One Room at the Inn Read online

  “I don’t know about the two of you, but I don’t fancy driving in this at all. I’m going to see if I can get a room for the night.” He was annoyed about it. They were fifteen miles from home, tops, but he didn’t fancy chancing the drive.

  PK nodded. “Booking rooms seems like a good idea. Maybe we could grab some dinner together afterwards?”

  Zev grinned. “Now that’s an idea I can get on board with.”

  They gathered up their things and headed towards the reception desk. They had to wait several minutes to get served. By virtue of the order they’d been standing in, Zev got called to the desk first.

  “I’d like to book a room for the night.”

  The lady behind the desk looked uncertain as she consulted the screen. “You’re in luck.”

  Zev frowned.

  “We were fully booked, but we’ve had a cancellation due to the snow, so there’s one room left. It’s just a basic room. Is that okay?”

  One room? He glanced over his shoulder at the other two, wondering what they were going to do. “I’ll take it.” He handed his credit card over. “I don’t think anyone’s going to be going home tonight. There must be people who dropped in for a drink, hoping the snow would clear. What about them?”

  She shrugged. “The hotel manager is aware. If we really are snowed in, he might have to let both customers and staff sleep on the floor in the bar overnight. It’s not ideal… but we’ve never had a problem like this before. At least, not while I’ve been working here.”

  Zev could well believe it. There had some cracking winters whilst he’d been growing up, but the last few had been much milder, with barely any snow. Certainly nothing like the storm that was raging outside.

  “Room 303,” she said, handing him a key card. “Breakfast is served seven until ten and checkout is at eleven. I’m afraid the restaurant is full with Christmas dinner bookings for lunch and dinner tomorrow.”

  “No worries. As long as the conditions are better, I’ll be heading out early. I was supposed to get home tonight.”

  “Do you have far to go?”

  He laughed. “Fifteen miles, so no.”

  She grimaced apologetically.

  “Are there any slots free for dinner tonight?” he asked.

  She checked the computer again. “I can get you a table for about eight?”

  Zev’s stomach complained.

  “Or there’s bar snacks,” she offered.

  “I think I’ll stick with bar snacks. Thanks anyway.”

  He pocketed the key cards and then turned around. Ellis was talking to another member of staff, whilst PK was still waiting his turn.

  “You’re out of luck,” Zev told him.

  PK raised his eyebrows.

  “There’s no rooms left,” Ellis exclaimed from beside him.

  PK glanced between them. “We can’t leave, not in this.”

  Ellis shook his head. “They’re going to give stranded people sheets and pillows and let us sleep in the bar.”

  “Uh…” PK shook his head.

  Zev waved his key card at them. “It just so happens I got the last room.”

  “Lucky you,” Ellis mumbled.

  Zev put the card away again and then draped an arm over each of their shoulders, steering them away from the reception desk. “Now what kind of guy would I be if I left my two friends to sleep on the floor in a bar?”

  Ellis jerked away a little, staring at him with wide eyes. “You’d let us share the room with you?”

  “Why not?”

  “Are… you sure?”

  Zev laughed. “I offered, didn’t I? I don’t snore too loudly, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  “You’re offering to let us sleep on the floor?” PK said, his voice quiet and careful.

  Zev hesitated. He hadn’t actually thought as far ahead as sleeping arrangements. As the room was a basic one, it would probably be quite small with a double bed in it. Looking at the expressions on Ellis and PK’s faces, he didn’t think either man was ready for the offer of sharing the bed with him.

  “Sure,” he said. “The floor. It’ll be quieter than sleeping in the bar with a ton of other people.”

  “Thanks,” Ellis said, clearly shocked.

  “That’s good of you,” PK agreed.

  “The restaurant is booked until late, but we can get food at the bar. How about we eat and then go and check out the room?”

  “I didn’t bring anything in with me,” PK said, glancing out the main doors. “I’m not sure I fancy braving the weather even to get my bag.”

  “So don’t. Hotel’s always have wash kits including spare toothbrushes,” Zev reminded him. “Food? I’m starving!”

