Page 54 of Fool Me Twice
One of them was a middle-aged woman who’d come in with a crowd of cronies, all of them dressed to the nines.“You look like the cat that’s got the cream,” she commented as she paid.“Won the lottery?”
Zig grinned at her.“Something like that.”
One of her mates broke in with an excited “Ooh, what did you win?”
“Big hairy biker with a Doctor Who collection and a Harley-Davidson.”
“Aw, bless!”They gave him matching soppy looks.Come to that, Zig was probably wearing one too.
“Don’t suppose he’s got a mate who likes older women?”asked the lady who’d ordered, a bit wistfully.
“Why, is your mum looking for a bloke?”Zig sent back.
Both women laughed raucously.“I hope that poor boy knows what he’s let himself in for with you,” the second woman teased, as they gathered their drinks and walked away.
Yeah, Zig thought.He does, and he still wants me.How the fuck did I get so lucky?
After they’d closed up, he went to have a word with Ange, despite being desperate to get back to the flat.To Si.“Sorry about tonight.Won’t happen again.”
She actually gave him a fond look.“You’re only young once.But next time, save the drama for when you’re off the clock.”
“Cross me heart.”Zig grinned at her.
“Now get off home to your young man.”
He didn’t have to be told twice.Zig grabbed his jacket and left, still in his Prince of Wales shirt.
The cold was bitter outside, but it didn’t seem to penetrate his clothing.Zig was walking on air.Him and Si were back together.He’d told Si he loved him and Si...Well, Si hadn’t said it back, but it’d be crazy to expect that so soon.He’d said he didn’t want him to leave, and that was the main thing, right?
A shiver of doubt crept in, like an icy finger of mid-December night air down the neck of his jacket.Si hadn’t said what else he wanted, had he?Zig’s memory of their conversation was a bit jumbled, but he reckoned it’d been all him saying what he wanted, not Si.
But then again, Si hadn’t said no to any of it, had he?
He knocked on the door to the flat and waited, stomach churning, feeling a lot like he had when he’d first come here—Christ, had that really been less than a week ago?For a moment it all felt unreal.
Then Si’s footsteps sounded on the stairs, and the door opened, letting out a welcoming breath of warm air.Si stood there on the doormat: big, solid, and smiling gently behind that beard.“All right?Come on in, it’s perishin’.”
Zig stepped inside and wrapped his arms around Si’s waist.He heard a surprisedoofand then strong arms were hugging him back.“Been a long shift,” Zig mumbled into Si’s beard, every part of him going boneless in that warm embrace.
“Too bloody right,” Si muttered back.“I hope Ange ain’t gonna take advantage of you like that too often.”
Guilt twinged in Zig’s gut.He’d almost forgotten the lie he’d told Si about working this afternoon.Never again, he told himself fervently.One hundred percent honesty from here on out.He looked up, flashing Si a cheeky smile.“Only one person gets to take advantage of me from now on.”
Si laughed.“C’mon, let’s get you properly inside before we have any more of that sort of talk.”Stepping back, he took Zig’s hand and led him upstairs like they were a couple of kids.
It was really fucking charming.
There was a moment, after they’d closed the door of the flat behind them, that they stood and gazed at each other, still holding hands.
Then the moment broke, and Si surged forward to take Zig’s face in his hands.“Gods, I’ve missed you,” he said hoarsely, and then they were kissing like the world was about to end.
Si’s whole body was ablaze.The bits that touched Zig—and there were plenty of them—were incandescent.Zig felt so right in his arms.More than that.It was like part of Si had been missing, ever since he’d left Zig in London, and now he was whole again.
Si tried to be gentle with his kisses, but Zig was like he’d been starving for this.Like he wanted to eat Si up, and fuck knew, Si was on board with that.He let Zig push him up against the wall, and if he was honest, he was grateful for the support.His head felt like it was about to float off and his knees didn’t seem all that reliable right now.Zig had both hands shoved down the back of his jeans now, holding him tight while they kissed, tongues getting everywhere.
Si had a stiffy the size of St.Michael’s Tower, and it felt like it’d been neglected for centuries too.He couldn’t help moaning into Zig’s mouth.
Zig shivered and broke the kiss.“Jesus, fuck, you don’t know what you do to me.”
