Page 3 of The Barn: Frost and Q

Three

Hey, are you awake?

F rost started to alertness, staring down at his phone.

Yeah.

At least he was now. He kinda thought he’d been sleeping, dreaming about Q, who he seemed to have conjured up.

What was Q doing texting him at five in the morning?

No one else is answering me, and there’s something weird going on.

He sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed, and he just called rather than texting, sliding his earpiece in so he was hands free. “What the hell is going on? And why did you try other people before me?”

Q didn’t even hesitate. Or address the second half of his question. “So you know that Dom I was telling you that I warned everybody about? The one that Carson went and checked on? He’s wandering around outside.”

Frost rolled his eyes. “We don’t lock people in their cabins, Q. If he wants to walk at o’dark thirty, he totally can.”

“I realize that, asshole,” Q snapped. “But he’s naked, and it’s cold.”

“Naked?” Okay, that was weird. He would admit that. And it was probably an insurance liability. “All right, where’s he headed?”

“It looks like he’s going down to the shore. He’ll die if he gets in that water. I want to hire physical security, but first, I want you to go out there and stop the naked guy from drowning.”

He had so many questions. So many up to and including what the hell was Q doing up watching security footage at four in the morning? Was he sitting there with a bowl of popcorn watching for bears and otters? They did have trail cams as well as security ones.

“Are you going to help or not?”

“Of course I’m going to help; it’s my job.” Frost went for some clothes.

“And just think, I thought it was being a dick. Go out there and stop it.”

“Watch your mouth, baby boy. I will blister your ass.” He was not above spanking Q until he cried.

“You’ll fucking try.”

He had to admit, it turned him on so hard when Q was being a naughty little fucker. But right now, he didn’t need that distraction.

“All right, keep talking. Tell me where he’s headed. I’m getting dressed, and then I’m going to keep you on the phone with me, so you can give me directions while I walk. Keep trying to get a hold of Boone and Carson.”

“Yes, Sir. Are you going to approve a budget line item for security? This would be a great idea. A nighttime security guard, two of them, so that one of them could get a night off. Be even better if you found a pair that was a Dom and a sub, and then they could just always be working together.”

“If I found a pair who were a Dom and sub, then they’d both have four shifts that they wouldn’t be together, and somebody would end up bitching at me.” Frost didn’t know about working with one’s sub. It sucked for him.

“No, they’d bitch at Boone, because you don’t do people. He does. And that would be amusing.”

He threw on his jeans and a sweatshirt and stomped into his boots. “Yeah, yeah. I’m just the money guy. Okay, I’m heading out, so point me and shoot me.”

“All right, you’re going to go west from where I see you.”

“You have cameras pointed at my entrance?” Why did that give him a happy?

“I have cameras pointed everywhere. I could probably tell you the last time you took a piss. Now walk.”

“You do still love me.” Frost took off at a jog.

Q ignored that jab. “So, you’re at the road now. I need you to take a left and keep going, and you’re going to come to a little—it looks like a little opening in some bushes. You’re going to have to hurry because he’s damn near at the water’s edge.”

“All right, be prepared to call medical in. One way or the other, something’s wrong with this guy. He’s either suicidal, he’s stupid, or he’s sleepwalking.”

“I’m voting for sleepwalking, personally. But you’ve got it. I’ve got Boone on text finally. He’s heading toward your direction.”

Thank God. “All right, I’m almost there.”

“Slow down. You’re right there.”

He saw the opening, and then, as he went through, he saw the gleam of the moon on this guy’s very pale, very naked body. “Name?” he barked at Q.

“Nathan. Nathan Barre.”

He stepped up slowly, calling out. “Nathan. Is everything all right? That water is going to be really cold.”

He didn’t get any response, and when he walked around to the front, he’d be damned. They were right. That son of a bitch was asleep.

“What do I do? He’s sleeping. Do you have any idea? I’ve heard it can be bad to wake them.”

“Let me Google it.” It didn’t take Q three seconds. “Okay, it says, if he’s in danger, wake him up, but try to be gentle. Wake the son of a bitch up.”

“Nathan.” He gently turned the man around, away from the water. “Nathan, it’s time to wake up now.”

The guy blinked at him, face going from sleep-dazed to absolutely confused. “What the actual fuck? Where am I?”

“You’re at the Barn, the resort you checked into a couple of days ago. I think you were sleepwalking.”

His earpiece buzzed. “I’m totally getting medical. I’ll have them meet you at his cabin.”

He nodded to show Q that he understood. “Let’s get you back to your cabin, all right? Get you some clothes on. You’ve got to be chilly.”

“Shit, I’m sorry, man. I haven’t sleepwalked in years.” Nathan looked at him, then down at himself, eyes widening.

“Yeah, I can’t imagine. Did you used to do it a lot?” Frost was making random conversation as he eased the guy down the road and back toward his cabin.

Boone came up with a robe and a pair of slippers from God knows where. “Here, this will make it easier. How you doing, man? Looks like you had a hell of a time.”

