my throat again, this time to announce that I was turning around. “Sleep well?”
Finn snorted. “Too well, apparently.” He was sitting up, just a touch red in the face, and the duvet was tossed over his lap. “You?”
A slight frown trembled on my brow. “Same.” My chest tightened with embarrassment. I only wanted him to remember it was normal. “Um, Aunt Judith tends to sunbathe topless after the second glass of wine.”
“Oh, Lord,” Finn said, slapping his eyes.
It wasn’t even a lie, but I doubted any odd fact about my extended family was a surprise to Finn at this point.
I walked around the bed and to the windows overlooking the beach and the endless blue sea, my attention resolutely on things outside this room. In the meantime, Finn got up, coughed shortly, and his feet slapped gently against the floor as he went into the bathroom.
The minutes that followed were a blessing. The fire had returned to every inch of my body, which was the least welcome sensation in my current situation.
Finn Connolly was a friendly guy doing me a favor. I had no business lusting after him. If this was going to work, I needed to keep the lid shut on these feelings. And if things got really bad, I could always just hook up with someone downtown. As if , my own voice of reason said with contempt. When was the last time you hooked up with anyone? And that was the entire point. I normally didn’t care either way.
So why do I get so flustered around this particular man? The question rang through my skull, sparking both glimmering excitement and a significant amount of annoyance. The answer was obvious. He was acting like a boyfriend, and, however well my brain understood this arrangement, my body was getting mixed messages.
The only real and objective piece of information I had to remember returned to me when Finn appeared in the room with a towel tied around his waist and water dripping from his hair. “Do you ever get so excited about a good, long shower that you forget to bring your pants?” he mused. And that significant piece of information was clear as day; Finn wasn’t bothered by strolling like young Adonis around the room, flashing his body, letting the sunlight break and glimmer in the beads of water that trickled down his torso. Why should he be bothered by that? He couldn’t fathom a reality in which something like that might interest me.
Unlike me, Finn knew what the assignment was. And unlike me, he had no problem sticking to it.
Be like Finn , I reminded myself. And stop acting like a horny teenager. It’s just a charade.
He twirled around with his clothes and returned a few minutes later. Sticking to the script, I waited for him to join me on our way to breakfast downstairs. He appeared wearing a sleeveless shirt with deep cutouts for arms that didn’t leave much to my imagination, the sides of his ribcage flashing whenever he moved his arms. His shorts went only as low as the middle of his thighs. His sandals were brown leather with straps around his ankles, making him look like an ancient Greek warrior.
“Ready?” I asked, my voice surprisingly dry.
“In a moment,” Finn replied. He closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath of air. “Just getting into my character.” As he exhaled, he opened his eyes, and the look he gave me was warm and loving enough to fool me , and I was part of this foolish plan.
“Once more unto the breach,” I murmured.
As we stepped into the hallway, Finn’s arm slipped around my waist, making my pulse speed up.
Breakfast was served on the terrace in deep shade. The light from the southeast was only beginning to edge toward the gathered group. Dimitrios and Nektaria had piled the table with food and beverages and sat with my parents, Emily, and Aunt Judith as they always had. I noticed Finn spotting them at the table, the corners of his lips ticking up so fractionally I might have been mistaken.
“So, as I was saying, Benny is looking forward to meeting you all,” Aunt Judith said.
I feared that Benny was yet another eligible bachelor she wanted me to get together with. My muscles tensed as Finn and I approached the table and greeted everyone.
“Here are the sleepyheads,” Dad announced.
It was barely half past eight, but he and Mom were already put together nicely, lounging in the high-backed chairs like they were thrones. Mom popped a grape into Dad’s mouth and I clenched my teeth.
“We’re not late for anything, are we?” Finn asked.
Mom waved her hand as if to dismiss all concerns. “Oh, darling, don’t listen to him. You’re in paradise. There’s a ban on alarm clocks on this island.” She paused while Dad put a grape into her mouth this time around.
I busied myself by pulling out a chair for Finn and we both sat down.
“Besides, whatever kept you in the room this late must be a good thing,” she said matter-of-factly.
“And that’s me spontaneously combusting,” I grumbled.
“Why do you torture the boy, Alicia? You know how shy he is,” Dad singsonged to Mom.
I wanted to argue that I wasn’t shy at all, but that my parents implying I was having sex all morning was hardly a topic fit for a breakfast table. Emily merely snort-chuckled and spread butter over her toast. “I hear we’re having guests,” I said, turning to Aunt Judith. Perhaps a distraction concerning some twink Aunt Judith met at a gay club while searching for my soulmate would make my parents forget about my sex life.
“Indeed, we are,” Aunt Judith said. “You’re going to love Benny, my dear. A true gentleman. I met him at the Caribbean cruise this spring.”
“How wonderful,” I said. “I hope he knows I’m a taken man, Aunt Judith.”
“Nonsense, Percy,” Aunt Judith said, chin quivering. “Why on Earth would he know that?”
Emily laughed harder. “You missed the crucial part, Percy. This is one of the rare instances when the man is not intended for you.” And as soon as I shot Emily a sympathetic look, she hurried to add, “He’s for Aunt Judith personally.”
Relief flooded through me and I laughed joyfully enough to sound crazy. “Now, that is truly wonderful, Aunt Judith,” I said. “When will he be here?”
“Perhaps as early as tomorrow,” Aunt Judith said. “You’ll see, my dear, he’s one of the rare examples of a man whose mother taught him some manners.”
