Chapter 7
Lewis
Unlike most days, I didn’t jump out of bed the next morning. The world outside my bedroom window woke up reluctantly, and I knew the gloom would turn into rain within the next hour or two. But that wasn’t what kept me on my back with an arm under my head and the other on my stomach, reflecting.
Noah was back in my life, and I had somehow landed myself the job of being his fake boyfriend.
We hadn’t even managed to get the first picture for his account yesterday before he’d fallen asleep on the couch.
The poor baby had been so tired. I wasn’t proud that I had stayed longer than necessary when he had slumped forward and snuggled into my arm.
He’d been so warm and smelled so good, a mix of shaving soap and the juniper shower gel.
My hand dipped under the duvet to where my cock poked its head out of his sheath. I closed my eyes and grabbed the bottle of lube from the shelf over my headboard.
Once I had cleaned up, dried my fur, and dressed, I made coffee and poured it into two thermos cups, and packed milk, more coffee, and my little espresso cooker to bring with me.
If he’s anything like Ollie he’ll need a second cup of coffee. Or a third.
Our chef, SweetPea, waved over at me from the restaurant entrance when I left the building an hour later. I waved back, got in my car, and backed out of my parking spot.
A few minutes later, I steered my truck down the narrow lane that led from the entry to his parents’ farm to the cottage he was staying in.
I’d hated leaving him alone there last night but found no good excuse to stick around.
So I left after tucking him in and kissing his forehead. Gods, I hoped he hadn’t noticed.
The shack came into sight after only a couple of seconds. The farm house was on the other side of the property, and while I was glad that he had some privacy, I hated how removed he was from everything.
I wished I had a second car I could lend him and had thought of just organising a rental for him, but I doubted Noah would accept.
From the little glimpses he’d given me of himself last night, I knew he was desperate to be independent. I didn’t want to be the person to invalidate his feelings, but the moment I found an opening I’d be right there to support him.
Whatever he needed, I wanted to provide it.
It was strange to be able to just go and see Noah—not through a screen—but really go and see him, talk to him, and kiss him sneakily while he was asleep.
Damn. I had to be careful. But it was hard. I caught sight of myself smirking in the rear-view mirror.
Yeah, it was hard, just like I had been. And I was a grown-ass man with the humour of a fifteen-year-old kid.
I had to keep myself in check around Noah. He needed someone to pose for the camera, not someone to play house with him.
Best not confuse the two, Sinclair.
When I thought back, I realised that holding onto my childhood crush on Noah had always been the safeguard to shield me from developing any real feelings for someone else.
But only after I told Maddie how I felt about Noah did I realise the depth of feelings I still harboured for him.
One of the motivational quotes I’d read on Noah’s ArgoS popped up in my brain.
A ship is safe in harbour, but that isn’t what ships are made for.
I snorted. Maybe our chance had long since sailed. I bet being near him will prove that I held onto a pipe dream, some stupid childhood fantasy that sounded great in theory but sank in real life.
I guess time will tell.
Once I’d parked the truck in the tiny parking spot outside the cottage and somehow squeezed my bulk out of the car door, I walked up the small, paved path. It, too, had seen better days.
I knocked. Nothing happened. I knocked again. When there still wasn’t any movement inside the cabin, I pressed my ear against the door and heard the faint sound of some kind of meditation music.
Maybe I could catch his attention if I looked into the small window next to the door.
Oh. Gods.
When I woke up this morning, getting coffee for Noah had seemed like a good idea. I wasn’t so sure anymore when a mortified pale face gaped at me as he hastened to open the door.
I had surely imagined the look he gave me and the flash of heat that flickered in his eyes.
“Good morning. What are you doing here so early?” He tilted his head at me and chuckled. “You need a beanie.”
“Hi,” I muttered, keeping my eyes firmly trained at a spot over his shoulder.
“I remembered that you wouldn’t have any coffee, so I got you some.”
I held up the bag and the holder with the two thermos cups.
“You got me coffee?” Noah asked, then it seemed to dawn on him that he was only wearing shorts and how freaking cold it was outside. “Want to come in?”
“Oh, yeah, thanks.”
I tore my eyes away from his hard nipples and the thin sheen of sweat on his skin, stepped inside, and closed the front door behind me.
“I’ll go get dressed real quick, okay?” Noah grabbed fresh clothes from his bedroom and disappeared into the bath while I tried to ignore how very much almost naked he was, and that I had wanked to the thought of him this morning.
