Page 22 of The Fete of Summer (Tales of Crumbington #1)

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A short walk from the solicitor’s office, Nathan bought them lunch in a sea-facing cafe.

Naturally, talk centred on the implications of the will.

Jaymes did his best to ease Nathan’s concerns, reasoning that if a relative had left Nathan a substantial amount of money, his next of kin would have inherited a hell of a lot more, making him a very wealthy man.

Why would he care about running a village bakery on the other side of the world?

Moreover, according to the letter, the son had inherited the family business in Melbourne, whatever that may be.

Together, they came up with a plan to put Nathan’s mind at rest. He would write to the cousin and offer his condolences, using the address provided in the letter.

After they had finished eating, they drove straight to Polly’s.

Apart from updating her, they wanted to break the news about Nathan’s offer of a room and start to move Jaymes’ belongings in.

Jaymes had stoked Nathan’s passion by promising him an unhurried session of gratitude in the bedroom when they got home.

Nathan barely kept to the speed limit on the drive back.

Polly became pensive when he explained that Jaymes would be renting his spare room.

Whether she suspected anything between them, he couldn’t tell—he never could with her.

Even when Nathan cited the good sense of the plan about them keeping very different working hours, she gave him a quizzical frown as they watched Jaymes stack his few things into the van.

On his way past, Jaymes deftly changed the subject, enquiring about Polly’s dinner date with her girlfriends.

A brilliant ploy because Polly soon went on the defensive.

“Girlfriends?” repeated Nathan, his arms folding. “You told me you had a dinner date with somebody, and you definitely didn’t mention girls. You had a date with Benny Cheung, didn’t you?”

“What? No!” said Polly, clearly aghast. “Whyever would you think that?”

“Because you two were thick as thieves in the pub the other night.”

“He’s a child .”

“Told you,” said Jaymes, tilting his head at Nathan as he carried another box to the van.

“Who, then?”

“None of your beeswax.”

“You know he’s going to keep guessing, Poll,” called Jaymes. “May as well ‘fess up.”

Polly looked between the two of them before ramming her hands onto her hips.

“Fine. I had dinner with Katherine Cheung, Benny’s mum.”

“Oh,” said Nathan, stopping to raise an eyebrow. “ Oh ?”

“For goodness’ sake, nothing like that. I called her to find dirt on Arlene, and as she wasn’t busy on Saturday night, I suggested we have a drink and a bite to eat.

I planned to appeal to her journalistic curiosity.

And just as well I did. Apparently she has concerns, too.

I’ve got her on the case to find out more. ”

“You are one tenacious little private detective, aren’t you?” said Nathan. “Hang on. You were going to keep this to yourself.”

Polly shrugged. “She may not come up with anything.”

“Polly Wynter,” said Nathan, mock frowning. “You know we don’t keep secrets from each other.”

Behind Polly’s left shoulder, Jaymes stopped, caught his eye and pulled a face. Fortunately, Polly didn’t notice.

“If I find anything out, you’ll be the first to know. Are you boys coming in for a drink?”

Jaymes beat Nathan to the reply.

“Would love to, Poll,” said Jaymes. “But one of us needs to drive, and I really ought to get back and unpack my crap. And if Nathan doesn’t mind me using his washing machine, I should get some clothes ready for next week.”

“Knock yourself out,” said Nathan.

“Fine, I’ll come to you then,” said Polly, not letting up. “I’ve been marking homework all morning, and my brain is jelly. I need a dose of adult company along with my favourite tipple. I also want to hear everything your solicitor had to say.”

Nathan and Jaymes exchanged glances.

“Fair point,” said Nathan, shrugging in defeat as Jaymes rubbed a hand over one eyebrow. “How about you give us an hour to get Jaymes settled, then come over? Text me when you’re near. We can order a takeaway—”

“The hell we will,” said Jaymes abruptly. “Enough with the bloody junk food. We can stop off at a supermarket on the way back.”

“Ooh,” said Polly, clapping her hands. “Jaymes is going to cook. Bonus! I forgot you have a proper oven-cooking thing. He’s a dab hand in the kitchen. Wait until his skills have wowed you.”

They already had, and Nathan hoped to sample them again, but evidently that would need to wait.