Finn placed his hand over mine, chuckling softly. “How rare is that? I’d say Alicia and Lawrence did a wonderful job teaching Percy.”
Reminiscing about my childhood was the last thing I wanted before having my coffee. “Speaking of guests, I invited Richie,” I announced.
Six mouths released disappointed grunts and grumbles as soon as those words left my mouth. Finn was the only one who didn’t understand, so he kept quiet and listened intently, judging by the way his ears perked. I should have looped him in better. He would just have to improvise.
“Now, why would you do that?” Mom asked, flat-out disappointed.
Dad shook his head sadly. “Oh, Percy.”
Emily had muttered something under her breath and Aunt Judith shook her head. Dimitrios was pushing bits of cherry tomatoes around his plate. Nektaria threw her hands in the air. “Then I must buy the softener Mr. Richie likes and wash the linens again.”
“There is no need for that, Nektaria,” I hurried to explain, but the fiery woman was already up and speaking hurriedly in Greek, making Dimitrios wince as she retreated into the house.
“Wow,” Finn whispered.
Truth be told, Richie had been an ass about the linens being a little coarse when he had been here years ago.
Judging by the heat in Dimitrios’ face, Nektaria had shared a few flavorful blessings and curses on her way into the house.
Mom leaned in and looked at me with concern. “Darling, this was supposed to be a relaxing and romantic getaway for you and Finn. Is bringing a former lover wise?”
Finn perked up and crossed his arms over his chest. “Yes, Percy,” he agreed with my mother, his voice amused just enough for me to notice. “Do we really need your ex in the mix?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed. “Richie is a good friend, everyone. Whatever fling we had in the past is long behind us. And you will all be nice to him. He’s the reason we have everything we have.”
“He’s half the reason, Percy,” Dad reminded me firmly. “If even that.”
“You were the one who developed the whole thing,” Mom said.
“He only sold it like the sleazy salesman that he is,” Aunt Judith said without reservations.
“And for that, we owe him some courtesy at the very least,” I insisted.
Mom slurped her tea loudly. “How will he ever tell the difference?” she murmured behind the cup. Dad laughed.
It was true. Richie could be a dick. I didn’t intend for my family or the staff to tiptoe around the guy, but my family had to learn some manners eventually. Without Richie, I would still be coding in my basement without a penny in my pocket.
Emily looked at me in a way I couldn’t decipher, which was strange since deciphering things was the foundation of my wealth.
“If you are putting together a reunion of former lovers, darling, why not bring the imaginary ones?” Mom asked, her tone so edgy that someone else might have missed the joke.
“Orson was real,” I replied for the millionth time. “Can I please enjoy my breakfast without all this interrogation?”
Dad urged everyone to let me eat in peace and that was what happened. The atmosphere was significantly cooler as the silence settled around the table. It was only broken by Nektaria not-so-gently marching through the house and opening and closing the cupboards.
I would get her a basket of all her favorite chocolates, digestives, and that apricot liqueur she loved.
After we ate, I turned to Finn, who was failing spectacularly to protect his boyfriend from all the attacks. He had apparently decided that the kind of boyfriend he played was a jealous type. “Baby,” I said, carefully using that word. “I was hoping to show you around today.”
“Without any exes popping up?” Finn asked coolly.
“See?” Mom pointed out.
I ignored her. “Naturally,” I said.
Finn pouted so convincingly that it tugged my heart out of my chest. Hush , I told myself and waited for Finn’s answer. “I suppose any extra time with you is welcome.”
If the pout had been tugging, these words yanked my heart right out. I smiled and put a hand on his back. “Let’s get going, then.”
Once we slipped into the house, Finn relaxed a little. “Did I do well?” he asked with contained enthusiasm.
“Too well,” I grumbled.
“And what do you want us to do?” He spoke casually, dropping the act as if an underpaid employee who just clocked out.
“I was thinking about going to the city beach. That’s where the fun and noise are,” I said. “We can drag it out until tonight, I’m sure.”
Finn smirked. “Your family is much nicer than you’re willing to admit.”
What did one say to that? Thank you? I elected to remain quiet. We went into my room and shut the door. The closet contained all the things we might need for a day at the beach. While I gathered the items into a beach bag, Finn stood behind me.
He seemed a little awkward or worried. “Um, is there, like, a safebox I could use?”
I frowned in confusion. “Your things are safe in the room. Nobody’s going to look around.”
Finn nodded, but he still hesitated and didn’t move back. “I know. Of course. But I’d just be more relaxed if I could leave my…passport…someplace safer.”
I nodded. Moving the linens from the closet, I revealed the small safebox secured to the wall and positioned to appear as though it was part of the shelf. “Of course.” It was a timely reminder that Finn was not my boyfriend. He had no reason to trust me. He was here to do a job and that was it. If he was more comfortable leaving his things locked up, he had every right to do just that.
He doesn’t owe you trust , I told myself as I stepped into the bedroom to give him privacy while setting up his access code. When that was done, he joined me in the bedroom and smiled lightly. “Thanks.”
“No problem,” I said. I wondered if I’d done something to cause the lack of trust. And however much I tried to tell myself that it was the most natural thing to occur, I couldn’t quite convince myself that I hadn’t done something wrong. Then again, I had always been that way. “Ready?”
“Hell yeah,” Finn said excitedly. And with a shared smile, we left the room, heading for the city beach and a day in actual paradise.