Opposite to him, Marc had always been a cautious man. He was discreet, quiet, and thought twice before acting. Chris would pay anything to know what was going through his head right now. It was just a few seconds, but it felt like endless hours waiting to hear his response.
“I’m sorry.” He sighed, wet hair cascading down as he lowered his head. “What can I—”
“Are you sorry that you did it or that I caught you?”
Most people, seeing him so defeated and honestly repented, would have accepted his words. Maybe made him grovel a little. Yet in the end, they would’ve let Marc explain. The bassist was many things, but a liar wasn’t one of them. A decade of friendship had taught him that.
However, Chris wasn’t most people, and he was unleashed. He wanted blood. There was no way he was going to release his prey so easily.
“It shouldn’t have happened,” Marc said, glancing up at him again.
“Then why didyoulet it happen?”
“It’s not that easy.” He sounded slightly exasperated. Or was it hopeless? “It caught me completely off guard.”
“Maybe I live on a different planet,” Chris started, “because when something bumps into me, something Idon’tlike or want, my reaction is to move away from it. It’s not even a conscious movement, more like a reflex.”
“Chris…”
“Was there any tongue involved?”
“What?” Marc swallowed.
“That’s a yes,” Chris said triumphantly, as if that didn’t twist the knife in his guts.
“I-I… got carried away for a second, but that changes nothing.”
“It changes everything.”
“Fuck, dude!” Marc jumped to his feet. “You were the one who told me to meet with him.”
“I told you to meet him, not to put your damn tongue down his throat,” Chris gritted.
“Why are you so mad over a kiss? We have done way worse together.”
“That’s the thing.We,”—he flicked a finger between them—“together. You said that if we wanted to end this arrangement or someone piqued our interest, we should talk about it before making a move.”
“But nothing like that has happened.” Marc’s brow furrowed with sadness. “I don’t wanna end whatever it is we’re doing, and I’m certainlynotinterested in Viktor.”
“Stop lying to my face!” Chris raised his voice more than he intended.
“I’m not lying. He told me he regrets letting me go, that he misses me, and—”
“Then you should go back to him because you’re clearly made for each other.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I’ve never met a more in love and solid couple. Your chemistry is so on point. So, go. You’re fucking free.”
Marc’s nostrils flared as he clenched his fists on either side of his body. He was getting worked up, but wasn’t there yet. “Who says I want that?”
“Me, and probably whoever saw you before.”
“You’re making a mountain out of a molehill. It was just a damn kiss. It didn’t mean shit.”
He didn’t know exactly which one of Marc’s words had bothered him more, but Chris snapped, and all the contained rage blew up.
“Am I?” He slanted his head, looking at him with condescension. “You’re the one who tempted and lured me into this little game with those deceiving puppy eyes you always give me. You made me feel safe enough to open up and accept the fact that suddenly, at twenty-fucking-eight, I’m into dicks. As if that were the most normal thing!”
