Page 53 of Animal Instincts
“A few months after he moved in, he started going out a lot. There was always a good reason. Seeing old friends — he didn’t want to lose touch, he said. Sometimes he’d ring up late, and say he was staying over. I never questioned it, because I didn’t think I had a need to. He signed up for night school, too, so every Wednesday night he was out. French for beginners. Jesus.”
“I—I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. If the shit hadn’t have hit the fan I’d never have come to Love’s Harbour, and I’d never have met you. So whatever you say, Joss, don’t say sorry.” Oliver sighed and shook his head. “He was having an affair, and it was happening right under my nose. I’d been so dazzled by him, it blinded me. All those friends he was meeting, and the evening classes? All his lies unravelled.”
A shiver ran across Joss’ skin as Oliver’s eyes locked onto his. His body hummed with nervy anticipation, knowing on a basic, physical level what was coming next.
“Spencer and Donald. Turned out they knew each other well. Very, very well, and way before Spencer came to work at the practice. But it wasn’t at work I discovered what was happening, it was at home. I’d been at a conference, but I returned early hoping to surprise Spencer.”
Joss shuddered at Oliver’s bitter, broken laugh.
“Yes, I surprised him, all right. And Donald too. I found them in the kitchen, on the table. Not the one I have now, for clear and obvious reasons. I just stood there. I was numb. What I remember more than anything else is the silence. No shouts of anger, no fists flying. It was all very — quiet. Of course, that was due to the shock. I told them to go, and they did. It was in the days after that things got loud and messy, when they told me they were in love.”
“What? Oh my god. Oliver, that’s… I can’t even begin…”
A tremble rose through Joss’ body, taking over every part of him. Anger, fury, disgust and hatred but most of all a gut wrenching sadness at what had been done to this good, amazing, incredible, gorgeous man.
“Hey, are you okay?”
Oliver hooked an arm around Joss’ shoulder, and studied him with his intense, serious gaze.
“It should be me doing the comforting, not you.” Joss gulped, trying to control the shake in his voice.
Oliver smiled, his face softening. “You do comfort me, Joss, you do that in more ways than you could ever know. Spencer and Donald, they’re history, but they did me a favour. I can’t pretend it felt like it at the time, but if I hadn’t found out what was happening I’d have never have sold my share of the business to Donald, and I’d have never walked away. It was the best thing I ever did because it brought me here to make the dream I always had a reality. But most of all, it brought me to you.”
Joss closed his eyes as Oliver cupped his face and pressed soft kisses to his lips.
The wind picked up, bringing with it the first hint of rain.
Joss shivered.
“Let’s go home.” Oliver got up, his arm outstretched, his hand waiting to be taken.
Joss didn’t need to think twice, because he would never think twice where Oliver was concerned, as he took hold of his hand and held on tight, letting his man lead him home.
THIRTY-ONE
Oliver’s story echoed in Joss’ soul. Lies and betrayal, not just from a lover but from a friend, men he should have been able to trust with his life. But they were gone, and for good. They would never have a place in Oliver’s life in Love’s Harbour.
In Oliver’s bedroom, that was now his most nights, Joss switched the bedside lamp on, bathing the room in soft golden light. The nights Joss stayed, bodies entwined and twisted around each other’s, they’d lie in moonlight striped shadow. But not tonight.
His man.He wanted Oliver not only to feel but to see how much he was his man, and nobody else’s.
His man.
The words scorched down Joss’ backbone and breathed fire into his blood.
Oliver was his, as much as he was Oliver’s. Those who had gone before were finished, past, history. Tonight and tomorrow, and all the days after, it was just them. Joss knew it in every cell and atom of his being, even if the word that wrapped it all up in a pretty parcel had yet to be said. But the word was there, safe and ready to be unboxed when the time was right.
“The light?” Oliver raised a brow.
“All the better to see you with.”
Joss unbuttoned his shirt, slowly, taking his time, keeping his eyes on Oliver. He shrugged it from his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. Joss’ hands fell to his belt buckle, but Oliver batted them away.
“No. Let me do it.” Oliver’s voice was rough and shaky, his fingers unsteady as he undid the belt.
Joss sucked in a deep breath as Oliver popped the stud on his jeans, unzipped him — and eased his hand past the gaping zip, and cupped the hard ridge of his cock in his palm.
