Page 2 of A Little Bit Naughty

“Leaving the guests be. That’s confidential information.” The stern voice had a lightness to it that said they were both playing.

“I didn’t say who it was. Or that he might be on one of the trails to the west.” Jamie pointed over their shoulder, then their hands flew dramatically up to their mouth. “Oops!”

Remi had to laugh, though he tried to keep it quiet. It was clear that Jamie loved playing up to an audience, and equally clear the affection in their Daddy’s voice.

“It’s good that you didn’t, boy. Because otherwise I might have to put you on laundry duty.”

Jamie gasped in dismay, though he’d instigated the whole thing himself. Remi kind of assumed from the word boy that he used masculine pronouns. “But Daaaaddyyyyyy… I’m just being helpful!”

“Laundry,” his Daddy barked back.

Remi felt something tighten in his chest. This was what he wanted, or something so close to it. Maybe not as much of a brat as Jamie was likely to be, but someone who he could tease and take care of, punish and love. He wanted a little with plenty of energy and spark, kind of like Jamie. But mostly he wanted that easy affection, that sense of absolute confidence that Jamie and his Daddy had together. They were probably going over well-worn lines, softened with time like the corners of a favorite book, but the two of them still made it feel new.

Remi tried to turn that pang of want into a new determination. Maybe his boy was waiting for him, just outside. “Thank you, Jamie. I’ll go take a look around.” He was careful to repeat the name, even though he’d surely forget it later.

“No problem. You can head out the back,” Jamie said, inclining his head. “Let me know if you need any recommendations for restaurants later, and the mixer starts at eight-thirty. Good luck!”

“Thanks!” Remi wandered through the relaxed clusters of couches and vibrant plants toward the back door. The plentiful windows showed a wide back deck with scattered rocking chairs and a few tables that might be a good place to enjoy a coffee or get some work done.

He stepped through the door and drew in a deep breath of the fresh mountain air. The B&B looked out over the river gorge, and while he couldn’t see the water below, the pine and birch trees rising up out of the drop were beautiful in all of their green summer finery. Azaleas and peonies lined the cobblestone path down to the bottom, and he could see the beginning of the paved trail that ran along the top.

So, which way to go?

He checked the map. There were two trails to the west, so a fifty-fifty chance. One was level with the lodge, running parallel to the highway but a bit further back, while the other led down into the gorge.

Up, he decided, for now. He was eager to explore the longer path down by the river, especially as one pooled area was marked off as “use caution when wading.” But he wasn’t sure how rough the terrain would be and he didn’t want to exhaust himself before the evening.

He meandered past three cute little cabins on his way to the trail. They were built with whole pine logs and large windows, a cozy blend of rustic and modern.

He could just imagine coming back here some time, with his boy—his hypothetical boy—for a weekend getaway. It was so close to the city, and now that he knew the owners were kinky and gay, he’d love to visit more often.

Just before the trailhead was a small gazebo with a picnic bench where someone was talking on a phone. Was this the boy Jamie had mentioned? He’d been doing his best to ignore the conversation out of politeness, but just as he got closer, the murmur rose to an upset wail.

“I came all this way to see you and you’re not even going to be here?”

Remi looked up sharply. The young man had jumped to his feet and was pacing back and forth.

With that dramatic whine, he most certainly identified as a boy. But who was he talking to? His Daddy or Dom? Just a friend? His short blond hair was a mess, and Remi watched him run his hands through it again as he paced. He was strong and lean, but his face had a soft, rounder shape that made him look younger.

If he was the little Jamie had mentioned, it seemed strange that he would be meeting a Daddy he already knew at a singles weekend. Or perhaps not. If the two of them had met first on the Cuffd app, getting together here could be a nice opportunity. Remi suddenly wished he’d thought to contact either of the two boys before the event, but it just hadn’t occurred to him.

It irked him to think that this boy’s potential Daddy might be standing him up, even if it meant that the cute blond might be available now. He didn’t deserve that, and it sent Remi flying into protector mode.

“But you promised!” the boy cried as he hopped up onto the picnic table. He walked along the length with one foot on the table and one on the bench, then scrambled over the top to repeat the motion on the other side. Up. Down. Up. Down. Up. Down. Huff. Turn. Hop over the table. And repeat.

It was adorable, the kind of move that only a child—or an adult who identified as a little—would think of. Or at least Remi wanted to imagine it that way.

Just knowing it was a possibility sent Remi’s imagination rushing into overdrive, sending him visions of smoothing down that messy hair. He already wanted to snuggle the boy up to his chest and make whatever was distressing him go away.

Remi should really give him his privacy, though.

The boy’s voice went soft and sad. “But Roarasaurus misses Bear Bear.”

Who was Bear Bear? The Daddy? A friend? A stuffy? Either way, that answered one of his questions. He was pretty sure he’d found the little Jamie was talking about. He had a guess about who Roarasaurus might be though, from the Cuffd profiles.

Remi’s heart squeezed. If there was anything that got him like a boy in need, he didn’t know what it was.

The boy hopped off the table and swung around one of the poles of the gazebo. “So how are we supposed to find you a Daddy? And don’t tell me you don’t want one,” he threatened.