Page 24 of Between the Lines

Luca’s mouth ticked up against his will. “Not really.”

“I’ll assume that’s sarcasm.” A flicker of a smile. “‘Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.’ Confucius.”

“Huh. I thought you were gonna say, ‘Life’s too short.’”

“That would work, too,” Theo agreed. “Point is, resentment screws up your life. It’s always best to move on.”

Luca glanced at him, wondering whether he was making a point, but perhaps it was only Luca’s conscience pricking. Resentment was one of his oldest friends, after all. It had served him well the past five years, kept him from forgetting how badly the people you loved could screw you over. Kept him from making the same mistake twice.

When they reached the Majestic’s tree-lined garden, Luca slowed but didn’t open the gate. Instead, he leaned on the iron railing, watching Theo. He stood next to him, staring up at the stars through the filigree of branches swaying gently above them. “Don’t get skies like that in the city, huh?” Luca said.

“No, you don’t.”

In the moonlight, Theo was all blanched skin and shadows, lean limbs and kissable lips. And Luca wanted him. Only physically, of course, only bodies coming together to take pleasure in each other without demand or expectation. No more than that, nothing serious.

And if Theo wanted the same thing—and Luca suspected he did—then why the hell not?

Pushing away from the railing, Luca came to stand in front of him. Not too close, but close enough to snag one hand. “Hey,” he said. “Can I ask you a question?”

Theo’s gaze lowered, skittered over Luca’s to land on their joined fingers. “What sort of a question?”

“A direct one.”

A cautious smile. “My favorite kind.”

There was no reason why his smile should make Luca’s heart skip, but there you had it. Skip. Clearing his throat, he ran the pad of his thumb over Theo’s knuckles and didn’t miss the way Theo’s tongue peeked out to wet his lips. Luca smiled his own smile. “So you’ve moved on from Grant-the-Ass. Does that mean you’re open to hooking up with other guys?”

Theo looked away, out toward the edge of the cliff, his fingers tightening around Luca’s hand. “Are you—” a hesitation “—suggestingwehook up?”

“Maybe.”

He frowned. “Maybe?”

“Sorry, I mean yes.” He took half a step closer, close enough their toes touched and he could feel Theo’s heat warm against his chest in the cooling night air. “You interested?”

Theo swallowed, his lashes fanning down over his eyes. Hiding. “Why would you want to?”

The question stumped him. “Are you kidding?”

“No.”

Luca puffed out a breath, uncertain whether he was exasperated or amused. “Well—the usual reasons. You’re hot, I’m horny. I think we’d both have fun.”

Theo shook his head, risked a fleeting glance. In the dark, his eyes were little more than glints of starlight. “Since when do you think I’m hot?”

“Since you head-butted me on Main Street, I guess.”

Unexpected laughter brightened Theo’s eyes, a definite glitter of humor. “Bullshit. You thought I was an arsehole that day. Don’t deny it.”

Luca shrugged and took another step closer, finding Theo’s hip with his free hand. He was lean, not skinny but a tight, spare build that hit all Luca’s buttons. The steady beat of desire he’d been keeping at bay all evening pulsed stronger, deeper. “Well,” he said, “you kindawere.”

“What I was—” his voice caught as Luca tugged him closer “—was embarrassed.”

And, yeah, Luca got it now. “It’s okay,” he said. “I thought you were a cute asshole.”

Theo’s eyebrow lifted in that haughty-amused expression Luca wasn’t sure whether he loved or hated. “And now?”

Luca didn’t have an answer, so he gave a wolfish grin instead. “Right now, I want to kiss you.”

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