Page 36 of Screens Apart

But mostly it was because I wanted him to come with us. He wasn’t just my friend anymore, regardless of what I’d intended. He was so much more to me, and this felt like a tiny way of acknowledging it without actually having to say anything.

“Er, um… seven.” I shook my head, trying to sort my thoughts quickly and file away the unnecessary ones for later.

“Do you want to go soon? If we’re there a bit early we can have a drink at the bar?” Simon asked, looking between Connor and me.

“I think that sounds like an excellent plan!” Connor said. “Just give me five minutes to put my stuff in your room and freshen up. Are you still okay sharing?”

I nodded. “Of course. We’ve been sharing since we were kids. I’m used to your snoring by now.”

“I don’t snore!” Connor said, looking horrified as he disappeared out of the kitchen.

“He totally does,” I said to Simon quietly. “He sounds like a kitten though. It’s fucking adorable.” Simon snorted. I stepped across the kitchen, quickly leaning in for a kiss, giving myself one last taste of his mouth before tomorrow.

“Hey,” I murmured against his lips. “I kept thinking about you today.”

“Oh? All good things I hope.” His lips were soft, and I tasted cherry lip balm on them.

“Always. I was thinking about what we could do tomorrow while we have the house to ourselves. Steve has a match, and Connor’s workshop is from ten until four.”

A little shiver ran through Simon, then he smiled. “Hmmm, maybe you could do some laundry?” He chuckled. “Or hoover the living room. It’s your turn this week.”

“Ugh, that sounds fucking awful!” I heard the click of Connor’s heels on the floor, so I gave Simon a quick last kiss and stepped away, checking my pockets to make sure I had everything.

“Ready to go?” Connor asked, sticking his head around the door. I nodded and pulled out my phone to order an Uber, praying I could get through tonight without giving myself away.

Ruby’s wasamazing.

We got there a little early, and Connor ordered us three cocktails at the bar that were much, much stronger than I’d anticipated. I hadn’t realised how potent the cocktail was until I’d drunk half of it. By the time we got to our table, I was definitely not sober, but I didn’t actually care.

We ordered some food, and Connor asked for another round of drinks as we all sat chatting. I sipped my drink and watched Simon and Connor arguing playfully about the lead actor inFinal Cause. I’d always thought someone like that—tall, muscular and handsome with a slightly dominating attitude—would be Connor’s type. But he’d dated men like that in the past and it had never ended well. Simon, on the other hand, wasallfor it.

“But he’s so… so…” Simon said, carefully searching for a word as he waved his spoon around. Tipsy Simon was adorable. “Powerful.”

Connor giggled, and I wondered again what was in these cocktails. I made a mental note not to let Connor order any more of them, or we’d all be hungover as hell in the morning, and I wasn’t babysitting either of them. “Do you likepowerfulmen then, Simon?”

Simon flushed deep pink and spluttered. “M-maybe?”

“That’s so cute!” Connor said, draining the last of his drink. “You should date Taylor. He’s bossy as fuck! And he’s got cuffs in the little sex toy box he keeps in the back of his wardrobe.”

Simon’s face turned from magenta to scarlet so fast I thought he might actually explode. “I-I’m, um, I’m going to go… I’ll be back in a second.” He hopped out of his seat and scuttled off towards the toilets at top speed. Connor watched him go and then rounded on me as soon as Simon was out of earshot.

“Are you two fucking?”

“What? No!” It was my turn to be flustered now. I wondered if I could also take Simon’s approach and run away. Fucking hell.

“Really?Really?” Connor asked, stretching out the syllables and looking at me with raised eyebrows. “Are you two seriously not fucking?”

“No, why would you think that?” I shoved food into my mouth and wished I could think of a way to change the subject. Connor hummed suspiciously.

“Because Simon obviously thinks you’re hot. And you can’t stop staring at him. You’re about as subtle as a brick to the back of the head. I think the whole restaurant saw you checking out Simon’s ass at the bar. I mean, it’s a cute ass, but seriously you keep staring at it like it’s aliteralpeach,” Connor said. “If you two aren’t smooshing booties then I want to know why the fuck not.”

“Smooshing booties?” I said with a snort.

“Do you want me to draw you a diagram?” he asked sweetly. “Has it been that long?”

“You’re such a dick.”

“And you still haven’t answered my question.”

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