Page 41 of Once a Rogue
Wesley could suddenlyseeit—himself, in a shaded chair on the bright tile of a rooftop patio, drinking something cold under the warm sun with the endless blue ocean stretched out in front of him; Sebastian, in the green robe, curled up with a book in the chair closest to the fireplace as snow fell outside Wesley’s study window.
Fuck. Life would never let one have anything so perfect.
He must have been staring, or quiet too long, because Sebastian bit his lip uncertainly. “Sorry, I assume too much sometimes. If that’s not what you want—”
“I’m sure we’re clever enough to work the travel out,” Wesley said, because he’d never wanted anything more. “But it sounds like you’re spending your next English holiday in the basement, because the cats are not allowed upstairs.”
Sebastian broke into a grin. “You think they’re staying in the basement while you’re gone?”
“Of course they are. It’s my home. I make the rules and I require obedience.”
“You don’t know cats very well, do you?”
Before Wesley could respond to that bit of impudence, the innkeeper was back on the phone. “I’m sorry, sir. But Mr. Kenzie isn’t here anymore.”
“He’s left the inn?” Wesley said in surprise. Sebastian frowned. He moved from the arm to the settee next to Wesley, close enough he’d hear the innkeeper through the phone.
“Mr. Kenzie was a guest,” the innkeeper was saying, “but he’s no longer staying with us. He checked out yesterday.”
Wesley and Sebastian exchanged a look.
“Is there a room registered to a Mr. Brodigan, or a Mr. Zhang, or a Miss Robbins?” Wesley asked.
“We’re a small inn,” said innkeeper. “Only nine rooms. There’s no one here by those names.”
Wesley frowned as he hung up the phone. “Arthur checked out of his inn in Tarrytown the day we arrived. Sir Ellery didn’t leave until today, so perhaps there’s no connection after all.”
“But where did Arthur go, if not back to his apartment here?” Sebastian said. “Why did Jade not call?”
Wesley tapped his fingers on the arm of the settee as he frowned. “It is possible they simply changed their mind about seeing us.”
“I don’t think that’s it,” Sebastian said. “Jade would have said.”
His hair was still damp from the rain, and he was chewing on his thumb. The damnable sleeve was falling down to show the tattoo again, and the robe was open enough to show his collarbone and a sliver of bare skin. He looked soft and inviting and infinitely touchable. Wesley hadn’t taken off anything but his overcoat, still fully buttoned up in his waistcoat, jacket, and tie, and the difference in their states of dress was distracting.
“We do at least know where Arthur was yesterday.” Wesley glanced at the clock. “I think we will have missed the last train tonight. But we should take an early train up to Tarrytown in the morning and search for ourselves.”
“And even if we don’t find the others, maybe I can have a word with Sir Ellery,” Sebastian said, too lightly.
“Not so fast, de Leon,” Wesley said, turning on the settee to face Sebastian. “You don’t get to come to my defense like I’m an incompetent child when you don’t even fill out my robe.”
“It fits me,” Sebastian insisted.
Wesley snorted. “It really doesn’t.”
“You’re not as big as you think you are.”
“You’renot as big asyouthink you are.”
Sebastian’s lips curved in a smile that sent prickles of anticipation dancing through Wesley. He reached for Wesley’s tie and casually pulled it free of his waistcoat, running the end of it through his hand. “Wesley?”
It was bleeding unfair, how Sebastian could make his name another kind of caress. “Yes?”
“I don’t need to be bigger than you.”
And he pushed Wesley in the center of the chest just as magic rose up, washing over Wesley and sending him sprawling backward onto the settee, his entire body heavy and tingling anduseless.
Desire chased Sebastian’s magic through his limbs, his breath caught in his lungs as Sebastian crawled over him. “This is a dirty trick,” Wesley muttered, his cock hardening as Sebastian kissed his throat above the high, starched collar and he could do nothing but lie there and take it.
