Page 142 of All Tied Up

Just then, the chime on the desk rang, a mellow tone that reverberated through the atrium.

Jamie huffed and Neil pulled back his legs to let him stand up. That was when he finally had to look up, just to see Jamie’s glorious erection tenting his skirt.

Jamie didn’t even try to hide it as he walked proudly toward the desk. “Alright everybody. Let’s get checked in.”

Everyone followed behind him, chatting good-naturedly. Kris seemed friendly enough, introducing himself to the others and teasing Jamie while he checked in the couple who had rung the chime.

Neil nuzzled into Daddy’s shoulder. “Can we just stay here a little longer?” he asked, still feeling a little overwhelmed and very snuggly.

“As long as you need, baby boy. As long as you need.”

26

Sebastian

July

Sebastian refilled the ice water in the atrium beverage station, eyes on the riotous burst of greenery outside. Hikers and vacationers would be coming in and out all day, and he liked having something cool for them.

He added the sliced lemons to the water tank and tidied up a few things. He checked that the bin for dirty mugs wasn’t overflowing on the shelf below, but it was a lazy Wednesday and most of the guests for the next week wouldn’t arrive until tomorrow or later.

There were two carafes of coffee that were getting low, but in this heat there wasn’t a lot of interest. When they were empty, he would just put them away.

Once the station was tidy, he got to make his own drinks. It was an act he never got tired of, a small reminder of his care for Neil, who could get lost in his work. And today, he could make one for Jamie, too.

With a practiced hand, he squeezed the lemon half that he’d saved into one tall glass, added a sugar packet, and filled it with the icy water. Instant homemade lemonade for one. In the next glass, he mixed three sugars into half a cup of coffee, added a generous serving of milk, and then filled it to the brim with ice. Jamie detested anything in his hot coffee, but he liked his cold summer drinks to taste like dessert.

Neil sometimes enjoyed the coffee drinks, but Sebastian had decided that his baby boy didn’t need any caffeine after about noon. Jamie somehow managed to stay wired all day and then drop right off to sleep no matter what. Sebastian just loved taking care of both of them.

He stirred both drinks with straws and then got himself a glass of the plain lemon-tinged water. He’d already flipped the front desk sign to say he’d be back soon, so he had some time to spend with his boys.

They were both right where he expected them to be, in the little nook at the back of the lobby that faced the ravine. Neil was tapping away at his laptop and Jamie was draped over his lap, reading a paperback, with one leg over the back of the couch.

Sebastian set down the glasses and gave them both kisses on their foreheads.

“Thank you, Daddy,” Neil said with a shy, delighted smile. That was why he kept bringing the drinks around. Neil seemed to think that each time was as special as the first.

“Ooh!” Jamie sat up enough to take a long drink of his, narrowing his cheeks around the straw. “Thank you. I’m going to have to start hanging around here more often.”

Or perhaps Sebastian could remember to bring him drinks outside. Only the extreme heat and lack of climbing sessions had driven him inside today.

Sebastian settled into the chair beside them. “How’s it going?”

Jamie squirmed around until he was standing and then climbed into Sebastian’s lap, though he stretched out his leg to rest his foot on Neil’s knee. Sebastian wondered if the two of them even noticed how much they tried to stay in contact. “Good. I want to take Neil white-water rafting.”

Sebastian raised an eyebrow in inquiry.

“He’s never been. Can you believe it?”

Neil frowned. “It sounds dangerous. And wet.”

Sebastian took Neil’s hand, rubbing his thumb over his knuckles. He always marveled at the differences between his adrenaline junkie and his straightlaced businessman with so many surprising secrets hiding just beneath the surface. “There’s no pressure, Cricket. Rafting is fun, but we can go canoeing or kayaking, too. If you decide to try it, we’d all be together in the raft.”

“Maybe.” Neil gave Jamie a fond look, which told Sebastian that Jamie had probably been teasing about it for a while. “Mountain climbing seems safer.”

“Because Daddy long-legs ties you up?” Jamie asked, voice heavy with innuendo.

Neil rolled his eyes, then said primly, “Yes, actually.”