by AJ Sherwood
He needed to get his head on straight.
“Um…restroom?” Cameron asked and then winced. “To clean up, after all the walking.”
Alric smiled at him and gave succinct directions to the bathrooms not too far from where they were seated. Cameron quickly darted away, a sigh of relief escaping him when he was finally inside the room.
After the sight of the old bar and stone walls, he’d not been sure what to expect for the bathroom, but he was relieved to find it completely modern with sensor-activated faucets, plush hand towels, and fine decorations.
Best of all, he was completely alone. Snagging his phone out of his pocket, he pulled up the messaging app. He didn’t have a single damn bar, which wasn’t surprising considering how far underground he was. However, the restaurant was providing free Wi-Fi.
Met hot guy in Sonthofen. Took me to dinner in an old dragon cave. Tell me not to be stupid. Really want to be stupid, Cameron quickly texted.
Cassie’s response was immediate and not at all helpful.
dragons didn’t live in caves
they built castles
Cameron rolled his eyes at his sister. Of course she focused on the dragon part of his story.
But she sent a second text a couple heartbeats later.
pic or it didn’t happen
Growling softly, Cameron pulled up his photo gallery and quickly flipped through it. He’d been snapping pictures on his phone all day. He was stunned he had any battery life left, but he thought he’d caught one that accidentally included Alric. Yep, there. The cathedral they’d stopped at. Cameron had grabbed a picture of it, but he’d also caught Alric smiling softly at him at the same time.
He hesitated. A part of him didn’t want to send it. Didn’t want to share Alric with anyone, not even his twin sister. And he shared everything with her.
That thought alone had him attaching the picture and sending it to her. He was being crazy. Setting the phone down on the counter, he quickly washed his hands and splashed some water on his face.
His phone started to ring. He looked down to find his sister was attempting to Facetime him instead of texting him back. Grabbing a hand towel, he quickly dried his hands so he could answer her call.
“Oh my GAWD, Cam!” she immediately shouted at him, her face filling his screen as if she were holding her phone incredibly close. “Are you shitting me? I’m ordering you to be stupid.” His sister had no filter. Everything just fell out of her mouth. Most of it at the exact wrong time. The bathroom door opened just as she loudly said, “You let that sexy man pin you to the nearest wall and you call him daddy or papa or whatever the fuck the Germans call their sugar daddies!”
Cameron’s cheeks blazed, and he punched the end call button over and over again until his sister’s screeching commands were at last silenced. He glanced up only long enough to confirm it wasn’t Alric who’d walked in on that. Luckily, it wasn’t.
Before tucking his phone away, he quickly shot off a text of shut up. I’ll report later, perv. He splashed more water on his face to help chase away the heat blazing in his cheeks before returning to the restaurant.
At the table, he found Alric seated with a bottle of wine already open and two glasses poured. In the open seat lay a thick, cream-colored blanket made of what had to be the softest wool he’d ever felt.
“When you said table blanket, I wasn’t sure what you’d meant,” he said in a low voice as he continued to stand by the booth, running his fingers over the woven material.
Alric deftly slid to his feet and stood beside Cameron. He picked up the blanket and motioned for Cameron to sit. “The restaurant is a local favorite, but many find the cave a bit chilly, so the owner teamed up with a local artisan to provide her handmade blankets to customers. I assure you that it is new and has never been used before.” Alric gave him a little smirk as he leaned down and spread the soft blanket across Cameron’s lap. “In truth, they never have a chance to be reused because the customers buy them along with their dinners.”
“I can see why. It’s beautiful and so soft.” Between Cassie’s lewd comments and Alric’s smiles, Cameron wasn’t feeling cold at all anymore, but he had no desire to part with this blanket either.
Alric returned to his seat, the candlelight making the man look even more handsome as it caressed the sharp planes of his face.
“I hope you don’t mind that I ordered some wine. It’s similar to what we had with lunch,” Alric said when Cameron continued to just stare at him like an idiot.
