Chapter 13
Leon
Auggie picks me up early, and I’m not used to this. His driving. It feels oddly like giving up control, and that’s not something I’ve ever been so great at.
“You going to tell me where we’re going yet?”
Auggie only told me to bring swim trunks, so I’m not feeling confident.
He’s wearing a loose white button-up, like what a pirate or something might wear, and these tiny denim shorts. They show off his lean, smooth legs, and it takes me a moment to realize I’m staring at them. Smooth, hairless, male.
My brain does not compute.
Circus shaves his legs occasionally for photoshoots, but he’s the only guy I’ve noticed who does it.
It’s not something I’ve ever thought I’d be all that attracted to.
It’s the same with Auggie’s delicate wrists, jutting shoulder blades …
and when I meet his eyes and realize he’s caught me staring, the soft pink blush that spreads quickly over his cheeks.
But if the way my dick twitches is any indication, okay, I guess I could be interested in that look.
Maybe.
On someone other than Auggie, that is.
He pushes reflective tinted sunglasses up on his nose and smiles warm enough to light up the damn car. “Portland.”
I’m sure I’ve heard him wrong. “Portland?”
“Mhmm. So sit back and relax, and I’ll have us there in no time. Our booking is for ten.”
“Auggie, there isn’t a single part of that sentence I like.”
“You said you trust me.”
I huff. Stupid, hurried answer. I don’t trust anyone. But … Auggie makes it hard to actively not trust him, which means I’m leaning that way on default.
He’s too … pure. I grunt at the thought.
It’s been over a week since I got my dick wet, which is apparently so long that I’m waxing poetic.
“Relaxed as fuck,” I say. “That’s what you’ve promised me. So you better follow through.”
Somehow the drive does go quickly. Auggie talks a lot, and the music from his Bluetooth fills in the would-be silences.
I’m not sure if he did it on purpose or not, but all of the songs playing are laid-back and chill, and the farther we drive from Sunbury, the easier it is to stop being so tense about everything I’ve left outstanding.
Sundays are supposed to be the day I work on my house and help Tanner and Royce out with theirs. I screwed up last week, and this week I’m skipping out on my responsibilities, for what?
Before I spiral back into panic mode, I remind myself we’ve made more progress on my house this week than I have for months and that Tanner and Royce have things under control.
People have been pushing me to take a day off.
Auggie’s the first one who’s actually made me.
Before I even realize we’ve reached Portland, we pull up out the front of a little cottage-style business. It’s the last place I ever would have approached willingly, and as we step out of the car, I’m still not sure what it is I’m looking at.
“Auggie … when you say ‘relaxed,’ you don’t actually mean murdered and used in some kind of ritual, right? Because I’ve got to tell you, that sounds stressful to me.”
He gives me a cheeky look, and when he reaches me, he links his arm around mine.
I look down into his smiling face, seeing straight past the innocence.
“Come on, daddy bear,” he teases. “I’ll show you.”
“No. Nope. None of that.”
He presses his face into my shoulder as he laughs, and that niggling little reminder of the conversation I’ve been avoiding hits me again. I might not have a whole lot of employees, but I know a boss doesn’t usually let their employees hang off them like this—not the ethical ones anyway.
I’m caught in a war between doing what I’m sure is the right thing and letting Auggie have his fun.
If I bring up the whole crush theory, it’ll be awkward. And that’s the furthest thing from what today is supposed to be.
Tomorrow, then. Save work conversations for a work setting.
I know I have to do it soon though.
“Ta-da!” Auggie announces as we walk into the small foyer. There are peach tiles, and hanging plants and a tinkling little water fountain on the desk. I’m still not convinced this isn’t some Stepford Wives bullshit, when my gaze lands on a price list.
Clara all the Jacuzzis are meant for one person.
I don’t know if Auggie can feel the question coming off me, but he turns his back, then steps into his hot tub. Somehow he manages to sink under the water and remove his robe at the same time.
Well, I’m sure as shit not that graceful. I didn’t think Auggie was either, if I’m honest.
I fling my robe over the table thingy and slosh into the hot tub.
And I have to say … it’s fucking good.
I’m not able to shut off the never-ending list of things I need to get done over the next week, but the warm water works at my muscles, and I can’t remember the last time I was fully submerged in water like this.
Other than a quick shower out the back of my place, taking time to relax like this is something I don’t have the time for.
It’s probably the quietest Auggie’s ever been as well.
Even while we work and he’s not so chatty, he still grunts and breathes deep and throws the occasional quip my way.
But lying in the Jacuzzi, and again while we’re being massaged and my muscles are turning to jelly, he’s so silent he could be asleep.
He’s good at this relaxing thing.