I put the bag and cups on the kitchen table, then paced the small room.
I was unsettled. When I closed my eyes, I saw Noah in his tiny yoga shorts and nothing else. The smattering of hair on his pecs and how it thickened around his navel and disappeared under the waistband of his shorts had intrigued me way more than it should have.
Did he have his navel pierced?
I hadn’t dared to take a closer look, but I was quite sure I’d seen the glint of a metal barbell embedded in his skin.
Noah had always been lithe, but now he had defined muscles and a bumpy little six pack. His sharp collar bones created deep, elegant hollows I longed to explore with my tongue.
He showered quickly and a few minutes later came back out wearing dark slacks and a soft looking beige jumper that made his skin glow.
How does he do that?
How did he manage to look like a million quid in an outfit that would have made me look like an old man?
“I thought you’d appreciate having coffee,” I mumbled, pointing at the two cups on his kitchen table.
“Fuck, yeah, I do.” He grinned at me and began to pull out plates, knives, and two of the hand thrown mugs.
“Are you staying for breakfast?”
“Uh.” I stared at him. I hadn’t meant to do that, but it gave me an idea.
“Yeah, if you want I can stay. Before we eat, how about we take that first pic for your ArgoScape? We didn’t do that yesterday.”
“Okay … what?” He narrowed his eyes on me.
“Well, why don’t we start fake dating now? Just snap a pic of us and write one of your witty captions.” I wiggled my brows at him.
“Lewis Sinclair.” Noah tutted, then picked up his phone from his yoga mat where he’d left it earlier. “I like the way you’re thinking.”
Don’t check out his ass.
“We could sit on the couch,” I mused. “Unless you want to stress the size difference.”
Noah nearly choked on his spit. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.” Bright red in the face, he pointedly looked at the couch, and I sat on it.
So that’s what it took to shut him up.
I can do that.
He settled down on the opposite end of the sofa.
“How are you going to fit both of us in a photo if you’re a mile away?” I scooted over until our thighs touched. “So, what do I do now?”
“You got a point there,” Noah muttered, gulping hard. “Uh, I ….”
“How about something like this?” I asked, throwing an arm around his shoulder and tucking him into my side.
“Y-yeah, that’s good.”
Noah pointed the camera at us, took the picture, and was about to jump up, when I stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.
“There’s no way you can post that. I bet you look like a deer in the headlights.” Goosebumps erupted on his neck at my low chuckle.
“Give me that.” I plucked the phone out of his hand and flipped the camera over.
“You want to make it look real, Bright. Or what’s the point of it?” I held his gaze so long he blushed slightly as he stared back with parted lips and bedroom eyes.
That’s what I’m talking about, you pretty thing.
I let one side of my muzzle curl up in a smile that was mirrored on his face a heartbeat later, then glanced at his phone and snapped at least two dozen pictures.
“Here you go.” With a little wiggle of my eyebrows, I handed the phone back, and got up to drink my coffee before it was ice cold.
A dazed looking Noah followed me a moment later, perking up when he saw the cinnamon bagels on the table.
“I forgot we got these.”
“I’ll toast one for you, give it here.”
Again he looked stunned.
“What? I remember you always liked them best when they were toasted.”
Just because fifteen years have passed since then doesn’t mean I forgot.
“Still do,” he muttered.
Noah inspected the pictures I had taken over our cinnamon bagels. I put on the small espresso maker I’d brought along to make a second cup for us. The sputtering coffee and the freshly toasted bagels made the kitchen smell heavenly.
He whistled through his teeth.
“How about this?” he asked me as he held the phone out to me. I took it and inspected the picture he’d chosen.
“Mm, I like it. We look hot.” And like we’re seconds away from fucking each other’s brains out.
“We do,” Noah agreed with me, a tiny smirk on his lips. He’d found his composure again. “What about the caption? Witty enough?”
My eyes snapped down to read it.
Bright days ahead!
My lip curled up again when I noticed the blue heart he’d added. It was precisely the shade of my eyes. When I threw him a glance he looked pleased with himself.
Bright days ahead, indeed, my sweet puppy.
“Post it.” I handed it back to him. He tapped on the screen, then locked his phone and put it—screen facing down—on the table.
“How did you know I was up already?” he asked before taking the next bite of his bagel.
