“I think he feels the same, but—” My words die away as I give a sudden shiver that’s so violent my teeth clatter.
“Reuben, you twat. You’re going to get ill.” He climbs out of bed in all his naked glory.
I stare at him. “Where are your clothes? Did you just walk into the room and get naked?”
He rolls his eyes. “Shut up. Can I not be concerned and horny at the same time?”
“No.”
“I suppose I’m not getting my shag, then.”
“No.”
“Get your clothes off anyway.”
I shiver again, and he steps in front of me, reaching for my tie. It’s so wet that it doesn’t come loose, and he tries again.
“So, you’re in love, then?” he says chattily.
I groan. “Leave it,please. I don’t need this right now.”
The tie comes loose, and he looks up at me, his eyes sharpening. “What do you mean right now? What’s happened?”
“I had a run-in with Jez.”
“He knows?”
I nod.
“Fuck. How did he take it?”
“How do you think he took it? He did cartwheels and gave us his blessing.”
“I think not.”
“Really?”
He pinches me. “There’s no need for snarkasm.”
“That’s not even a word.”
“I bet it is somewhere.” He throws the tie down and unbuttons my shirt, his long fingers moving easily. It’s familiar, something we’ve done hundreds of times, but now it feels different. It feels wrong to have his hands on me. “So, he took it badly. Well, it’s not exactly surprising.”
“I know. Xavier’s just a kid.”
“I was talking about Jez.”
“What?”
“It’s not surprising he took it badly. He’s far too attached to you.”
I sigh. “Not this again.”
“Anyway, Xavier is not a kid.”
“He’s nineteen.”
He huffs. “At that age, I had a full-time job and was on my third lover.”
