What if the little smiles, the intense glances, and soft touches were only a distraction for Ollie, and Goran—some sort of rebound?
But as angry as this made him, he couldn’t deny himself when Ollie’s hand moved behind his back.
Goran was in a fantastic mood when he was setting up the barbecue for everyone to enjoy in the evening. Though truth be told, he was set on impressing Ollie once more. His options at the cattery were limited, so this would have to do.
Goran forgot about the paddle boarding until Clove came over to take him out, and it had been oddly difficult to part from Ollie, even though he would be within reach at the cattery anyway.
Distracted as he’d been all day, Goran still had a lot of fun with first Clove and now Bounce, who was hunched over a plastic table nearby. There were packets of spices neatly collected in a plastic box next to him, and he kept looking over his shoulder, as if he were afraid Goran would try to steal his secret marinade recipe, which was apparently award winning in Bounce’s hometown. The sun was slowly getting a warmer tint when it moved lower over the ocean, and Goran took off his shirt, enjoying the sunshine on bare skin as he wrapped potatoes in aluminum foil and buried them in the coals.
A slim pair of arms wrapped around him from behind, and he smiled widely, already turning his head to kiss Ollie’s lips, but he was so surprised to see Cin that he almost backed into the barbecue.
“Whoa! Hey…”
Cin grinned at him, his green eyes twinkling in the light reflecting off the ocean. “That looks delicious. Do you cook a lot back home?” he asked, putting his arm around Goran’s waist.
Goran relaxed but still wasn’t very happy about Cin acting as if nothing had happened. “My parents run a hotel, I help out in the kitchen or wherever’s needed.”
Cin nodded and reached past Goran to grab a grape from a bowl of fruit. He popped it into his mouth, pressing against Goran’s body even more intently. It was weird, as he hadn’t really expressed much interest in Goran before. “You must be very strong if you work so much.”
Goran frowned at him. “What is this? Flattery one-oh-one? You should try being honest, it will sound more genuine.”
Cin blinked, chewing on the grape. “You mean, like Ollie?”
Goran cringed. He opened his mouth but nothing came out. “Y-yeah. He’s getting there.”
Cin brushed the back of his fingers against Goran’s stomach, creating a buzz that Goran didn’t want. “I just think someone needs to appreciate you without wanting something out of every interaction.”
“It’s not like he’s taking anything away from me.” Goran shrugged. “I don’t have a limited amount of boners.” But what he wasn’t saying was that he was actually giving his heart away to Ollie bit by bit. It was a scary thought, but if Goran was to be real with others, he needed to be the same with himself.
Cin glanced toward Bounce, who immediately looked away, pretending he wasn’t eavesdropping, and stepped closer, getting to his toes so that only Goran could hear him whisper. “Look, I’ve known Ollie for a while, and he isn’t the loyal type. You’re gonna be here for what, four? Five more months? He’s here for Luis, and everything else is just a distraction, so be careful about where you place your trust.”
“I know I won’t be trusting a snitch, so there’s that.” Goran looked straight into Cin’s eyes, even though hearing about Ollie’s interest in Luis hit too close to home.
Cin’s face twisted into a half-smiling grimace. “Sure, blame it all on me, not on the guy who lured you into town because he hoped Luis would just kick you out of the cattery if he found out. I knew of this plan beforehand,” he whispered so close to Goran’s cheek he could feel Cin’s breath caressing him.
Goran had to bite the inside of his lip to contain his anger. “So you were part of it.”
Cin tipped his head slightly and looked Goran in the eye. “I was trying to help out a friend, but it was a mistake.”
“Christ, Cin. Just go away.”
Cin shrugged and stepped back in a jerky movement, his mouth pressed into a pale line. “Fine. You’re the one who’s gonna be sorry,” he said and walked off while Bounce tried very hard to pretend that he’d somehow lost his hearing and hadn’t listened to the exchange.
Goran rolled his eyes. “Is he always like that?” he asked Bounce as he finished setting up the barbecue.