Cameron blinked and straightened. “No, that’s perfect. Thank you.” He had to get his freaking head together. It had to be from the crowded condition of the festival, or possibly moving into the cool, dark cave. Or his sister’s reaction to Alric. Or just too much of that sweet bread. God, how did he even have room to eat more?
But as he picked up the menu, his stomach rumbled, demanding to be given more offerings or it would embarrass him in front of the sexy man. They chatted about the food, and in the end, he let Alric order for him, trusting in his judgement.
Too quickly, they were alone again, but this time it felt different. The festival wasn’t around to distract them, no more historical monuments for Alric to explain. At lunch, Cameron had still been in tourist mode, wanting to learn everything he could about the city. But now…this romantic restaurant, the hushed atmosphere, it was like a date. And Cameron wasn’t great on dates.
“I feel like I’ve dominated the conversation all day,” Alric began, his expression a bit sheepish.
“Only because you’ve been a perfect tour guide.”
Alric chuckled. “But you said you’re here on vacation, correct? This isn’t part of…” He paused and frowned like he was searching for the right words. “It’s not part of a social media job where you post pictures of places you’ve been.”
“You’re adorable,” Cameron sighed before he could catch the words. He straightened, and Alric laughed. The sound was loud and deep, maybe even a little rusty, as if he didn’t laugh often.
“That sounded like something you say to a grandparent.”
Okay, so he might have meant it a little like that, but Cameron also meant it like he wanted to climb into Alric’s lap and cuddle the man while licking his neck. Not something he’d ever considered with his grandmother.
“No, I—” he started and then growled. “Vacation. I’m here on vacation.” It was better to drive around the train wreck instead of trying to pick it apart. “I just graduated with my masters in mechanical engineering a couple of weeks ago. My plan is to backpack across Europe and then start my new job in September.”
“Congratulations!” Alric said enthusiastically. The very kind man was thoughtfully dropping his adorable comment and moving on. “We should be celebrating. I’ll order some champagne.”
“No, that’s okay. The wine is perfect.”
Alric’s eyes narrowed on him, and he rested his arms on the table as he leaned closer. “I get the impression you don’t want to celebrate.”
Cameron opened his mouth, but no sound came out, so he closed it again and settled on a small shrug. His thoughts made him feel selfish and ungrateful for what he had.
“Cameron, please,” Alric prodded gently. “I won’t judge you. I’m also very unlikely to go whispering tales back to your friends and family.”
A snicker left him at the thought of Alric running off to his parents to share his darkest secret. Besides, it might be nice to at least say the words out loud just once.
“I don’t want to be a mechanical engineer,” Cameron said in a rush. As soon as the words left him, it was like a weight went flying off his chest. He breathed a little easier and even huffed out a relieved breath.
“Really? But a masters? That’s quite a bit of schooling. And that’s not an easy vocation.”
“But it was for me,” Cameron quickly said. “Or rather, it wasn’t nearly as hard as it should have been.” He sucked in a deep breath and released it slowly. “I’ve a
lways been good at math and problem solving. Good at figuring things out. When it came time to go to college, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. None of the majors felt like a good fit. Like they didn’t fit who I was inside.” Cameron chanced a glance up at Alric to find the man starting intensely at him, as if Cameron was the only person in the world who existed.
“What made you choose this major?”
“My father. He’s a mechanical engineer. He pushed me into it. Good jobs, good money, and it’s something I’d be good at.”
“But it won’t make you happy.”
Cameron shrugged again. “Most people work their entire lives and aren’t happy at their jobs.”
“That doesn’t mean you should simply join them. What about your mother?”
“Psychiatrist. Another overachiever. She would have been happy if I followed in her footsteps, but I didn’t want to go to medical school. The only one sensible among us is my sister. She’s a software engineer and loves it.”
“You have a sister?” Alric demanded.
“Yeah,” Cameron said slowly, not quite sure why Alric seemed surprised. “Annoying as hell.”
