Chapter Eleven #2
Freddie got to unpacking and Theo chivalrously allowed me first dibs on the shower.
I practically purred with happiness and relief as the cool water hit my skin and washed away the salt and heat of our arduous journey.
I swapped with the pilot and hurriedly dressed into some fresh clothing, Freddie still tinkering around with his setup.
It was impressive he’d managed to fit so much kit into only four holdalls.
Even though Theo had given him a hard time about not packing light enough, I knew from experience that this really was a skeleton operation compared to his setup back in London.
“The shower is all yours,” Theo said to Freddie, striding back into the shared bedroom with only a towel wrapped around his hips.
I allowed my eyes to rove over him greedily, cheeks heating in response to his truly exquisite physique. I could sense Freddie immediately grow tense. He lowered his head, fighting to keep his eyes focussed on the wires he was plugging into the back of a router.
“Great, thanks. I’m almost done. Once it’s set up, I can leave it to run its updates,” he muttered.
My interest hadn’t gone unnoticed and Theo shot me a smouldering grin as he strode past me, digging around inside his bag for fresh clothes.
I nibbled my lip. I really needed to get under that again soon, but I vowed to abstain until Theo and Freddie had figured out where they stood with one another.
I wasn’t known for my patience, but in this I would endure.
“Is there anything I can do to help out?” Theo asked. “I know I’m only the transportation, but I don’t like the idea of just hanging around, twiddling my thumbs whilst you pair do all the hard work.”
“I’m not sure just yet, but I’m sure I can find something—”
Even I hadn’t seen Theo’s ulterior motive until it was too late. Talk of work had drawn Freddie’s attention and he glanced up, finally meeting Theo’s eye. Quick as a flash, the pilot turned his back and dropped his towel.
“F-fuck!” Freddie spluttered, his head whisking away, tips of his ears growing red. “Do you mind?!”
“Not at all,” Theo quipped, stepping into his boxers. “Go on, as you were saying?”
I sniggered, eyes jumping between the two men and their tense exchange. If they lasted a week without fucking, I would eat my proverbial hat.
“There, all done,” Freddie said, jumping to his feet and rushing off towards the bathroom, cheeks flushed. “I’m going to take that shower.”
“Want me to scrub your back?” Theo called after him.
Freddie didn’t reply, just slammed the bathroom door with far more force than was truly necessary.
Theo pursed his lips. “Rude.”
“You’re bad,” I teased, still chuckling. “What happened to not pushing, hm?”
He shrugged with a grin. “That’s not pushing, that’s playful nudging. He makes it too easy.”
“Yeah, he does.” I leant back against the headboard of the double bed.
“So…”
I glanced to Theo as he sat at the edge of the opposite single bed. “So?”
“Who gets to share the double bed and who’s relegated to the bunk?” he asked, eyes flashing.
“Y’know, I hadn’t considered that.” I tapped my chin, pretending to be deep in thought. “Perhaps we’ll set up a rota?”
Theo laughed, leaning his weight back on his arms. “Consider this fair warning – I’ll take the first turn at being the third wheel, but I won’t be kept on the outside this entire trip. Freddie— sorry, Relay, might be happy just watching, but I’ve always been more of a doer, myself – you hear me?”
“Loud and clear.” I smirked. “It’s not me you need to win over, you know that.”
“Don’t remind me.”
Theo and I chatted easily, dropping the subject of Freddie as we went over plans for tracking Ian Keller.
We had been so caught up in conversation, neither of us heard Freddie exiting the bathroom until he was striding past us.
In unison, both of us looked up, the discussion immediately halting.
To my surprise, Freddie had chosen to emerge just as Theo had done – naked except for a towel around his hips.
He wasn’t as well-built as Theo – honestly, who was – but he looked delicious, water still beaded on his chest and abs.
“Fuck me,” Theo snarled, his eyes pinned to Freddie.
There was something so predatory about his gaze, I felt a shiver ripple through me.
“Pretty, isn’t he?” I teased, ignoring Freddie’s venomous glare.
“I forgot to take clean clothes in with me,” he muttered tersely, dragging out an armful of clothes from his bag.
“That’s because you left in a rush, all flustered after Hangman flashed you his arse,” I laughed, earning myself another disapproving scowl.
“Fuck off.”
As Freddie passed, Theo sat forward, craning his neck to watch him until he disappeared back inside the bathroom. His huge frame sagged and he ran a hand through his hair.
“He’s going to be the death of me, I fucking swear…” he muttered.
“This trip is either going to be the best or the worst, hm?” I grinned.
“You can say that again.”
Despite the thick sexual tension, the day passed by with ease.
When we had plotted our course of action back in London, we had unanimously agreed that the first day would be best spent setting up and resting.
We didn’t have an awful lot of information to go off in terms of Ian Keller, and I was keen not to rush in and blow our cover too early.
Though it hadn’t gone uncommented on, Theo had conceded on the sleeping arrangements, allowing Freddie and I to share the double, whilst he took the single.
I was grateful, but I didn’t doubt his assurances – Theo wasn’t going to sit on the sidelines for long.
I just had to hope Freddie figured his feelings out before Theo was moved to following up.
We rose early and whilst Theo grabbed breakfast for us, Freddie and I spent a few hours going over the intelligence we had gained already. We had papers strewn over every surface, poring over them as we planned our next move.
“I think the first port of call should be staking out The Coconut Club,” I said, shuffling papers. “I don’t expect the kingpin to be waltzing around in the open, but I’d like to get a feel for the place.”
“Is that safe to do?” Freddie asked, fingers tapping on the keyboard of his laptop.
“I don’t see why not. Even if Keller has put two and two together by now and has figured out someone is looking for him, he doesn’t know who.” I shrugged. “Men like Keller never expect the cute blonde, anyway.”
When I batted my eyelashes, Freddie rolled his eyes. His lips twitched with a soft smile. “True enough. I’d still rather you didn’t go alone. If you’re playing at being a civilian for the day, I’ll accompany—”
“Absolutely not,” I argued. “I need your eyes and ears back here. I can’t be worrying about you whilst trying to scope out the place.”
“I can’t let you wander into the viper’s nest on your own. That’s just crazy, Charlotte—”
Just then the door lock rattled and Theo shouldered his way into the room, arms filled with breakfast. Both Freddie and I looked up at him before glancing back to each other. Theo frowned.
“What?”