Page 26 of Love Spell

Noah pulled back, knew better, but the smile, the softened tone, the interest … Timo was right: Noah hadn’t thought for an instant that Timo was into him purely because he was honestly attracted to Noah and interested to see if that could become more.Ultimately, it wouldn’t change anything one way or another.Still …

Noah took the stool.“Just one.”

9

One drink didn’t turn into two: Noah was firm about that.But it did turn into Noah accepting Timo’s invitation to step outside with a joint after the bar closed.

Based on his luck so far, Timo didn’t think Noah would go for it.He was giddy with his own success to find himself with Noah under the stars in the dark landscape of Snowdonia National Park.The rain had cleared and they climbed a trail just above the resort to sit on damp boulders overlooking hotel lights and a billion stars on a chill night with autumn newly upon them.There was so little light pollution out here, even the talon of a moon looked shockingly bright.

Warmed with the good food and alcohol, Timo wasn’t cold and Noah didn’t seem to be either.They sat in silence at first, just watching the stars, Timo lighting the joint and taking a carefully small hit before passing it over.

Noah hadn’t exactly been a chatterbox at the bar, but Timo was able to drag out of him that his parents were divorced, still living in Alaska, he was an only child, yes, he knew how to drive a snowmobile, but there was nothing to it, and no, he didn’t want to talk to Timo about his family.

They’d talked about books mostly, Noah going on about howAnna Kareninawas the greatest novel ever written, generations ahead of its time in its style, that many people didn’t know part of it was written by Tolstoy’s wife, and that Noah wanted to read all the great Russian classics but he was still working on it.

Yawn.Oh well, at least it got him talking, even smiling, and into such a good mood he’d accepted the invite out here.

Timo took it easy, harnessing every inch of charm, every ounce of patience in his bag of tricks.

Noah took a hit and passed it back.“Doesn’t it bother you?”

“Already getting to the metaphorical questions?That didn’t take much.”

“No.”Noah laughed a bit and Timo’s heartbeat quickened.“The guys talking about you behind your back?The whole bloodthirsty pack taking an interest in your love life?Not in a good way.”

Again, Timo was careful not to inhale too much.“What could be more flattering?”

“What?”Noah accepted the joint again.

“Do you know whose sex life is the only one to interest many an animal group?Or often even get to have one?”

“The leader?The dominant stallion or lion or wolf of the territory?”After a slow inhale, taking way more than Timo, Noah rocked back to gaze upwards.“Weird place to find affirmation if you ask me.”

“I didn’t ask you.”

Noah laughed again.

Oh, yes … Timo shivered, smiling into the darkness, glad Noah couldn’t see his expression and he didn’t have to monitor it so as not to alarm the kid.Keep laughing all the way to the bedroom.

Timo had made sure to have a bottle of sparkling wine and a vase of red roses in his room, bed turned down before he stepped out for dinner, only one dim reading light on by the bed, curtains drawn.Although he personally found the idea of giving someone a bundle of dead plant stems to get them in the mood one of the more bizarre quirks of human evolution, Noah seemed like the type to enjoy such gestures.Even Rhys, a keen gardener, hadn’t been immune to their supposed charms.

They traded the joint a few more times, Noah getting the bulk, and he started talking about constellations and astrology.Ugh.EvenAnna Kareninawas more interesting than this.But Timo waited, even indulged when Noah asked his sign.That was showing more interest, wasn’t it?The sort of thing people did?What’s your sign?What’s your enneagram?Shit like that?

Noah laughingly said that it made sense Timo was a Gemini.

Whatever.

“You finish that,” Timo purred, resting a hand on Noah’s thigh.“I’ve had enough.”

They were facing the same direction on a shared boulder, non-confrontational, and Noah didn’t even seem to notice the hand.

Noah told him some story about a hunter and dogs tracking across the night sky in constellations and Greek myths and whatever all it was about.

“Uh-huh.”Timo would start with a kiss because, again, Noah seemed that kind of guy.The flowers type.Then again, what if that only gave him time for a negative reaction?No, he’d go straight for the balls, then a kiss.Fast, then slow, then fast, then slow once the bedroom door was closed.

Timo drew his hand up Noah’s thigh, inching more towards the inside as he went.It was black jeans now, everyone casual for their holiday, and Timo longed for the more yielding softness of khakis or formal trousers.At least they weren’t too tight; he had a bit of give to work with and get his fingers into.

“You okay?”Timo asked sweetly.“After the trails?You’re a good rider but we threw you in at the deep end.Sorry about that.”Timo had also learned from Rhys how far an apology, merited or not, felt or not, could get a man when it came to bedroom perks.

---