Page 4 of The Tourist

I rolled myeyes at the cliched tease, but I was pleased to feel some of thetension inside me easing. Ricky could do that for me.

Dammit, myhost was besotted, far as I could tell. But he was also sufferingwith it.

“These lastfew months…” Ricky’s eyes darted to my groin then back up to myface, and he smiled slyly. “We’ve had a great time,right?”

I smiled backbecause I knew it was true. This time I let his mouth touch mineand the kiss was fucking hot, lots of tongue and wet gasps. When wesnatched a breath again, he nudged me further back onto the bed,and I braced myself on my hands. Murmuring under his breath, heclambered on after me, straddling my thighs, still kissing. He wastrying to reassure me, maybe. Or was he just trying to stop metalking, hush all my crap complaints?

“I’m sorry,”I said. For a wild second, I wondered who’d spoken, then realisedit was me. It wasn’t a phrase I remembered as a frequentfriend.

“Huh?” Rickypaused, startled.

“In the shower. Earlier. I was… all that stuff about youbeing mine.I pushed you.”

Ricky’s eyesshimmered with something I wanted to read as arousal. “God, no. Itwas exciting. Fabulous. I like it. At least, I like it withyou.” He grimaced, thoughI had no idea why, when I knew he’d been totally into it. “I wishyou would… you know. Do that more often.”

I warmed atthe memory of his flesh against mine, hot and smooth, smelling ofthe shower, his moans, my fierce desire. Demand and surrender. Noapology needed from me, for fuck’s sake. The desire had come fromdeep inside my host, but it was honest. As his visitor, I’d justhelped tease it out of him—and bloody hell, I wouldn’t mind doingit again. So that should have been the key to unlock more sweet andsweaty making out, right?

Instead, I opened my mouth andsaid, “Did Calder do that to you?”

The colour ofRicky’s face changed from aroused flush to waxy shock. He slid offclumsily, the mattress groaning underneath me. “I don’t want totalk about Calder. Why the hell do you?”

I was out ofmy depth here; I wished things were clearer, and a hell of a lotmore quickly. I tried to concentrate on my host’s sudden harshwords. “You were with him for a long time. You’ve never said muchabout it.”

“Why would I?What’s up with you?” He gave another of those shaky laughs and rana hand back through his hair. It was drying into silky, well-cut,chestnut waves. “Seems to me, not many guys like talking about thelast man their boyfriend fucked, you know?”

I could feelthe churning in my gut again. “But you don’t talk about it at all.I just thought maybe he was…” What? Demanding? A pushy top? Betterthan me? Jesus.The insecurity that twisted inside me was both deep-seated andabhorrent. “Ricky?”

“Leaveit.”

“Sorry.” Thistime I didn’t sound as sincere.

He drew a deepbreath. Slowly, he lifted a hand back up to my face. “Dan, I’m notwith Calder anymore. You’re not really interested in what he did,are you?”

“I’m interested in you,” I said. It spilled out of me,like I had no control over the words. “You. That’s what’s important to me.That’s what I care about.”

“Dan.” His eyes widened. “You’ve neversaid… Not like that.”

He started tosmile, and leant in as if he wanted to say something in directreply, but then his phone buzzed again. Peering at the number, hedisconnected without answering.

“It wasCalder again.” I sounded calm but my heart was racing, and you knowthat twisted gut feeling? It was back in force. My guy was ontenterhooks.

“Yes.” Rickybent to pick up his shoes beside the bed. “But it’s nothing. Hejust wants me to collect some stuff I left at his place. Wants meto swing by there, after I finish work.”

Swingby took on a whole new meaning when I mixedit up with my thoughts about Calder. “How many calls thisweek?”

Ricky frowned,gaze downcast, as if he were having trouble with one of the laceson his shoe. “Don’t know what you mean.”

“He calls all the time. Anytime, anyplace. Expects you toanswer.” And you do. Things were getting clearer to me by the minute. A sick angerboiled inside, inflaming my words. “If you can’t cope with himdumping you, maybe you’re still keen on him.”

Rickygrimaced. “We’ve had this out before, Dan. I’m not . I’m with you now. You’re makingit into some kind of big thing. It’s just to collect a couple ofboxes, I won’t stay long.” He turned his head, avoiding my eyes.“There’s nothing going on with him.”

“You can dowhat you want. We said at the start this was meant to be easy, we’djust see where it went. We’re both adults.” I hated soundingpetulant. I was surprised to find how much it hurt, seeing hisshoulders slump.

“What thehell?” He looked back, straight into my face, and his expressionwas pure, naked misery. “Don’t be like this. Oh, shit, I can’t makeyou out this morning. One minute things are great, then we’rearguing.”

“No. No,we’re not.” I took a deep breath, for the benefit of both me and myhost, and I stood up. “Look, let’s forget it, you’re right. ButI’ll make my own way to work. I need to get some things from thestores first.”

“You sure?”The small worry lines above his nose made him look even cuter, likea much younger college student worrying over a late essay. My cocktwitched, but I knew the moment for more playing had passed. Hereached for his jacket, ready to leave. “I meant it. I’m with younow. That’s what I want. That’s the truth.”