“Why would I flinch? Yeah, I felt bad when we stopped because I knew you were starting to need more from your sex life that we were offering, but, man, we had a good time.”
“All three of us?”
Cass’s grin finally solidified. “All three of us.”
* * *
Waiting for Jodi to come home got no easier. Even now, a lifetime—at least it felt that way—since the worst thing in the history of worst things had happened.
Indie was at a sleepover. Rupert sat in the living room, in the dark, the scent of filthy smoke still lodged in his nose, soot beneath his fingernails. He had a headache too, from a light dose of fume inhalation, but after watching Jodi battle a traumatic brain injury and everything that had come with it, the dull throb behind his eyes didn’t mean much.
He ignored it, tapping his fingertips on the arm of the couch. Forest, the cat, watched him from the coffee table, derision in his haughty gaze. Rupert stared right back, but ultimately lost. Forest was Jodi’s cat and a complete menace. It was fitting that the three-legged little shit could cause as much mayhem as a herd of drunk chimps.
Should’ve got a dog.
One day. He’d promised Indie, and life was too short to let people down.
The front door opened and closed. Rupert jerked upright, unaware he’d fallen into a doze.Idiot. What if he hadn’t come home and you didn’t notice till two in the morning?
Hardly likely. It was only six o’clock now. But worrying about Jodi was etched into Rupert’s DNA.
Giving him the trust and freedom to live his life again was easy.
Surviving it in real time was torture. Jodi had recovered more than anyone had ever dared hope. To an outsider looking in, he was a high functioning, sarcastic streak of dark-haired sin, but to Rupert, he was all those things on top of a grown man who forgot things and became easily confused when the world wasn’t exactly as he expected it to be.
And yet he’s been in London all day by himself.
Fucking hell.
Except he hadn’t really been alone. Jodi’s old friend had shadowed him home and sent Rupert regular updates before he’d left Jodi at the train station up the road and returned to the city without Jodi ever knowing he was there.
Thank you, Cass.
Jodi breached the doorway. He was dishevelled, jeans ripped, one sleeve shoved up to the elbow, hair a mess and biro notes written on each hand, but his moody hipster aesthetic predated the accident.He’s always been like this.
Five words Rupert could never take for granted.
Like Jodi’s smile, a dry grin that made Rupert’s blood heat and pump around his body just a little harder. “All right, mate.”
“Aye, boyo. Good day?”
Jodi chewed on his lip and started forward, then remembered his boots and retreated to the doorway. He crouched to unlace them. Rupert watched, resisting the urge to help. If Jodi wanted help, he asked. That was it. No compromise.
Forest darted across the living room and leapt at Rupert’s face, only swerving at the last moment to land on the back of the couch.
Rupert jumped. Swore and swatted him away.
Jodi laughed and ventured closer. “Still scares the shit out of you every time.”
“He’s a terrorist.”
“Only cos you let him terrorise you.”
Rupert took his chance and pulled Jodi onto his lap. They fit together like a dream. Agooddream. The best. Lord knew they deserved one. “You smell like the city.”
Jodi buried his face in Rupert’s neck. “Yousmell like a campfire. Was it terrible?”
“Is it weird that it was almost boring?”
