Chapter 5
5
W esley stopped by the bar on his way out to the cookout. After a short nap and a long walk, he’d decided he needed to know more about Zeke before he spent another minute with the boy.
“Hello, Jamie.” He parked one cheek on a barstool. “If I need information about a sub, do I go to the management, or do I just ask the local bartender?”
“Well, the official answer is to talk to the management, but I’d say no one knows everyone like I do…”
He thought as much. “I’ll start here, then. Zeke. I want to know.”
Jamie beamed at him, eyes dancing. “Oh, he’s fascinating. What do you want to know?”
“Honestly, I stopped asking questions when he told me that he hasn’t been in the lifestyle since long before he moved here.” But Zeke had to have chosen this place for a reason. “He’s surrounded by the lifestyle and doesn’t take part?”
“He came up to meet a Dom here. The guy took one look at him, blinked, and left with another sub.”
“Well, fuck.” He was glad that he’d been up front about his meetup with Alan later. “I’ve got a challenge on my hands.”
“Yeah. He’s brilliant—a musician. He writes songs for all these famous people. He’s super regular. Nothing in his life ever changes—coffee for breakfast, a turkey wrap for lunch, a Cape Cod at four-forty-five, and then either chicken and rice or steak and fries for supper.”
Oh, he liked a challenge, and now he knew where he could start. He could just order something else for dinner.
“What about before he got here? I got a… vibe. He talked about safety a lot.”
“He’s never said. You’re the first guy he’s smiled at in ages except for me and the dude that delivers mail to him.”
He wondered who Zeke was getting mail from. Family? Friends?
A lawyer?
He cracked himself up sometimes.
“I’ve made some progress.” Zeke had called him Sir . He felt like that was private, so he didn’t share it with Jamie, but he understood a gift when he got one.
He tapped the bar. “Good talk, Jamie. Thank you.”
“Anytime. He’s a good man. I like him. He’s really a great guy.”
Wesley agreed. He was a pretty reliable judge of people; most Doms had to be, and Zeke was definitely a good man. A wounded one, possibly in more ways than one, but a good one.
He wandered outside to find the cookout and his date. An evening of flirting, even a scene if he’d given Alan that expectation wasn’t out of the question. He’d been honest with Zeke. This was just a night of play.
And if Zeke happened to be watching, the boy would see him treating someone well. Maybe that would work in his favor.
Most boys were jealous.
He got it. Doms were in short supply, and boys wanted to be the best, to be loved, to be chosen.
The cookout wasn’t the typical resort production line affair. There wasn’t a single food warmer or can of Sterno in sight. There were smokers and grills, huge pots of corn, tables covered in potato salad, veggies, dips, and pastas, and coolers full of cans of soda and beer.
And the music was loud.
“Wow,” he whispered to himself. This was amazing.
Alan waved to him, and there was indeed a seat saved for him at one of the tables near a portable heater.
What a sweetheart.
“Hello, boy.” He rewarded Alan with a light kiss on the cheek, then sat. “Thanks for saving me a seat. What a perfect spot.”
“I thought it would be a little quieter and nice and warm. I brought a blanket too, in case you needed it.”
Sweet boy. “Very thoughtful. Thank you.” He wanted something to drink, but this was always the moment when important decisions were made. He didn’t walk into a scene if he’d had anything alcoholic. He didn’t know what Alan needed from him tonight, but he’d agreed to meet up, and he always kept a promise.
So, soda then. “I’d love a Coke, please.”
“Of course, Sir. Anything you’d like.” Alan headed to one of the coolers and pulled out a couple of bottles of Coke.
He looked around, curious to see if Zeke was enjoying the cookout, but he didn’t see the boy anywhere.
“It’s Wesley, isn’t it? I’m Gil.” The man who sat next to him—clearly another Dom—offered a hand to shake.
“Hi, Gil. Yes, that’s right. Have I got a reputation already?” That was an amusing thought.
“No, Alan was talking about you. He’s excited that you wanted to see him tonight.” Gil winked at him, offering him a conspiratorial smile. “You chose well. He seems very… sweet.”
He hoped Alan wouldn’t be too disappointed tomorrow. “We’re just getting to know each other. I’m not looking to commit to anyone yet.”
