4. Chapter 4

I watched Cain and Ray exchange a few words out in the driveway before Ray drove away. I also couldn't help noticing the apprehension creasing Cain's face while he briefly stood alone in the driveway staring after Ray's retreating vehicle. I wondered what Ray might have said to put the worry in Cain's expression. Then again, it could have been my ridiculous teststhat were putting him on edge and that had me feeling a little bad about my behavior. It was just my twisted way of having a little fun with the new guy, but maybe I crossed a line with Cain and got things off on the wrong foot.

Honestly, my naked stunts and inappropriate questions were more of a jab at Ray because he knew I didn't want another PA babysitting me. But now guilt was bubbling through me for flustering Cain to the degree I had. The guy probably thinks I have an exhibitionist kink and a problem with his sexuality—which I absolutely don't. Well, I do love being naked whenever possible but for me it's all about ‘love is love' and a ‘live and let live' kind of philosophy. I truly don't care who anyone sleeps with. A few of the guys in my band were known to hook-up with men on occasion and none of us gave a shit.

As much as I wouldn't lose any sleep over Cain quitting before Ray returned, I didn't want it to be because of how uncomfortable I made him feel. That was not my intention. I'd be lying if I said I didn't like how easy Cain was to rattle and I'd love nothing more than to fill the next few days with doing it countless more times just to see the pink flush return to his face. I'm weird like that. The visual of him finding me naked as a J-bird while making us breakfast tomorrow morning flicked through my crazy mind but I tamped it down quickly. Ray would have my head on a platter if I kept up those types of shenanigans. I might have been testing Cain to some degree, but I also knew Ray was testing me now by leaving me unsupervised with my new PA.

I flinched when I heard the kitchen door shut and knew without looking Cain was standing in the opening to the family room. I could feel his eyes on my back and smell the faintest scent of his cologne. Apple wood with a hint of citrus, I thought, and inhaled more of it into my lungs before I turned around.

"Ray's gone," Cain said. He slid his hands into the front pockets of his neatly pressed khaki pants.

"Yeah, I saw him leave," I indicated with a flip of my thumb toward the driveway. I took a seat on the couch and laid the guitar across my lap before glancing at Cain again. "Listen, I want to apologize for my behavior before Ray left," I said. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable and I seriously don't care what your sexuality is. Makes no difference to me."

Cain nodded in agreement. "Thank you for saying that but your apology is unnecessary," he said. "This is your house and you have a right to be naked anytime you want."

I snickered and strummed my fingers over the strings of my favorite girl, Amber. To an outsider, she probably looked like any other acoustic guitar but Amber was worth a boatload of money, considering I wrote the bulk of most of our albums using this gem. Her body was a gorgeous natural resin color, more pale yellow near her sound hole and light browns near the edges of her body. The fret board had faded slightly from my fingers sliding back and forth a million times and she had a few scratches as well, but like me, she'd seen a lot of miles and somehow managed to survive. Her sound was deep and smooth, unlike some acoustics that come off as hollow and harsh. Amber has been with me the longest out of all my instruments. She and I had been through so much, and the history we made together was noteworthy on many levels. If I could find someone like her in human-form, I'd be a very lucky man.

"What can I say? I like being in my birthday suit any chance I get, but while you're here I'll do my best to keep my clothes on," I said.

"That would be great," Cain replied. "Thank you."

A quiet peace fell between us while I continued to strum away on Amber.

"Are you working on something or just noodling?" Cain asked.

"Just fucking around simply because I like the feel of the strings beneath my fingers," I explained. "It's comforting and it gives me a sense of connection. Does that sound weird to you?"

Cain smiled and relaxed deeper into the couch. "Not at all," he said. "Every artist has their processes to create."

"Idiosyncrasies?" I offered.

"Yeah, I guess you could call it that but I don't think any of it is weird," Cain explained.

"I'm most comfortable when I have a guitar in my lap," I said. "It's an extension of my body, like another limb, and as natural to me as breathing."

I watched my fingers work the strings for a minute and Cain was quiet. When I glanced up at him his gaze was locked on me with laser focus. He had an odd expression on his face that I couldn't quite decipher. It almost looked like awe but that couldn't be. I knew if Ray hired him he had to have a background with working for other musicians. He'd at least have a practical understanding of what made us tick. I certainly wasn't unique and I knew I shared a lot of the same quirks with others.

I didn't have words for what I was feeling, so I grinned at him and kept playing random chords but Cain didn't look away. He was fully engaged in me playing my guitar like he'd never seen anyone play up close like this, which simply didn't make sense. It was one of those moments where I really wished I could get into his head and know what the hell he was thinking—or what he thought of me. What was even more shocking to me was how much I liked him looking at me like that and that confused the fuck out of me.

I finally set my guitar aside on the couch. "Feel like taking a hike?" I suggested. "I can show you the trails that go around the property and the lake."

"Sounds good," Cain agreed. "Can I change into some sweats first?"

"Yeah, sure," I said. "I need to pull on my shoes and I'll grab a shirt while I'm at it. Let me show you the spare bedrooms first and you can pick which one you want to use."

