by Macy Blake
“I can promise you that I’m not venereal.”
It was Jamie’s turn to laugh. “Someone save me.”
Augustus would be more than happy to do just that. His heart skipped happily in his chest and his stomach fluttered. He’d not felt this way since— it had been a long time. A very long time.
“I’d happily save you,” Augustus whispered. He lifted his hand up and touched Jamie’s cheek briefly before dropping it away. “Tell me what happened.” He didn’t offer an option. It was no longer negotiable. If Jamie needed help, Augustus had every intention of giving it to him.
“It’s fine, really. I just got stood up. But not even really. I’m stupid. I believed… UGH. Let’s just go with I’m stupid. And I think with my dick apparently. I mean. UGH. Why do I keep saying stupid stuff to you?”
Jamie had no idea how refreshing Augustus found the honesty. Everyone around him was so cautious, so concerned with offending him. It came with the amount of wealth and power he’d accumulated, and his position as a leader in the supernatural community.
“You have no place to stay?”
“Nope. And no way home until Monday. Like an idiot.”
Augustus scowled. “Stop saying that. It sounds like you had a bad experience.”
“Yeah. And I was looking forward to this weekend, you know? Romantic weekend at a lodge? Who wouldn’t want that, am I right?”
“You are right. Come with me, Jamie. Let’s see if we can fix this.”
Augustus went into the gazebo and grabbed one of the bags sitting on the wooden floor. Jamie followed behind and picked up the second, a bedraggled backpack that had seen much better days.
“I can—“
“Jamie, it’s been a long time since I laughed the way I just did. Let me pay you back for that moment. It’s the least I can do.”
Jamie hesitated for a moment, his eyes softening and his lips turning down. “Oh wow. That’s just… you aren’t happy?”
Augustus smiled, but it made Jamie’s frown deepen. The little imp saw right through the fake smile that fooled so many others in his life.
“Why aren’t you happy, Augustus?”
“I’m content. That’s all I can hope for.”
Jamie scowled. “Well, that’s a big steaming pile of horseshit.”
Augustus chuckled once more. “Oh really?”
“Totally.”
They began walking back toward the main building.
“Since when is content enough?” Jamie snorted inelegantly and hitched the backpack higher on his shoulder. “Anyone as hot as you should be ridiculously happy.” His eyes widened and he tripped over a root.
Augustus caught Jamie and steadied him as his cheeks turned pink.
“I keep doing stupid shit in front of you.”
“It’s… nice. And thank you for the lovely compliment. I find you hot as well.” Augustus winced. He’d not taken a moment to think before speaking. He never did that.
Jamie snickered. “That was so awkward.”
Augustus laughed again, once more charmed by the captivating smile of this unexpected diversion. “Maybe a little.”
“Sir?” Maxine stood at the entrance of the lodge, waiting for him. “Everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine. Will you ask Dauzat if he has a moment to speak to me?”
“Of course.” Maxine hurried inside and Augustus followed behind her, leading Jamie into the large entry of the lodge. The vaulted ceilings soared above them, with deep wooden beams supporting the massive structure. It was a feat of architecture, not that Augustus was surprised. The lodge hadn’t changed at all, and goblins were known for their construction abilities.
“Man, this place is wild, huh? I bet it’s been in magazines and stuff.”
“It has.”
“Yeah. I mean, I kinda want to take pictures of it right now. But that would be weird.”
“You’re a photographer?”
“A wannabe. Wow, did you see this?” Jamie hurried over to the reception desk and knelt to inspect the gleaming wood. Augustus had never even noticed it before. Interwoven branches created the base of the desk, and even at a glance, Augustus could tell that some of the goblin’s magic had been employed to perfect the weave.
“Stunning,” Augustus said, no longer looking at the beautiful wooden structure. Something much more captivating had his attention.
Jamie glanced up and smiled and another little spark of happiness flooded into Augustus.
“Augustus, is that you?”
