Page 71 of Jonathon, After All

Twenty-One

One week later…

Very little had changed at Schönbühel and Jonathon felt chills when he got out of the limo and scanned the courtyard, acknowledging the staff waiting on the steps. He remembered every detail of his first morning and first sighting of the picturesque castle. But instead of déjà vu, it was as if time had stopped at Schönbühel the day he and Leo had said goodbye and their love had gone dormant. Jonathon would swear that not a single stone had been turned and all the shrubs and vines looked just as they did the day they left.

Leo was smiling and looked proud when he offered Jonathon a hand and escorted him up the castle’s steps. For Jonathon, it was like returning to the place in his dreams, ready to make a new start and build a beautiful life with his Prince Charming-ish.

The staff had certainly aged and changed in the years since Jonathon had last visited, but he did recognize several familiar faces.

Including the housekeeper, Frau Fischer. “It’s so good to have you back, Herr von Hessen. Mr. Hawthorne, it’s wonderful to see you again as well,” she said and carefully lowered into a curtsy.

“Please, don’t.” Jonathon stopped her, clasping her hands. “It’s lovely to see you again, Frau Fischer.”

Leo chuckled as he shook her hand. “My fiancé is right. There’s no need to bow to us or stand on so much formality. We’d like this to feel like a home, not a castle, we’ve agreed,” he said as he turned to Jonathon. Leo coughed softly, hiding his smile. He did that every time he introduced Jonathon as his fiancé, he had noticed.

“I’m so glad to hear that you’ll be staying with us. We’ll do our best to remember,” Frau Fischer said warmly as she shook his hand and turned back to Jonathon. “May I say, it’s lovely to have you and your aunt back at Schönbühel,” she said, smiling as Muriel made her way up the steps.

“I’ll take that!” She snatched Calista’s leash from one of the footmen. The young man looked all too happy to hand over the snarling dog’s lead before he fled to help with the rest of their luggage. It was currently being unloaded from a van and carried into the castle by a stream of young men in simple black tuxedos.

“Be nice, Muriel,” Jonathon had scolded, wincing at Frau Fischer. “If you ever have any questions about anything she says or asks you to do, please find me. Or, just ignore her.”

“She’s not that bad,” Leo said quietly and smirked at them as Muriel struggled to calm the excited poodle.

“The dog or my aunt?” Jonathon asked, making Frau Fischer stifle a laugh.

“It is so good to have you all back,” she said and guided them through an abbreviated tour, showing them changes and upgrades to the inside of the castle.

Leo’s brothers had decided to stay behind in New York and Sabine and Markus were still in Vienna. It seemed they were too enamored with their suite and each other to join the rest of the party. All was quiet so Leo had encouraged Markus to trust the small but highly competent security team he had built and to take more time off after their return from New York. He would be along the following week, while Sabine would only be visiting Schönbühel as necessary during her probation.

Both Markus and Sabine deserved a break they had decided, but Jonathon suspected that Leo had done it for his own selfish reasons. He had admitted to Jonathon that he wanted time to enjoy his new family without his assistant and his loyal bodyguard hovering. Jonathon had observed that it was their job to hover and see to his needs and protect him, and there was only so much privacy in a castle that employed dozens of servants and groundskeepers. But Leo had said that he wanted to stare at his future husband like a lovesick fool without interruption.

The trip to Austria had been somewhat trying at times, with Leo’s instance on flying economy and taking trains and buses whenever possible, and Muriel loathing everything about flying economy and being exposed to bus and train travel.

“Um Himmels willen…”

Leo muttered the phrase often, for a variety of reasons, but remained patient and barely raised his voice. He didn’t skimp on their accommodations in Amsterdam, though, and had used every meal to pamper Jonathon and Muriel. It also seemed like Leo enjoyed their bickering and scheming, which boded very well for the future, once they reached Schönbühel.

One of Jonathon’s biggest concerns was that the novelty would quickly wear off and Leo would have regrets about saddling himself with a feisty older woman and a belligerent poodle, in addition to a new fiancé. But they were the only thing Leo wasn’t grumpy about and he seemed to save his ire for the weather, the number of single-passenger vehicles on the autobahns, society’s dependence on computers and technology… The Foundation was grumbled about regularly when they returned to Vienna.

They set up camp in the Palais Coburg, as Leo’s apartment didn’t have enough staff to look after the three of them on such short notice. Leo insisted they be treated as his family and royalty as well, despite Jonathon’s protests and to Muriel’s hearty approval.

And Leo made Jonathon feel more and more beautiful with each passing day. He practically fell apart whenever Jonathon undressed or stepped out of the shower. He couldn’t control himself when Jonathon was naked, Leo had to touch him and taste him and fuck him.

What else could Jonathon do but bend over the bathroom sink or ride Leo in the closet? He certainly couldn’t see any other course of action but to drop to his knees and lavish Leo with a slow, sultry blowjob while he smoked a cigar on the balcony, after he surprised Muriel with her own box at the opera. The man refused to stop and used every opportunity to spoil them.

“I did pack a few red things,” Jonathon had said while dressing for their trip to Schönbühel, earlier that morning.

The newspaper had slipped from Leo’s fingers, sliding to the floor. “Oh?” Leo asked in a strained croak and pushed back his seat.

“I can’t see myself having a reason to wear red very often, though,” Jonathon mused and smirked over his shoulder.

Leo dove at him. “Jetzt!” He took Jonathon roughly on the floor, using his necktie to muffle his own screams.

They had fooled around on the floor until it was time to go, but Leo was still restless throughout their first dinner at Schönbühel. Jonathon suspected that Leo was too hungry for something else to do more than murmur vague compliments about the mushroom soup and vegetarian goulash. There had been too many bags to unpack and decisions to make for them to find a moment alone and Jonathon could practically feel Leo simmering with impatience.

“Game room?” Jonathon had asked Muriel as he pulled out her chair and helped her up, earning an offended scowl from Leo.

Jonathon shushed him but Muriel had missed it, smothering a yawn and shaking her head. “Too tired tonight, my dear. Perhaps von Hessen can entertain you,” she said with a wiggle of her brows. “I’m sure he knows a few games.”

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