Page 51 of Sparring Partners
“I’m not turning my back on you, because for me there was never anything to turn my back on. Or not in the way you wanted.” Jonathan flinched, and a spasm of guilt blunted the edge of Luca’s anger. “I like you a lot, Jonathan. I know you don’t believe it, or want to, but it’s true. But as a friend. Not as anything more. Despite today, I hope we can salvage and keep that.”
So fucking trite, it sounded like nothing more than those breadcrumbs Jonathan had accused him of tossing his way. Perhaps he was the fool Jonathan had told him he was. Maybe they couldn’t be friends, not after this, but he meant what he said. Even if they couldn’t achieve that now, in the heat and upset of the moment, maybe they could in time. Luca rubbed his hands down his face. The adrenaline was draining from his blood stream. Tired, shaking and upset, all he wanted to do was go now he’d said what he’d come for.
“Adrian Hardy,” Jonathan whispered, his voice rough and uneven. “Why him, for god’s sake? I don’t understand, Luca. I really don’t. He’s not a man who has any kind of place in your world. He’s so different to you.”
“Yes, he is. And maybe that’s why.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE
Adrian opened the door and staggered back as Luca crashed into him.
“I’ve just told him. Jonathan. I told him about us. About everything,” Luca rasped into his chest, wrapping his arms around him and pressing so close he was all but climbing inside of him. “I had to come and tell you. I couldn’t go back to the hotel and carry on like nothing had happened, I?—”
Adrian eased Luca away, holding him at arm’s length. Luca’s face was flushed, his eyes unnaturally bright, as though he were running a fever, a fever Adrian needed to cool.
“Stop. Come in, there’s just us here.” Pulling Luca towards the kitchen, the heart of the farmhouse, Adrian eased him into a chair at the table. Sitting down next to him, he wrapped Luca’s hot, clammy hands in his own. “Tell me what happened. Did he lose his temper with you?” Lava hot heat rose up inside Adrian. If Jonathan had so much as?—
“No.” Luca shook his head hard from side to side. “Or not exactly?—”
“What?” Adrian burst out as he tried to stand, but Luca pulled him back.
“He was angry and upset, more so than I’d anticipated. How could I have been so stupid to not realise?—”
“What he wanted from you?”
“For what hefelt. It was way more than I ever guessed. Whatever he thought we were, or could be, it’s over. I’ve been such an idiot. A stupid, blind idiot. Why didn’t I see it? Why didn’t I?—”
“That’s enough.” Adrian pulled Luca out of the chair and dragged him onto his lap. Luca cleaved to him. “You’ve told him, you made it clear what the situation is. You did what you had to do.” Placing a kiss on top of Luca’s head, he nuzzled into his hair breathing in the soft vanilla shampoo. “These things, they’re messy and ugly. There’s nothing polite or civilised when it comes to telling somebody you don’t want them.” Adrian’s heart clenched hard against the sting of his own words.
“I wasn’t that brutal. Or I don’t think I was,” Luca murmured into Adrian’s chest.
“You wouldn’t have been because that’s not you.”
Luca huffed. “No, perhaps not. But this mess is because of me. I’ve been too bloody polite, too nice. All it’s done is muddy the waters.” Luca pulled back and looked up; his eyes had lost their fever and now looked sad and tired. “I felt so sick with nerves, going round to tell him. But I had to explain, face to face. It’d been wrong not to.”
“Yes, it would have been wrong. Being truthful, honest and open are always important, no matter how much it pains. You’re not a dishonest man. If you were you’d have not been tied up in knots. But he knows, and he knows from you. That’s what counts.”
“Not sure he’s too keen on remaining friends.” Luca sank back against Adrian. Tightening his arms around Luca, Adrian said nothing. “Are Harry and Elena around?”
“No. Elena’s left for the day, and Harry’s making a delivery in Exeter. He’ll be gone for hours.”
Luca wriggled out of Adrian’s lap. “Good, because I think I need consoling, and one hell of a lot of TLC.”
* * *
Adrian slammed the bedroom door hard.
Tearing off their clothes, throwing them to the floor, they stood naked, both of them breathing hard in the sun dappled room. Adrian’s heart leapt. Christ, but Luca was beautiful. Pale skin, lean body, a light dusting of blond hair on his chest, leading down to the treasure trail and his heavy, flushed cock, standing tall and hard, pre-cum glistening at the head.
Adrian moved forward, slowly, carefully, forcing Luca back a step.
“How do you want me to console you, Luca? Tell me about the TLC you want.” Adrian ran his finger from the base of Luca’s cock all the way up to the wet tip. Luca moaned, his eyes falling to a close as Adrian palmed his hot, hard length.
“Open your eyes. I want you to look at me when you tell me what you want.”
Luca’s eyes snapped open. “I—I want you to fuck me,” he whispered.
Adrian’s heart twisted and his own straining cock nodded against his stomach, as Luca gazed up at him, his eyes glazed.