Bounce groaned and straightened his back, tossing some chicken into the marinade bowl so hard the reddish liquid sprayed over the front of his T-shirt. Oblivious, Bounce spread his arms in a frustrated gesture. “Those two are made of the same clay, is what I think. They can’t just be nice and have fun like normal people, and instead they spin intrigue all the time. I really wish everyone here was like you and Clove.”
Goran laughed and looked toward the house to make sure they were alone. “Who would you rather do though? Cin or Ollie?”
Bounce opened his mouth then closed it, blushing as he looked at Goran suspiciously. “I’ve done both, and I’d have to go with Ollie. He has this... elegance, I guess. And Cin just watched too much Gossip Girl.”
Goran grinned. “Yep, Ollie’s hotter.”
Chapter 16
An hour later, with everyone gathered close to the grill and the scent of burning charcoal and delicious, spicy meat in the air, Goran was utterly satisfied. They talked about their plans, particularly Bounce who was soon leaving the cattery for good, and everyone had advice for him as to what he should do with his hundred thousand. Ollie suggested investing in property, Clove thought buying shares in a developing company would have a bigger payoff, while Cin had different priorities altogether and suggested Bounce get nice clothes and mingle with people who could potentially make good connections in the future. He seemed to believe more money would come once one had rich friends.
“I’d spend at least some of it on a big trip to an exotic place,” Goran said with a smile. “Money comes and goes, but experiences last forever.”
Four pairs of eyes settled on him in silence, and even Bounce seemed unconvinced. “Yes, but living without money is annoying. Imagine getting ill and not being able to pay your bills. What then?”
Goran pouted. “We’ll all get old and sick at some point. Then you’ll regret you haven’t done those things when you were young and healthy.”
Clove shifted uncomfortably and folded his arms across his chest. “Traveling doesn’t have to cost a fortune. I’d rather let my money work for me and just backpack or do couchsurfing. I don’t need luxuries.”
“Just condoms,” said Bounce and elbowed him in the ribs.
Clove smirked. “That’s a necessity when you’re out to meet so many new people.”
Goran sighed. “Yeah, yeah, I guess that’s true. But I’d get a small boat. That’s for sure.”
Ollie’s fingers brushed over Goran’s behind their backs, and he sensed a warmth spread through his chest at the touch. “Like a yacht? You’d like to be a sea nomad and just move along the coast?”
Goran smiled at Ollie and nuzzled his cheek. “A small boat. Nothing fancy. And I could rent it out when push came to shove or take people on tours of the islands.”
“Islands?” asked Ollie, watching him with those blue eyes that uncovered further depths behind the pretty facade every time they looked at Goran.
“Yes, Croatia has an amazing coastline. There are hidden lagoons, places where you can’t get to other than by sea.”
Ollie grinned and picked up a chicken leg from the plate, clearly intent on sinking his teeth into it, but it looked so odd on him. Goran half-expected Ollie to go to the table and pick up a knife and fork so he wouldn’t get himself dirty. “I used to like spending the summer on my parents’ yacht.”
Goran’s imagination supplied an image of Ollie, naked, sunbathing on a yacht, and then the two of them swimming in the warm sea. “We could have parties on the boat.”
Ollie’s mouth twitched. “We could have one here. I’m sure Luis would agree to rent
ing out a boat.” He bit off a chunk of the meat and chewed, uncaring about the reddish marinade stain across his lips. It was too cute for words.
Goran nodded with a smile and looked at the hot coals. Of course, Luis could rent a boat. Luis was rich. And Ollie didn’t feel comfortable leaving the cattery, so it was quite obvious he wasn’t ready to consider venturing beyond the local coastline.
Bounce was looking through the user’s manual of the new board game Luis purchased for the cattery, his face serious as if he were trying to disarm a bomb. It was a strategy-based game set in a prison, and they brought it to the beach to give it a try. Since arriving at the cattery, Goran developed a new appreciation of more traditional forms of entertainment, and he was now just as excited as he had been for new video game releases when he still had no financial worries to hang over his head.
