Chapter 5

It was a mistake, all of it. From the second I’d let him into my tent. Except…he’d sounded so afraid; how could I refuse him? And this morning? Fuck, it felt so good. He felt so good. And now I was screwed. I slept with the one person in the company who could make my life miserable. It was no secret that his family practically owned Printech. If he decided he didn’t want to see me there—not that he ever noticed me in the first place—he could make that happen.

I put distance between myself and my tent, but as I paced around the campsite, the cool air hit me and I had to pee. I followed a worn pathway through a set of trees until I was far enough away not to be seen. Ducking under a tree, I began to relieve myself. Leaves crunched behind me and I snapped my neck to catch Reed coming my way.

“Dammit!” I hissed as I returned my attention to the stream. “You can’t just sneak up on someone when they are taking a piss.”

“Mind if I join you?” Reed came up to my side, only a foot away, to use the same tree I was watering. There was a whole damn forest, and he had to stand right beside me. When I was done, I fixed myself and turned to leave.

“Wait! Hold up a second. Please.” Reed’s voice had a hurt tone in it. And didn’t that make me feel like the asshole in this situation?

I let out a huff and leaned against a tree across from him with arms folded over my chest. I wasn’t being fair. I knew that. But I didn’t need all of this drama during my week away from work. Though the sexy morning wake-up was a big improvement to just jerking myself off like I had planned to do. Reed’s ass molded perfectly around my cock. What would it feel like to push inside of him?

Nope. Can’t go there.Already the memory of him pressed against me had my blood rushing south. Reed finished and came to stand in front of me before his eyes slid around, taking in our surroundings. Right. The man that had been confident and bold in our tent and who offered himself so quickly was back to being nervous in the woods. It stirred my traitorous heart, making me want to protect him and keep him feeling safe. God, I was hopeless.

Reed returned his focus to me. “What’s going on, Jesse? Did I do something wrong? I mean, we both participated earlier. If you had told me to stop, I would have.”

“I know. It’s not that. Well, it’s partially that.”

Hurt flashed in his beautiful blue eyes. “Partially? So what’s the rest of it?”

“Listen, I love my job.”

He shifted his stance, and his expression morphed with confusion. “Okaaay? What does that have to do with this?”

“Everything, dammit. It’s more than loving my job. I need it. I have bills and responsibilities, and I can’t be putting everything at risk for one beautiful man.”

“I fail to see what that has to do with this?” Reed waved his hand back and forth between us.

“Because, if this goes south, who’s the one they are going to fire? Not their poster boy, that’s for damn sure. Not the nephew of the CFO.”

He flinched when I said that last part, as if I’d hit him. I immediately wished I could take my words back, even without knowing why they seemed to affect him.

“My uncle has nothing to do with this. And we’re just having fun. So there’s no need for anything to ‘go south.’ And did you call me…beautiful?” He finished with a smirk. But there was something about it that didn’t reach his eyes. He was deflecting. And well, I supposed I could go along with that, especially since I was the one who put the hurt there in the first place. And, apparently, the protectiveness I felt for him seemed to cross to the emotional side as well.

My position softened, no longer trying to create a rigid barrier between us, and I focused on Reed. “I mean, you know you are. It’s not a secret.”

His eyes brightened a little, and he shrugged. “It’s still nice to hear.”

“I bet you hear it all the time.”

“Sure, from guys trying to get in my pants, but you already have. So, at least it’s not weighted with wanting something from me.”

He may have said it off-handedly, but it felt as though there was history that came with it. “Well, you are,” I said softly, wanting him to know I meant it. I mentally shook myself and straightened. “Can we just start over?”

“Like get back to the tent and get naked again? Yeah, I’m in.” Reed gave me that money shot smile. For all the times I’d seen it at work, I’d never imagined the way my heart would leap at having it directed at me.

Tempting. So very tempting. “Slow your roll, Prince Charming. How about we maybe try talking, or hell…do some of that team-building we’re supposed to be doing.”

“I think I’m ready to wash off the team-building we did earlier. Any ideas?” Reed winked.

“Uh, right. I think they set up a camp shower.”

Reed’s award-winning smile turned to a grimace. “What does that entail?”

“It’s like a tall, skinny tent with a water bag and a hose.”

“Well, that sounds horrifying. Do we have a second option?”

