Page 38 of Strut

I sighed. “Yeah, well, as it turns out, not so much.” I recounted the whole story and Tui stayed quiet for a while after.

“So, he apologised?” Tui sounded thoughtful. “Not sure that excuses what he did—”

“It doesn’t and he knows that. But come on, it was a pretty fucking perfect apology, right? And the flowers and the tickets and embarrassing himself by asking a second time?” A smile crept over my face at the memory.

Tui grumbled something that had the wordssneaky fuckerattached and said, “Okay, I give you that.” He hesitated. “But are you sure about this, mate? You’ve got a soft heart, Alec. I don’t want that guy making mincemeat of it again.”

“I’m sure. This time is different. He wants this.Iwant this. And he’s done the chasing, even if I still can’t believe it. I think we’re in the same place this time.”

Tui blew a low whistle. “Okay, champ. I guess I’ve got your back. But I want details, understand? All. The. Details.”

I snorted. “But you hate all the gay sex shit.”

“Did I mention the word sex?” He sounded affronted. “Jesus, you gay fuckers are all the same. It’s like the word is branded on your brain. And I’ll have you know I’m woke to hell. If you need me to listen, I’ll listen regardless. That’s what we do, right? We’re mates. Having said that, you say the word anal once and I’m out of here.”

I laughed and wished I could shove him off the fence I knew he was sitting on, the place we always sat right outside his milking shed while we solved all the problems of the world.

“And you can tell him from me that if he fucking runs again... if he hurts you in any way, I’m gonna tie him to my milking machine, jam the cups on his balls, and turn the suction way up, got it?”

Oh, man.“Got it.”

We chatted until I reached Cage, my heart lighter with every step. Tui was a sweet slice of home, and just hearing his voice settled something in my chest.

And later that night, while I was tending a very quiet bar at Color, Hunter appeared through the front door and parked himself on a stool for a quick beer and a chat. This was followed by a fast but epic make-out session during my break, and I went home with a smile on my face, my dick ready to audition as a contortionist, and Tim’s empty bunk in my room again.

CHAPTERNINE

Alec

Friday morning dawnedcrisp and clear, and for once Tim was actually in his bunk and fast asleep. He looked so damned young, and that knot of worry in my gut pulled a little tighter, but it wasn’t the time. I pushed it aside and checked the other bunks. Marco was a tangled lump in his bed and Peter softly snored above my head.

I grabbed my phone from the floor. Seven twenty. I’d woken before the alarm. No surprise there since I’d tossed and turned most of the damn night trying to wrangle the rampant butterflies in my belly. And there were still hours of nervous energy to endure. With the Berlini go-see and test shoot at two, I’d planned a light workout in the gym before spending the rest of the time chewing on my fingernails and pacing the tiny apartment until it was time to go.

Hunter was withHarper’seditorial team all morning, sifting through images from the shoot, which meant I couldn’t even distract myself by exchanging texts with the sexy man. But then I smiled as I remembered it wasn’t just Berlini in my diary. I’d be sleeping in Hunter’s bed, finally, and hopefully doing a lot of other glorious and dirty things beforehand.

My smile turned into a huge grin.

Hunter.

He’d caught a cab to Color both days to spend time with me, arriving at my bar looking wrung-out but happy to see me. He’d been chatty and funny and quick to scowl if anyone hit on me, although he kept his thoughts to himself since my tips were often directly proportional to how available the patrons thought I was. After my shifts, he called a cab and we held hands and made out a little until I was dropped outside my apartment. It had been... nice. More than nice. And it was addictive as hell.

I pulled on sweats and a T-shirt, grabbed a blanket, and crept from my bedroom to the kitchen with my lookbook in hand. Five minutes later, with a steaming mug of coffee, I sat at our small dining table and stared out at the already humming city which was bathed in a light drizzle. Sunrise lay hidden behind a dull grey blanket of mist that rolled through the streets from the Hudson and East Rivers, and just the sight made me shiver. I pulled the blanket around my shoulders and got to work.

Opening my book, I leafed through the contents, checking for the millionth time that it was up to date for Berlini. I’d amassed a lot of digitals over the year from shoots and editorials, fashion week coverage, theVoguecover, and the couple of ads I’d done. It was a far cry from when I’d arrived, and I felt a little burst of pride.

If only my parents saw the same thing.

I shook the thought off, remembering what Hunter said. Mine was the only opinion that mattered, and he was right. My parents loved me. That was enough. I didn’t need them to understand or approve of what I was doing in order to make it okay. Lachlan was giving them all they needed in that regard, and I should be glad for that, relieved even. Because it meant I didn’t have to.

My phone rang and a photo I’d taken of Hunter on our first proper date, standing on Pier 64, flashed on the screen—soft brown eyes, thick dark stubble. I could still feel the scratch of it across my cheek.

“I just wanted to wish you luck for the go-see,” he began. “Although you don’t need it. You’re perfect for their label and they’d be crazy not to see that.” The sound of his thick honey voice settled in my chest like a warm breath. “Are you nervous?”

I snorted. “Like you wouldn’t believe.” I looked up as Tim stumbled from the bedroom and cast a wobbly grin my way before heading to the bathroom. “I’m not going to crumble if it doesn’t go my way, but...” I couldn’t finish.

“You’ll be disappointed, and that’s as it should be. But you won’t know anything today, right?”

“No, they told Cage next week, although I could be called back if they have any questions.”

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