job of crossing that line
already. If you both want the same thing, then I’m sure you could make it work.
But not unless you’re honest with each other about what you really want.”
“What on
earth would I say to him? ‘Oh, hey. This is awkward, but I have feelings for
you, so how about you stop paying me for sex and we date instead?’ Yeah. I
don’t think so, Dani. I already feel stupid for falling for him. I can’t tell
him how I feel.”
“You
could,” she said. “You could just say the words and see what happens.”
Josh shook
his head. “No way.” He didn’t see how Rupert could ever be anything other than
a client, and he blamed himself for letting Rupert get too close.
“Well”—she
patted his leg—“you don’t have to rush into anything. You won’t be seeing
him again till next weekend, will you? So you’ve got some time to think about
it.”
“Yeah.”
Josh was
sure he wouldn’t think about much else all week.
CHAPTER NINE
Rupert
stripped the bed after Josh left. The sheets were messed up from the night
before, and it gave him something to do as he went over the awkward
conversation they’d had that morning.
Rupert was
confused by Josh’s reaction. Surely Josh had expected Rupert to pay him? They
weren’t dating, as much as Rupert wished they were. But this morning Josh had
looked as though he didn’t want Rupert’s money. He’d seemed… hurt, offended
almost. Rupert sighed as he shoved the sheets viciously into the washing
machine and slammed the door.
He’d never
meant things to get so complicated. Maybe he should be honest with Josh about
his feelings. But he’d asked Josh on a date before, and Josh had declined.
Rupert didn’t think the answer would be any different if he tried again. So he
had two choices: cut contact with Josh, or carry on paying him and take what he
could get.
He knew
which of those was the sensible option, but he also knew it wasn’t going to
happen. He couldn’t let Josh go.
He texted
Josh on Monday to wish him luck with his exam. He didn’t get a reply until the
afternoon, and when it came it was just one word: Thanks .
How did it go?
Not bad.
Rupert
didn’t know what to say after that, and he wasn’t getting a chatty vibe from
Josh, so he left it.
He didn’t
hear anything from Josh all week, but knew he was busy with revision. Rupert
waited till Friday afternoon to call, remembering Josh’s last exam was that
morning.
Josh picked
up after a few rings. “Hey, Rupert.”
Rupert
could hear lots of other voices in the background. “Hi.” He leaned back in his
seat and tried to suppress the goofy smile that stretched across his face,
simply from hearing Josh’s voice. “How were the exams this week?”
“I think
they went okay.” Raucous laughter burst out in the background. “Hang on, it’s
too noisy in here. I’m gonna move.”
Rupert
listened to the muffled sound of movement for a few moments, and then Josh was
back. “That’s better. I’m outside now. I was in the pub with people from my
course.”
“Are you
free later?” Rupert asked. “If you are, I’d like to see you.”
“Um… no.
Sorry.”
Josh didn’t
give an explanation. Rupert hoped it was because he was going to stay out with
his friends, but he knew Josh usually saw clients on a Friday.
“How about
tomorrow, then?”
There was a
short pause. “Do you mean for an appointment?” Josh’s voice was cautious.
“Um.”
Rupert felt put on the spot, and wondered what the right answer was. “Well…
yeah.”
It was
silent on the other end of the phone for long enough that Rupert thought he’d
been cut off. But then Josh finally spoke.
“No. Sorry…
I don’t think I’m free. I think I booked someone else in.”
If Rupert
had been in any doubt that he was way too involved, the hot rush of jealousy
that flooded through him would have clued him in.
“Oh, right.
No worries.” He got the words out through gritted
already. If you both want the same thing, then I’m sure you could make it work.
But not unless you’re honest with each other about what you really want.”
“What on
earth would I say to him? ‘Oh, hey. This is awkward, but I have feelings for
you, so how about you stop paying me for sex and we date instead?’ Yeah. I
don’t think so, Dani. I already feel stupid for falling for him. I can’t tell
him how I feel.”
“You
could,” she said. “You could just say the words and see what happens.”
Josh shook
his head. “No way.” He didn’t see how Rupert could ever be anything other than
a client, and he blamed himself for letting Rupert get too close.
“Well”—she
patted his leg—“you don’t have to rush into anything. You won’t be seeing
him again till next weekend, will you? So you’ve got some time to think about
it.”
“Yeah.”
Josh was
sure he wouldn’t think about much else all week.
CHAPTER NINE
Rupert
stripped the bed after Josh left. The sheets were messed up from the night
before, and it gave him something to do as he went over the awkward
conversation they’d had that morning.
Rupert was
confused by Josh’s reaction. Surely Josh had expected Rupert to pay him? They
weren’t dating, as much as Rupert wished they were. But this morning Josh had
looked as though he didn’t want Rupert’s money. He’d seemed… hurt, offended
almost. Rupert sighed as he shoved the sheets viciously into the washing
machine and slammed the door.
He’d never
meant things to get so complicated. Maybe he should be honest with Josh about
his feelings. But he’d asked Josh on a date before, and Josh had declined.
Rupert didn’t think the answer would be any different if he tried again. So he
had two choices: cut contact with Josh, or carry on paying him and take what he
could get.
He knew
which of those was the sensible option, but he also knew it wasn’t going to
happen. He couldn’t let Josh go.
He texted
Josh on Monday to wish him luck with his exam. He didn’t get a reply until the
afternoon, and when it came it was just one word: Thanks .
How did it go?
Not bad.
Rupert
didn’t know what to say after that, and he wasn’t getting a chatty vibe from
Josh, so he left it.
He didn’t
hear anything from Josh all week, but knew he was busy with revision. Rupert
waited till Friday afternoon to call, remembering Josh’s last exam was that
morning.
Josh picked
up after a few rings. “Hey, Rupert.”
Rupert
could hear lots of other voices in the background. “Hi.” He leaned back in his
seat and tried to suppress the goofy smile that stretched across his face,
simply from hearing Josh’s voice. “How were the exams this week?”
“I think
they went okay.” Raucous laughter burst out in the background. “Hang on, it’s
too noisy in here. I’m gonna move.”
Rupert
listened to the muffled sound of movement for a few moments, and then Josh was
back. “That’s better. I’m outside now. I was in the pub with people from my
course.”
“Are you
free later?” Rupert asked. “If you are, I’d like to see you.”
“Um… no.
Sorry.”
Josh didn’t
give an explanation. Rupert hoped it was because he was going to stay out with
his friends, but he knew Josh usually saw clients on a Friday.
“How about
tomorrow, then?”
There was a
short pause. “Do you mean for an appointment?” Josh’s voice was cautious.
“Um.”
Rupert felt put on the spot, and wondered what the right answer was. “Well…
yeah.”
It was
silent on the other end of the phone for long enough that Rupert thought he’d
been cut off. But then Josh finally spoke.
“No. Sorry…
I don’t think I’m free. I think I booked someone else in.”
If Rupert
had been in any doubt that he was way too involved, the hot rush of jealousy
that flooded through him would have clued him in.
“Oh, right.
No worries.” He got the words out through gritted
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