Closer: Bay City Paranormal Investigation, Book 4

“Let’s see what they think about it. If the consensus is that we’re in danger, we can stay away. But if we’re in danger even if you’re not there to trigger the portal, then everyone who goes there is in danger. And I really don’t think that’s the case. There have been no reports of anything remotely like a portal in all the fort’s history, and we sure didn’t experience any such thing on the first night.”
“Yeah. You’re probably right. Everyone should be fine if I stay here with Bo.” Sighing, Sam slumped against the back of the bench. As terrible as it was to be a potential danger to his friends once again, he wanted to believe Dean was right. After all, he and Bo weren’t even supposed to be at the fort. “I hope you’re right, Dean. I don’t even know what to think anymore. It’s all so damn confusing.”
“I know.” Leaning over, Dean wrapped his arms around Sam’s neck and hugged him. “Don’t worry, Sam. I’m sure Bo will be fine.”
“Yeah.” Sam smiled, patting Dean’s shoulder as he drew away and stood. “I do think we should talk to Joanne about the possibility of a portal, though. If I can open it, anyone else with latent psychokinesis could too.”
“That’s true.” Dean chewed his lower lip. “Actually, it seems kind of strange that there haven’t been any reports of portal-type activity, if the place has the potential for it. There’s no way other people with your abilities haven’t been through there before.”
“Another mystery,” Sam said, sounding much calmer than he felt.
“Yeah.” Dean’s brow furrowed for a moment, then smoothed again. He smiled. “I better get back to work. See you later.”
“Yeah, see you.”
Dean strolled off, hands in the pockets of his shorts. Sam sat there for a while longer, trying to arrange the puzzle pieces of the last two days in a way that made sense. When his growling stomach finally forced him back inside a couple of hours later, he still hadn’t figured it out.
    Bo didn’t stir from bed until nearly six o’clock that evening. Sam was just starting to wonder if he should check on Bo again—he’d looked in on him several times during the afternoon—when Bo shuffled into the living room, wearing Sam’s pajama bottoms and nothing else.
    Pausing the video he’d been reviewing, Sam jumped up and hurried over to his lover. “Hey, Bo. You okay?”
“Mm-hm.” Bo yawned and pushed a hand through his hair, which hung unbound and tangled around his bare shoulders. “Sorry I slept so long.”
“Don’t be sorry, you needed to rest.” Sam slipped an arm around Bo’s waist and led him to the sofa, savoring the feel of Bo warm and sleepy against his side. “You’re not as hot as you were earlier.”
“Thanks a lot.” Tilting his head up, Bo raised his eyebrows at Sam. “Maybe I should’ve fixed myself up.”
Sam laughed, relieved that Bo felt like joking. “You know what I meant.”
“I do.” Bo sat beside Cecile and folded his legs beneath him. “My temperature does seem to be back to normal, or close to it.”
Cecile gave him a surprised look. “Didn’t you check it?”
“We don’t have a thermometer,” Bo explained, looking embarrassed.
Pausing his video, Dean pushed his chair back from the kitchen table and turned his attention to Bo. “But you feel better, huh? You feel like your fever’s gone?”
Bo nodded. “Pretty much.”
“Sam’s still gonna make you stay here,” David said, glancing up from the thermal with a teasing grin.
The look Bo gave him in return was less than friendly. “I know. And yes, Sam, I’m going to stay out of it tonight, just like I said I would.” Taking Sam’s hand, he pulled him down to the sofa and curled up against him. “You’re staying here with me, by the way.”
“Nowhere else I’d rather be.” Sam tucked his arm around Bo and planted a kiss on his forehead.
“Hey, Sam,” Dean called. “Did you want to ask Andre and Cecile about the, uh…the thing?”
Sam couldn’t decide whether to be amused or annoyed. Amusement won. He chuckled. “Subtle, Dean.”
Dean let out an exaggerated sigh. “It’s not enough that I’m smart, resourceful and devastatingly sexy, now I have to be subtle too. Will the pressure never end?”
Cecile threw a sofa cushion at him. “Ask us what?”
Sam glanced around the room. Andre had turned off the video he’d been watching and was staring at him with the same curious expression as Cecile and David. Bo’s face