I let out a laugh. Reed’s aversion to anything camp-related was more amusing than it should be. He was this guy I’d fantasized about, who lived up on a pedestal, and yet so human out here in the woods.

“Strike said there was a stream nearby.”

“That sounds moderately more appealing than a hose in a tent.”

“Yeah? You wanna go exploring, Reed?”

His eyes gleamed with mischief. “With you? Absolutely.”

Reed hooked his arm through mine and let me lead him back to the path. I was sure Strike said it was about a half mile away. It was early, and we hadn’t eaten yet, but food was suddenly the last thing on my mind. Not with Reed pressed against my side, smelling like sex, and imagining him naked in a stream. I was in deep trouble with him.

The more distance we put between us and the campsite, the tighter Reed clutched my arm. “How much further do you think it is? Do you have any kind of weapon? What do you do if you come across a bear? Or a badger? Those are vicious too, right?”

“First of all, badgers are nocturnal, so you’re not likely to see one.”

“You mean they could be running around outside our tent? Is that what I heard last night? God, that’s even worse.”

I chuckled as I threw an arm over his shoulder, liking too much how he leaned into me. With my free hand, I grabbed the pocket knife I had in my pants. Years of camping taught me never to leave my tent unarmed. Even in my awkward hurry to get out, I still checked my pocket to make sure my knife was in there.

When I showed the multi-tool knife to Reed, I felt some of the tension leave his body. “I’m not sure it’s as comforting as I thought it would be knowing you are armed. But also, damn, that’s kind of hot.”

I slipped it back into my pocket. “It’s not going to do any real damage, but it could give us a head start. Besides, if you need a can opened or screw tightened, I’m your man.”

“Cute and handy. That’s a good combination.”

Being called cute by the Reed Dawson felt pretty amazing. Maybe I was the only option currently, but I’d take it. I didn’t expect to have the attention of a gorgeous man during my week away.

A trickle of water sounded in the distance. “Come on, we’re almost there.”

Another hundred feet and we found it. A beautiful running stream with pristine, clear water. It looked to be a few feet deep in some areas, and the water moved at a nice, lazy pace. Not rushing by in a force that would be too strong to withstand. I looked for any signs of danger, saw no algae blooms or funky smells. It looked…

“Beautiful,” Reed’s awed tone matched the sentiment I felt. “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen water that looked so…untouched. I might be a city guy through and through, but this is really something.”

“Yeah, it is. I’ve always loved getting to see areas that aren’t taken over by humans. There’s a lot of beauty in this world, but so often we stomp all over and ruin it. But seeing something like this always reminds me of what it could be.”

“Is it safe?”

“Yeah, should be. The rocks might be slippery though, so just step carefully.”

I toed my shoes off and removed my socks, tucking them into my shoes. The cool, damp earth beneath my feet felt amazing. There was something really grounding about it. Reed watched me cautiously as I took steps toward the water. When my toes hit the first edge of the stream, I jumped.

“What happened? Did something bite you?”

I chuckled before letting the water lick at my feet once more. “No, it’s really cold. It just takes a minute to adjust. Do you think you can handle it?”

Reed gave me an impish look. “I’ll be fine. Besides, you know how to keep me warm.”

Without any hesitation, he stripped completely naked and ran into the water. He was a gorgeous sight, all bare and running free. Damn!

“Oh fuck! This is cold! Don’t just stand there gawking. You better get your ass in here, Jesse.”

“I was not gawking. I was…appreciating the view.”

“Well appreciate it from closer.”

Yeah, that I could do. I took off the layers of clothes I had on and followed him in. Not at the full speed with which he had entered the stream. I gasped as the water enveloped me. It was deep enough to reach my thighs, but I felt too exposed and lowered myself into the frigid water. Breathing deeply, I waited for my body to stop tensing from the cold.

Reed was still standing, turned away from me, as he splashed water on his chest, and vigorously scrubbed, trying to clean. His ass was at the perfect height in front of me. It was flawless and smooth, not a hair in sight. Did he wax? Was his hole as smooth as his cheeks? What did he taste like? The thought warmed me up, though the cold water countered the desire I felt.

When he turned to catch me staring at eye level with his ass, he smirked and splashed water back at me. I yipped when the coolness hit my chest and face. “Hey!”

“Hey, yourself. If you’re going to spend so much time ogling my body, the least you could do is help wash me down so we can get out of this water faster.”

