Tasks completed, Scott glanced up at Joe, instinctively looking for an order. Joe said nothing, he merely slapped Scott’s arse as he stepped past him, grabbed Scott’s wrist and jerked open the door.
He led Scott out of the toilets, through the bar and into the locker room, apparently oblivious to the knowing looks every guy in the pub shot in their direction. Scott wished like hell he could have felt the same way. As it was, the only thing that kept Scott moving was Joe’s grip on his wrist.
Joe seemed to make a point of giving Scott a few minutes to himself and allowing him to pull himself together while they each got dressed. Scott had never been more grateful for companionable silence in his life. He’d never enjoyed looking down at his own body while he got dressed and knowing that he’d soon be sporting a few bruises from a rough riding so much, either.
He didn’t look up and meet Joe’s eyes until they were both completely clothed.
Out of nowhere, Joe shook his head. His expression changed to one that appeared thoroughly disappointed in Scott. “You know, it’s really not on for a man to have been out as long as you to have and to never have been to a boots only night.”
Scott looked down. He’d obviously been crazy to think that he could keep the attention of a man like Joe for more than a couple of days. It was stupid to believe that, just because he’d thought their latest date put sliced bread in the shade, Joe would feel that way too.
Scott glanced up when he heard paper rustling, even though he knew it was hopeless to pray that it would be the sound of another condom being unwrapped.
All the air rushed out of his lungs when he spotted the envelope in Joe’s hand.
Joe tapped the edge of the envelope against his chin, apparently deep in thought. “Yes, I think it’s time someone started to introduce you to a whole new world, isn’t it, Scott?”
Scott nodded enthusiastically, relief making his head spin and his lips curve up into a goofy grin. It didn’t even occur to him to worry about what that might actually mean until after Joe had dropped him off outside his house with a final command that Scott leave the envelope sealed until the following morning.
There were only two words written on the outside of the envelope— Orders Enclosed.
Part Four: Orders Enclosed
Scott tapped the corner of the envelope against his car’s steering wheel and stared vacantly through the windscreen. He didn’t need to open the envelope and re-read the orders enclosed to be able to recall exactly what Joe had commanded him to do.
He had the whole damn thing memorised.
Drive to Carter’s Rest.
He’d done that bit, no problem. The directions Scott had found on the internet had worked like a charm. He now sat outside a dingy-looking old pub on the edge of the city—which was apparently where Joe wanted him to be. Scott took a deep breath and let it out very slowly in an effort to calm his racing pulse.
Stay in your car until exactly 11pm.
Scott glanced at his watch for the third time in as many minutes and silently cursed himself. He shouldn’t have left for their date so early. Excessive punctuality wasn’t going to win him any prizes—it was just going to give him enough time to drive himself completely demented with nerves.
Running one hand down his face, Scott slumped back in his seat. At this rate, he’d be a wreck before he was even due to walk into place.
Letting out a sigh, he tilted his head back and stared at the underside of the car roof, as if the answer to every question in the universe might be written there—or at least a few pointers on how to please Joe. Forget all the bull about the key to perpetual serenity—the only thing Scott really wanted to know was how to keep Joe happy with him.
A neon light flickered on the wall in front of Scott, casting a strange intermittent glow over the car’s interior.
Park in the first space to the right of the entrance.
He was exactly where Joe wanted him to be. Everything was fine. Scott rubbed his damp palms against his jeans.
He looked at his watch again. Then he looked at the clock on the dashboard to make sure his watch wasn’t running fast.
11pm.
Gathering up whatever courage he could, Scott pulled himself out of his car. He peered into the shadows that extended for several yards on each side of the pub. There was still no sign of Joe’s car, or his bike, anywhere in the car park.
Perhaps Joe had changed his mind about their date. Perhaps…
Scott shook his head. Orders were orders. They weren’t to be questioned; they were to be followed.
He locked his car, sent up a quick prayer that it would still be there when he came out of the pub, and he turned toward the low, graffiti covered building. Pushing the door open, he stepped inside.
He’d thought the car park was gloomy, but as the pub door swung closed, a deeper kind of blackness closed in around him. A shiver ran down his spine.