* * * *

Settled in Nathan’s flat, Jaymes knocked up tenderloin steaks, red wine jus, fried onions, button mushrooms, green beans and sautéed potatoes, washed down with Polly’s bottle of full-bodied red Italian Amarone.

As they ate, they discussed the trip to the solicitors.

Polly echoed Jaymes’ thoughts about the warning being unnecessary, that his first cousin already had a life in Australia, maybe even a family of his own, and now a considerable windfall from his late father.

Why would he want to trade the temperate climate of Melbourne for mercurial English weather, chained to a bakery in the most boring village in England?

By eight Nathan found himself yawning a couple of times, something Polly noticed because she made her excuse to leave.

They waved her off from the front stoop.

As soon as Nathan stepped inside and closed the front door behind them, Jaymes pulled him into an embrace, eagerly seeking out his mouth, his hands cupping and squeezing Nathan’s backside.

An involuntary moan escaped Nathan as he moulded himself into Jaymes’ body, his own passion burning with anticipation until Jaymes broke the kiss and whispered into Nathan’s ear.

“Come on. Let’s rinse the dirty dishes and load the dishwasher.”

“You have a sick sense of foreplay,” said Nathan.

“I’m thinking we should go to bed, but maybe we ought to sleep. You have to be up early tomorrow.”

Nathan pulled away and stared incredulously at Jaymes.

“There is absolutely no way I’m going to be able to sleep. Not until I’ve expended a good deal of pent-up energy. What do you suggest?”

“Go for a run?” said Jaymes, smirking playfully.

“I’m thinking more along the lines of a blow job,” said Nathan, rubbing their erections together.

With a growl, Jaymes lifted Nathan from the floor, threw him over his shoulder, and clumped up the stairs.

In the bedroom, he carefully unloaded Nathan onto the mattress and proceeded to climb on top.

Face to face, unhurriedly now, they began to undress each other, helping each other by shifting their body weight to allow an item of clothing to be entirely removed.

Eventually, when both lay naked alongside each other, Jaymes kissed him before letting his mouth and hands explore Nathan’s body.

Without pausing for breath, Jaymes swallowed Nathan’s cock, his tongue working him hard, while a hand squeezed his balls before sliding around to his backside, a finger stroking around his crack.

Nathan already felt his orgasm building, but when Jaymes pulled his mouth away and instead focused his tongue’s attention on his backside, spreading the cheeks wide with his hands, Nathan felt his control slip away.

At the first swipe, Nathan surrendered to the sensation, but when Jaymes buried his face into him, his tongue working wildly, rabidly, a fierce climax ripped through Nathan.

Jaymes seemed as surprised as Nathan, because he stopped what he was doing to watch before concentrating on the head of Nathan’s cock and lapping up everything Nathan had spilt.

“I think somebody needed that,” said Jaymes, giving Nathan a salty kiss.

“You have no idea. But what about you?”

“Hmm. I’m looking forward to being inside you again.”

“Then what are you waiting for?”

Jaymes took his time preparing and fucking Nathan. When he finally began the erratic to-and-fro thrust for home, Nathan’s erection had returned, and he came a second time moments after Jaymes.

“It’s almost ten. We need to sleep.”

Nathan reluctantly agreed, relaxing against Jaymes’ body. Jaymes was right. Nathan would need to rise depressingly early to get ready for Arthur and his son. Nevertheless, he breathed out an irritated sigh.

“Your cousin is a total passion killer, you know that?”

“She wasn’t to know. Are you annoyed?”

“Not really. There’ll be plenty of other times. I’m enjoying having you here in my bed.”

“Ditto. Breakfast at five-thirty? Once you’ve finished helping downstairs? I’ve bought blueberries, yoghurt and oatmeal.”

“Are you sure? You can stay in bed if you want.”

“Nope. We breakfast together. New rule. Now let’s sleep.”

Which is what they did. Nathan rose just before one on Monday morning, sliding carefully out of bed so as not to wake Jaymes.

However, this time, once he’d done his usual routines and made sure Arthur and his son had everything they needed, he slipped back upstairs, set his alarm for five and climbed back into bed.

As promised, they shared breakfast as Nathan savoured his new—albeit temporary—reality.

* * * *

At seven on Monday evening, Nathan heard the door slam downstairs. He’d just emerged from the bathroom after a customary shower, a towel wrapped round his waist.

“Honey, I’m home,” came the now-familiar voice from belowstairs.