sixteen pounds fifty, please.”
“I’ll get this,” Justin said as Sean reached in his pocket for his wallet.
“Let me give you my half.”
“No. It’s my treat.” He knew Sean was skint. “You can buy me breakfast once you’ve got a job. Take me out to celebrate.”
“I might not still be living in London by then.”
Justin felt those words like a punch in the gut. He’d only just got Sean back in his life. He didn’t want to lose him again so soon. “Well, in that case you’ll have to come back and visit.”
He took the change Frank offered, and Sean picked up the glass of orange juice.
“We’ll bring your coffees over when they’re ready,” Frank said.
“Cheers.” Justin pocketed his change.
The girls from before looked ready to leave. The one who’d spoken to them earlier caught their eye and gave a little wave.
“It’s all yours,” she said when they reached the table, standing and wrapping a colourful scarf around her neck.
“Thanks.” Justin slid into the chair she’d vacated and Sean took the seat opposite. “Have a good day.”
“You too.”
Silence descended between them when the girls had gone. Sean sipped at his orange juice while Justin watched his hands again. It was impossible not to imagine them on his body now he knew how they felt.
“When are you going away for Christmas?” Sean asked once they had their coffees and plates of food.
“My flight’s booked for the twenty-third.” Justin paused between mouthfuls. “And I’m coming back on the twenty-seventh. What about you, have you made plans with your dad?”
Sean didn’t meet his eyes. Looking down at his plate, he cut into a slice of bacon as he replied casually. “Yeah. I’m probably just going to go down there for a day or so, maybe stay two nights at the most.”
“You sure you don’t want to come with me to Scotland instead? My mum and dad would love to see you. You could catch up with your dad another time.”
“No, it’s fine. I ought to get it over with.”
“Okay.” Unease twisted in Justin’s chest. He knew Sean had a difficult relationship with his dad. He hadn’t taken it well when Sean had finally told him about his sexuality, and Sean had hardly seen him since. But Christmas was the time for duty visits, and maybe they could build some bridges. At least Sean had Justin’s place to escape to if it got too much.
CHAPTER TEN
Sean heard the sound of Justin’s key in the door.
“Hi, honey, I’m home,” Justin called as the front door slammed shut. “Wow. Something smells good.” He came into the kitchen and grinned when he saw Sean at the cooker.
“Don’t jinx it.” Sean stirred the pan. “Your saucepan is shit and it keeps sticking.”
A warm hand landed on his waist, and Justin’s chin poked into his shoulder as he peered over. “What’s for dinner?”
“Chilli.”
Justin’s hand lingered and Sean’s skin tingled at the contact.
During the week since the party, they’d slipped back into their friendship as though nothing had happened, on the surface at least, but Sean hadn’t been able to stop thinking about that night. He lay awake at night, burning with the desire to creep through the flat to Justin’s bed and get his hands and mouth on him. So many times he’d thought about flirting, hinting, blatantly asking if they could do it again, but fear of damaging what they already had stopped him before the words formed on his lips.
Occasionally he caught Justin watching him, and he wondered whether Justin was thinking the same, but Sean was too afraid to ask. Even if the answer was yes, Sean wasn’t sure he could have sex with Justin without strings attached. He wanted the strings; he needed them. The only way he could be with Justin was if he knew it was for keeps.
After dinner they slouched on the sofa together, watching some sci-fi movie on Netflix. Sean wasn’t really following the plot, preoccupied by thoughts of
“I’ll get this,” Justin said as Sean reached in his pocket for his wallet.
“Let me give you my half.”
“No. It’s my treat.” He knew Sean was skint. “You can buy me breakfast once you’ve got a job. Take me out to celebrate.”
“I might not still be living in London by then.”
Justin felt those words like a punch in the gut. He’d only just got Sean back in his life. He didn’t want to lose him again so soon. “Well, in that case you’ll have to come back and visit.”
He took the change Frank offered, and Sean picked up the glass of orange juice.
“We’ll bring your coffees over when they’re ready,” Frank said.
“Cheers.” Justin pocketed his change.
The girls from before looked ready to leave. The one who’d spoken to them earlier caught their eye and gave a little wave.
“It’s all yours,” she said when they reached the table, standing and wrapping a colourful scarf around her neck.
“Thanks.” Justin slid into the chair she’d vacated and Sean took the seat opposite. “Have a good day.”
“You too.”
Silence descended between them when the girls had gone. Sean sipped at his orange juice while Justin watched his hands again. It was impossible not to imagine them on his body now he knew how they felt.
“When are you going away for Christmas?” Sean asked once they had their coffees and plates of food.
“My flight’s booked for the twenty-third.” Justin paused between mouthfuls. “And I’m coming back on the twenty-seventh. What about you, have you made plans with your dad?”
Sean didn’t meet his eyes. Looking down at his plate, he cut into a slice of bacon as he replied casually. “Yeah. I’m probably just going to go down there for a day or so, maybe stay two nights at the most.”
“You sure you don’t want to come with me to Scotland instead? My mum and dad would love to see you. You could catch up with your dad another time.”
“No, it’s fine. I ought to get it over with.”
“Okay.” Unease twisted in Justin’s chest. He knew Sean had a difficult relationship with his dad. He hadn’t taken it well when Sean had finally told him about his sexuality, and Sean had hardly seen him since. But Christmas was the time for duty visits, and maybe they could build some bridges. At least Sean had Justin’s place to escape to if it got too much.
CHAPTER TEN
Sean heard the sound of Justin’s key in the door.
“Hi, honey, I’m home,” Justin called as the front door slammed shut. “Wow. Something smells good.” He came into the kitchen and grinned when he saw Sean at the cooker.
“Don’t jinx it.” Sean stirred the pan. “Your saucepan is shit and it keeps sticking.”
A warm hand landed on his waist, and Justin’s chin poked into his shoulder as he peered over. “What’s for dinner?”
“Chilli.”
Justin’s hand lingered and Sean’s skin tingled at the contact.
During the week since the party, they’d slipped back into their friendship as though nothing had happened, on the surface at least, but Sean hadn’t been able to stop thinking about that night. He lay awake at night, burning with the desire to creep through the flat to Justin’s bed and get his hands and mouth on him. So many times he’d thought about flirting, hinting, blatantly asking if they could do it again, but fear of damaging what they already had stopped him before the words formed on his lips.
Occasionally he caught Justin watching him, and he wondered whether Justin was thinking the same, but Sean was too afraid to ask. Even if the answer was yes, Sean wasn’t sure he could have sex with Justin without strings attached. He wanted the strings; he needed them. The only way he could be with Justin was if he knew it was for keeps.
After dinner they slouched on the sofa together, watching some sci-fi movie on Netflix. Sean wasn’t really following the plot, preoccupied by thoughts of
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