The spark dimmed as quickly as it formed. He should have been prepared to see someone he knew, but Augustus hadn’t planned on being social during this visit. He pasted on his smile and turned to see who’d spoken.
“Franklin!”
An old work colleague and the now-retired head of the jackalopes, Augustus hadn’t seen Franklin in many years. Time had been good to his old friend, though. He held out his hand and they shook politely before Franklin moved his other hand up and clutched Augustus’s tightly. “I’ve not seen you since… I was so sorry to hear about Francesca.”
His smile hardened, and it took all of his control to keep it on his face. “It’s been a long time,” Augustus managed to choke out.
“It never leaves you. I know.”
Franklin had lost his mate many years before Augustus’s own loss. Augustus squeezed Franklin’s hand in understanding. “It doesn’t. Thank you.”
Franklin released his hold on Augustus as he dropped his next bombshell. “You should know that there are a number of our old friends here this weekend. We met up to introduce our— well, hold on a moment.”
Augustus frowned as a young man skipped his way over to Franklin’s side with a beaming smile on his face.
“You should see the sweaters! They have a green one that’ll match your eyes and—“
“Let me guess,” Franklin said to his companion. “They have a really soft one that you need.”
The young man grinned sheepishly. “Well, I don’t need it.”
“Hmm. Get them both and have them charged to my account. But first, I want you to meet someone. This is an old friend of mine, Augustus Eastaughffe. Augustus, this is my companion, Levi.”
“It’s nice to meet you, sir,” Levi said sweetly. It didn’t escape Augustus’s notice that the young man had threaded his fingers through Franklin’s and held on tightly.
“And you,” Augustus added politely.
“Go get the sweaters, sweetheart,” Franklin said. “And yes, you can get whatever else it is that caught your eye.”
Levi beamed and popped up on his tiptoes to kiss Franklin on the lips before he hurried toward the small boutique at the back of the lodge.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Franklin said. “I’ve never been happier.”
“I’m… surprised. My apologies.”
Franklin laughed. “No need. Trust me, your reaction is one of the milder ones. Simply a raised brow at my boy’s antics. But I’ve never felt more alive, Augustus.”
Honestly, Augustus had never seen Franklin look happier. He told him so.
Franklin smiled and glanced toward the boutique. “Levi is an unexpected gift. I found myself longing for someone to care for, someone to adore, who would adore me right back. My boy is such a love, Augustus. I highly recommend you finding one for yourself.”
Augustus laughed. “I’ve already had the love of my life, old friend. I doubt I’ll find another at this age.”
Franklin simply smiled and raised a hand to get a passing staff member’s attention. “Never say never, Augustus. There’s something in the air here. Can you feel it?”
Oddly enough, he could. Something sparked inside him, some awareness he couldn’t explain.
“Would you join us for dinner?” Franklin asked.
Augustus’s smile faltered once more. But then he felt a presence at his side. He looked over to see Jamie standing beside him, looking at him with— Augustus wasn’t sure what the look me
ant.
“He already has dinner plans,” Jamie said softly. “Unless…”
Augustus’s heart fluttered once more and the spark of interest returned in a rush. “No, thank you, Franklin. I have plans.”
Jamie smiled, and Franklin laughed.
“So I see you aren’t as shocked by my situation as you looked. I should have known you’d find someone to scratch those itches.”
Augustus’s throat closed around a roar and his gaze sharpened. As a griffin, his eagle-eyes turned him to a dangerous predator in a moment. Franklin’s smile fell as he quickly realized his mistake.
“Jamie does not scratch an itch for me, Franklin.”
“I’m… please accept my apology, Augustus. I didn’t mean to insult—“
“Apologize to him, Franklin.”
Franklin froze before turning to Jamie. “I’m sorry for insulting you.”
Jamie leaned slightly into Augustus as he shrugged. “I’m used to it.”
The fire of Augustus’s anger burned brighter for a moment but Jamie looked up at him and frowned.
“Would you please stop scowling? Your face is going to freeze like that.”
