“Shall we go somewhere else?” Anthony asked.
Scott stood up. “That sounds like a great idea.”
“But what I hate most of all about that necklace,” Thomas continued, “is the lie you told Scott when you gave it to him…”
Anthony stiffened, and his eyes widened an extra millimetre, looking on the verge of falling out.
“What lie?” Scott asked.
“That wasn’t one of the lots today,” Thomas said, pointing an accusing finger at the necklace. “He didn’t get it at any auction here.”
“And how would you know?” Scott asked.
“Because I personally approved every item on sale today, and there was no piss-yellow necklace.”
Scott dragged his gaze from Thomas and planted it back onto a blushing Anthony. “You didn’t get this here?”
Anthony shook his head. “It…I got it elsewhere. Wanted you to have it. Wanted you to wear it.”
Scott frowned. “Why not just ask me to –” He froze, then spun back to face Thomas. “Wait, you picked every lot?”
“Yes.” Thomas’s nostrils flared. “My event. My grounds. My massive mansion, and no, I’m not overcompensating for the size of my manhood; we both know I’m well above average.”
“Opinions may vary on that front, butholy shit,” Scott murmured, looking back at the house. “You live here?”
“I do.” Thomas strode over to them. “Opinions do not vary.”
“Well…”
“I would say it was nice seeing you again, Scott, but it really wasn’t.” Thomas glanced at Anthony. “And silver jewellery would’ve looked better on him, with abluestone. Not sapphire, though, it’s too harsh, but topaz. That would’ve brought out Scott’s eyes. That would’ve suited him or pearls; he always struck me as a guy that could pull off pearls.”
And with that, Thomas left.
Chapter two
ScottfoundAnthony’sshynessendearing.
They spent the rest of the afternoon strolling the grounds and watching some of the auctions before finally sitting down on the lush green outside the double doors of the mansion to enjoy a crêpe and coffee.
Scott didn’t see Thomas again, although he did search for him. If he were there, Scott wouldn’t have missed him, and he wondered whether he’d gone up the grand staircase behind the velvet rope.
Thomas got locked up in Brixton for tax avoidance, but he appeared to have the money to pay off any fee, or fine, or repayment. It didn’t make any sense to Scott how he could be that loaded and still serve time.
Anthony slid his hand across the grass, connecting with Scott’s fingers.
“Can we…” Anthony licked his lips. “Can we go back to mine?”
Scott smiled at him, trying to put as much reassurance into his expression as possible.
“I’d like that.”
Anthony had been tentative all day, spluttering out questions with such fear in his eyes.
Can we walk in this garden?
Can we stand and watch this auction?
Can we have a crêpe and sit for a while on the grass?
