Page 78 of Someone Like You

P.S. saucy pics welcome

He laughed under his breath, overflowing with gratitude and love.

“What?” Ian enquired. Phil showed him the texts. It led to a moment of silence. “Will this woman ever cease to amaze me?”

“Nah. You’ll get used to it, though.”

“Doubt it.”

“Lend me your phone.”

“What for?”

“She wants saucy pics.”

Ian scoffed, but still blindly reached over to the nightstand behind him to retrieve his phone and give it to Phil.

“How do I unlock it?”

“It’s not locked.”

Phil swiped and the screen did, in fact, go straight to the homepage. “That’s a safety hazard.”

“No one would steal cheap shite like this. They want to leak my camera roll? Fine. The internet will love five thousand cat pics.”

“Five thousand cat picsand a thirst trap,” Phil corrected, lifting up the phone above them. He wasn’t used to Android, but after a couple of failed attempts he successfully got the camera to open and turn to selfie mode.

“Want me to bare my ankles?” asked Ian.

“C’mere, jerk.” Phil adjusted the framing to make sure it showed a good view of Ian’s chest.

“My eyes are up here, ye know?”

“Saucy pics require saucy tits.”

“You’re recordin’ a video, ya daftie.”

“Ah, shit.”

Ian averted the phone towards himself and looked straight into the camera. “Let’s look at the bright side, Abigail: at least he’s pretty.”

“Fuck off!” Phil could curse all he wanted, but he couldn’t have deceived anyone: he was hopelessly smitten and it showed. He opened WhatsApp and found out Abby’s texts had actually been sent to a chat group that involved herself, Phil, and Ian. He sent the video to Abby, trusting she’d love it as much as he did, then noticed the chat’s title:‘Whit’s fur ye’ll no go past ye’. His Scottish wasn’t great, but it didn’t take a genius to get this one.

“What’s meant for you won’t pass you by.”

“No, shit.” A snort tickled his ear. “It’ll run right into you at the park.”

A pleasant heat spilled into Phil’s chest as he mirrored Ian’s big, stupid grin. He was certain that had been precisely Abby’s thought when she’d named the chat.

He was having a hard time processing what was happening.

He was in bed with a man, practically naked.

A man he loved.

A man wholoved him.

With the blessing of the woman he loved.

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