“We’d already had that conversation, and I told him I wasn’t interested in getting involved with him for various reasons.”
“Yet you slept with him anyway.”
“Yeah.” I sighed and held out my hands. “Clearly I have no willpower.”
“Clearly.” Setting his pint down on the table, Christian sat forwards. “You like him, he obviously likes you...”
He made it sound so simple when it really wasn’t. “We live together, he pays me rent, for fuck’s sake.” I listed the reasons on my fingers. “He’s way younger than me and we both know I’m not the most exciting guy to hang around with—”
“Finn,” he warned, and I knew it pissed him off when I said shit like that. An old hangover from my days with Evan.
“Fine. I’m not one for going out every weekend.”
“Is Jasper?”
“He’s twenty-one,” I replied, as if that was an answer in itself.
“Look, Finn.” He sighed and rubbed his forehead. “I’m saying this as your best friend, but seriously, mate, they all sound like excuses, not reasons. If you don’t want to get involved with Jasper, then don’t. But please don’t let anything that fucker Evan said to you affect your decision. He was full of shit, and deep down you know it.” He drained the rest of his pint. “And he can always move out if the landlord bit’s bothering you.”
“He’s only just moved in.” And as shitty as it was to think it, I also needed the money to help pay my mortgage. “I don’t want to have to look for someone else.”
He stood. “I’ve got to get back to work.” He smiled as I did the same and came to give him a hug goodbye. “Give it some thought though, yeah? I think Jasper would be good for you.”
I huffed. “You been talking to Cole?”
“No. but sounds like maybe I should.”
God no.
He grinned at my scowl. “I’ll give you a call later, okay?”
“Yeah.”
I watched him leave and sat down again, checking the time. My meeting wasn’t for another hour. Plenty of time to sit and dwell on what Christian said.
Fucking wonderful.
Traffic wasan absolute nightmare getting out of Bath, and for once Jasper had beaten me home. The sight of his car parked out on the road gave me butterflies, and for a second I was tempted to go visit my mum and dad for the evening.
Coward.
Resigned, I parked my car and headed inside. Jasper said we could fuck and not make things awkward. Hopefully he knew what he was talking about. But from the way my heart raced as I unlocked the door, I might struggle.
“Hey, I was starting to worry.” Jasper wandered into the hall, wearing my apron and a smile.
Some of my tension drained away. “Had a meeting in Bath this afternoon. didn’t finish till gone five.”
He winced in sympathy. “Bet the traffic was shite.”
“It wasn’t the best.” I kicked my shoes off, all the while wondering if he was going to bring up last night. Or whether I should. Or did we just pretend it never happened?
The timer on the oven went off, saving me from having to make a decision. “Are you cooking?” I sniffed the air; some delicious smells drifted out of the kitchen. I could count on one hand the number of times Jasper had cooked since he’d moved in. Not that I minded. I enjoyed cooking when it wasn’t just me eating it.
He walked back into the kitchen, shouting back over his shoulder. “Yeah. Popped into Sainsbury’s on my way home. Since you weren’t here, I thought I’d surprise you.”
It was only dinner, but his words settled in behind my ribs with a warmth I welcomed. I followed him, stopping in the doorway when I saw he’d laid out two place settings on the breakfast bar. Fairy lights were hung around the edge of it and a small blue tree sat on the windowsill. I swallowed past the lump in my throat. “It looks nice in here.”
Jasper finished dishing food into two bowls and then set them on the worktop. Pink coloured his cheeks and he smiled, shrugging a shoulder. “I spent all day sorting fairy lights, miniature trees, and decorations. It got me in the mood. The Christmas stuff was on sale, and I might have got a bit carried away.” His smile grew. “You should see the living room.”
