“What’s next?” Jameson asked. “I want to spend at least one more night in the motel with you, but after that, I guess I promised you a plan.”
Gray considered it. He knew he could come up with more hijinks. There were always adventures and risks to take, if you tracked them down. And they had a safe vehicle, and a disguise that worked. But Gray wanted to believe he could offer more than that, too, just like Jameson wanted to offer more of himself to the world.
“I’ve got an idea.”
“Yeah?” Jameson asked.
“I might know the perfect place for us to go but you have to put a little more trust in me.”
Jameson laughed. “Of course I trust you. I’m standing outside a movie theater in the middle of the day with a full face of makeup and a pair of tights I got from the strip club. If that’s not trust, I don’t know what is.”
Gray crossed his arms over his chest. “In that case, have you ever been to Albany?”
Jameson
“Gray,dude, where the hell have you been?”
Jameson assumed it was Raiden standing in front of them. He’d heard enough stories at that point that he knew what to expect. The guy stood tall, kind of bulky, and he had on a brown leather jacket that was well worn. When he and Gray approached each other, they hugged and slapped backs, and both made the same grunting noise.
“It’s a long story,” Gray answered. “Can we get inside?” He gestured to Jameson, and Jameson raised a hand in a small wave.
“Hi,” he said brightly, adjusting his scarf.
Raiden stared for a second, his eyes wide. “Wait, does that mean you’re—”
“Inside,” Gray said and hustled them both through the door.
Warmth and soft light bathed them as they stepped into the house. Jameson had been reluctant to tear himself away from the motel bed, but now that he was there, he was excited that the house wasn’t that different from what he’d imagined. There were some couches that looked comfortably used, a calendar with forest views on an otherwise bare wall, and what looked to be half-abandoned projects in just about every corner. They headed straight through the kitchen and to the back, where a big den was spread out, with windows looking out on the woods behind the house.
Raiden opened a small fridge, then tossed Gray a beer. “You want one?” he asked Jameson.
Suddenly, Jameson realized he could take his scarf off. Delighted, he tugged it over his head and sucked in a breath of fresh air, the smell of Gray’s house hitting him with pleasure. “Um, yeah, I guess I’ll have a beer. Thanks!”
Raiden tossed a can underhand, and Jameson caught it naturally, spinning it once when he did.
“Holy shit,” Raiden said, gawking just a little bit. “Sorry. I mean, I know it’s annoying. It’s just that you’re all over the TV.”
“It’s okay,” Jameson said. He understood the effect celebrity had on a lot of people and knew it was possible to get to the other side. And since Raiden was family to Gray, he was more than happy to give him a second to process. He twirled his hand in the air with a giggle. “And yup! It’s me.”
Gray stepped forward, then threw his arm over Jameson’s shoulder. “Doesn’t he look hot?”
Jameson fluttered his eyes, then leaned against Gray with a laugh. “I’ve had lots of reasons to look pretty lately.”
Across the room, Raiden stared at them with his jaw hanging open, then shook his head. “Okay, cool,” he said, swigging his beer. “That’s cool. Gray’s dating a movie star now, chill.” He swigged his beer one more time. “So how long are you around for?”
Gray took a deep breath, plopped down on the couch, and then launched into the story. Jameson took the opportunity to walk around the den, admiring the pool table and the back porch with the hot tub he had heard so much about. He could see Gray’s attitude and his sense of humor everywhere, and it made him warm and giggly.
And safe. More than in the motels, even, he felt safe there.
Once Raiden received the download, he immediately went to work frying up grilled cheese sandwiches for everyone. Jameson was at ease with him right away. The guy had the same kind of weirdly intense sincerity that Gray had. He could sense that they both needed someone to rein them in sometimes, their energy bouncing all over the place, but he also could feel that their hearts were in the right place.
And when Gray held Raiden’s shoulder, stared him in the eye, and explained how important Jameson’s privacy was, Jameson could feel the trust between the two men, like steel.
It wasn’t until they were walking back out to the den that Raiden let his injury show. He was stepping down the two stairs to the lower level of the house when he jerked his hip to the side, then slammed a hand against the wall.
“Raiden,” Gray said, stepping forward and placing his arm on his friend’s elbow. “You okay?”
“Fuck,” Raiden cursed. He grabbed the top of his leg, then steadied himself and shook Gray off. “It’s nothing.”