“That’s usually how it goes, everyone expects a new Dom to play the field a bit if they weren’t specifically paired with someone before they arrived.”
“I guess that’s good to hear.” It had to be hard on the subs though.
“I imagine it has to be a bit of a relief, honestly. I mean, if a sub doesn’t connect with a Dom, this is a simple way to reject without actually rejecting.”
He nodded. “I hadn’t thought about it that way.” He hadn’t thought for a second that Alan might reject him, but of course that was possible.
How very Dom-like of him.
He rolled his eyes at himself, wondering if he was actually out of his league.
“I’m a little more casual than most, I suppose.” In demeanor, not expectations. And definitely not with a paddle or a flogger in his hands.
“The rules here are flexible, sort of.” Gil chuckled as a sub brought him a drink. “At least in theory. The big ones are still in play.”
That was interesting. “What are the big ones?”
Alan set a Coke down and opened it for him. “Not a drinker, Sir?”
“Not when I don’t know what the night will hold.”
“Oh, yes, Sir.”
Gil chuckled softly. “Safe words are sacrosanct. That’s the big one.”
“Oh, well of course. I’m not that casual.” Or that green.
“None of us are, but I always say it.” Gil sipped his whiskey. “Carson would be grumpy if we didn’t. If you are interested, you can pull up any of the sub’s interest forms from your account. Just sayin’.”
“You know, I think I read that in my paperwork, but I’d forgotten. Thanks for the reminder.” Because he was going to look Zeke up as soon as he was back in his room. He glanced at Alan, grinning playfully. “Have you looked me up?”
Alan turned a bright pink. “Yes, Sir. I did.”
Gil’s laughter filled the air, deep and loud.
He chuckled and nodded. “I see. You’re ahead of me then. You must have liked something you read since you actually saved me a seat.”
“I liked talking to you, Sir. I think we could have a nice evening.”
That was non-committal. Probably best, considering he wasn’t thinking beyond tonight. “Your friend said there was a waiting list to get a room here. How long were you on it?”
“Four years. I mean, four years before I could say yes when they called, you know?”
“That’s amazing. I basically filled out a form online and got a call within a couple of weeks. Of course, I just wanted to come; I wasn’t looking for a theme week or special pairing or anything. From what I hear, those are really well done.”
“I guess so? I just had time off, and I took it.”
“So, what are your interests? You got to read about mine.” He was pretty straightforward. His work was in fundraising, he liked music and basketball and was strong with a flogger and a paddle.
“I’m a sous chef in an Italian restaurant. I snowboard, I ski, and I like bondage, outdoor sex.”
“You’re in the right place for all of that.” He winked at Alan. He liked sex. Indoors, outdoors, it was all good. He wasn’t the best at fancy bondage, but he knew how to restrain a boy. “What’s your favorite Italian dish?”
Alan lit up. Someone loved his job. “Risi e bisi. Rice and peas—simple, comforting, so tasty.”
Huh. When he thought Italian, it was red sauces and pasta. “I don’t know what I was expecting you to say, but it wasn’t that. That’s cool. I don’t think I’ve ever had it.”
“It’s really delicious—not soup, not risotto, but something in between. I make it for my roommates when we’re needing to feel at home.”
“Very sweet. And it sounds delicious. I’m afraid I’m not much of a cook. I’m great with breakfast, but otherwise…” He shook his head. “I—” He thought he’d caught sight of Zeke, but when he looked more closely, the boy was gone. Maybe he’d made it up. “I order in a lot.”
“It’s totally my passion. I’ve never wanted to do anything else. I love feeding people.”
“What is it they say? Food is love? I’m sure everyone around you feels that.” They were lucky.
“I’m sort of an amateur cook at home, I don’t know how good I am by a chef’s standards, but I enjoy it.” Gil picked up whatever he was drinking. “I prefer Asian food myself.”
Alan beamed at Gil. “Yes, Sir? What’s your favorite dish to cook?”
“Oh.” Gil turned to Alan, smiling back. “Well, I make a really good Pad Thai, especially when I can get to the Asian market for the ingredients. I make it a lot for guests because most people like it.”
