face was torn—his father didn’t have the dog at dinner which meant he’d need a guide in the unfamiliar place, so Archer leaned in. “If you want to stay…”
“I don’t,” Julian said swiftly.
“Actually, let me.” Julian’s sister rose and gave her mother an apologetic smile before coming around the table and letting her dad take her arm.
“We should head back to the cabin though,” Archer said after a beat. “We have a full day tomorrow, right?”
Julian muttered something, but he rose and offered a hand to Archer who took it and let Julian pull him to his feet. He felt something soft rising in him when Julian didn’t let go, and he purposefully looked back and smiled when he felt Bryce’s eyes boring into the back of his neck.
The walk to the cottage was short, and once they were far from any prying eyes, Julian’s hand slipped away, leaving Archer to feel the pressing loss of the easy touch. He had to remind himself he had no rights to it in private, but it was more than a selfish desire—though he couldn’t deny that touching Julian felt good. But mostly he wanted to comfort him. He wanted to extend his reach into the quiet, unwatched moments between them because Julian was lonely, and he was hurt, and he was angry. And he was also a little bit sad, though it was now very obvious he was doing everything in his power to avoid showing it.
Julian turned the lights on the moment they stepped in, and Archer ran his fingers through his hair. “Did I fuck that up?”
Julian glanced at him with his brow furrowed. “Can you repeat that?”
Archer did, then bit down on his lip and shrugged. “I’m sorry if I over-stepped. I wasn’t trying to. He just…looked so fucking smug.”
The corner of Julian’s mouth twitched. “No. That was satisfying. I just forget how much my mother can,” he stopped abruptly and glanced away, collapsing on the loveseat with his feet stretched in front of him and shook his head.
Archer hesitated for a minute, then joined him, and he felt a little gratified that Julian didn’t go more tense. “Do you want another question? You only had four so far.”
Julian glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. “Favorite dessert?”
Archer grinned. “Easy. Pains au chocolat. I stuffed myself on them the first week I was in Paris, and then couldn’t eat them for like a full month. But it was worth it.”
Julian made a small noise—something like a laugh, then rubbed his hands over the tops of his trousers. “I think I’m going to shower and then try to sleep. But if you want to watch TV or something…”
Archer waved him off. “I think I’m going to go out for a bit. It’s a clear night.” He stood, then hesitated a few steps away from the little sofa. “If you ever want to stargaze with me, you’re welcome to tag along. I know where all the good constellations are.”
Julian’s mouth went even softer. “Maybe not tonight.”
Archer felt the small sting of disappointment, but he hadn’t been expecting a yes. “We have a few more.”
“We do.”
The words hung between them, heavy and final before Archer nodded, then let himself out the back door. It closed, and he stood there on the little terrace and felt the vibrations of Julian moving around the little cottage. There was a sharp whine after a second, and he realized it was the water starting for the shower.
If he stayed any longer, his thoughts would stray to Julian naked, under the spray. And tonight he probably wasn’t touching himself—not after all that, but in other circumstances, maybe he would. Julian’s body was tall, thick, soft in all the right places. He probably had thick hair, and Archer wondered for a moment if he would run his fingers through it before taking himself in hand.
He stopped the thoughts as his cock began to plump behind his zipper. There would be almost no time at all to get any relief, and he knew Julian wasn’t going to sleep with him, which was best. It was one thing to perform social duties as an escort, but if the other man had wanted sex and he gave in, the guilt would eat Archer alive.
He toed off his shoes before walking over the little wooden bridge, and he stepped onto the soft sand, damp with sea spray. The tide was high up over what had been sprawling beach, and