It’s too hot to talk in the sauna, so I shut up and try to keep my thoughts and worries from leaking out of my mouth, and by the time we leave it, sweaty and red, we’ve been there hours.
The woman is back to lead us to the rock pool or whatever Auggie said it was, and she’s also doing the not-talking thing. It’s relaxing, sure, but it’s also kind of weird to go a whole day with nothing said.
Everything’s been great so far, but if I’m honest, it kind of feels like I’m wasting my time.
We reach a huge fenced-in area out the back that’s been transformed to look like the inside of an actual rainforest. Trees and ferns tower over the top of us, and right in the center is an enormous, well, rock pool.
There’s a platter of food on one side and a tray with what looks like chilled water and a bottle of champagne on the other.
Auggie once again does his elegant robe strip as he steps into the pool and sinks under the surface. I watch his eyes drift closed behind the curtain of steam rising from the water.
“Good?”
“Mhmm.”
He keeps his eyes closed again as I clumsily make my way in. As soon as I sink under the warm water, a long moan leaves me.
Auggie’s eyes pop open. “I knew you were relaxing.”
“Yeah, I guess today hasn’t been horrible.”
He grabs the platter of food and moves closer, placing it between us. “Hungry?”
“Fucking starving.” I dive straight in. “You having anything?”
He picks up a plain cracker and keeps watching me.
“Okay, what?”
“Nothing.”
“Auggie …” I watch as he chews the inside of his cheek.
“I was just thinking this whole relaxing thing suits you.”
“Does it?”
“Mhmm. I don’t think I’ve seen you frown once since we got here.”
“I don’t frown.”
“You frown always. Even when you’re happy, there’s a frown.”
Well, that’s news to me.
“See? You’re doing it now.”
“Am I frowning? Or confused?”
“Is there a difference with you?” He drifts a little closer, and I’m overly aware of that familiar, flirty tone and the very limited distance between our naked bodies. “No matter what, you’re always thinking about something.”
“I have a lot to think about. My house, the school, the shopping contrac—”
His hand closes over my mouth. “Those things will still be there tomorrow, no matter how much you worry about them.”
I mumble against his palm, and he pulls away. “The thing is, I’m adding to my list faster than I can cross things off.”
“Then say no. You’re full.”
“And lose business? Can’t afford to. Not while I’m still growing and making a name for myself.”
“Dude, your name is made. People know LJ Construction. That isn’t something you need to worry about.”
“And yet, I worry anyway.”
We slip into an easy silence as we share the food.
Auggie’s so close I can feel the subtle ripples coming off him every time he moves in the water.
I’m trying hard not to look directly at him, not to notice the shadowy, pale limbs under the surface, not to look down and see him almost nude beside me.
Getting naked with other guys is usually a nonevent for me, unless I know I’m about to get laid. But there’s something buzzing at the back of my brain, willing me to move a little closer, to let my gaze drop and try to make out what he’s packing in those tight little shorts.
When I glance Auggie’s way, he’s already watching me.
His eyes have darkened, and as I meet them, he swallows.
It’s like I can feel him going through the same struggle.
His stare dips to my lips, my jaw, my throat, my chest, before he catches himself and quickly looks away.
But I’m left with the feel of his gaze burning over my bare skin.
His cheeks are flushed that pretty pink again.
“Umm … I guess, if you’re done, we can probably go.
We don’t have to if you don’t want though, just …
I know you’re busy and have a lot on your mind, but I’m glad I was able to pull you away from it all, so if you want to go back, that’s definitely a thing we can do. If you want.”
Goddamn that’s cute. “Nervous again?”
“No! Definitely not nervous. What would I have to be nervous about?”
I bite into my lip as I imagine moving closer, ducking my lips to his ear and telling him all about how I saw him check me out. How desperately I want to do it right back. How, even now, my cock is starting to get interested at just the thought of brushing my hand over his bare waist.
His slim, hairless waist.
It doesn’t make sense to me.
I don’t even know why I’m feeling this attraction to Auggie when even in high school I only slept with guys who were bigger than me.
Maybe it’s the proximity. Maybe it’s because I’m protective of him. Maybe we’d give in to this tension, and then the fascination on my end would disappear and I’d ruin this growing friendship between us.
All I know is that as his boss, I have to be careful.
It’s not illegal for anything to happen between us, but the last thing I’d want is for anyone to claim favoritism, or—and I doubt it, but who the hell knows—Auggie turning around if things go south and putting a sexual harassment claim out against me.
The reminder of that is enough to kill my growing boner.
“You’re right, we should get back. The longer you have to rest your side today, the better.”
I ignore the flicker of disappointment in his eyes, grab my robe, and climb out. Without waiting for the woman to come back and collect us, I head back to the room to get dressed.