Page 28 of Commitment Issues
Chapter Twelve
Elliot
“I saw the cab, and thought to come out and greet you. I see I had no need.”
Gavin’s tone is as calm and level as ever, but the hard line of his jaw, and the tiny twitch of muscle, give him away.
I look down at Freddie, nestled at my feet, his face burning a deep red and only an inch or two from my cock, and I open my mouth, ready to explain, just as I was always ready to explain when Gavin hadthat look.I clamp it closed, because I don’t need to explain anything to Gavin, not anymore.
Pushing himself up, without falling face first onto my dick, Freddie’s crouched next to me on the seat. Leaning forward, he rests one hot hand on my thigh as he holds the other out for Gavin to shake.
“Hello, I’m Freddie,” he says, with a wide-mouthed smile.
“I think we should perhaps leave the introductions until later.” Gavin makes no attempt to take Freddie’s hand, and irritation bubbles up inside me, but before I can say anything, Gavin’s speaking again, as smooth and cool as ever. “There are cocktails around the pool in an hour. I’m sure you both wish to freshen up after your journey.” With a small, tight smile, he swings on his heel and strides through the open wrought iron gates and along the long path leading up to the villa.
“What a way to make an entrance. Would epic be a good description?” Freddie’s eyes are bright, and his lips twitch as he does his best — and fails miserably — to hold back his bubbling laughter. “I don’t think Gav’s all that impressed with me.”
Gav. I know how much Gavin’s going to bristle at being called that, and I can’t help joining in with Freddie’s laughter.
“Epic, and the stuff of legends. Come on, let’s get in.”
We scramble out of the cab where we find our luggage waiting for us. Seconds later, with the fare and a large tip in his pocket, the driver’s bumping away down the rutted track.
I’m just about to lead us up to the villa when my phone bleeps.
“It’s Andrew,” I say, reading the message. “Ah, good. We’re in one of the cottages… Key’s in the door… He’ll see us when we’re ready.”
“So, our arrival’s been announced?”
“Evidently.”
I wonder what spin Gavin’s already put on it, but whatever it is, Andrew knows to take anything that comes out of Gavin’s mouth with a massive pinch of salt.
We skirt around the side of the villa, which glows like burnished gold in the early evening sunshine. We left the airport less than an hour ago, and under a deep blue sky, but it’s already turning a soft pink-mauve, a shade I’ve seen nowhere else in the world other than around the Mediterranean coast. A winding path leads us away from the villa towards soft ochre-coloured cottages topped with deep terracotta tiles, before it goes on to the small beach, which although not private, is only really accessible from the villa.
“This is lovely,” Freddie says, as I let us into the cool and airy lounge area, the door swinging to a close behind us.
He looks around, his lips slightly parted, his green-gold eyes wide as his gaze sweeps around, and I follow it, and try to look at it all as though seeing it for the first time.
White walls, honey-coloured wooden floor, two large sofas both a deep cerulean blue strewn with plump deep orange cushions. Tall terracotta vases are filled with dried flowers which echo the colour scheme. A wall-mounted plasma TV hangs over the fire place where a wood burning fire sits, redundant in the warm air. It’s simple, unfussy, and classy. Whatever I may privately think of Marcus, the man’s taste and eye for detail can’t be faulted.
“I wasn’t expecting it to be so, I don’t know, cool I suppose. I mean, when you said they used to be gîtes, it made me think of the one me and Cosmo rented, when we were at uni. That place was like a stable, and smelled like one. And it had bad plumbing. I guess this place doesn’t have bad plumbing?”
I laugh. “No, Andrew and Marcus would be horrified by the thought.”
“But there’s one problem.”
“What—?”
“Air con. I’d rather feel a real breeze blowing through, wouldn’t you?” Freddie grabs the remote, switching off the air con and the low level buzz with it, before he flings the floor to ceiling glass door open which leads to the verandah, letting in the sweet smelling summer air, and the faint murmur of sea on sand. “So it’s cocktails by the pool. Think I’d rather have a cold beer. I’d even drink a Badger’s Bum,” he says, throwing me a smile.
“I’m with you on that. Come on, let’s get ourselves unpacked and sorted.”
He nods, as I lead the way through into the bedroom. And there it is, in the middle of the room, soft transparent voile curtains tied at the four corners of the four poster bed. We’ve talked this through, we’ve discussed it, but seeing the bed made up for two… I can feel Freddie just behind me, I can feel his stillness. I lick my lips and turn to face him.
“The sofas are huge, I’ll sleep on one of them.” My voice sounds croaky and overloud in the silence.
“We can share. Erm, swap around, I mean.”