As the designated game master, Bounce started explaining the rules, but even though Goran tried to listen, he was still mostly focused on Ollie’s presence next to him. Even watching Ollie chew chicken was entertaining.
“So can I be the prison guard?” Goran pointed to the blue token.
“No, I want to be the guard,” Clove said quickly and snatched the figurine.
Goran frowned. “Hey. Shouldn’t we roll dice for it, or something?”
Ollie put down the naked bone and quickly rushed toward the ocean. Goran looked after him, but the moment Ollie walked into the water and splashed his hands, he got distracted by Cin, who took the token from Clove and hid it behind his back.
“Who wants to choose?”
Bounce raised his hand. “I read the instructions. Shouldn’t I choose?”
Cin frowned. “I’m just saying one of them should choose the hand, and if they get the token, they are gonna be the guard. Why are you being difficult?”
Bounce rolled his eyes and picked up the red pawns, which were still sealed in a small plastic bag.
Clove pointed to Cin’s left hand with a pout. “I don’t know why you have to tell us who plays on which side.”
“I’m not telling you anything. I’m a living lottery.” Cin reached out his left hand and revealed it was empty. “And you lost,” he said, handing the token to Goran. He picked up the yellow pawns and a stack of cards that corresponded to his prison gang.
Goran snorted but quickly went quiet under Clove’s glare. “Shouldn’t we wait for Ollie?”
Clove picked up the green pawns, emptying the plastic tray of game accessories just as Ollie walked back, a big smile firmly planted on his face. “What was that? Are you talking about me behind my back?” he asked, brushing water off his face.
“Yeah, you need to choose a color.” Goran trailed after Ollie with his gaze, all the way up lean legs covered by blond fuzz.
“But we already have all the players. There are three gangs and the guards. Four players.” Cin frowned and looked up from above the board where he already distributed some of his pawns and the corresponding token. “Sorry, Ollie, I think you might have to sit this one out,” he said, though Goran was pretty sure Cin was anything but sorry.
Ollie opened his mouth, looking so lost Goran wanted to stand up and hug him. He cleared his throat and smiled stiffly. “Come on. There’s five of us, why would we take the one game that has a limited player number?”
Bounce whimpered. “I don’t wanna change games. I spent half an hour reading through the instructions.”
Goran reached up to Ollie’s hand with a smile. “We could play as a team.”
His heart skipped a beat when Ollie gently squeezed his hand, but Cin wouldn’t let it go so easily. He frowned.
“I don’t know. Doesn’t this give you an advantage over the rest of us? Doesn’t sound fair to me.”
Clove raised his hands in the air. “Stop being such a little bitch, Cin! Fuck me sideways. Does anyone else object to Ollie and Goran playing as a team?”
Bounce shook his head without a word.
Ollie shrugged. “I don’t have anything against it either.”
Cin leaned back, for a moment avoiding all their eyes, but then suddenly broke into a smile and passed Ollie the remaining guard accessories. “Fine. I don’t mind it either. It’s not like there are any stakes to this game.”
Bounce looked up at them with his lips parted. “No stakes? Aren’t we going to bet on something? Come on…”
Goran snorted. “Whoever loses becomes the winner’s servant for a day.”
Clove all but purred. “Yes.”
Bounce grinned. “Does the service include sex services as well?”
“Of course, it does,” said Clove before anyone else managed to voice their opinion.
Cin visibly slumped and picked up his cup of water. “Let’s just start playing. You are all too serious about this.”
Goran wasn’t sure if he wanted ‘sex services’ from anyone but Ollie at the moment, but he still grinned. “Let’s do this.”
Bounce ended up losing, which was especially sour after he insisted on playing this particular game, and the winner, Clove, immediately used his privileges and sent Bounce to make him a nonalcoholic cocktail. Spread out on the sunbed, Clove was slowly stroking his dick as he watched his newly appointed servant run around naked.
“My life just got a whole lot more interesting,” he said, winking at Goran.
