“I am way too wonderful to be ignored,” Russel stated as Mac started to drag him away.
“Bye, kid,” Mac said, waving his free hand. “See you tomorrow.”
Jag stared after them, his mouth quirking into a faint smile. He realised instantly that he regretted turning down their offer. Being around them would have made his day a hell of a lot better. He didn’t let himself go after them to tell them he’d changed his mind. He had to follow his rules. He’d created them for a reason. He sighed and turned away. At least they’d diverted his thoughts from his past, and for that, he silently thanked them.
7Michael
Sunday lunch at Mac and Russel’s house had become a regular thing for Michael over the last couple of years. He generally brought over a bottle of wine, but that was the only thanks that his friends would let him give. It was always a casual affair. Mac cooked, Russel wound him up, and Michael ended up laughing more than he did all week.
“Oh, Michael, I didn’t realise your new guy was so hot,” Russel said before popping a piece of the carrot Mac had been chopping into his mouth. He chewed it, continuing to speak around it. “I might have to come and pay for a few private dances myself.”
“Don’t you dare!” Mac exclaimed, feigning a shocked tone.
Michael wasn’t entirely sure if his friend was objecting to Russel’s comment or to him stealing the carrot. He frowned. “You’ve met Jag?”
“Oh, sure, we ran into the cutie in the supermarket.” Russel leant towards Michael. “Drop-dead gorgeous, but a bit of a space cadet.”
Michael’s frown deepened.
“He said he was tired,” Mac explained. He stared at Michael, raising his eyebrows.
Russel looked between them both, his lips pursing until he finally let out a squeal of glee and clapped the tips of his fingers together lightly. “Don’t tell me you’ve found yourself a boyfriend?”
“No,” Michael said, shifting his weight onto his other foot. “I haven’t.”
Mac sniffed and then went back to cooking.
Russel dropped his arms and let out a disappointed sound. “You really need to get yourself a man.”
Michael grunted in response. He was still pleasantly sore from the night before, and the memory of kissing, holding, touching, and being fucked and sucked off by Jag was most definitely at the forefront of his mind. As was the way they’d sat together afterwards, Jag on his lap, in the chair. They’d caressed each other’s skin, exchanging soft, lazy kisses as energy and clear thought had returned. And then Jag had got up and left; a stark reminder that he only wanted ‘a bit of fun’. He sighed, prompting Mac to pause again, his eyebrows raised even higher this time.
“But you have screwed him, haven’t you?” Mac asked.
Michael shifted his weight back to his other leg.
“Gossip!” Russel said in a high-pitched sing-song voice. “Spill, Michael. We wantallthe details.”
“Bugger off,” Michael said. “You definitely don’t need all the details.” He waved his hand dismissively. “It was a bit of fun. A one-off.” Not that he wouldn’t say no to a repeat performance. It was only lust and sex, but he was smitten by Jag.
Mac tilted his head. “You’re not a one-night-stand kind of guy.”
“Apparently I am now.” Michael reached for a piece of carrot, but Mac smacked his hand away. “Jag made it clear that was all he wanted. I respect that.”
Mac snorted. “I bet you did while you were fucking each other.” He lifted the cutting board and tipped the carrots into the pan of simmering water he’d prepared. “But is that really all you want?”
“A bit of fun? Yeah, why not? It’s not like my ‘serious’ relationships have worked out, is it?” Not since he’d lost Edward anyway. He sighed. “It’s the ‘one-night-stand’ part I’m not sure about.”
“There’s a first time for everything,” Russel said. He grinned. “And who knows, maybe last night will be the first of many!”
“Then it wouldn’t be a one-night stand,” Mac muttered.
“Oh, come on,” Russel retorted, leaning over the counter to squeeze Michael’s cheeks. “Who could resist this gorgeous face? Wouldn’t you return for seconds?”
Mac rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to Michael. “You’re not a no-strings-sex kind of guy, either.”
Michael curled his lip. “Just because I haven’t been in the past, it doesn’t mean I can’t be now.”
It wasn’t as if guys were lining up at his door to have a serious relationship with him. He wasn’t even sure that hecouldgive his heart to anyone. He’d already given it away. There were times when it had felt as if he’d lost it completely, like the day Edward had died. He’d dated in the years since then, but every relationship had ended with an, ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ conversation. He’d tried to love those men, but it had felt forced, and he’d admitted defeat every time.