The body language between the two was pretty clear, and he let Gil and Alan talk food for a bit while his mind and eyes wandered elsewhere. This was good, because he knew whatever time he spent with Alan would be just one evening, since he had his eyes on someone else.
He finished his Coke and decided to get some food. Alan blushed and offered to get him something as he stood, but he just smiled back and told the boy to have a good evening.
Whatever was on the smoker smelled amazing, and he grabbed a plate and wandered that direction as his stomach growled.
“Have some brisket, Sir. There’s sausage and turkey breast, salmon and crab too.”
The options were amazing, and the crowd was decent sized. It surprised him to see that Zeke was here, at the far edge of the crowd in the shadows, watching.
It wasn’t a mirage this time, Zeke was actually standing there and didn’t disappear when he looked away to fill his plate.
He got some brisket and crab, corn, beans, and pasta salad. It was more food than he was used to eating at once, but how could he resist? It all looked amazing.
Stopping by the cookout wasn’t on Zeke’s usual schedule that Jamie had laid out for him, and he took that as a good sign.
It was absolutely curiosity.
Zeke wasn’t eating, but he was leaning against a tree, mug in hand.
Their eyes hadn’t met yet, so he grabbed a fork and wandered closer. He chose a seat near a big firepit and sat more or less by himself on the opposite side from everyone else.
They waved, he waved back and dug into his dinner, which was fantastic from the first bite.
Zeke slowly moved over, nice and easy, staying to the shadows. “Where’s your date?”
He didn’t twitch; he didn’t even turn his head. “Would you believe that he and Master Gil hit it off? It was this instant thing, and I was happy to get out of the way.”
“Oh.”
He noticed Zeke didn’t say he was sorry.
“How’s the food?”
He let himself turn slightly, catching Zeke out of the corner of his eye. He felt like he was tiptoeing around a skittish deer.
“The brisket is so good. And I got some kind of black bean thing. It’s a little spicy and super tasty.” He turned a bit more. “If you haven’t eaten yet, you should go get a plate.” And that gave him an idea. “You want me to walk over with you? I want some seconds anyway.”
“I—will I hurt anyone’s feelings? I don’t want to do that. It would be shitty of me.”
He pointed at Alan and Gil. Alan had moved to Gil’s side of the table and was practically in Gil’s lap.
That got Zeke chuckling, the sub’s body just shaking convulsively. He loved the way Zeke laughed with his whole… self. “I think we’re good.” He gave Zeke a big grin. “Brisket?”
“Why not? It smells good.” Zeke moved out of the shadows, smiled at him. “It’s a sweet little party. I like the music.”
“That firepit is really nice. Just warm enough, and I love watching the fire. And yeah, the music is good. Upbeat. It sets a party mood.” He latched onto the music. He knew that was Zeke’s thing.
“It does. It’s important.” He could see how the others stared at Zeke in shock, then glanced away. Fascinating.
Some of them seemed to be staring at him too, and he liked it. He was honored to be the one Zeke was choosing, regardless of how far things went between them.
“Grab a plate. The brisket is in this one.” He ignored the looks and led Zeke over to the smoker. “Brisket for Zeke, please?”
“Of course, yes, Sir.” A smiling gray-haired man put beef on a plate. “Would you like potatoes?”
“Please.”
He waited while Zeke got his food. “There’s a table full of sides. What do you like? I got corn, and there’s pasta salad and a bunch of other salads.” And it wasn’t steak or chicken.
This was more than curiosity, now. This was trust. A small bit of it, but Zeke could easily have refused to try anything.
He sang along with the music while Zeke looked over the choices.
“I think… I think I’d like the Brussels sprouts. I used to love them. It’s been a while.” Zeke seemed a little dazed, as if he couldn’t believe he was doing this.
He did his best to stay relaxed and not stress Zeke out at all. “They look grilled or roasted. Yummy either way. Can I serve you some? I think I’ll have some too.” He picked up the spoon and put a few on Zeke’s plate, and then a few on his.
“Thank you very much… Sir.” Zeke offered him a shaky smile but seemed to settle as they walked together to a table.