Cain stepped into the kitchen to retrieve his bags and then met me in the family room. I directed him up a set of stairs and down a hallway leading into the center of the structure.

"There are three bedrooms on the right that face the woods and the two on the left facing the water. I'm in the primary bedroom which is downstairs on the main level at the far end."

"A view of the water sounds nice," Cain said.

"Either of these rooms will give you that," I pointed out to him.

Cain moved into the first room to look around. He walked over to the windows but then came back to me in the hallway. I shifted out of his way for him to enter the next bedroom. This time he set his bags down near the end of the bed and walked to the sliding glass doors that opened to a small deck overlooking the lake at the bottom of an incline. I followed him into the room and stood beside him while he took in the view. He was a few inches taller than me and being this close to him I could smell his cologne again. Christ, it must be like catnip or something because I couldn't stop myself from inhaling. I cleared my throat to shake the dense fog forming inside my head. Later on when I was alone in my room I'd have to dissect the crazy details I was noticing about Cain but now was not the time.

"You like this one?" I asked.

"It has an amazing view of the docks and the beach," he said, his attention transfixed on the shoreline of the water.

"This is the largest bedroom on the second floor and it's directly above mine," I said. "You'll be on top of me, so keep the noise down." I grinned at my own joke but when Cain's attention snapped to me, with a slight blush pinking his cheeks, I knew I must have said something wrong. I replayed the comment in my head and realized the double meaning my words unintentionally held. It was a total accident but I did love the nervous flush that covered his face and extended down onto his throat. Once again, I had rattled him and for a few brief seconds I saw a glimmer of "Casual Cain" beneath his buttoned-up veneer. I had a feeling Casual Cain was a lot of fun to be around and I had the strangest inclination to want to see more of him.

"I didn't mean anything. . . sexual with that comment," I stammered.

"I know," Cain replied. "Straight guys are typically clueless when it comes to saying stuff like that, so you get a pass on that one. But don't make a habit of it or I'll have to. . . "

"Have to what?" I asked, holding his heavy gaze.

"Educate you," he said after a beat and I saw him visibly swallow, "on the double meaning of things."

"I'm well versed in the art of the entendre," I teased. "Don't forget I write song lyrics for a living and my phrasing is dripping with them. It enables me to sing about something risqué like fucking while my words make it sound like I'm enjoying a wild ride on a bucking bronco at the rodeo."

"Lucky horse," Cain mumbled, barely audible.

"Touché," I answered with a purposeful gleam in my eye. If Cain wanted to play this game, hands down, I would win. I could go all night flinging quips around like this. But judging by the glint Cain had in his clear, blue-grey eyes, he appeared to be a worthy adversary. It might be fun honing my phrasing skills with him. Maybe having Cain around would turn out to be entertaining after all, and perhaps there's a chance we'd become work friends. I was getting ahead of myself but it would be interesting to see.

"I'll leave you alone to unpack and meet you down on the deck for that hike when you're ready," I said and took a step back. Soon as I did I lost the warmth radiating from him which was another odd detail for me to notice. I shrugged it off and continued walking toward the bedroom door.

"See you in a bit," Cain said.

I gave him a wave before disappearing into the hall and returned to the first floor to change into appropriate hiking clothes. At least Cain would be happy to see me fully dressed. I pulled on a pair of worn sweatpants and a plain white t-shirt, then rummaged in my closet for my hiking shoes and slipped them on as well. After grabbing two bottles of chilled water from the refrigerator, I went outside to wait for Cain.

I didn't have to wait long before he joined me in the sunshine flooding the deck at this time of the day. I offered him a water bottle and noticed he was dressed similarly to me in a pair of black sweats and a maroon t-shirt. We'd only just met a few hours ago but Cain seemed like the kind of guy who didn't dress down very often. It felt like I might be seeing a side to him few ever did. I liked the idea of that for some reason. It made me want to reveal parts of myself only people in my innermost circle of friends knew and that was as dangerous as it was intriguing.

I didn't share personal details with many people. Unless they were with me when the memory was made, I didn't feel the need to tell people about it later either. It's why I only did hook-ups and very rarely did repeats. Dating someone long-term meant eventually certain expectations entered the picture, like individual lives being blended and stories from our pasts shared. I wasn't too keen on exposing myself like that unless I truly felt there might be a future, and to date, no one had checked off that particular box. I was one hundred percent single and it suited me just fine.

I reached into the waistband of my sweats at my lower back and removed a folded ball cap to put on my head. It was meant to shade my eyes but also to collect any sweat I might build up while we hiked, and then we were ready to go.

"Gorgeous day for a hike," Cain said as he slipped a pair of tortoise shell sunglasses over his eyes.

"It sure is," I answered. "This won't be anything advanced, though. More of an easy stroll through the woods."

"That's fine. I'm kind of beat from taking the red eye from LA anyway," Cain remarked.

"You must be exhausted," I commented and then stopped walking. "I mean, you have to be, right? We can hike another day if you'd rather get some rest or chill out on the deck. I'm fine with either."

