Page 101 of Wear It Like a Crown

If you’ll have me.

Joshua’s lungs felt swollen, like a tick gorged on blood. He needed a moment to make his voice work. “I’ll ask them to bring you up. And Nate is here as well?”

“For emotional support, mainly,” Leo said, still in that quietly sincere tone. It was the most open, the mostvulnerableJoshua had ever heard him. “Also a tad bit for Mo, of course.”

“I’ll wake him.” Dropping his hand, Joshua stared at its imprint on the windowpane for a stunned second, then tried to focus. He needed to call reception, and he needed to put on some clothes. God, he probably looked a dishevelled mess. “Yes. I’ll wake him, and I… We’re all on the top floor.”

“Of course you are.” Leo sounded immeasurably fond, and something in Joshua’s stomach gave, like a knot had been tugged loose. “I’ll see you in a minute, all right?”

“All right,” Joshua echoedsoftly.

Once the call had ended he stared at his own reflection, blurred and translucent in the windowpane. Then he straightened his spine and raised his head, felt the ghost of a disbelieving smile tug at his mouth.

Leo was here.

* * *

With each floor number that flashed by, Leo’s stomach sagged just a little lower. He’d never been more grateful for Nate’s steady presence by his side.

On the phone, Joshua had sounded… surprised, yes. Disbelieving. A little shaken, but not in a bad way. And maybe he was simply too kind to turn Leo away right now, when the sun was barely out and he’d flown all night, but if Joshua listened just long enough for Leo to explain himself…

The lift glided to a smooth halt. Its doors opened before Leo was ready.

Mo was waiting in the hallway, sleep-ruffled and dressed in only a pair of pyjama bottoms. He was undeniably hot. Leo noticed it rather absently as his gaze slid past Mo to settle on Joshua. Half-hidden behind Mo’s figure, Joshua looked alert, his hair a wild mess, eyes a clear green when they met Leo’s. Good God, Leo was in love with him. So in love with him.

He thought about putting it out there, again—I’m in love with you. And I was wrong because it matters, it does.

Mo’s voice cut through the haze. “Babe.” He sent Nate a sudden smile. “This is unexpected.”

“Good unexpected?” Nate asked. He was grinning already, even though his hand remained clasped around Leo’s elbow.

“Very good,” Mo confirmed. Then he glanced over at Leo, down at the bags they’d brought, and oh, fuck. Both the lift boy and the bellboy had been present for the entire exchange. What did this look like to them? What if the security cameras saw Leo disappear into Joshua’s room, bag in hand? What if the story spread before they’d got a chance to eventalk?

Leo’s discomfort must have been obvious because Joshua shook hishead, very lightly. But he didn’t know,couldn’tknow just how bad it would be if word got out. Panic was a perfectly appropriate reaction,TheHitchhiker’s Guidebe damned.

Holy hell, Leo really hadn’t thought this through.

Again, Joshua shook his head, more emphatically. “Discretion,” he mouthed, and Leo was still processing it when Joshua addressed the hotel staff. “Thank you both. I think we can handle it from here.” With that, he drew forward to hand over a tip and pick up one of the bags. Nudged into motion by Nate, Leo stepped out of the lift. He was vaguely aware of Mo grabbing the last bag.

Fuck, maybe Leo should have caught some sleep before doing this.

Only when the lift was back on the descent did Joshua speak again. Turning in the hallway, Leo’s bag slung over his shoulder, he told them, “Places like this rely on discretion. It’s one of their biggest selling points, and if they lose that, they’re done for. No one will know you’re here.”

“That’s what Leo just said a few minutes ago,” Nate put in. With a squeeze to Leo’s elbow, he let go and walked right into Mo’s space, tugged him in for a kiss. And… okay. So they really were official.

Blinking, Leo averted his gaze and tried to douse any spark of envy.

He looked up to find Joshua watching him with an expression that was hard to read, something between confused and hopeful, wary and guarded, but still so painfully open. Leo wanted to touch him so much that he felt completely frozen with it.

“You’re here to talk to me?” Joshua asked, and Leo exhaled around the crushing weight of what he was about to do.

His voice came out in a croak. “Yes. Talk to you.”

Joshua bit down on his bottom lip, little indents of his teeth, and nodded. “Talk, okay.” After a sideways glance at Mo and Nate, Joshua took a hesitant step towards an open door. His room, probably.

Just as Leo made to follow, Nate held him back with a hand on the shoulder. “Good luck,” he whispered, and behind him, Mo looked on in what might have passed for a bored expression had it not been for the worried glint in his eyes. Leo wondered just how much Mo knew. As much as Joshua, probably.

But Joshua didn’t know nearly enough.