Parker’s phone rang.
“Fuck.” Parker swore as he struggled to pull the phone from his pocket and sit up. He glanced at Rafe and smiled. “Gave me a goddamned heart attack!” He looked down at the phone, swiping at the screen before bringing it to his ear.
Rafe wondered if he should leave to give Parker some privacy and gestured that he would leave the room, but Parker shook his head.Cool. Rafe didn’t think he had the energy to even make it as far as the living room of the suite. He sat to take off his boots, dropping them to the floor before lying back on the bed.Better.
Parker was talking while pacing the room. He headed to his suitcase in the walk-in closet and came back out with a neoprene-encased laptop. “Let me get set up on the hotel Wi-Fi and log in then I’ll give you a call back. Thanks for calling to let me know, Lou. I appreciate it.”
Parker ended the call and sat on the bed, opening the laptop.
“Everything okay?” Rafe asked.
“Argh,” Parker groaned. “Just a work issue.”
“Aren’t you on a break?”
Parked nodded. “Yeah, but it shouldn’t take too long to sort out, although it’s a pain in the arse. I’ll take the laptop to the desk in the living room. I need to get hooked up to the Wi-Fi. I’ll be quiet so you can get some Zs.”
He was disappointed that Parker was leaving the room, but not because his sleep would be disturbed. He wanted Parker right here beside him. “No worries. Maybe we can get something to eat when you’ve finished?”
“Room service?” Parker’s smile was wide.
“Sounds perfect.”
Rafe got to know the patterns on the ornate ceiling as he listened to the soft sound of Parker back on the phone to his—? His what? Colleague? Boss? Rafe realised he knew next to nothing about Parker’s job and what he did for a living. He knew Parker was on some sort of sabbatical as part of his relocation back to Oz, but apart from that? Nothing. Little parts of the conversation drifted to him, along with periods of quiet tapping on the laptop keyboard. From what Parker was saying and the terms he was using, he was technically proficient in whatever he was doing and bloody smart. Rafe smiled as he turned over and tucked his hand under his cheek. It didn’t surprise him in the slightest that Parker was good at what he did and obviously dedicated. His intelligence and wit had come across in their discussions on the flight over where they’d touched on a broad range of topics. Plus Parker’s willingness to put his own comfort aside to fill in for Harvey was another sign of his generosity.
He drifted to sleep listening to the low hum of Parker’s voice and with a smile on his face.
18
Rafe looked different when he was asleep. There was something vulnerable in the relaxed expression and the way his hand was tucked under one cheek. He lay on his side, curled up facing the edge of the bed, and Parker was tempted to curl up next to him, to snuggle in behind him and play big spoon. Instead he headed for the bathroom to let the poor guy catch up on some much-needed sleep.
The bathroom was bigger than any bathroom Parker had been in before. Acres of marble tile, mirrors, and shiny fittings. The tub itself was almost a swimming pool. He leaned over and got the water running, adding a large squirt of the hotel bubble bath for good measure. He shed his clothes, tossing them to a corner, dimmed the lights, and as the warm scented steam filled the air, slid into the bath. The hot water was heaven for his tired body, and the huge bath allowed the water to come up to his chin. He allowed his eyes to drift closed and enjoyed the soothing water as he unwound from his hyped-up work state. While working, his brain was in top gear; now he needed to come back down a notch or two. As the tension left his body, his mind went to its new favourite place with images of Rafe. His cock swelled at the thought of those golden eyes and rich skin, the way Rafe had moved over him, taken him.Jesus!He had it bad, but thankfully he’d given himself permission to enjoy a holiday fling. He made a mental note to send Bo a thank you for the push. His hand drifted to his half-hard cock, but he pulled it away, instead allowing the water to do its job and soak his tension away.
“Hey.” Parker opened his eyes at Rafe’s soft greeting.
“Hey, you.”
“Do you mind if I come in?”
Parker smiled. “Into the bath? You don’t even have to ask.”
Rafe stepped into the room wearing a pair of boxers and looking sleep tousled, but rather than stripping down and getting in the bath, he sat on the wide-tiled edge. “Here. Lean forward and I’ll do your back.”
Parker sat up, water lapping the end of the bath and bubbles wafting into the humid air as Rafe reached for the washcloth and some soap. He tucked his legs up and wrapped his arms around his knees.
“Did you sort everything out on your call?” Rafe’s touch was gentle as he drew the cloth down Parker’s back.
“Uh-huh. Mostly anyway. Louise can take care of the rest.”
“What exactly is it that you do?” Rafe increased the pressure.
“Hmm. That feels good.” The cloth moved across his shoulders, hot water running down his back. “Web design with a marketing and analytics lean.”
“What’s that mean?”
“Mainly we take on clients with existing businesses and websites. We assess their current site and social media profiles, and report back with recommendations for improvements. It could be anything from a complete website redesign, to branding changes, or recommendations for better analytics. You’d be amazed at the number of businesses that rush to market and overlook some of the basics, even when they rely on online sales. Our consultancy focuses mainly on the retail fashion space, so it’s quite niche. We’re small—it’s just me and Louise, and a few others we bring in on an as-needed basis. Lou’s in London and is holding down the fort until I get settled back in Australia. A lot of our clients are in the UK, but I’m hoping, given the remote nature of the work, that I’ll be able to work from anywhere. It makes business development a little tricky, but Lou will take care of London, and I’ll focus on Australia. We don’t have a lot of face-to-face time with clients anyway and get a lot of business via word of mouth.”
“And you like it?”