  PK

  It turned out there was a rush on food, and they still ended up waiting almost an hour just for chips and burgers. As the snow storm still wasn’t showing any signs of letting up, and they’d made the decision to stay, they switched from soft drinks to beer. PK felt like he was in the Twilight Zone. He’d never expected to see Ellis or Zev again, even though he’d thought about them on and off over the years. Now they were chatting as though the eight year gap meant nothing at all. It had to though, didn’t it? They weren’t the same kids they’d been at eighteen. For one, Zev had matured into a drop dead gorgeous hunk of a man, whilst Ellis’ soft, sexy voice was making goosebumps break out over PK’s skin. The thought of spending the night in a tiny hotel room with the two men was sending him into a bit of a tailspin.

  “Why don’t we go check out the room?” Zev suggested, as he polished off the last of his chips.

  “I thought we’d stay here a bit longer,” PK said, keeping his gaze firmly on the remnants of his pint of beer.

  “Nah, it’s too crowded and noisy.” Zev stretched and PK tried so hard not to look, but he ended up sneaking a glance at his friend’s strong muscles and the tattoos that stretched over them. “We can catch up better in the room.”

  “Another drink?” PK suggested.

  “I’m with Zev on this one,” Ellis said. “It’s noisy and I’m starting to get a headache.”

  “We can always raid the mini bar.” Zev grinned at them both.

  “Do you have any idea how expensive those tiny drinks are?” Ellis asked.

  “Wait here.” Zev stood and wandered over to the bar.

  Ellis leaned forward in his seat, his stare fixed on PK. “You don’t seem entirely comfortable with the sleeping arrangements.”

  PK raised his eyebrows. “I’m good. It beats sleeping in here with God knows how many other people.”

  Ellis narrowed his eyes. “Come on, PK, you were always a crap liar. What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.”

  “You have a tell.”

  PK shifted in his seat. “I do?”

  Ellis pointed at him. “The right hand corner of your mouth twitches. So, what’s wrong?”

  PK pressed his lips together, unsure how to say that he found both men attractive without making everything awkward between them for the rest of the night. True, Ellis was gay, but that didn’t make confessing that he was in lust with either of them easy. Luckily, Zev arrived back at the table, carrying a bottle of Applejack and three tumblers.

  “We’re sorted for alcohol,” Zev announced. “Let’s head to the room.”

  “Bourbon?” Ellis asked.

  Zev grinned at him. “What can I say? I have refined tastes. Come on.” He strode off without waiting for either of them.

  “Are you coming?” Ellis asked PK, as he stood and grabbed his camera.

  PK nodded and got to his feet. He could keep his lust in check. It wasn’t like he hadn’t shared a room with two gorgeous guys before… Oh… Wait. He hadn’t. Unless he counted the sleepovers the three of them had had as teenagers, but he hadn’t been aware that he liked guys then, let alone that he liked them. Or had liked them, because eight years of separation meant he didn’t know them anymore. He was so confused.

  They had to wait for the lift
to come back down for them, but once they reached the room, they realised Zev had waited for them to get to the door. Zev swiped the key card and opened the door, as though he were doing some kind of grand reveal.

  “Ta-da!”

  Without entering, they all stared into the room.

  “Cosy,” Ellis said.

  “Tiny,” PK muttered, his throat tight.

  There was an open wardrobe to the left of the door and a small bathroom to the right, leaving a narrow corridor between them to enter the room. There was barely any room to walk around the bed. Okay, so there was space for Ellis and PK to lay on the floor, one on each side of the bed, but if Zev wanted to get up during the night, he’d have to get off the foot of the bed or risking stepping on them. The bed itself looked barely big enough to be classed as a double. There was nowhere to sit except the bed or the floor, making PK wish they’d stayed in the crowded bar. Still, he couldn’t do much about that wish, as he followed Zev and Ellis into the room.

  After they’d all tossed their coats into the bottom of the wardrobe, Zev put the bottle of Applejack and the tumblers down on one of the bedside tables. “Make yourselves comfortable, gentlemen, I’m going to have a quick wash.”

  He wandered into the bathroom, locking the door behind him.

  Ellis sat on the bed, bouncing a couple of times, presumably testing the comfort. “Soft,” he concluded. “Not that we’ll be sleeping on it. Spill.”

