Page 34 of Revive
“Lesser evil,” Xane conceded.
Spook crawled over him once it was done and entwined their tongues.
“Want me to get you off too?” Xane asked.
“Nope. I’d rather stay pleasantly buzzy than chase something from which I’m going to crash straight after.”
“Fair enough.” He’d never had the willpower for that himself, and considering that of the two of them he was the one folks would more likely label a switch, it never ceased to amaze him just how huge Spook’s masochistic streak was. It dwarfed even his sadism.
“It’s a low point, Spook. It will pass.”
Even saying it, he knew it wouldn’t really help. That was the problem with low points, consciousness of other times, other feelings never quite penetrated the gloom. It was impossible to believe in them, hold onto them. They poured through your fingers like endless grains of sand.
“It’s just a few soggy moments spooled together. This isn’t the rest of forever.”
A couple of minutes later, Spook rolled onto his side again, curling in on himself, though he did reach back and claim Xane’s hand, which he pulled into a lock in the centre of his chest.
Xane let him and settled his lips against the back of Spook’s neck. He stayed put until Spook’s breathing became soft and even.
-12-
Allegra
Earlier.
“Guys, I know you mean well, but I can’t sit around all day.”
“Day off,” Ash mumbled through a mouthful of cake. “No one’s working today. Group decision.”
“In which case, I’ve washing to do.” She attempted to stand, only for Rock Giant to shove her back into her seat.
Alle protested. She wasn’t actually concerned about her laundry, but it was a sound reason for why she needed to trek back across the island. “Seriously?” She raised her hands in protest as Paul stared her down. “Guys, I’m completely out of knickers. It’s urgent.”
Of course, that was the wrong line of reasoning to take with a bunch of blokes who, rumour had it, spent most of their time shacked up with girls who went without, or at least lost their underwear with spectacular regularity on tour.
Paul dropped his smartphone in her lap.
“What’s this for?”
“It’s called a phone. You use them to access the internet, where you click on things you want, and they magically turn up on your doorstep.”
“Haha!” It was a very no-shit solution to the problem, although surprising coming from him given his usually green ethics. “All my cards and stuff are with my laundry. If I’m going to pick them up, I might as well just grab my laundry.”
“Use mine,” three voices echoed at once.
“I’ve got this,” Paul insisted, waving the other two off.
“No,” Alle protested. “I can’t.”
“Why the hell not? I doubt you’re gonna go all designer on me, and even if you do, reckon I can stomach the hit.”
“That’s very generous of you, but do you not think it’s a teeny bit weird having one of my boyfriend’s friends pay for my underwear?”
He shrugged. Ash backed him up with a similar gesture, and Ronnie just grinned like it was all marvellously entertaining.
“Ginny, you can see what I’m getting at here, can’t you?”
“Maybe,” the other woman replied. “But babe, we all know why you’re so eager for clean knickers, and it’s not to do with cleanliness. So, quit pretending you’re trying to do anything other than go and check on Spook and let him be for a bit. Xane’ll sort him. Meantime, if this bunch of lunatics are offering their credit cards up to you, fucking do some shopping.”
