Page 30 of Animal Instincts
“Er, yeah, I know what you’re saying,” Joss said quickly, although he wasn’t sure he did.
“What I meant—”
But Joss didn’t find out what Oliver meant, as a huge Irish Wolfhound bounded over the crest of a low hill, thundering towards them, the dog’s out of breath owner in pursuit.
“Alan! Alan!” A young guy grabbed hold of Alan’s collar. “Sorry about that, he’s just friendly. Over friendly.” He tugged the dog back and attached his leash. “Don’t know who’s taking who for a walk,” the guy said, as Alan powered forward, dragging his nominal owner behind him.
“I think we have the answer to that question.” Oliver grinned as he nodded towards man and dog, disappearing over the hill. He turned back to Joss. “Does the offer still stand?”
Joss nodded. “Yes.”It’s just a trip to the chippie, that’s all.
“Does the chip shop have mushy peas?”
“Only the best, plus pickled onions and gherkins.”
Oliver’s grin grew wider. “In which case, I’ll have cod and chips.”
EIGHTEEN
The eat in section of the fish shop was full.
“I suppose we could eat them from the bag on the harbour wall.”
Oliver wrinkled his nose at Joss’s suggestion. “In this wind? Also, I think it might rain.” Oliver looked up at the clouds that hadn’t been there just minutes before; a few spits of rain hit his face. “Let’s take them back to the house, we can eat in the kitchen.” It was no different from when they shared lunch. No different at all.
As they waited in the queue, Joss chatted to one or two of the other customers. Oliver stood back, his mind returning to what Joss had revealed as they’d walked the cliff top.
Joss’ story had burrowed beneath Oliver’s skin. Like Joss, Oliver had yearned to escape the place where he’d been brought up. He’d done it, fleeing the grim commuter town and his emotionally distant parents for the excitement of university in London… Until the excitement had waned, and all he’d wanted to do was run away from the city Joss was so eager to make his escape to. And Joss would make his escape, it was only a matter of time.
Oliver’s heart fell. He’d miss Joss when he left… More than miss him… Miss him more than he should…
“Move along, Dr. Strachan, you’re holding up the queue.”
The request, accompanied by good natured laughter, jolted Oliver out of his somber thoughts, and he smiled when it was the last thing he felt like doing. At long last he and Joss were able to collect their order and escape the hot and steamy shop — straight into a hard and driving rain.
“There’s only one thing we can do — and that’s run.”
Joss dashed forward, as fast and lithe as a greyhound, and Oliver ran after him, his long legs easily covering the lost ground.
“No, this way,” Oliver said when Joss headed straight for the practice. Oliver spun around a corner, and unlocked the door to the house.
“That rain’s freezing.”
Joss’ teeth chatted as rivulets of water poured off him. The dash had taken no more than five minutes, but he was soaked, his sweatshirt and jeans glued to his body.
Oliver grabbed the food from him and dumped it on a small table in the large hallway.
“You need to get out of those wet things. Come with me.” Oliver hustled Joss up the stairs and into a bathroom. “I’ll get you a change of clothes.”
Oliver rushed to his bedroom and rummaged around for a pair of tracksuit bottoms and a hoodie. Everything he had was too big for Joss, but they were better than Joss’ own drenched clothes that clung and moulded themselves to his body.
Back downstairs, he took the food through to the kitchen, shoving it in the oven to keep warm. They could eat at the table, the way they’d fallen into the habit of doing when Joss was at work or…
Oliver glanced towards the hallway, and the door which led into what should have been a comfortable living room but which had never felt comfortable since the day he’d moved in. It was too big, too quiet, too lonely… Maybe he should use it more, and maybe now was the time to start.
“Hello?” Joss called.
Oliver looked up. His stomach performed a fancy forward flip. Joss hovered in the doorway, a shy smile on his face.
