Page 57 of Not That Complicated

My muscles relaxed all at once. He cupped the back of my head, smiled against my mouth, and touched his tongue to my lips once before pulling back. “Mm.”

I stared at him.

He stared back.

I broke first, obviously. I shovelled the last mouthful of chocolate cake in my mouth and surrendered the plate when he motioned for it.

I heard the crack of a plastic seal, then Adam was holding out a bottle of water.

“Thank you. I must say, you’re much better at feeding and watering people than your cousin.” I drained half the bottle and tried to give it back. He shook his head and nudged it back to me again. “Liam winged a packet of peanuts from the vending machine at me, and that was it.”

“I’m better at everything,” Adam said, watching intently while I finished the water.

“You’re about equal when it comes to ego, though.”

He laughed, delighted.

“I have to brush my teeth,” I said suddenly, and rolled out of bed.

Adam gave an amused grunt behind me. He followed me into the bathroom, and raised an eyebrow at my big-eyed glare.

“What are you doing?” I said around my toothbrush and a mouthful of minty foam.

He unwrapped the free toothbrush but ignored the hotel-supplied tiny tube of toothpaste and helped himself to mine. “I take cavities very seriously, Ray.”

Fair enough. We stood side by side and brushed. The size difference between us was more noticeable standing like this, and somehow worse with me once again in my pjs and him fully dressed.

“Are you staying the night?” I blurted, and banged the toothbrush briskly on the edge of the sink. It was something I’d seen my dad do when I was growing up and I’d inherited the habit.

Adam spat, rinsed his brush and stuck it beside mine in one of the water glasses. “Yes.”

If he’d asked to, I’d probably have said no, contrary creature that I was. But his confidence was as reassuring as it was attractive, and I didn’t want to be alone.

“Get into bed,” he said. “I’m going to have a quick shower.”

“Okay.” I headed off but turned and ducked back into the bathroom as Adam whipped his shirt off. He turned to me, casually unbuttoning his fly with one hand. “No sex, though,” I said.

He tilted his head in that considering way he had. It used to make me feel like a weird little insect when he did it. Now, it made me feel interesting.

I’d rather feel like a weird little insect. Less pressure.

“Are you telling me not to masturbate, Ray?”

“What?” Well, that came out much higher than necessary.

“Is it no sex with myself that I’m not allowed to have, or no sex with you?”

“Me!” I said, lightheaded. “Sex with me. No,nosex with me, I mean. I can’t stop you...doing...” I trailed off into silence.

Adam unzipped his jeans. I bolted.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

He left the door open, the absolute shit.

The water came on with a hiss and a splatter into the tub. I imagined Adam standing there, wrangling his tight jeans off, waiting for the spray to heat up.

And then I remembered that I’d had a soak with bath oils.

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