Another shocked burst of laughter escaped Augustus before he could stop it. “Yes, sir.”
Jamie grinned up at him and bumped their arms together.
“As long as you remember who’s in charge here. That’d be me, by the way. In case I wasn’t being clear.”
Augustus shook his head, unable to keep the wide smile off his face. Another sound from Franklin drew his attention away from the silly grin on Jamie’s full lips.
“I—I don’t think I’ve ever heard you laugh before.”
“Really?” Jamie said. “All he does is laugh with me.”
Franklin nodded and turned to glance at the boutique where Levi stood at the register. “I understand the feeling completely. Perhaps we’ll be able to have a meal at some point over the weekend. I’d like to catch up, Augustus.”
“We’ll see. I have a few things to attend to.”
“Always business, Augustus. I thought your son had taken over the reins of the family business.”
Augustus didn’t reply. His son had other things on his mind these days, mainly a mad god set on destroying him and his mates. Which meant that Augustus really couldn’t get pulled into a bunch of meetings with old friends who would want him to make promises of making them more bags of money. That was the old him. Eduard needed him to find out why Gamayun had sent Augustus to the mountains.
Maxine appeared at the other end of the room with Dauzat, the goblin who owned the lodge, at her side. Augustus made a snap decision and quickly excused himself from Franklin. He did have a job to do, but nothing said he had to do it alone.
As the other man walked away, Augustus turned to Jaime.
“I hope you don’t mind that I—“ Jamie began.
“Stay with me this weekend,” Augustus interrupted.
Jamie blinked up at him. “What?”
“Your plans were cancelled. I have a cabin to myself. Stay. With me.”
Jamie bit his lip and looked up at him. “That’s crazy.”
“Probably,” Augustus conceded. “You can leave whenever you want, of course. Including now. I can have my driver take you home. No strings.”
Jamie looked at him again and shrugged. “Fuck it. Why not?”
Augustus couldn’t help but smile again. “You don’t have to sound so excited.”
Jamie grinned. “Hell, for all I know this is going to be one of those Cabin in the Woods weekends. It would serve me right, but damn, you’re just… you interest me. And yeah, you’re probably thinking other things right now and hell you may have other plans— because when you look at me, things happen in my pants, Augustus. But that’s not to say you’re going to get in my pants, because I have— okay, I don’t actually have a ton of values. I’m young and horny, and I mean, I don’t sleep around exactly, except I do a little. Young and horny. I guess I’m saying I’m not a total slut so don’t be expecting—“
“Breathe,” Augustus said.
Jamie sucked in a breath. “Man, I want to do bad, bad things with you.”
Augustus’s cheeks were actually hurting from smiling. He rarely acted so impulsively, but if he’d learned anything at all over his many years on this planet, it was to trust his gut. And his gut said to keep Jamie with him. “The feeling is mutual.”
Jamie
“So,” Jamie said as Augustus opened the door to the so-called cabin where they’d be spending the next few days, “when you said cabin, what you really meant was mansion in the woods that happens to be made of wood so it looks rustic but is still really a mansion.”
Augustus looked over his shoulder and raised one perfectly-shaped, deep red brow. “This is not a mansion.”
“No? You sure? Because I was expecting one of those one-room deals where oops we’d have to share a bed because there’s only one and there’d probably be a fireplace with a bear skin rug and the heat would conveniently go out and—“
“You have a very vivid imagination.”
“You’re not the first person to say that to me.”
“And there are four bedrooms. You’re free to chose whichever one you want.”
“Huh.”
“Is that a huh as in a question? Or a huh as in you are confused? You’re frowning, so I can’t be sure.”
Augustus looked like the confused one.
“So you didn’t ask me here to get in my pants?”
Apparently, it was a weird question. Augustus paused in the act of pouring some deep, dark boozy-looking thing from a crystal decanter into a really fancy glass.
“I… don’t know why I asked you to stay to be honest. As you said, you interest me.”
