“What? What did you assume?”
“I thought you were gay.”
“Oh.” It was Nero’s turn to fall silent as he opened his mouth. Shut it again. “Why did you think that?”
Lenny shrugged. “I don’t know. Probably because you’re so close to Cass, and you’re so unfazed by having me around. Shit, I’m sorry. I feel like a bit of a dick now. That’ll teach me to assume, eh?”
“You’re not entirely wrong, if it’s any consolation.”
“You’re bi?”
“I s’pose so.” Nero had never thought much past the fact that he wished he had Cass’s balls when it came to telling the world he liked a bit of cock. “I like both. Women, mainly, I guess. I’ve never really acted on fancying blokes.”
“Never?”
“Well . . .”
Lenny smirked. “It’s Cass, isn’t it?”
“That obvious?”
“No, it’s just the way you talk about him.”
Nero nodded slowly. “He’s always been with Tom, but years ago, before Jake came along, they weren’t . . . what’s the word? Monogamous? Yeah, that’s it. They loved each other, but still went with other people.”
“And Cass went with you?”
“Not exactly.” Nero lit the joint, hoping the smoke would hide the heat in his cheeks. “We went out one night, and he finally noticed I could hardly think straight around him. He kissed me—really kissed me—then he opened a bottle of whiskey and educated me.”
“You didn’t fuck him?”
“No! Don’t think I’d have had the guts, even if he’d let it get that far. But I’m glad he didn’t. He’s my best friend. I need him more than I need his dick.”
Lenny chewed his lip again, but he didn’t seem anxious anymore. “That’s cool. It’s hard for bi blokes, isn’t it? My mate once said it was like choosing between meat and potatoes on your roast dinner.”
Nero laughed. “You’re veggie.”
“So? Wasn’t born that way. I choose not to eat meat. You can’t choose between men and women, can you?”
“I’ve never thought about it that hard.”
“Then you’re lucky. I know bi people who’ve torn themselves up trying to find their place.”
Nero coughed out a lungful of smoke. “If there’s one thing I ain’t, mate, it’s lucky.”
Lenny’s gaze fell on Nero’s damaged hand. His eyes glittered before he averted his gaze. “There’s so much about each other we don’t know.”
“If you say so.”
“Back to that, are we?”
“To what?”
Lenny shook his head. “Never mind. You be obtuse if it suits you.”
“I don’t know what that means.”
“Yeah, you do. You’re just too used to pushing people away. For what it’s worth, though, I’m jealous of Cass.”