He found one for them. It wasn’t as out of the way as he’d have liked, but it was near a heater, which was becoming essential as the sun was going down. “I’m dressed better for the weather than I was this morning, but it’s still getting chilly, huh?”
“It is. There will be blankets in the big towel-warming chests, if you decide you’re cold.”
Oh, that was clever—clever and useful. No wonder this place was so well-loved. The owners thought of everything.
“Oh, that’s neat. Maybe we could share a blanket by the firepit after we eat. If you want to. No pressure.” He was living dangerously, but it was only a suggestion, and he wouldn’t mention it again if Zeke didn’t seem comfortable.
“Let’s see if we want to, but it’s going to be a pretty night to watch the stars.”
Oh, that was promising…
He latched onto that we . “I bet you know the best places to do that too.”
Zeke pinked, nodded. “I do. I love to watch the stars.”
“They must be something up here without all the light pollution.” It was one of the things he wanted to do while he was here… see if he could see the Milky Way or the Northern Lights or a comet.
A UAP.
He snorted and took a big bite of Brussels sprouts.
“They’re lovely. Especially from my roof.”
“You have a roof?” Zeke must be in one of the cabins.
“Yes. I have a tiny attic, a roof. I put together a blanket to sit and watch the stars up on the roof.”
“That’s cool.” He thought about his words carefully; they obviously mattered to Zeke more than most. “Whenever you feel comfortable, I’d love to see that view.”
“It’s amazing. You’ll never see anything else like it.” Zeke’s foot came to rest close to his.
“I don’t know; I’m kind of liking the view from right here.” He made sure to catch Zeke’s eye so there wasn’t any confusion about what he meant.
He was flirting, which was strangely fun. He was usually more the “Hey, you in?” type, but Zeke was an interesting challenge and a pretty one at that.
He loved the deep blush, the ducked chin, the whole thing. Part of him wanted to wrap Zeke up in a warm blanket and keep the world at bay, and part of him wanted to see how the boy’s skin took to his favorite flogger.
He was very familiar with the desire to see his stripes on a sub, and aftercare was just as fulfilling, but he’d never felt the protective piece before. He’d never wanted to put himself between a sub and the whole world.
He’d never had that strong a connection with any one person.
“You make me want to write you into a song.” Zeke’s eyes lit up, and he got this smile that stole his breath, hit him right in the breadbasket. “That’s a great hook, actually.”
You make me want to kiss you . That almost popped out, but his common sense kicked in. He’d come here for a couple of weeks of downtime, and certain things about Zeke were poking at him in places he hadn’t indulged in a while.
“Right, I’d heard you were a musician. Do you ever play for other people?”
“I’m a songwriter. My parents were in a band, and I played with them for a long time. Then I retired from public performance, but I write a lot.”
“For some big artists, I’m told.” He rolled his eyes. “I know, so nosy. But my intentions are good.”
“It’s good to be interested. To be curious. You raise money for good causes, the Celtics are your team, and you have a thing for good harmony,” Zeke said.
“How did you know about the—oh. You read my profile, didn’t you? I haven’t read yours. I didn’t even know they existed until tonight. I do have a thing for harmony. I love music. I don’t play anything, but I listen with purpose.” He sang a little too, but he didn’t think he’d mentioned that. It was always a gamble to say you sang because people called on you to do embarrassing things like karaoke.
“I don’t have one. I need to be careful, you know? Safe.”
“Right. Safety is important to you. I hope you feel safe with—or, I mean, around me. With is… we’re not there yet, I know.” With implied alone. And after being sent away from the beach earlier, he was leaving that ball in Zeke’s court.
“It is. It’s important. Thank you for hearing me.”
“Any Dom worth his salt listens very carefully. A friend does too.” He scooped up his last bite of brisket, giving Zeke a second to let that statement sink in. “This is so good.”
“Uh-huh. I haven’t had brisket in an eon.”
He wasn’t sure how to respond to that. He knew these social things weren’t part of Zeke’s usual routine, but he didn’t want to make the boy uncomfortable saying so. “It’s rare I have brisket. Sometimes when I’m traveling. I hope they do this again while I’m here.”
“I’ll ask them to. I know the owners, and they’re amazing. Kind.”
