Page 156 of Reinventing Cato
“Yes. I called and told them a little of what had been happening just in case they saw it on the news. They told me not to hurry with a decision.” His supervisor had told him the same thing. In fact, Alistair had made a point of telling him not to say anything to NASA until he’d spoken to him again.
“What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know.”
Devan stared at him. “You still feel you need something different in your life?”
“I think I might have found it. But now I’ve actually been offered the job, and there’s no threat to anyone if I take it… It’s enticing.”
“You’ve not known Vigge long. It’s a lot to give up.”
“But you knew straightaway with Jonty, didn’t you?”
“Not that I’d want him forever, no. It wasn’t instant love, more like instant irritation. And attraction I didn’t want or need.” Devan chuckled. “But now I can’t even think of life without him. I’m lucky. I know we don’t look as if we fit, but we do. He’s everything I didn’t even know I wanted or needed. He’s everything that was missing from my life. He makes me smile all the time. No matter what sort of funk I’m in, he can cure it. I want to take care of him, but he’s the one who takes care of me.”
“I’m back!” Jonty burst into the room. “Did you all miss me?”
“Did you go somewhere?” Devan asked.
“Ack, my heart.” Jonty clutched the wrong side of his chest, then slapped his hands on his backside. “Ah, there it is.”
~~~
The four of them ate together that night and Cato felt…settled. He wanted more of this, eating and chatting with friends, doing ordinary things, even a few extraordinary ones. Didn’t mean it couldn’t happen in California, but… Vigge wouldn’t be there. Did Vigge want him to stay? Settled turned to unsettled. Cato looked at him across the table and Vigge immediately looked back at him and smiled.He’d let me go.Max would have done anything to get Cato to stay, but Vigge would let him go and not because he thought any less of Cato than Max. Vigge would want what was best for Cato. Max wanted what was best for Max.
But I don’t want him to let me go.Though Cato knew it was unfair to put any pressure on Vigge. This was his decision.
“Will you come up and stay with us for a weekend?” Jonty asked. “Our place at Seahouses faces the water and it has a hot tub.” He moaned. “It is the best thing ever. But we can show you the fabulous things to do in the most beautiful county in the whole country. There—”
He broke off suddenly and turned to Vigge. “Whoa. You’re half-Danish. Your ancestors pillaged, plundered and… I want another word beginning with p. Oh I know. They pillaged, plundered and peed in Northumberland. You might need to wear a balaclava when you visit.”
When three puzzled faces stared at him, Jonty frowned. “It’s cold this time of year.”
“He doesn’t leave a gap when he changes direction,” Devan said. “I’m still trying to get used to it.”
Devan and Jonty were set up with the bed settee in the lounge, and once Vigge was sure they had everything they needed, he took Cato’s hand and tugged him to the stairs.
“I need a shower,” Vigge said.
“You need to sleep.”
Vigge turned, caught hold of Cato’s hand and brought it to his crotch. “Not yet.”
He moaned as Cato palmed his erection, whined as Cato took his hand away.
“What about your wound getting wet?” Cato asked.
“I can shower. They gave me a spare dressing if I need it.”
Cato turned on the shower and helped Vigge strip before he took off his own clothes.
“Stand under the water and don’t do anything apart from breathe,” Cato said.
Vigge closed his eyes as Cato soaped his back, his fingers trailing across every bony ridge in his spine, along the curve of each rib.
“The dressing’s okay,” Cato said. “It’s stayed in place.”
Cato caressed Vigge’s back with the flat of his hands, massaged with his fingers, rubbed his face against him until Vigge was leaning into the tiles and groaning. When Cato’s knee pressed against his thighs, he took the hint and spread his legs.
