Nikolas pursed his lips as if he didn’t like the conversation going this way or being put under the spotlight.The younger one laughed.“Yeah.Exactly.”He turned toward the doctor and explainedbitterly, “He’s supposed to be divorced, but all of a sudden he’s decided he doesn’t want a boyfriend—arelationship.Says he’s notgay.Says he’s thinking of going back to hiswife.Spends the weekends withher.” He actually used air quotes to underline his frustration.
The doctor leant back once more and steepled his fingers against his lips, tapping them.“This isn’t so uncommon.I’ve had many patients in your position, Nikolas.It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”He consulted his notes once more.“Do you live together?”
The younger man huffed.“Sometimes.When he’s not back shacking up with the corgi.”
“Please, Ben, try to speak more in terms of how Nikolas’s behaviour affects you rather than attacking him.”
“Oh, I’ll tell you exactly how it affects me.It pisses me off.I don’t want a part-time boyfriend.”He brushed his knee deceptively casually.“There areplenty of other guys more than happy to take on that rolefull-time…”
The older man glanced at him and sneered in a low voice, “Blackmail now, Benjamin?You’re behaving like a sulky little boy, and I’m tired of it.You’ve been more than happy to share my bed—and whore around on my money—when it suits you.Well it suits me to have you still in my bed.That’s why I agreed to come here today.”At that, he folded his arms and seemed to emotionally withdraw from any further involvement in the session, staring once more at the wall of photographs.
The young man shrugged, picking at a thread in the torn knee of his jeans.He began to say something, but suddenly the other man rose and interjected abruptly,
“Come, we’re going.”
“Wh—?But I want—”
“If you want a free ride then I suggest you come now.If not, you’ll have to make your own way back.Good day, Doctor.This session has been extremely illuminating.”
The doctor stood uncertainly, shook the offered hand and watched as the impeccably dressed man left.He stared at the younger one for a while who mumbled in obvious embarrassment, “I’d better go.I—I didn’t bring my wallet…”
The doctor watched him move towards the door then ventured, “Ben?My best advice?Consider finding yourself one of those other boyfriends you mentioned…”
The young man smiled weakly and headed out to the adjoining room.The older man hadn’t waited for him.
It was the first time Doctor Julian Wood had ever counselled a couple to split.But as he’d thought earlier, they were the most unsuited couple he’d ever met.
Unsuited for each other.
Perfect, perhaps, for his requirements.
* * *
Chapter One
They’d planned to go and eat after their appointment with the doctor, but when Nikolas told Ben what he’d seen, they decided to head straight home.Despite this curtailment of their plans, they were in a particularly good mood, pleased with themselves, amused at how much fun they’d found it being rude to each other.They sobered as they entered the kitchen, though, seeing Squeezy’s expression—and Tim’s expression on Squeezy’s behalf.
“Well?”
Nikolas waved at Ben to put the kettle on, an irrepressible smirk on his face, as this ordering around so neatly mirrored the roles they’d just been playing.He sat down at the table and idly rubbed Radulf’s ears.
“You may be right.”
Squeezy waited for a moment then prompted impatiently, “And?What?What did he fucking say?What the fuck did you say?”
Ben chuckled.“He claimed I was a whiny bitch who didn’t put out enough.”
Nikolas pretended to be offended.“I think I said sulky baby, but there’s an element of truth to either—Ow.”
“You called me a whore…” He bent and kissed Nikolas’s ear, whispering something Squeezy wouldn’t be able to hear but which made Nikolas smile privately.
Then he saw Squeezy’s expression and sighed.Michael had been wearing that face a lot recently.Nikolas supposed this is what it meant to have friends—you got dragged into their problems whether you liked it or not.Ben liked Squeezy; Nikolas liked Ben.This apparently went with the territory.
Sensing the anxiety pouring off the other three men now, Nikolas reflected bitterly that the visit to the therapist had probably only made things more complicated.
If only he could go back two weeks…
* * *
