“What the fuck?”
His lovely, subtle cousin dropped his eyes down to where Alex’s dick was just calming down.
“How the fuck did you know it wasn’t Gran or one of the Coven at the door? They’d have pounced on you if they saw that!”
Alex chuckled. “Quiet your mouth. Abby’s still asleep and I knew it was you because of the knock.”
Jake’s eyebrows raised high enough to hit the sky. “Abby’s still asleep. And you know this how? She could be reading in bed or plotting how to escape your mucky paws…”
The glare Alex produced was enough to shut Jake up. “Why are you here at some godforsaken early hour? Don’t you have an alpaca breeding program to oversee?”
Jake smiled. “It’s Friday. End of the week. I’m having a family barbecue tomorrow. Bring Abby. And beer.”
“Abby’s working.”
“No she isn’t. Scott’s giving her some time off. A week, or at least a week where she isn’t working the evening shift. And she’s owed holidays from the hotel. Apparently she hasn’t taken any in eighteen months.” Jake beamed.
Alex remembered again how much Jake had always liked knowing more than anyone else.
“That’s good. At least, if she sees it that way.”
Jake grew serious. “Do you need me to do anything? Joking aside, I can tell something shitty is going on.”
Alex folded his arms. “Want a coffee in the garden?”
“Always. But please would you put some clothes on? You’re giving me nightmares.”
Jake somehow endedup in the garden without going through the house and Alex didn’t ask how. Some things were definitely better off not being known.
He pulled on the sweatpants and nipped into the bathroom, brushing his teeth and splashing water on his face. Showering could wait until Jake had buggered off to his alpacas.
His cousin was busying himself with weeding a patch in the garden that was overgrown and nasty, bindweed and nettles having taken over. The cottages were meant to have been a long term project; the six of them all low ceilinged, traditional with open fires and long gardens and most had been left unmodernised and unmaintained.
Alex had bought them from the owner three years ago and had started to renovate them. This was the last one, just the garden and an extension to put on to the back, then it could be rented and he’d finally move into the detached stone house he’d bought at auction six month ago, which really did need a lot doing, but it was the place he’d be living in for the foreseeable.
“Coffee.”
“Thanks.” Jake walked over, his blonde hair sticking out and a streak of dirt across his face. “Is Abby okay?”
Alex thought about how to answer. “No. She’s really not.”
“Has this just caused you problems?”
Fuck. Yes. Ten fold. “Some.”
“Are you sleeping with her?”
Alex found a garden chair and sat down.
“I know you never talk about women, Al. You just deal – I get that. But we’ve all watched the way you two dance about each other. She likes you – fuck knows why, but she does and I figured you were keen on her.”
Alex shrugged. “She intrigues me. I knew she was hiding something.” And he’d already told Jake too much.
“Where did you both sleep last night?”
“On the sofa. But nothing happened. I don’t think anything can happen.” That was the conclusion he’d come to at about three am.
“The town thinks it already is. Do you need them to think that?”