Q snorted. “Subtlety, thy name is Boone.”

Frost tried to fight his laughter, almost choking as he kept it down.

“What? You know it’s so true.”

“Shhh.” He made the sound low while Boone babbled, and they walked the guy to his front door just as medical got there, the paramedic on duty, a lovely macho sub named Gary.

“Gary here will take care of you, Nathan. Please let him check you out and make sure nothing needs any medical help.”

“Yeah. I—okay. Do you want me to leave?” Nathan seemed…lost.

“Of course not,” Boone soothed. “But I would like to have coffee with you and my business partner, Carson, tomorrow to get a better idea of your needs while you stay with us.”

“I mean, sure. I can do that.” He made a wry face. “It’s not like I’ll get any more sleep tonight.”

Gary shook his head. “I’d be happy to hang out in your sitting room, Sir. I can call in the other medic and put him on call.”

Nathan looked at him and Boone. “Would that be okay?”

“It would be perfect, if you’re okay with it,” Frost said. “Just in case.”

“I would feel fine with that,” Nathan said.

“Good deal.” Boone nodded. “You call up to the lodge when you’re up tomorrow, and we’ll do coffee or lunch or a drink or something.”

“Thanks. Night.” And the guy ducked into his cabin like his cold ass was on fire.

“Keep an eye on him, Gary.”

“Will do, Sir.” Gary headed inside too, and Boone turned to him.

“Nice catch.”

“Hey, thank Q,” he said as they headed back to the lodge. “He was on watch.”

“Yeah, well, I think he’s right. We need actual security making rounds. And someone to watch the cameras so Q doesn’t have to 24/7.”

“I’ll get it in the budget for you guys to approve.” Q was silent in his ear until he and Boone went their separate ways.

Then he spoke again. “You ever sleepwalk in your life, Frost?”

“Nope. You?”

“No. Just insomnia.”

“Yeah. That I’ve experienced.” After Q had been shot, he hadn’t slept for more than a year. He’d finally gone to therapy, which was kinda tough for a bush pilot and smoke jumper from Alaska, but it had been totally worth the coping mechanisms that didn’t involve whiskey.

Now, he only indulged in that once in a great while.

“You going back to bed?” Q asked.

He paused, finger on the elevator button. He’d been about to hit lower level to go to the pool, but he could do four. “You want a nightcap?”

“No.” Quentin sighed. “I just want you to sit with me until I fall asleep.”

His heart clenched at the forlorn tone of Quentin’s voice. “Anytime, baby boy. Anytime.”

“Well, now then.”

“Sure. But you pour me a whiskey, okay? I will have a nightcap after this whole mess. I’ve seen things. Not that Nathan is ugly, or anything, but that was some shrinkage.”

Quentin hooted, and he hit the button to take him to the fourth floor, nodding on the way into the elevator at the sub who was picking up Carson’s room service tray.

Quentin didn’t make him knock, both doors opening for him without a sound. The whiskey bottle was standing tall on the table, the glass right beside it.

Q’s chair was empty, so he headed toward the little bedroom.

Q’s bedroom had been formed out of a closet, a tiny twin bed tucked in there.

His first thought was that it made Quentin feel safe, made him feel warm and cozy and protected by the walls.

Made it so no one could come snatch him away and hurt him.

Quentin sat there, watching him, icy blue eyes piercing him. “You came.”

“I’ll always come when you call, baby boy.”

“I—Did you get your whiskey?”

“Not yet. I wanted to check on you first.” He’d wanted to put eyes on Q. Just because. “Good call on the naked guy.”

“Thank you for coming up. I couldn’t sleep last night.”

“What’s going on, baby boy?” He went to get his whiskey, then came back to sit on the bed, back against the wall, toeing off his boots before sitting cross-legged.

“Nothing.” Q sighed softly. “You looked good, chopping logs out there.”

“Yeah?” He gave Q a sideways glance. “Still got it, do I?”

“You know you do. You’re beautiful.” Q winked at him. “That’s not a thing.”

His cheeks heated with pleasure, and his cock rose right up, giving him a hello and howdy. “Well, that’s mutual then.”

“You still think so? Are you sure?” Q rolled his eyes. “Don’t answer that. I don’t want to know if you don’t.”

“Baby boy, look at me.” When Q met his gaze, he stared right into those light blue eyes, which he could see clearly even in the gloom.

“You are the hottest thing I have ever seen in my entire fucking life. Never doubt that.” He hadn’t told Quentin that enough.

He knew it. But things had been so scary, and now they were damn complicated.

“Thank you.” Q squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry to ask you up. I’m just so tired.”

“Then you need to sleep. Get over here by the wall.” He scooted around so Quentin could stretch out. Then he wrapped his big ass around the man, keeping him safe. Warm.

Q cried for a few minutes, he thought, but neither of them commented on it. And then Q went boneless on him, light snores starting up moments later.

Yeah, his back would pay for this, but it was worth it. Frost was staying the rest of the night.