I felt my cheeks burn at being caught. But touching him again was definitely appealing. I stood, no longer caring that my cold-affected dick was out of the water. It was exhilarating being so near him, and so…naked. Especially out in the wilderness, with no care. I scooped up some water and poured it over his back, washing away the remnants from earlier. When my hands ran down his body, Reed let out a throaty moan.

Another scoop of water and I followed the rivulets down his back, tracing his spine, and my hands rounded over the swells of his ass. I grabbed his hip and tugged him backward. Reed let me move him until his back was once again pressed to my front. He rested his head on my shoulder, tilting it in invitation.

Wrapping my arms around his chest, holding him firmly against me, I nuzzled my nose along the side of his throat. When he purred in response, I couldn’t help but press my lips to his cold skin.

Reed groaned and reached back, holding my hips and pulling me tighter. Despite the polar water lapping around us, my cock was warm enough nestled against his ass to spring to life.

We stood in a stream in the middle of a forest, with no shame or worry, and it was glorious. God, he was so sexy, and the way he was pliant to my touch was invigorating. I loved the tremble as I ran a hand up and down his chest. The delicious inhale when I brushed against his hard nipple. I circled its peak and teased him, leaving him keening.

“God, Jesse, that feels so good. There’s only one thing…”

I paused my motions, afraid of what he was going to say. “What’s that?”

“I can’t feel my toes.”

I laughed, only then realizing that mine were feeling a little numb, too. “Well, we can’t have that.”

Before I released my hold on him, I pressed a kiss on his cheek, lingering a moment longer than I intended. Putting space between us was becoming harder and harder. Reluctantly, I let him go, but he grabbed my hand instead as we walked out of the water. Despite the cool morning, the sun shone through the trees, and when it danced across our skin it felt blissfully warm on our chilled bodies.

Grabbing my thermal bottoms, I used them to towel Reed off, trying to keep him from turning blue. He had a strange look on his face as he stood there, letting me sop the water off of him. I didn’t know why I’d done it. I could have easily handed him my long underwear and let him take care of himself. It was strangely intimate, and probably an overstep, even though I had been washing his body before I started fondling him. And yet, he didn’t stop me.

Once he was dry, I turned away and started to dry myself. Reed put a hand on my arm and pulled me back to face him. Before I knew it, his lips were on mine. They were so soft, even softer than I had imagined all those times I’d stared at his image at work. While cool from being in the water, heat bloomed between us. The initial shock I felt when he kissed me left and soon I met his kiss with vigor. Sure, we’d gotten each other off earlier, and that would live rent-free in my head, but it was still hard to believe I was kissing Reed Dawson. We were both naked and when our kiss deepened, his hard cock brushed against mine.

“Fuck, Reed!”

He rocked his hips forward, eliciting another gasp from me. But whatever thoughts I had of naked fun time with him disappeared when a shiver rolled through his body.

“Ignore it,” he said with a tremble.

I brushed my hand against his cheek, reveling in the soft expression he wore. “I can’t. I promised I would keep you warm. As much as it pains me to say it, we need to get you dressed.”

Covering up his beautiful body was the last thing I wanted to do. But watching him try to ignore how cold he was wasn’t going to move things along. I handed him his sweats and got into my pants commando and tugged my thermal shirt on.

I rubbed Reed’s shoulders, glad to see him looking more comfortable. “Better?”

“Sadly, yes.” He offered me a crooked smile.

“Did you want to head back?”

Reed looked around us; only this time, I didn’t see the fear that had been there earlier at being out in the woods. “I don’t know. Can we stay for a bit?”

My heart tumbled around in my chest. Nothing that had happened since I woke up was anything that I expected it to be. “Absolutely.”

With Reed’s hand in mine, I walked him toward a spot where the sun shone down. I sat down and leaned against a tree, pulling him down to sit between my legs. Reed snuggled against me with his head resting on my shoulder. He grabbed my arms and wrapped himself in them. It felt easy, having him tucked into me, but then maybe that was because I’d already held him all night.

“This is nice,” he whispered.

It really was. Like our own personal haven. The warmth of the sun beaming down on us in a perfectly cozy spotlight.

“Tell me something about you, Reed. What got you started at Printech?”

