“Not really, but I can’t say I love going into big city traffic.” He shook his head, pulling back into the center of the three lanes on the highway. “I know, I know. Spokane probably isn’t a big city for someone like you. No New York or anything crazy like that.”
“Yeah, but you never need to worry about driving in New York. Public transit and taxis all the way.”
Percy sighed, setting his cruise control again and watching the frozen wonderland slip past him. It wasn’t quite up to par with wintertime in the Cascade Mountains, but there was still an undeniable beauty to this much cold, crystalline white spreading out in every direction.
The fact he had CJ sitting next to him was another plus to the view, that was for sure. They hadn’t talked too much, other than right at the beginning, when CJ had kept apologizing for making him close down the coffee stand. Percy had put up a simple sign, letting anyone who might come by know that he would be back…eventually. He’d left it open-ended, just to cover his bases, and apparently that had made CJ offer him another couple hundred dollars on top of the four hundred he’d insisted Percy take back for lodging.
Percy had eventually gotten him to keep the extra cash, at least for now, and they’d settled into a mostly comfortable drive, flickering through radio stations so they could keep Christmas music on for the whole ride. There was less than a week left before the big day, so there were plenty of stations playing it, no matter where they were driving.
But now, as they drove nearer, Percy was feeling a touch more talkative and turned the radio down. “So, how much of this job can you even tell me about? Is this big, top secret PR business?”
“It’s all top secret PR business if you talk to the people paying the bills. But I’ve worked more sensitive jobs.” He sighed, scrubbing his hands together in his lap. “Can’t give up too much, but it’s a game developer. Not triple-A or anything like that, but a good-sized indie dev.”
Percy’s chest tightened, part excitement and part worry. It wasn’t technically the same state, but he lived just over the border between Washington and Idaho. So he was familiar enough with businesses in the general area. And he was a gamer. So of course his mind whirred forward. “Sidewinder?”
CJ gave a grunting chuckle, almost a snort. “See? Big enough that even you’ve heard of them. One of their higher ups got caught with some nasty DMs. Not great. I can’t give any more details. I’ve mostly been able to suppress it out of the news cycles right now, but it’s only a matter of time. They need me to get things cleaned up and squared away before the story gets too big for them.” He sighed. “Not a glamorous job, but the payment makes the bitter pill a little easier to swallow.” He glanced down at his phone, set up in one of the cupholders. “Exit in about twelve miles.”
Percy nodded. He’d certainly enjoyed Sidewinder’s games in the past. They had some decent puzzle games, but the big one was their RPG series, Flame of the Monarch. Super immersive, gorgeous graphics, almost endless replayability. And the numerous gay romance options were more than a major selling point for Percy.
He really,reallyhoped he wasn’t going to learn something that would ruin the whole catalog for him.
Percy sucked in a breath as they walked into the hotel room.They must really want CJ here for this job. He’d known, as soon as they walked into the hotel lobby, that this wasn’t some hole in the wall that they’d set him up with to technically meet the demands of lodging. But it was only when he walked in and saw the king bed, the couch, and thefucking fireplacethat he really understood how fancy this was going to be.
“I can’t let you let me stay here.” Percy shook his head, even as he let the door close behind him, continuing to take in the surroundings as he protested. “Seriously. I was okay with it when it was just hanging in a hotel. But this is way too nice for me.”
“You gave me an entirehouseto stay in.” CJ patted him on the butt as he passed by, then dropped his bag off next to the little hutch with the TV and the coffee maker. He looked down at a small basket of chocolates, grinning, and popped one into his mouth. “Besides, you’re stuck. I need a ride back to get my car when I’ve taken care of this.” He spread his arms wide, gesturing to as much of the room at once as he could. “It’s a little nicer than the average hostage quarters, but it’s still definitely captivity.”
“With room service?”
“Who said I was good at taking hostages?” He held out the basket, eyebrows raised. “Truffle?”
When Percy declined, CJ flopped back on the bed, linking his hands behind his head as he lowered himself against the pillow. His shirt rode up, showing the ripple of his abs and the indent of his belly button. Still a lovely sight, but Percy let his attention drift around the room, taking in all the details of these new plush accommodations. It was really the details that took it above the normal hotel room vibes. The hutch and the end tables were made of dark wood, curved and organic in design. The headboard was live-edge burl wood, stained the same dark color as everything else. The bedding was mostly the traditional hotel white, but with dark green and gold accent pillows.
And when Percy breathed deeply, he caught a distinct scent of apples and cinnamon on the air. “Do fancy hotels always smell so good?”
“Not always. But it’s a thing they do. If it’s too much—”
“No, not at all. Just wasn’t expecting it.” Percy still wanted to head out, not take advantage of this. He didn’t deserve to stay in this nice-ass hotel just for driving CJ here. Especially when driving him was fully selfish, just an excuse to spend more time with the hunky god of a man that had been dropped in his lap via car troubles.
Instead of voicing a single word of that, he laid down on the bed next to CJ. They weren’t close, and he wasn’t fooling himself about their relationship. There was undeniably something there—Percy wouldn’t have offered to drive him over good sex, and CJ likely wouldn’t have agreed to the terms either—but it was still fragile, nubile, undefined. At best, Percy could say that spending time together was pleasant.
Understatement of the century. Haven’t felt this kind of infatuation with someone in years. CJ felt kind and aware and caring. And unlike so many of the guys back in Hydrangea Hollow, there was an ease between them. CJ never tried to put any distance between them. If anything, he insisted on closeness. Even as Percy laid down next to him, his arm seemingly moved on its own, draping across Percy’s chest with full weight and warmth.
Percy sighed, not even considering shrugging it off. Instead, he wrapped his hands around the forearm, making sure it stayed in place, and stared up at the ceiling, tracing the decorative lines around the recessed ceiling. “So, how long do we have before you need to switch into business mode and leave me to languish in this pit of despair?”
CJ groaned. “I really should go soon. Get the in-person meeting part of this mess over with. It’s going to be ugly.” He shifted his arm and sat up, pulling his knees up to his chest and resting his head down on them, fixing Percy with that deep blue gaze. “Give me an excuse to put it off?”
“Wouldn’t be very responsible, considering your job is paying for this whole hotel room. And the trip over.”
“Damn. Even if I make some suggestions on how we could…pass the time?”
The hunger deepening his eyes told Percy everything, and his cock stirred at the suggestion. But he sighed. “Go on and do your work. Then you can use those ideas to help you destress.”
CJ nodded, sighed, and then slowly unfolded himself and got up, heading toward the bathroom. “You should at least make use of the time I’m gone as best you can. There’s a really good roastery. The Sidewinder folks recommended it to me when they got me to come out. Stoneforge Roasters. I don’t want to suggest your entire personality is just enjoying coffee, but…well, we’ll have a chance to learn a little more about each other while we’re here, right?”
Percy nodded. “I do like coffee. I can find some other stuff to do if that gets boring.”
“Good.” CJ slid the frosted glass door to the bathroom aside, stopping halfway inside and looking back at Percy. “And charge absolutely anything you need to the room. There’s a chauffeur service available if you don’t want to deal with trying to drive yourself around. Someone should use it. They also rent bikes, but not the wisest in this weather.”