Goran laughed, still holding Ollie’s hand. It was amazing how without the constant distractions of phones or the Internet, everything he did here felt more real, and every emotion was more intense.
“Better use him well, he’s leaving next month after all.”
Clove smiled and adjusted his hardening dick as Bounce approached with the glass. “Oh, I intend to. Not an inch of that hot slave will remain untouched tonight,” he said, accepting the cocktail.
Bounce made a move to retreat, but Clove pointed to the sand. “Kneel.”
Confused, Bounce chewed on his lip and glanced at Goran and Ollie, as if uncertain whether he should obey the order. When no protests came, he did as he was told, sinking to all fours when prompted by Clove’s foot on his back.
“That’s right. Bend over and show your ass to Cin.”
Cin rolled his eyes and turned away.
Goran started laughing but quickly got up. “Oh, my God. I can’t watch this. Have fun, guys.” He pulled on Ollie’s hand, hoping they’d go together, and to his relief, there was no pullback.
Ollie stood up and gently pushed his fingers between Goran’s. He too smiled, looking back at Bounce who put his cheek atop his folded hands and closed his eyes, serving without protest. “See you later.”
“I don’t envy Bounce,” Goran whispered as they approached the house. “Unless he likes that sort of stuff, I mean. Clove is not a big guy, but he’s so freaking pushy sometimes.”
Ollie nodded. “He can control himself, but he can get pretty scary when he really lets loose. I think Bounce will be fine. He likes getting instructions any other time.”
Goran licked his lips as he opened the sliding door in front of Ollie. “What about you? Do you… like following instruction?”
Ollie stepped into the house but stopped just beyond the threshold and looked back at Goran. His face was a work of art, and it hypnotized Goran when they stood in silence for what felt like forever but might as well have been just a second. Ollie’s hand brushed over Goran’s chest, and he swallowed, looking into Goran’s eyes.
“I think I am more comfortable following someone’s lead. Thank you for standing up for me. I was close to just leaving it be. I don’t need any more reasons for the others to ignore me.”
Goran smiled and pulled Ollie closer, wrapping his arms around his waist. “I stand up for what I want. They’ll come around, and I’m not going to act weird about it. It’s their problem if they don’t like that we made up. Worst thing they can do is push me out too, but it doesn’t look like that will be happening.”
Ollie lowered his head and combed his fingers through his blond locks, not looking at
Goran. “Yes, they like you a lot. Cin too. He keeps looking at you.”
Goran nodded. “He’s been acting weird all of a sudden. I don’t know what his deal is, but I’m not trusting him again.”
“Me neither. All this time, he’s been my friend, but it seems he was just waiting to jump on the opportunity to put me down.”
Goran leaned down and kissed Ollie’s ear. “I think he’s jealous of you.”
Ollie laughed, raising his shoulder, as if Goran’s lips tickled him. “Of me? Why would you think that?”
“He’s been hitting on me today, and we just got together yesterday. I think he wants whatever you have. Maybe he’s in love with Luis too.” Goran said it as a joke, but his whole body was alert to pick up any indication of jealousy of Luis in Ollie.
Ollie’s gaze shot up, eyes widening. “Hitting on y—” He took a deep breath and looked away, playing with a drawstring at the front of his shorts. “I mean... everyone’s fair game, aren’t they? That’s the kind of place this is.”
Goran sighed. Of course, Ollie wouldn’t comment about Luis. “I don’t know.”
They went farther away from prying eyes, to the soft white sofa in the living room.
“No?”
“No. We should be able to choose what we want to have with each other.” Goran sat down and pulled Ollie into his lap. He could feel the warm body stiffen immediately, and Ollie scratched his cheek, looking toward the window.
“You know it’s against the rules. The whole point of this place is to be accessible.”
Goran slid his hands to Ollie’s ass. “I know. But we could keep it a secret. Make some rules that only we know. We could still hug or touch the other guys sometimes so it’s not suspicious. We’ve both already had sex with Luis so maybe it won’t be that hard to navigate. It’s not like he’s here all that often…”
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