Page 20 of All Tied Up

The ploy wasn’t necessary, though. It was clear from Neil’s face that he was attracted to Jamie, watching him with a sort of nervous wonder, like he couldn’t believe that he was so lucky as to be the object of Jamie’s flirtation. Since Jamie was facing mostly away, Neil probably thought Jamie couldn’t see him, but Sebastian could see everything.

Neil didn’t quite jump on the proposal, but he didn’t reject it either. He spoke with longing of having a Daddy to take care of him, a fervent desire to please that didn’t match anything Sebastian had expected of him.

Sebastian kept thinking he should jump in and introduce himself, but he could see how hard Jamie had worked drawing the boy out of his shell. The two of them were laughing together now, eyes warm with hidden messages and desires.

It had been a long time since Sebastian had seen Jamie that excited about anyone. In fact the last time… No, he wasn’t going to go there. Henri was in the past, and this was just a weekend fling.

Sebastian had been so engrossed that he was startled when the guest who had been on his phone came right over to the two boys. Everything happened so fast, though, that Jamie and the slimy Dom were already into it by the time he’d even come over.

Sebastian crossed the room quickly, coming up behind the couch where Neil and Jamie sat. He’d hidden a smile at Jamie’s ready praise of the new boy, and that he was looking for someone to “love him all up.” That was Jamie, always full of sunshine and sass.

It was Neil’s whispered words, though, that turned everything around. “No, Sir. I’m kind of boring, but I want to be good,” he told the Dom earnestly.

There was a shy openness in his tone that Sebastian wanted to hear more of. Combined with the stranger hitting on Jamie and dismissing Neil, it had shifted Sebastian into protector mode.

It hadn’t passed Sebastian’s notice that he was being hypocritical—he’d thought that Neil might be a Dom, too, with that fancy suit, bald head, and thick, strong body. And just moments ago he’d been planning on putting the brakes on Jamie’s plans until they had a check in.

But the difference was that Sebastian had thought it and this asshole had actually said it, disregarding anyone’s feelings. Sebastian was pissed, and he could tell that Jamie was boiling. Anywhere else, he would have let Jamie run his mouth off and then added his own two cents. But they were also running a business and it was Sebastian’s job to be in control here.

“Boy!” Sebastian growled. It was a bit of a reprimand to Jamie, who hadn’t said anything inappropriate yet, but it was heading that direction. More importantly, it was his way of staking his claim.

Jamie belonged to Sebastian, and Neil didn’t deserve to hear another word of this bag of dicks implying he wasn’t good enough, when all the boy wanted was to be good.

Three pairs of eyes turned to look at him. Jamie’s familiar green eyes sparkled with heat. The stranger gave him a look of grudging respect, which Sebastian didn’t return.

It was the surprise and excitement in Neil’s rainstorm-blue eyes that captured Sebastian, though. His age rested well on his face, the lines fanning out from his eyes giving him character and distinction. His cheeks flushed sweetly under his full, sexy beard. He wasn’t classically attractive, but he had this pull. All open vulnerability and need.

Sebastian found himself disappointed when Neil turned back around. It turned out that Jamie had chosen well after all. Sebastian never should have doubted him.

But he was still in the middle of this ridiculous situation, and as the Daddy—or maybe the hotel owner on duty—he needed to take charge. He got the new guest set up and returned to the boys just in time to see Neil’s yawn.

He could see the circles under the boy’s eyes now, the way he was running on adrenaline instead of rest.

In fact, he looked defeated. For all of that perfect posture, he had sad eyes. And he seemed utterly exhausted and overwhelmed, bruises shadowing his eyes and hands trembling. That’s what the stiffness was—willpower triumphing over the messy emotions that lurked behind the mask.

That realization made everything else snap into place. If that stiff-necked air of disapproval was Neil’s way of protecting himself when he was scared, that changed a lot of things.

He wasn’t quite sure what Jamie meant by “later,” but they’d talk and figure it out.

Neil yawned again and Sebastian made a decision. Well, not quite a decision. But he decided to do a little test and give the boy a taste of his brand of Daddy-ing.

“Where’s your luggage?” he asked Neil gently.

Neil started to get up, looking toward the check-in desk.

“I’ve got it.” Sebastian stilled him with a gesture of his hand. “I recall my boy saying that you’re here to be pampered.”

“Oh, I mean, I don’t know about being pampered, Sir. I’m on vacation but I should still carry my own luggage. That’s not your job.”

Sebastian raised one eyebrow. He used that look all the time on Jamie to say are you sure you want to challenge me? But for Neil, who was new to everything and a good boy, it was a gentler version.

“You shouldn’t argue with Daddy,” Jamie whispered helpfully. God, he loved his little brat.

Neil’s mouth shaped a surprised O.

“I’ve got it,” Daddy repeated, just as gently, giving Neil a second chance.

“Sorry, Sir. I mean, thank you, Sir.”