  “Sorry?”

  “While it’s just the two of us, tell me what’s wrong.”

  PK stuffed his hands into his pockets and looked up at the ceiling. “Nothing.”

  “Bullshit.”

  PK lowered his chin. “I don’t remember you having such a filthy mouth, Ellis Baxter.”

  Ellis grinned. “I know, I was always the quiet one. I still am, mostly.”

  “Yeah, right. And you reckon I’m a bad liar?”

  “I’ve done a lot of growing up,” Ellis said. “Let’s just say I’m not as angelic as I look.”

  Ellis did look angelic, with his curly blond hair and bright blue eyes. PK’s skin had erupted into goosebumps again, as his mind begged him to ask what Ellis had meant by that comment.

  Once again, he was saved by Zev’s return. At least, that’s what he thought until he looked round and caught an eyeful of Zev’s bare torso. He couldn’t tear his stare away from the man’s strong muscles, which were accentuated by tattoos. He had ‘Love and Peace’ emblazoned across his chest, surrounded by intricate curling patterns. Then PK made the mistake of looking down, at which point he saw Zev’s other tattoo. Stars of varying sizes arched over the front Zev’s hips, disappearing beneath his jeans. The stars alternated between outlines and solid. It was hard not to stare at the trail, or think about how far down the stars went.

  Zev laughed. “You can both stop gawping now. I know I’m gorgeous.”

  It was only then that PK realised his mouth was hanging open. He snapped it shut and glanced at Ellis, who was openly staring, his mouth curved into a lusty smile.

  “Well, if you’re going to parade around half naked,” Ellis said unashamedly. “And yes,” he said in a slightly more breathy tone. “You are gorgeous. You always were.”

  Zev bowed, tossed his T-shirt into the bottom of the wardrobe, and then sat down on the end of the bed, near Ellis. “What’s the plan, gentlemen? Chat or bed?”

  PK turned away as he felt his face heating up.

  “I’m good with chatting,” Ellis said. “It’s not late and the less time I spend laying on the floor the better. Are you going to join us, PK?”

  PK took a breath, annoyed he couldn’t do anything about his glowing cheeks. He turned and, short of anywhere else to sit at all, joined them on the bed. He wasn’t sure how the night was going to play out, but he hoped it didn’t involve Zev losing anymore clothes. His reaction to seeing Zev topless hadn’t exactly been subtle. Damn but the man was stunning. It made him feel marginally better that he hadn’t been the only one staring and that Zev had laughed it off.

  There was a beat of awkward silence, a reminder that actually they didn’t really know each other anymore.

  “Where you serious?” Ellis asked, staring at PK.

  “About what?”

  “Being jealous that I’d never taken your photo?”

  Heat flushed PK’s face again. Why the hell had he said that? The confession had felt more harmless before he’d known they’d all get snowed in and have to share the last room at the hotel. “Uh… yeah.” He looked away. “You took some really great photos of Zev. I guess…” He blew a breath out. “I wondered if you could make me look that nice, too.”

  “Photos?” Zev echoed.

  PK cringed, realising he’d just dumped Ellis in it. He’d gone to the football matches with Ellis. Whilst his friend took photos, he’d sit and do homework or revision. When Ellis had flicked through the photos on his camera screen at half time, PK had looked at the photos with him. He’d therefore been aware of just how many photos Ellis had taken of Zev. How had he managed to keep that a secret through high school, only to blurt it out eight years later? What a jerk.

  It was Ellis’ turn to blush. “I took lots of photos of the football team. You were one of the star players, so there were quite a few of you.” He cleared his throat and turned his attention back to PK. “I’ve got my camera, if you want me to take your photo?”

  PK gaped at Ellis. “Seriously?”

  “Sure, why not?” Ellis inclined his head towards Zev. “I wouldn’t mind snapping a few more of you, as well, if you’re up for it?”

  “First a miraculous reunion, now an impromptu photo shoot?” Zev rubbed his hands together. “Sounds fun. Where do you want us?”

  Ellis laughed. “There’s not a great deal of room in here, so I guess on the bed?”