His companion’s face immediately fell. “You’re not close?”
“Super close, actually. But then, most twins are.”
“Twins?” Alric just stared at him, his blue eyes stunned and wide. For a brief moment, Cameron swore he saw a ring of gold flash in Alric’s eyes. Trick of the candlelight, maybe? And why the extreme reaction over being a twin? Yes, twins were kind of rare, but certainly not unheard of.
“I’m sorry, Cameron,” Alric said, as if suddenly realizing he was acting strangely. “I’m glad you’re close to your sister and have someone you can talk to. My hope is that you find something that matches who you are in here.” Alric placed his hand over his heart and smiled. “You deserve to be happy.”
“Thanks. I guess that’s why I’m here…in Europe. I thought backpacking and seeing new places would help me get a little perspective. Figure some things out.”
“How long were you planning to be in Sonthofen?”
“Just another couple of days. I popped in for the festival and some hiking. From here, I’m heading west to Zurich and then I think maybe south to Turin.”
Alric’s expression turned dark and he shook his head. “That won’t do at all. Tomorrow, you must come with me to tour Burkhard Castle. It’s truly the crown jewel of the region. I’d hate for you to miss it.”
Cameron chewed on his bottom lip and bumped his glasses farther up his nose. It was tempting. He’d hoped to tour a few old castles while in Europe, and Alric had said Burkhard castle was closed to the public. It was a unique experience and it would give him a chance to see Alric one more time.
“You said it’s your family’s castle. You sure it’s not a problem for me to visit?”
“Absolutely not. You’d be most welcome.”
A sly smile spread across Cameron’s lips. “Will your friend be there too? Ravi?”
Alric sighed heavily. “Yes, but I promise to protect you from him.”
“Oh, he actually will be there? I was messing with you.”
“Ravi’s a member of my cl-ah, family. He lives at the castle as well.”
“Ah.” Cameron lifted up his wine glass and held it out to Alric. “Then I accept your offer to escort me through your castle.”
Alric’s smile was beautiful as he picked up his glass and lightly clinked it against Cameron’s. “Excellent. I believe you shall love it.”
Food started arriving, and they fell into easy conversation about less serious topics. Alric told him more stories about dragons and mages, explaining what the different banners meant. Cameron simply wanted to close his eyes, curl up in his blanket, and drift off with his full belly while listening to Alric’s wonderfully deep voice.
When the food was cleared away and the bottle of wine empty, Cameron found himself smiling and petting the blanket on his lap, so very tempted to buy it. Handmade from this soft wool, the blanket had to be incredibly expensive. He just couldn’t rationalize it.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I purchased the blanket for you,” Alric said as he slid out of his side of the booth.
Cameron’s head popped up and his mouth fell open. “What? Why?”
“Because I thought we had a very wonderful day, and I wanted you to have a memento of the day. Something to remember me and Sonthofen by.”
There was no way in hell he was ever going to forget Alric Burkhard.
“Alric…” he said, but couldn’t manage the rest of the words to tell him he shouldn’t have. He did appreciate it and had wanted the blanket desperately.
“If it’s too much to manage with your things, I can arrange to have it safely shipped to your home.”
Cameron’s fingers automatically tightened on the blanket. No way he was letting this thing out of his sight from now on. “Thank you. It’s perfect. It will keep me warm all across Europe and home again.”
Alric smiled, but there was a new stiffness to it. He helped Cameron fold the blanket again before they left the restaurant. They wandered to Cameron’s hotel. The noise of the festival still echoed through the city as people prepared to party late into the night. He was only slightly tempted to return to the celebration, but the weight of the food and the day of walking had left Cameron exhausted. He was ready to stretch out in bed and sleep for several hours.
At the entrance to the hotel, Alric stopped, his hands locked behind his back. He didn’t look happy to be leaving Cameron, but if he was worried for some particular reason, he kept it to himself.
“Thank you for an enjoyable day,” Alric said before Cameron could.