“That’s been my experience as well. Very helpful, happy to answer questions. This place runs like a well-oiled machine for sure.” He assumed there was the occasional hiccup, but he’d bet that had more to do with the guests than the management.
“For the most part, yes. Sometimes someone is naughty, but Carson and the rest deal with it. Fast.”
“I’m sure they do. The rules aren’t arbitrary. But people with this kind of money—” He shrugged. He’d come from money, and he knew how badly behaved his own family could be. “My father used say the rules didn’t apply to people like him.”
“True that. I knew a bunch of celebs like that. More than I want to admit.”
“Obviously, we are far superior to our peers.” He glanced at Zeke and crossed his eyes.
That earned him a chuckle. “Oh totally. Vastly.”
“Do you want seconds? Should we find dessert?” He wasn’t sure he’d do much more than pick at dessert, but he liked sweets after dinner.
“I wonder if there’s anything amazing.” Zeke craned his neck to peek at the dessert table.
“They do everything else right. Let’s go see. Pitch this for me?” He handed Zeke his plate, testing the boy a little more.
“Of course.” Zeke blinked once but took the plate from him, heading for the trash.
Okay, no ‘Sir’ that time, but Zeke didn’t question him either. He wandered slowly toward the sweets, waiting for Zeke to catch up to him.
Zeke came up to him, ducking his head and avoiding the gaze of the others.
There was a lot to unpack there, but he decided to take the positive route. “I think the people who know you are surprised that you’re here.” He picked up a slice of key lime pie. “I bet they’re happy to see you doing something fun for yourself.”
“I hope so. It’s weird, to be watched again, you know?”
“You should see the looks I’m getting.” He bumped shoulders with Zeke, playing. “I wonder what they’re thinking of me.”
“That you’re the Pied Piper.”
He chuckled. “Are you saying that I’m more musical than I thought?” Zeke was examining the dessert table carefully, obviously trying to make just the right choice. That seemed reasonable; he probably hadn’t given himself many choices in the last one thousand days. “Want to try a bite?” He offered Zeke a taste of his pie.
“Is it yummy?” Zeke licked his lips, wetting them.
“Key lime is my favorite pie, and this one does not disappoint.” He wiggled the fork. This was daring, but it looked like Zeke might go for it.
Someone stumbled, running into Zeke and sending the boy crashing into him, the pie smooshing right between them.
Zeke’s eyes went wide, the expression one of pure horror. “Your poor shirts.”
“Oh god! Oh, y’all! I’m so sorry, I tripped.” Alan stood there, still half-holding onto Zeke.
He squinted at Alan, because this was too weird to be a coincidence. Of all the dozens of subs milling around this cookout, it was Alan who tripped at that exact moment?
That said, the “Your poor shirts,” was hilarious. He looked at Zeke and laughed. “My poor shirts!” He handed the plate with the smooshed pie on it to Alan, giggling madly. “Can you—no big deal. Thanks.”
“I’m so, so sorry. I don’t know what happened. Honest.” Alan’s eyes filled with tears, and Zeke’s expression was pure panic.
Oh, goodness. This was nothing. It was funny. Poor boys.
“Hey, it’s okay.” He put one hand on Alan’s arm and the other on Zeke’s. “Alan, please don’t worry about it. Accidents happen; it’s fine. Zeke, it’s funny, right? This keeps happening to us. It’s absolutely not a big deal, boys. I promise.” He took his plate back from Alan and tossed it in the trash himself.
“I swear to God, I’m going to order you a pack of shirts in all colors!” Zeke shook his head, even as a half-dozen men came up to him and offered him club soda.
“Thank you. Thanks, I’m good. Really.” He brushed them away politely, getting a little uncomfortable with all the attention.
“Alan? Wesley, are you all right?” Gil took Alan’s arm.
“Yes. I’m fine; it was an accident. Alan tripped. It’s nothing, honestly, but Alan’s upset.”
“I can see that. Do you mind if?—?”
“No. Thank you. You take care of him.”
Gil nodded and led Alan away, and he looked at Zeke. “I need to change. Will you come up to my room or would you rather wait here?”
“I’ll come with you. Can we leave the door open please Sir? Just this first time?”