The thing was, Jamie believed him. Augustus didn’t seem like the kind of man who made rash decisions. Unlike Jamie. But still, something sparked inside him when he looked at Augustus. Tall and handsome with twinkling blue eyes and a curl to his lip that made Jamie want things. Forever kinds of things. Things Augustus wouldn’t have any interest in with the likes of him.
“I’m… sorry about your wife.”
Augustus hesitated for a moment before taking a small sip from the sparkling glass in his hand. “It’s been a long time.”
“Still.”
“Thank you.”
A long awkward moment of silence stretched between them.
“So, regretting asking me to stay already?”
Augustus actually thought about it for a second. Jamie’s heart stopped beating until a small smile appeared. “Not even a little.”
“Oh, good.” Jamie wandered around the large living room, running his hands along the back of the softest of soft leather sofas. “Hey, would it be weird to go for a walk? The afternoon light is great and I want to explore a little. Take some pictures maybe.”
“We can do that.”
“Cool. I need to change. And… so do you. I mean suave businessman is a look that you definitely rock, but I think we need to go for a more wealthy lumberjack vibe for you.”
Augustus grinned again, exactly as Jamie had hoped. Man, seeing this guy smile was doing things to him. Confusing things. Achy things.
“I don’t do lumberjack.”
“Oh? That’s okay. I don’t either. I mean, flannel? Am I right?”
Augustus chuckled. “Sometimes, I have no idea what you’re saying. It’s delightful.”
Jamie grinned and rounded the sofa, stopping mere inches from Augustus. “I’m just saying that your fancy, white, button-down shirt, as gorgeous as it is, isn’t exactly what you should wear on a walk through the woods.”
“I also have a pale gray, I believe. Perhaps a blue. Some kind of stripe, probably.”
Jamie groaned. “Am I going to have to let you borrow a T-shirt?Sheesh. What a user.”
Augustus took another sip of his drink, then offered the glass to Jamie. “Smell.”
He did. “It sme
lls expensive.”
“It is. Smell again.”
He did, glancing up to meet Augustus’s intense gaze as he breathed in the scent of sweet and warmth and wood. “It smells like… a happy night curled in front of the fire with the man of my dreams.”
Augustus’s breath caught, and he moved the glass, lifting it to Jamie’s lips. He took a small sip, mimicking what he’d seen Augustus do earlier, and the taste exploded across his tongue. He swallowed and warmth burned a path all the way to his belly. It gave a little flutter, much like the one he got every time Augustus laughed or smiled or, hell, just looked at him.
Maybe the little bit of booze gave him liquid courage. Or maybe it was the heat in Augustus’s gaze or the way his eyes followed Jamie’s tongue when he licked his lips, chasing another taste of the whiskey. But he let his courage be his guide and stepped closer, pushing up against Augustus. He ran his hands up the silky soft shirt hiding a nicely muscled chest to broad shoulders that looked able to carry the weight of the world.
“Augustus,” Jamie whispered.
He heard the clink of the glass being set down, and then Augustus’s hands were on him. One on the lowest part of his back, pulling him closer to the warmth of Augustus’s body. The other cupped the back of his head, fingers tangling in his mess of hair and guiding his head back.
“Augustus.” This time, a gasp, needy and wanting. A sound unlike any he’d ever made.
Augustus stared at him, long and hard. His blue eyes searching, thinking, processing. And then a decision. His fingers tightened in Jamie’s hair, tugging almost to the point of pain. “For the next few days, you are mine. Agreed?”
His entire body trembled. His cock ached and thickened. He didn’t even have to worry about making the choice. He knew what he wanted. “Agreed.”
And then Augustus kissed him, hard and fast. No more room to think, not that he had any blood left in his brain. No, it had all gone south, and his dick proved it knew exactly what to do with the additional resources. Augustus devoured him for another moment before tugging his hair again, guiding his head back.
“I’m assuming you brought supplies for your weekend romp?”
It took Jamie a second to process. “Yeah. Yeah, I have stuff.”