"No, no. I'd like to get an overview of my surroundings," he explained.

"Okay, if you're sure," I agreed. "I'll give you the condensed tour and then some other time we can walk the full loop."

"Sounds perfect," he said and smiled at me.

I led the way and took a trail that loops around the entire property line but with several cut-through trails to shorten the walk if you wanted to. The path was well-worn, down to dirt, and very close to a solid eight-foot-high fence made out of wood with ivy growing all over it. The trail was also wide enough for a 4-wheeler ATV to drive on. I'd seen the security team patrol the property on one of them several times. The land surrounding the house consisted of several acres and most of it was undeveloped, left in its natural state.

We didn't have hours and hours left before the sun dipped behind the tree line, so my intention was to show Cain just a tiny piece of the land closest to the house. Then I'd take him down by the water and show him the dock and the boat I was able to use while there.

We walked for a few minutes without conversation which allowed for the sounds of nature to fill our heads. We saw some wildlife, too, but nothing much bigger than a squirrel. It was peaceful, though. I glanced over at Cain walking beside me to gauge his mood and wondered if he was enjoying it as much as I was. In a small way, I was sharing a piece of myself with him just by walking the trail because this was my sanctuary. It was a living cathedral that offered an abundance of inspiration. I went out there a lot to write. I'd perch myself on top of a rock and just let the sounds of the rustling trees, singing birds, and the sunshine warming my face pull the songs from me. Sometimes I even sang out there. Far as I know, not even the security team could hear me singing my lungs out.

"I'm guessing you come out here to write," Cain said.

My footing on the path faltered a bit. Either he got lucky with his guess or he understood an artist's process better than I gave him credit for.

I nodded at him and smiled. "All the time. The fresh air inspires me."

"I can see why," he agreed. "It's breathtaking. Every direction you look there is another perfect view."

I studied his profile for a moment and felt that weird niggling in my gut again, sort of like a flutter but not quite. "I've written dozens of songs out here," I admitted. "It's why Ray always leases this place for us when we need to write."

"Is the rest of your band joining you?" he asked.

I chuckled but it wasn't filled with levity. "Nope, I was sequestered here more as punishment," I told him.

"What for?"

"Typically I write while we're on tour but that didn't happen this time," I confessed. "I admit I spent far too much time having fun on every level you can imagine. Now we're facing a deadline for an album that I've barely started writing."

"It doesn't make sense that you'd be the only one stuck with that task," Cain said.

I shrugged and thought about my answer for a moment. "Our dynamic has always been me writing the lyrics and then they come into the process with the music," I explained. "It's worked that way for many years but this time around I flaked and put my extracurricular activities before my band."

"Aren't you allowed to blow off steam like the others while you're on tour?" he asked.

"Absolutely, but it's all about balance," I said. "My writing time is usually when we're on the bus or the plane on our way to the next show. There's something about the noise of the road or roar of a jet engine and the relaxing movement that makes me creative. But it was different this time for some reason. My head wasn't on writing music. Partly because I was hardly ever alone—if you know what I mean."

"Yeah, I'm getting visuals I don't need to have in my head of my boss," Cain said and laughed.

"Pervert. You're not supposed to think about your employer like that," I teased and gave him a playful shove on the shoulder.

"You practically gave me those images on a silver platter," Cain said.

"Irrelevant, and now you're stuck with them seared into your brain forever, so don't blame me." We continued to laugh until it faded into nature sounds again.

"You've been here about a week, right?" Cain asked.

"About that. Why?"

"Have you written anything?" Cain questioned.

"Are you going to rat me out to Ray if I say no?" I asked.

"Not a chance," Cain said. "I don't believe that is part of my job description."

"He's going to ask you," I said. "He always does, so be prepared, and I'll even pay you extra to keep my secrets to yourself."

"Not necessary, but have you—written anything?" he asked again.

"I have a song I've been working on for the last couple of days," I admitted. "I'm hearing the music for it, too, which doesn't always happen until after my band joins me."

"That's progress," Cain said. "Can you play it for me later? Or whenever you're ready is fine, too."

I glanced at him and saw the genuine interest in his face. He really did have nice features—for a man. It wasn't like I went around checking out other men, but speaking theoretically, I'd imagine gay men would find him attractive.

His dark blonde hair looked soft and had a slight wave on the ends, shorter on the sides and longer on top. The wind had made it messy and the unkempt look on him was nice. I also loved the highlights that appeared in the strands when the sun hit them. He had brows several shades darker than his hair, a straight nose, and a strong jawline covered in a bit of dark stubble that matched his brows. But what really caught my attention when we met were his eyes. They were a unique shade of blue mixed with a shimmery gray that I hadn't seen before. The color gray should feel cold—maybe even make him appear distant or standoffish, but on him all I felt was warmth. Comfort. Even peace. It was the strangest sensation I'd ever felt after meeting someone new. There was something about him that just felt. . . right. I couldn't put my finger on it but I could definitely see us working together for a long time, or until he wanted a different job.

But I hoped that didn't happen any time soon.