  PK tucked his chin against his chest, wondering if it was just his mind turning their probably innocent comments into innuendo.

  “Do you want me to put my top back on?” Zev asked.

  Ellis shook his head. “No. Your tattoos are amazing. I’ll take some shots of you first, and then some of PK, okay?” He looked at them both.

  Zev nodded enthusiastically. PK was torn between wanting Ellis to take his photo—he really had been jealous of the stunning photos his friend had taken of Zev all those years ago—and wanting to crawl into a hole and never come out. Now, trapped in a hotel room with the two men, he had to wonder why he’d been jealous. Was it because he’d actually wanted to have his photo taken, or because he was jealous of the feelings Ellis obviously had for Zev? Zev might have been clueless eight years ago, but PK had been painfully aware of the crush Ellis had had on their friend.

  “PK?” Ellis asked.

  “Yeah, sure.” PK moved away from the bed to lounge against the wall, arms loosely folded as Ellis began to unpack his camera.

  Ellis had moved on from the cheap and cheerful camera he’d been given one Christmas. Now he had an expensive looking DSLR, with a massive flash and several lenses. PK didn’t really know anything about cameras, so he stared at the equipment in awe, watching as Ellis chose a lens and fitted the flash.

  “Where do you want me?” Zev repeated, grinning.

  Ellis laughed. “The bed’s fine.”

  Zev waggled his eyebrows. “I might get ideas if you keep making comments like that.”

  “Just pose you idiot.”

  Zev posed and looked absolutely stunning doing it. As much as PK didn’t want to make his attraction obvious, he found it impossible not to watch the man. As Zev shifted effortlessly between sultry poses, as though he was a professional model, it felt like the room was getting hotter, closing in on PK.

  Ellis

  Taking photos of Zev was fun and easy, but Ellis couldn’t shake his concern about PK. As kids, Zev had always been the most outgoing of the three of them. Ellis had been awkward and shy, whilst PK had been quiet and reserved in his sweet, geeky way. He’d always been the most tightlipped of all of
them and eight years didn’t seem to have changed that much. Then again, Ellis knew that he could still be shy and he was a bit lacking in the confidence department, until he got behind the lens of a camera; then he was confident and assertive.

  “I thought you were a travel photographer?” Zev asked, as he lounged on the bed, one hand trailing over his thigh and between his legs.

  God, the man was hot and, if the poses he kept slipping into where anything to go by, he knew it.

  “I am, but I’ve dabbled in model photography. I thought you were a youth worker and amateur footballer?”

  Zev laughed. “Touché!”

  “Seriously, have you done this before?” Ellis asked, as he took a few more shots.

  “Nope, but it’s fun.”

  Ellis looked at the photos on the camera screen. The lens loved Zev even more now than it had done when he was a teenager. These photos would make wonderful masturbation material, not that Ellis should have been thinking anything so inappropriate, but he couldn’t help it. And he was blushing, which was probably as good as having a neon sign flashing above his head, telling the other two men he was perving over the photos.

  “If you give me your email address, I’ll send the best shots to you.”

  Zev raised his eyebrows. “Does that mean you’ll keep in touch this time, too?”

  Ellis laughed. “I thought you said we were all to blame for falling out of touch?”

  “Yes, but if I’d known how hot you two would turn out, I would have made more of an effort.”

  Beside Ellis, PK made a strangled sound in his throat, which made Zev laugh.

  He winked at PK and got off the bed. “Your turn. Relax and go with the flow, hot stuff.”

  Trading places with Zev, PK edged towards the bed.

  “Just sit,” Ellis said. “Let me worry about the rest. Oh, and try to smile,” he added, as PK sat on the bed. He didn’t add that the geek had a gorgeous smile.

  He knelt down close to the bed and took some snaps of PK’s face, checking each picture on the camera before taking the next. He had to angle the camera and the flash just right to avoid getting glare on PK’s glasses, which would have ruined the shot and hidden his beautiful brown eyes. Obviously uncomfortable, PK raised his hand to his face and chewed on the skin around the nail of his forefinger. Ellis snapped a few shots, loving the candid moment and how it showed more about PK’s personality than the heavily posed photos he’d taken of Zev.