Oliver’s lip twitched despite knowing where this was inevitably going to end up. “Me too.” He waved a hand at him. “You first.”
“But I’ve already started looking for houses in Nottingham. I’m not staying.”
Despite knowing this was coming, the confirmation had Oliver’s almost-smile fading fast. “I know.” He sighed. The heat from before trickled away and Oliver wrapped his arms around himself, suddenly feeling the cold. “And I’ve no wish to start something that has an expiration date.”
“Me neither.” Ed blew out a breath, the air misting slightly in front of him. “And I can’t do the no-strings thing, because there always ends up being strings.”
“There does.” Oliver laughed, the sound edged with regret. They were so alike. What a fucking shame. “Sex without feelings isn’t something I can do.”
Ed’s breath hitched, and his gaze swung to meet Oliver’s, reigniting the fire in his belly. “I’m not sure I’d want it to be.”
The urge to take a step closer, to cup Ed’s darkly stubbled jaw and draw him in for a kiss, was so strong, Oliver had to shove his hands in his pockets. He could almost feel the soft prickles of hair under his palms. The hungry look in Ed’s eyes had Oliver closing his to break the connection. “You’re not helping,” he muttered.
“I know, sorry.” Another sigh. “But your cheeks are flushed, and you look... inviting,” he whispered. “I’ve spent the last hour being tormented by those jeans—”
Oliver snorted. “I’ll wear trackies next time.” For both their sakes.
“Don’t.” Ed’s grin was back. “They’re the highlight of my weekend.”
“You need to get out more.”
“Maybe so.” Ed kicked at a few strands of grass that had managed to creep up between the slabs. “You know I’m not sure if we’ve cleared the air or made things worse.”
Yep. I know just how you feel.
“Because now we’ve decided nothing can happen between us, you want to do it all the more?” He ran a hand through his hair, trying to tamp down the flare of excitement at Ed’s nod of agreement.
“Exactly.”
God, it was going to be torture. Maybe they could?
No. Oliver stamped on that thought immediately. However hard this was now, it’d be ten times worse if they indulged and then he had to watch Ed leave for good. A long-distance thing wasn’t something he was interested in. If Oliver found a man he wanted to get involved with, he didn’t want it to be a weekends-only relationship. It’d kill him.
“Shall we get back to it?” Oliver asked, more to stop himself doing something stupid than because he wanted to go back inside.
Ed met his gaze, held it for a good few seconds—and Oliver would’ve given anything to read his mind right now—then opened the patio door. “Yeah, okay.”
The rest of the afternoon was full of stolen glances and tension so thick, Oliver felt dizzy from it.
By the time they finished painting the hall, Oliver was one good stroke away from an awkward erection, and those jeans didn’t hide anything. From the smug smile dancing about Ed’s lips, Oliver was pretty sure he’d noticed the slight bulge in Oliver’s jeans.
He also did nothing to hide the semi he had going on in his own pants. A fact Oliver was both thankful for and frustrated by. Why couldn’t Ed have turned out to be a knob, then Oliver wouldn’t have this problem. Initial attraction aside, getting to know someone—and liking them—made them infinitely more appealing. Damn it.
“Right,” he said, wiping his paintbrush off on a rag. “I reckon we’re done, don’t you?” His back cracked as he stretched, and Oliver figured a hot shower was in order. That would solve his other growing problem too. “Let’s get this mess cleaned up, then I’m going to head home and take a shower.”
For fuck’s sake, Oliver, why?
Why couldn’t you stop at “head home”?
Ed’s expression told him he knew exactly what Oliver would be up to under that water.Arse.
Licking his lips, Ed darted a glance at Oliver’s crotch, then the array of painting tools, then finally back to his face. “Um... it’s fine, I’ll clear up. You get off.” His eyes widened. “I mean, go! You can go. Home, that is.”
Oliver bit back a grin until Ed shook his head, smiling.
“Christ.” He waved towards the door. “Thanks for your help today, but you’d better go before I make this any more awkward than I have already. If that’s possible.”
“Oh, I’m sure it’s possible.” Oliver chuckled as he reached for the door handle, easing some of the tension. “Want me to come tomorrow too?”
