I’m so glad you came to London x
And then I delete it, swallowing hard, because that’s not going to help him. Or me.
As I lean into the wall, my eyes suddenly sting. Fuck. I blink furiously and make myself breathe. This is all fine, I tell myself. None of it means anything, after all. Stef is free to take care of himself, and I’m free to… go meet the Duke of Wiltshire.
Shaking my head, I head back to the kitchen to tidy up, running over the last few hours together with Stefanos over and over in my mind.
About two weeks later, a text comes late in the evening. Flopped on the sofa, I’m watching a terrible old zombie film, hoping it’ll help me sleep, but the equally terrible old effects have my full attention. I crunch down a handful of buttery popcorn, wipe my fingers on a napkin, and reach for my phone to see what sort of bullshit someone wants at this unreasonable hour.
It’s Stefanos. After two weeks of radio silence.
Sorry I ran out on you like I did.
Well, well.
I sit up, running a hand absent-mindedly through my hair. In my efforts to breach said radio silence, I’ve tried writing messages and rewriting them but deleted them before sending to Stef when I lost my nerve.
Holding the phone up, I stare at Stef’s message, wondering how on earth to respond to him that’s not going to send him bolting into the ether again. It’s hard to breathe. Stop it, I tell myself. This is nothing. He’s being so polite he could be a Canadian, for crying out loud.
How’s the big apple? X
A moment later, I’m rewarded with a photo at sunset, capturing high-rises as far as the eye can see. Moody pinks and purples and orange are caught in thin cloud between the towers. He’s high up, wherever he is.
Gorgeous
Yeah. The view never gets boring. Sometimes everything else is though
Thought to check in with your friendly not-so-local prince for some excitement?
I imagine the pink blush creeping across his cheeks. Something I’d love to cover in kisses. Definitely not helping the situation, I tell myself. Yet I can’t bring myself to resist.
There’s a long time when he doesn’t respond. I start watching my film again.
Shit, too far, Theo. Now you’ve done it.
But then, a miracle. My phone lights up again as it buzzes in my hand. I lift my head from the sofa pillows.
International relations are important
Totally. Any other incidents lately?
Thankfully no
How boring x
Are you a thrill seeker?
Depends on the thrill
I see
I wrinkle my nose, waiting for Stef to come back with some kind of banter, but I can imagine him sitting there overthinking his response to me, trying to figure out what is safe. Safe, it has to be said, is boring.
How’s the duke?
I groan, shaking my head. “Come on,” I complain loudly to the room. “Flirt with me.”
Still duking
