-15-
“You’re worrying about him again.”
“Who?”Xane lay in bed staring up at the ceiling.It didn’t seem to matter whether it was home, a Travelodge, or a five-star establishment, there was always a crack to be found in the ceiling.This one was in the centre of the room.A single brown line upon an otherwise pristine surface.
Naked beside him, Luthor rolled onto his front and lifted himself on his forearms.“Spook.Like it’s necessary for me to spell it out.”
Xane supposed it was foolish to imagine that he could fool Luthor, who could always read him effortlessly, unlike Dani, who tended to let her own emotions colour her interpretations.
“It’s hard not to.”
“You know he’s probably fine.”
Probably wasn’t the same as definitely.Xane’s guts still hadn’t entirely unwound themselves following the incident in Genoa.Lord God, had that really only been two weeks ago?He guessed it was.Perhaps that’s why it still played so heavily in his mind.
And, of course, Spook was twitchy.Too twitchy.He could see it, even if the others couldn’t.
The rest of the band were all focused on the haze created by Allegra Hutton’s appearance in Spook’s life.Xane saw that too.The difference was that he saw the shadows it cast as well.The silly sod was still waging a war with himself over how he felt about Alle.He didn’t believe himself worthy.Not of love.Not of affection.And definitely not of a fulfilling sex life.Xane dearly longed for another opportunity to sit Spook down and talk some sense into him, but Spook seemed all too aware of that, and had been doing his best to avoid any such possibility.
Today’s incident certainly wasn’t going to help any.While it would probably die down, as Sally said, in a couple of days, Spook would be brooding over it for far longer.
“We really shouldn’t have left him on his own,” he said.
Luthor scoffed.“We didn’t.Most of the crew were still there, and he wanted to wait for Alle.For all we know, they’re banging.”
Supremely unlikely.Cool if they were, but more likely, they were having a fight over her spilling details to Ronnie.Spook was super precious when it came to the details of his personal life.He hated people knowing anything about him, probably because in many ways he hated that he knew himself.Crazy, as there wasn’t a damn thing in his past that meant he wasn’t worthy of love.
“Penny for them.”Luthor leaned over him, blocking Xane’s view of the ceiling with his sun-lightened blond hair.His mismatched eyes twinkled as he moved in for a kiss.Xane let himself get distracted by Luthor’s lips, and the press of his supple body.It was no wonder Spook was so highly strung.Anyone who spent all their days trying to keep it in their pants, when their hot crush was desperate to part them from said pants, had to be in a state of permanent anxiety.
“Do I have to bang you to get you to notice me?”Luthor murmured into his skin.
“What?”
Luthor laughed, his voice spilling rich and merry notes into Xane’s ears.“Is there something going on you’re not sharing, lover boy?”
Xane brushed back the strands of his lover’s hair.Luthor’s blond was a darker gold than Spook’s.More buttery, and much shorter than the arctic white-blond of his friend.“Am I not allowed to just be anxious on his behalf?He’s never dated, hooked up, or showed any interest in anyone in the entire time I’ve known him before Allegra showed up.Of course I’m concerned.Concerned he might get hurt, and that it’ll break him.Concerned that being outed today is going to muck with his head when he’s already fragile.”
“Genoa,” Luthor said, and they both nodded.“You know, I don’t think Spook Mortensen’s the sort who breaks easily.Xane, he’ll be fine.Alle’s good for him.You only have to see the way he looks at her.He’s smitten, and she’s got it super bad for him too.They just need some alone time together without any crap happening.”
Honestly, did times like that actually exist?He just wished Spook and Alle could by-pass this awkward stage and get to the solid stable part of them being in a relationship.A relationship in which shagging was a feature, and didn’t result in Spook having PTSD symptoms.
“I can see I’m going to have to talk dirty to you.”
Xane hooked his hand around Luthor’s neck and tugged him in for another kiss.
“I don’t like you this distracted,” Luthor breathed into his open mouth.
“There’s no helping it.”
“Is that so?”
“Well, I guess if anyone could manage it, it would be you.”
“Careful.Dani will hear you, and you don’t want to make her spitting jealous.”
“What is it I’m going to be spitting jealous of?”Dani asked, poking her head out of the bathroom.She was swaddled in a towel and had her toothbrush in her hand, and foam around her lips.
“How I’m going to take Xane’s mind off worrying about Spook.”
