Ro looked up at him and shook his head. “I mean, I have to go back to Manchester.”
Mikhail frowned. “Already? I thought you were staying a little longer.”
“That was work. I guess they need me back to cover the holidays.” Rowan said, but he wouldn’t meet Mikhail’s eyes.
“Are you sure? Maybe you could stay a few days, and we could go on—” Before he could finish, Rowan cut him off.
“I have to go tomorrow.” As Rowan spoke, he backed away from Mikhail. “That was a mistake. I’m sorry.”
With those words, Rowan turned and fled in the direction they had come from. If Mikhail didn’t know better, he would say Rowan looked as if he was being chased. But since he did know, he knew his mate was running… running away from him.
He felt like someone had reached into his chest, and now they were squeezing his heart with how badly it hurt, and Mik cursed himself. He shouldn’t have kissed Rowan. How on earth was that taking it slowly?
Nine
Rowan
Why did you let the kiss happen, you idiot?Rowan asked himself as he made his way back to Alfie’s. What had come over him to even let things get to that point?
You know what…
He did, no matter how much he tried to deny it. He was drawn to Mikhail. He could pretend all he wanted, but that was all it was… a pretence.
That’s why you should have stayed away.
He must have walked back to Alfie’s house on autopilot, and when he stepped into the kitchen, it was to find both Alfie and Axel without their kids or their guys, so clearly, they’d been waiting for him.
Axel jumped to his feet the moment Rowan entered the kitchen through the bifold doors.
“So, tell us everything. How did it go?” Axel led him to the chair beside him at the small dining table Alfie had in the kitchen.
“Yes, tell all.” Alfie had got to his feet and was over by the kettle turning it on, probably to make some tea for him since they seemed to have mugs of their own and fig rolls on a saucer.
“There’s nothing to tell.” Rowan shrugged and started taking off his coat since he hadn’t had a chance to do so before being accosted.
“So spill. What happened?” Axel’s eyes on him were filled with excitement.
“Nothing happened. We went for a walk to the lake, and then I came back. That’s all.”
Axel’s brow creased, and he glanced over at Alfie who had taken a seat and was pushing a cuppa his way.
“I don’t understand,” Axel said. “Didn’t you guys talk at all?”
“A little, but it was no big deal.” Ro lifted the cup of tea to his lips and took a sip. It was just the way he liked it—milk with a teaspoon of honey.
“No big deal?” Alfie repeated, his voice filled with disbelief. “But… he’s your mate.”
Axel looked at Ro like he was speaking a foreign language and he needed to be committed to the crazy house.
Rowan tried not to sigh, but he was tired of hearing that word. It was the word thatheused to dump him and come back with a new man on his arms.
“I’m happy the two of you have found people that make you happy, but just because the wordmateis thrown around, doesn’t mean it’s a thing.” Rowan was really trying hard not to snap at his brothers, but he was over this conversation.
“You’re being stubborn. Just because Za—”
Rowan cut Axel off before he could finish.
“Don’t even go there, Ax.” Rowan pushed his chair back and got to his feet. “Just don’t. You have no idea what happened.”