Cameron laughed. “You were the tour guide. I was the annoying American tourist.”
Alric’s smile became a little more genuine as he shrugged his broad shoulders. “You were a most pleasant and agreeable tourist. I was happy to show you my hometown.”
“And tomorrow you’re showing me your actual home.”
Alric nodded. “As well as protecting you from Ravi.”
Cameron snorted. “I might not need as much protecting since I know what to expect now.”
“You’d be surprised,” Alric muttered under his breath.
“Well…I guess I should…” Cameron took a hesitant step backward toward the lobby doors.
To his surprise, Alric bowed to him and smiled. “Until tomorrow, Cameron. Schlaf gut.”
“Goodnight, Alric,” he whispered, forcing himself to take another step away from the older man. Because if he didn’t, he was going to lean in and kiss him. It was entirely Alric’s fault, standing there looking like some ancient lord. His smile was all confidence and charm, and in that suit of his he looked like a model in search of a runway, which conversely sent Cameron’s mind straight into the gutter. Oh yeah, Alric needed to be kissed. Screw that, Cameron needed to be kissed by Alric.
But that was bad thinking. Alric was just a nice guy, and this had not been a date.
Nope, not a date.
And tomorrow was not a date.
Definitely wasn’t going to listen to any of Cassie’s suggestions either.
With all the willpower he could muster, Cameron turned and walked straight into the lobby, his mind still filled with visions of Alric. He clutched his blanket to his chest and allowed himself one more silly Disney princess sigh because Alric was so sigh-worthy.
Halfway to the elevators, a man stumbled across the floor and tumbled into him. Cameron grunted and stumbled a few steps under the man’s weight before catching himself on the wall. The smell of beer wafted around them, and a strange green flash of light came from something in the man’s hands. Definitely not a phone or a camera. Probably some light-up novelty purchased at the festival.
Before he could figure it out, the man pushed off him and continued toward the doors, swaying as he walked. Cameron quickly checked to make sure his phone and wallet were still in his pockets. All good. Not a crafty pickpo
cket. Just a drunken festival reveler.
It didn’t matter. Cameron continued on to the elevators and his own room. He had plans to curl up under his new blanket and dream about Alric’s smile until his appointment tomorrow.
“So wait.” Cassie held up a hand, her image a little dark on his tiny screen, reflective of their different time zones. It was well into the night where she was. “You’re telling me that Hot and Serious is coming to get you for a private tour of his castle?”
“That’s what I’m saying, yes. And he’s not all serious. Sometimes he cracks a joke with a perfectly straight face. You know I have a weakness for deadpan humor.”
“You also remember that it’s the funny guys you have to watch out for? Because they make you laugh and laugh and laugh and then boom! You’re naked.”
“Like magic, huh.” Cameron was amused by this warning of hers. It wasn’t like she would know from personal experience, as Cassie had never been on a date with a man in her life. “Do you think that if I laugh at all of his jokes, I can get him naked sooner?”
“I’d freaking hope so. You need to get laid, bro. And that guy you showed me has Daddy written all over him.”
“I’m not sure if I’m into spanking, but I’d sure let him try. And that’s rich coming from you, by the way. Who hasn’t had a date in a year?”
“To be fair, the last time I was on a date, it was a disaster. She invited me back to her place so she could watch me pee on a towel.”
“I remember that. I remember you faking an emergency and running out, too. But still, you can’t swear off dating entirely because of one bad blind date.”
“And now you’re sounding like Eomma.”
Cameron winced. Their mother had definite opinions about them getting married. She had a schedule for it. Eomma didn’t really mind they were gay, that was just how things were, but not getting married before thirty? Out of the question. “Was I really? Sorry. Bad mouth.”
“Very bad mouth. Smack it. Anyway, we got sidetracked from the point I wanted to make. You sure this is safe? What if you’re going into his evil lair?”
“Well, that’s why I’m shooting you his address. I emailed it to you five minutes ago. If you don’t hear from me in six hours, send in the police.”