“Of course.” That was a compromise he was more than happy to make. “We can leave it open as long as you like. This time, next time… I want you to feel comfortable.” He thought there was some kind of panic button or safety pull in the rooms as well in case a sub felt unsafe. He started walking toward the lodge. “Man, I am ready to get away from all those eyes for a minute. All those people offering to help? It was nice, but it was overwhelming.”
“Yes. Yes, Sir. I hear you.” Zeke shook his head. “I can’t believe this happened again with your shirt.”
He chuckled again. “We have quite a track record.”
“We do… Thank you for not yelling at me. I appreciate it, Sir.”
He stopped walking and looked at Zeke. “I don’t yell. Ever.” He waited to be sure that Zeke heard him, then started walking again. “And there was no reason to be upset with you; none of that was your fault. I wasn’t upset with Alan either. It was an accident.”
It took Zeke a second to catch up to him. “It was. Alan was worried. Bad.”
“I know.” He sighed. “I hope it wasn’t me who scared him.” He planned to follow up with Alan tomorrow.
“I think he was afraid that he dumped you and then bumped you.” Zeke’s lips twisted in a barely hidden grin.
“Ha!” He snorted, barely restraining a full-out laugh. “Oh, I see why you make the big bucks songwriting.”
“It’s a talent, that’s for sure. Pure skill.” Zeke was shaking with his laughter.
He fumbled in his pocket for the key to his room, giggling hard. It was all he could do to get it into the lock. “It’s damn impressive.”
“Thank you.” Zeke bowed dramatically, complete with flourish. “I aim to please.”
He pushed the door open. “Hang on, let me find something… uh…” He ducked inside and came back with the desk chair to hold the door open. “I think this will work.”
“Make sure it’s black. You might need a black one…”
“Right?” He made sure the chair was steady, then went to his closet and pulled out a white T-shirt and a black hoodie. “I’ll be warm, anyway.”
“Yes, Sir.” Zeke watched him, eyes dragging over him as he stripped his shirt off.
He let Zeke look and didn’t make a big deal of it. Besides, the door was open so half the hotel could see him change if they wanted to. But the little bit of heat in that look settled nicely into his balls.
There was so much more to the boy than met the eye.
So much more.
“You’re so fine…” Zeke whispered the words.
“Thank you.” He worked at it a little, he needed to be in shape to handle his toys. And his boys. He hadn’t had a genuine compliment in a while though, and it was appreciated. It made him stand a little taller. “What would you like to do? I don’t know about going back to that cookout tonight.” He tugged his sweatshirt on over his head.
“How do you feel about a rooftop visit to see the stars?”
He hadn’t expected an invitation so soon, but he fully intended to accept. “I think it sounds great.”
“It’s the perfect place for a hoodie. Perfect.” Was that a smile? It was totally a smile.
“Then I guess I’m ready to go, right?” Wesley paused, dramatically reaching for his closet door again. “Should I bring an extra one, just in case?”
Zeke winked at him. “I think you should save it, Sir. Tomorrow is another day, another disaster.”
“True, that.” He laughed and straightened up. “Let me just move that chair.”
Zeke smiled at him, stepped out into the hallway. “Sounds like a plan.”
He moved the chair into the room and let the door close behind them. “Do you know much about the stars? Like, constellations and things like that? I used to when I was a kid, but I’ve forgotten most of it, I think.”
“No. No, I just know that they’re the prettiest, most magical thing I’ve ever seen.” Zeke pinked and ducked his head.
“Good. Then I won’t feel dumb, and I can just enjoy the view.” It was cold out and totally dark when they left the lodge, and he was startled by how fast the sun disappeared here.
They walked to an amazing little cabin that obviously someone loved, cared for, and decorated like a pride parade.
Holy rainbow, Batman . “Cute place. A thousand days of decorating does wonders for a cabin.”
“Right? It’s glorious, and I love it.” Zeke opened the front door and ushered him in. The front area was painted a deep red, and it led to a wooden main room, papers and guitars strewn everywhere, a piano in the corner.
“Looks like a musician lives here.” He wandered in a slow circle, tempted to try to play something on the piano.
