Page 54 of Enchanted

Rami dropped his hands, glancing at the door. “Actually, maybe we should end this early. I can go help Ez train them.”

“No way, big guy.” I stopped him with a hand on his stomach again. “I’ve got you all to myself for another two hours, and I plan to make the most of every minute.”

His gaze dipped down to where I was touching him. “Sadly, I think we have different ideas about how best to spend those minutes.”

I laughed again, the sound wild and free. How was it that Rami was able to make me feel so…happy? Light? “We definitely do. Now, get your arse over on that chaise longue so we can make Sam happy.”

He pouted but did as I asked, arranging himself artfully. His arms went above his head, pulling his abs tight. “I’d rather make us happy, but sure.”

“You’re making me happy by doing this.” I checked the settings on my camera. “Is that enough?”

“Yeah.” There was a soft note in his voice that had my gaze snapping up. His lips were curved in a smile that had butterflies forming in my stomach. “That’s more than okay, Eth.”

I got on with the job in hand, willing the butterflies to fuck off back where they came from. They ignored me, so I changed tack and told myself it was because I had made Rami focus. That I’d managed to circumvent the bad mood brought on by the twins and get us back on track for the shoot.

It had nothing to do with the fact that I’d been the one to make him smile.

Nothing.

I had many questions after that little encounter, but I went with the most burning one. “What are they training for?”

“Just to look good for jobs.”

“Is everyone who lives here a model, then?”

There was a long pause. So long that I lowered the camera to peer at him. “Rami?”

“Most of us,” he said in a rush. “Sam obviously isn’t.”

I hummed, continuing to shoot. “Micah is another of your housemates, right? Is Nox too?”

“Yes. The two of them are together.”

I wouldn’t lie; I loved that there were at least two queer couples living here.

And not just because it meant another two housemates Rami wasn’t involved with. Unless they had open relationships…

Why do you care? You’re the one in a relationship here. Rami is free to do whatever he wants. You’re not.

That was a necessary reminder. One that soured my stomach and filled my mouth with bile, but necessary.

“Tell me about the others who live here,” I said impulsively as I switched out a lens.

“Well, you’ve met Theo and Nate, unfortunately. There’s also Noah and Jeremiah—they’re another couple. Grace and Breann are also together. That just leaves Benji.”

I raised a brow. “Is he straight?”

“Nah.” Rami gave me a lazy grin. “Everyone who lives here is somewhere on the rainbow.”

“That’s awesome.”

“It is. Not so much for me though.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s one thing being single,” Rami said slowly, stretching his back into an extremely distracting arch before falling back into his previous position. “It’s another thing entirely to be surrounded by happy, lovesick couples.”

I thought back to my time in Southampton. Back then, I’d been one of those couples. I could remember realising how out of place it had made Matty one night, back before he had Sebastian.