“As you said, my uncle is the CEO. I never really had a choice. My whole life I’d been told exactly what was expected of me. Where I would go to college, what my job would be, the kind of woman I should marry. Except, I’ve never been very good at doing what was expected.”

I snorted a laugh. Yeah, I couldn’t see Reed settling down to live in a house with a picket fence, a wife, and two point five kids.

“I was supposed to follow him up the corporate ladder, but the thought alone made my soul want to shrivel up and die. Still, I got tired of the lectures and the pressure. So if I had to be a part of it, I was going to do it my way. When I applied to be in sales instead of doing what my family wanted, my uncle was furious. But he couldn’t show it in public. And I may have gotten some joy out of him having to proudly announce my new role, knowing he hated every second of it. So, I don’t know, is spite a good enough reason to start a career?”

I chuckled and kissed the back of his ear. “I suppose it’s as good as any. Do you like it, though? Because your happiness matters, too.”

Reed leaned back and tilted his head so he could look at me. “I don’t think anyone has ever asked me that.”

He settled back into place, looking out at the stream. He was quiet for so long I didn’t think he was going to answer, but when he did, his voice was light and small, similar to when he asked if he could stay in my tent.

“I don’t know. Some days I am, I suppose. The novelty of pissing off my uncle faded when I had to pretend that I loved every minute of what I was doing. I can sweet talk and make a sale, sure. That”s not a big deal. But becoming the ‘Prince of Printech,’ as you deemed it, is, quite frankly, exhausting most days. To be the face of the company. I have more pressure on me now than I expected. I’m always being watched, always have to be perfect. So I take little victories where I can get them. If I am expected to always represent the company, well, I add a little something extra that still feels like me.”

He held his hand up to show his painted nails. It was clear he got them done professionally from how perfectly shaped they were and with the high sheen of the royal blue. I twined my fingers with his and brought his hand closer to my face.

“I like your nails,” I said as I kissed the back of his hand. They’d always caught my eye in the promotional material that crossed my desk. While I tried to convince myself how much I despised him, I secretly admired how pretty they looked.

“What about you? You seem capable of doing pretty much anything. How’d you become a receptionist?”

Normally, the word was accompanied with disdain. Like it was an offense to even say it, but Reed’s tone didn’t change. It wasn’t a condescending question; he was genuinely asking.

“I stumbled into it, to be honest. My friend Sheila was there before me. She stopped working when she went off on maternity leave. I was out of work at the time and she made the suggestion. It’s not something I planned to do necessarily, but it was steady income. The more I did it, though, the more I grew to like it. I like being able to help customers and greet people, to be a friendly face, to calm concerns, or to offer an ear. Before I field the calls to each department, I’ve already talked them down from whatever level of stress they started at. More often than not, people just want to know they are heard. Which…I get.”

“You are underappreciated.”

“Mmm. Yeah, it definitely feels that way. Most days, I’m pretty content with the job itself, but it gets lonely, too.”

Reed tilted his head back to look at me again. “How so?”

I shook my head. It was so unreal that I was sitting here with him like this. Talking with the one person I unfairly put all the blame on at work. Hearing him talk about his role in the company put him in a whole new light than the one I had assigned to him. If he was always having to put on an act, I wondered how many people got to see him the way I did now. To glimpse the scared, anxious man who crawled into my tent and was afraid of wildlife. I wanted to wrap him up tight and keep him safe.

“As you feel seen too much, I feel invisible. Like I’m not really a part of the company, just a decoration. More customers know my name than coworkers and that feels pretty fucked up most of the time. So I try to focus on the role I play with the customers, to feed those relationships. I’d pretty much given up hope of being noticed by others, by…you.”

“Me?”

“Yeah. ‘The Golden Boy.’ Your face taunted me every day, except you never once bothered to look my way or learn my name.”

Reed turned around and knelt between my legs. He stared at me with misty eyes. “God, I’m so sorry, Jesse. Most days, I’m too in my head as I walk in. Trying to prepare myself to be what everyone expects me to be.” He shook his head. “I’m such an asshole. I’ll do better, I swear. But I want you to know, I see you, Jesse.”

His intent stare left no room for doubt, and I felt it. Felt seen in a way I hadn’t in a long time. And Reed…there was no mask in place, no Prince Charming, just a guy who was more like me than I ever could have imagined. I held his chin, meeting his gaze. “I see you too, Reed.”