“Little bit. I enjoy it, for sure.” Zeke chuckled and pointed toward the stairs. “We have to head up past the bedroom to get to the roof.”
“Okay. I’m right behind you.” Past the bedroom. He let himself grin behind Zeke’s back.
“I put a ladder in to access the sunroof.”
“You… wait. You installed a ladder in a rental cabin? Do they know?”
Zeke arched an eyebrow. “I’m sure someone has noticed, Sir, but no one has complained. If they do, I’ll apologize.”
“Hey, I’m not the kinky resort police.” He laughed to help put Zeke at ease and followed the boy up the stairs and down a narrow hallway.
“The kinky resort police…” Zeke was off and laughing again as they followed through a bedroom that was like a dark, cozy cave.
“I bet you sleep well in here.” He looked around, but he didn’t see much more than a bed covered in a nest of blankets.
“I do. I have a TV, and I spend a lot of winter in here.”
Winter. Brrr . He couldn’t imagine what it was like here in the winter. He was cold enough here in what was supposed to be spring. “What do you spend your time watching in winter?”
“I’m a binge watcher—I like murder mysteries, police procedurals, sci-fi.” Zeke pulled down a wooden ladder. “Come on up.”
“I’m a sci-fi fan myself.” He followed Zeke up the ladder, the air feeling colder with every step.
There was a little balcony up here, with a huge beanbag, that Zeke uncovered, blankets that he pulled out.
Okay, this was very cool. “Zeke, this is amazing. I was thinking like, sitting on the roof, you know? Like, right on the roof.”
“Master Carson decided that would be a liability for the club.”
“Gracious and fiscally savvy. What more could a man ask for?” He snorted. “Other than a gorgeous balcony, of course.”
“I love it up here. It’s so peaceful, and I can see the whole sky.” Zeke sat and unfolded the blankets.
He reached down to help. “It’s amazing how dark it is. And also not. The stars have a lot of light.” He rolled his eyes. “That sounded stupid, but you know what I mean.”
“I do. They’re so bright. Like diamonds, you know?”
He sat a little awkwardly on the giant beanbag with Zeke, and the two of them shifted around until they were both steady, if a bit close for Zeke’s comfort. He could feel the boy leaning away slightly so they wouldn’t touch.
He didn’t make any apologies for the fact that he was taller and heavier and probably made it difficult not to roll his direction.
None at all.
It took a while, but Zeke began to relax, beginning to melt toward him with a soft sigh.
The stars were every bit as beautiful as Zeke led him to believe. Lying here and looking up, all he could see was sky that went on forever. “This is incredible. So peaceful.”
“It is. Cold, but amazing. It makes me feel small.”
“Kind of reminds me how little the universe needs me.”
“Yeah. I hear that. The universe doesn’t care. The only hope we have is one another.”
“Well.” He grinned over at Zeke. The boy was the most relaxed he’d seen yet. “I’m for making the best of it.”
“Yeah. We have to find our happy place and stay there.”
“This is it for you? Your happy place?” This was a great place, but he couldn’t imagine just… staying. At the end of the day, it was a resort after all.
“It has to be. I don’t have anywhere else to go.”
That made no sense to him. “With the money you make, you could go anywhere, couldn’t you?”
“Yeah, but I’m safe here. No one bothers me. No one hunts me.”
He shook his head. He couldn’t let it go anymore. “Zeke, who is hunting you? For real. I’ve been avoiding this because it’s probably none of my business, but you say stuff like that too often for me not to be curious.”
“I—” There was a long pause, long enough that Wesley worried, then— “I was in a bad relationship. You know how this is; an abuser who hides himself in the BDSM cloak beats you up, tells you that you asked for it, even when you didn’t. I ran. He followed. Now I’m… stuck here.”
He knew that story. He’d heard it before, even seen it himself. But the way Zeke glossed over it all like it was just another story of abuse in their community spoke very loudly to all the things the boy wasn’t saying. “I’m very sorry that happened to you. I’m sorry you’re scared, and that you feel trapped here.”
“Thank you, Sir. Me too, but it’s a great place to be trapped if you have to be, right?”
“It’s hard to consider this view any kind of hardship.” And Zeke had certainly made this cabin home. Right down to the rainbow bunting.