“I follow you on ArgoS,” I said simply, leaning back in my chair with my cup cradled in my hands.
For the second time in under half an hour Noah’s face glowed like the setting sun.
So adorable.
Would he have posted the picture of him gazing out into the morning if he had realised I followed him? He had taken up only a tiny sliver of the picture’s edge, with his shirt pulled tight around his body, and the grey joggers hugging his unmistakably hard cock.
Seeing him like that and knowing he was only a mile, not half a world, away had done funny things to my own dick. I still felt the sting of my barbs on my palm from when I had furiously wanked again in the shower.
“I need to get some fresh content out. My reach is still dropping like crazy.” His voice had a defiant tone about it.
“I get it. That’s why I came here—well no, not true,” I amended. “I wanted to get you a coffee and hang out a bit. But I wanted to suggest a trip to Windmouth Castle soon.”
“Sorry,” Noah mumbled into his cup.
“It’s okay. It’s been a lot. But if I can, I’ll help you carry a bit of the burden.”
“You need to stop saying these things, Lewis.” He chuckled weakly, clutching his mug so tightly his fingers turned white.
“Why? I mean it.”
“You’re making me cry, okay?” Noah brushed a few tears off his cheeks.
“Sorry.” I felt like shit. Hadn’t I made his life difficult enough when we’d both been teenagers?
“Stop being so sweet, Sinclair, honestly!” He shook his head, making his curls flop around his forehead as he meticulously cut open a second bagel. “Want half of it? I don’t think I can eat all of it.”
Stop being sweet to you, Bright? Over my dead body.
“Yeah, thanks.” I held my hand out and took the upper half—my favourite. When I told him as much, he snorted.
“I prefer the bottom half,” he said as he cut the Somerset Brie into slices, a playful smile on his lips.
“That fits then.” I smirked at him.
Good to have that established. I wouldn’t mind the occasional bottom half.
“So, Windmouth Castle.” He was obviously intent on changing the subject, yet only the little blush on his cheeks showed any sign of his discomfort.
“When are you free?”
“Whenever you need me,” I shot back without thinking, making Noah choke slightly on his coffee.
Oh yes, that too, if you want.
“How about on Friday?” He suggested and tilted his head at me. “Unless the weekend is better for you?”
“Nah, Friday’s fine. I’ll tell Fitz I’m taking the day off.” I had way too many holidays left anyway. I never needed them because all my friends were at LFD, and we hung out in the evenings or on weekends.
“You don’t have to do that. We can go on Saturday,” he muttered. Noah picked up his phone as if on autopilot and unlocked the screen. He gave a tiny choked gasp and stared at it for a long moment before adding, “Holy shit.”
“What’s up? Also, no, I want to go on Friday. It’s bound to be less busy.” And I had ideas for more pictures of the two of us already.
“Here.” Noah slid his phone over the table. He had his ArgoS open and I immediately saw what he meant.
@furrybigb0y liked your post
@ilovebears liked your post
@grrbearluvr liked your post
@grrbearluvr commented on your post:
“Hey, daddy!”
@biggboi09 wants to send you a message
@thikkbear123 liked your post
@lindragon commented on your post:
“You got an upgrade, bb! Good for you!”
The list went on and on, and every couple of seconds new notifications popped up on his screen.
“Seems to be working.” With a huff, I handed it back to him, trying my best to ignore the progressively lewd emojis his followers had added.
“Yeah, it’s got about two hundred likes already. What the fuck.” Noah chuckled and grinned at me. “Thanks, Lew. I owe you one.”
Get on the bed, then, Puppy.
“Nah, don’t be silly.” I waved him off. “I’m just glad it’s playing out.”
We made plans to go to Windmouth on Friday the following week. I would pick him up in the morning. Before I left, I stripped down to my shirt and we took a few more pictures for him to post over the next few days.
My favourite was the one where I sat on the couch with Noah hugging me around the neck from behind and me staring up at him, ready to do something very stupid.
The tiny sting that our relationship wasn’t real couldn’t drown out the giddy excitement I felt at seeing the pictures of us on his account, reading the captions he came up with, and watching his followers freak out over us over the next couple of days.
He’s so fucking smart. Leave it to him to turn a fat tiger into a cash cow.
I wondered if he actually did like ‘big boys’ as he’d called me? All his former boyfriends suggested he didn’t, but if this was all for show, then he was a fantastic actor.