Only You by Jerry Cole (the top 100 crime novels of all time TXT) 📕

To his relief, Bradley didn’t care one whit that he’d been lied to. In fact, he seemed relieved, almost happy that Sherman was more than just a travel agent.

“So, any chance you can rent me a room next to this one?” Bradley joked right away.

“I think I can do one better than that.” Sherman had wanted desperately to ask Bradley to stay with him, but he’d also worried it was too fast, and too presumptuous. But now... fuck it, he was on vacation. “How about you crash with me while you’re here?”

As if expecting it, Bradley offered a wry smile. “Are you sure I won’t be in the way?”

“Oh... I think I can manage... just,” he finished with a wink.

Of course, Bradley said yes and once he did, he didn’t hesitate in making himself right at home. He was quick to unpack his bags, take a shower and order room service like he was the one footing the bill. But Sherman didn’t mind, truly. He was just stoked that he’d be spending the next few days sharing the room, and the bed, with this hunk.

When the food arrived and Bradley was clean, the two men sat on the edge of the bed and nibbled at an assortment of breads and dips. Sherman felt like a Persian prince with one of his concubines. “So, what do you want to do now?”

Bradley had a piece of bread halfway to his mouth when he paused. A cheeky smirk then crossed his lips and his eyes flicked to the bed before working their way up Sherman. “Oh... how about you?”

Sherman laughed. Bradley laughed. And then, with nothing left to it, they moved the food to the floor, stripped themselves naked and got about catching up on the previous month the only way they knew how.

Even better that not once since Sherman had spotted Bradley in that hotel had he even thought about drugs, the need to buy them or use them. Bradley was the only drug he’d be needing and he intended to inject himself as much as possible while he could. Hey, he was on vacation after all.

Chapter Seven

The bright morning sun woke Bradley long before he would have liked; it crept in through the window and shone across his face, forcing his eyes instantly open. Every morning for the past three days this had happened, and every morning it annoyed him that the window to the room had no curtain, and that it was positioned so the sun shone directly in his eyes regardless of where he lay. Ordinarily, this ‘natural’ alarm would have been enough to see him release an annoyed groan, a disheartened grunt and even a sharp curse. Today it was the least of his problems.

He’d gotten close to no sleep the previous night. It was even worse than the first night too, which Bradley would have thought was impossible, considering how little he’d gotten on that particular eve. But at least that time, the reason for his lack of sleep was more tangible. A combination of waking up for sex every other hour, combined with the seasickness he’d been feeling from the constant rocking of the yacht was annoying, but something he had since been able to overcome.

Last night though... his mind had been racing – honestly, now that he was awake again, it had started back up — and it was going to keep doing so until he took care of the ‘problem’ at hand. But fuck, to do that he was going to need a serious dose of courage.

In an effort to distract himself, Bradley rolled over, expecting to see the naked body of Sherman lying next to him. Sherman’s body wasn’t anything to write home about; he was short, a little too skinny and pasty beyond belief, yet for reasons that Bradley couldn’t comprehend, it still drove him wild. A shame then that Sherman was nowhere to be seen.

“Shit...” Bradley muttered. His cock had hardened when he thought he’d be getting a little bit of morning delight. Now that his bed was empty, it looked like that wasn’t going to be the case. “Sherman!” Bradley shouted. “Where are you!”

He waited for a response, sure that Sherman would call from the bathroom or the deck. But... nothing.

“Oi!” Bradley sat up and looked around the room, as if expecting to see Sherman hiding. It was a tiny cabin, with literally just a double bed, a bedside table and not much else. “Sherman! Where are —”

“Outside!” Sherman’s voice drifted from beyond the door. “Hurry up! I have something for you!”

It should have excited Bradley to hear. The last time that Sherman had a surprise for him, it had turned into a three day get-away on a private yacht. By then, Lisbon had been starting to get old and the two men had needed an escape. Sherman, in all his wisdom, had come up with the perfect solution. Bradley would have been happy with a new room. Sherman wanted a new experience.

Bradley was completely nude. He slipped on a pair of bright pink speedos – the only attire he’d bothered with over the past three days – and slowly made his way outside to Sherman. That thing that had been bothering him, that had kept him up all night long, was settling in his stomach now and making him feel ill. Bradley was going to have no choice but to bring it up, hope that Sherman didn’t care as much as he should have, and then deal with the fallout... whatever that might be.

Fuck, he just hoped that Sherman wasn’t too upset with him.

“There he is.” Sherman wore a pair of white linen shorts and nothing more. The look suited him, as he was currently laying back in a deck chair, typing away on his laptop while