Hands slid over Scott’s body. They weren’t threatening. They weren’t hurting him. There wasn’t even the sense that they wanted to do anything that he wasn’t willing to allow. But, they weren’t Joe’s hands.
In the dim lighting and steam, all Scott could see were vague shapes and glimpses of naked skin, slick and shining in the heat. The caresses felt more like invitations than demands, but that didn’t help. Scott knew Joe’s touch, and he knew these caresses belonged to strangers.
Scott kept walking down the corridor, but far from leaving the people who were interested in him behind, he only found more of them. Far from telling him to get the hell out of there or laughing at him for thinking he could ever be hot enough to be wanted in a place like this, they called to him with whispers and caresses. They invited him into their games—and into their mouths and arses.
If they’d known he was with Joe, perhaps it would have made sense. Then it would have been obvious they were only making a move on him because they knew Joe would be partof the deal. As things stood, their actions remained entirely inexplicable.
But, one thing was obvious. If that number of guys were willing to make do with him, Joe had to be getting mobbed by a whole legion.
Unease made Scott shiver despite the heat. Joe had said he would be right behind him, and Joe kept his word. Joe wouldn’t let anyone else stop him. Even if he was tempted by a better offer and intended to go off and play with someone else, Joe would tell him first—and he’d even do it kindly.
Scott tightened his grip on his towel and kept pushing forward, speeding up his search for the exit with each minute that passed.
The corridor got narrower. The only way to keep going was to rub up against the men he needed to squirm past. Hard, strong bodies, and even harder cocks seemed to surround Scott completely. Mumbling excuse mes and apologies as he went, Scott kept wriggling forward.
A few guys tugged playfully at his towel, but Scott kept a death grip on it and refused to stop or even slow down.
A door. Thank God!
Scott pushed it open and stumbled out into the light. Cold air hit every part of his body at once, shocking him into coming to a sudden halt in the middle of a wider, more brightly lit, corridor.
He put out an arm and steadied himself against a blindingly well-lit white wall. Every inch of him was damp with a combination of steam and sweat. His hand slid against the paintwork. The door clicked closed behind him. Scott took a deep breath but he couldn’t bring himself to turn around and stare at the door while he counted the seconds until Joe followed him out of the sauna-come-maze.
Hands landed on Scott’s shoulders.
Joe.
As addled and out of his depth as Scott felt, he still had no doubt who grabbed him. He knew Joe’s touch. Relief ran through him as he realised Joe must have left the sauna at the same time as he had. Joe really had been right behind him.
Joe spun him around. The next thing Scott knew, his back was against the cold wall and Joe’s steam-hot body was pressed against him, pinning him in place. Scott moaned against Joe’s lips as Joe plundered his mouth in a kiss that seemed to be fuelled less by desire than anger.
Joe caught hold of Scott’s chin and forced him to tip his head back before Scott had a chance to do it of his own free will. His fingers bit into the skin on Scott’s jaw just as Joe nipped at the tip of Scott’s tongue.
Scott scrambled to keep up. It was a familiar feeling. He was used to Joe’s kisses taking him by surprise, but he had no idea what he’d done to make Joe so angry.
Determined to do anything and everything possible to make Joe pleased with him again, Scott frantically tried to root out any hints that could tell him what Joe would most like him to do. He leaned into the kiss, but that just made Joe make an angry sound in the back of his throat, almost like a growl.
He tried to kiss Joe back and reach out to pull him closer—making it clear that Joe could do whatever he wanted with him, but that just made Joe pull away entirely.
Scott looked up at him, far too panicked to say anything for several seconds.
It hadn’t been his overactive imagination making him think that Joe was angry. As he met Joe’s eyes, it was obvious that Joe really was furious.
“Come on.” Joe grabbed Scott’s wrist and headed off down the corridor. They passed several doors and several areas where walls had been replaced by mirrors or panes of glass.
Inside the rooms, men were having sex. Some of them were having sex in complicated numbers that involved far more limbs and penises than Scott would ever be able to cope with.
Was that why Joe was mad? Had he expected Scott to get involved with some of the guys in the sauna maze? Was he disappointed in him? Had he hoped they’d exit the other end of the maze with one or more extra guys in tow?
Suddenly, Joe jerked Scott through an open door and slammed it shut behind them.
There wasn’t anyone in the room. They were alone. That was good.
Another glance around the room informed him that part of one wall was mirrored. Scott had no idea if that also meant guys outside could see in, but he had more important worries than exhibitionism anyway.
“I’m s—”
Joe roughly covered Scott’s mouth with his hand. “What did I tell you about apologising for no reason?” he demanded.
