“I don’t mind the cold,” Henry cut in quickly. Truth be told, he’d much rather be outside than in.
Dom gestured to the doors behind them. “Let’s go then.”
* * *
Dom shiveredas they stepped outside.
The cold a sharp contrast to the sticky heat of the dome area. “Christ, it’s cold.” He quickly zipped his coat up and pulled on his hat, turning to see Henry pulling on his beanie and his gloves. As sad as he was to see all that unruly dark hair disappear under his hat, it did highlight his blue eyes and sharp cheekbones.
“The lake is this way.” Dom started to walk up the path with Henry falling into step beside him.
He didn’t make a habit of approaching total strangers, especially not at a family-friendly holiday resort. But Henry had looked so out of place and lost, the caretaker in him couldn’t help himself.
And Henry was hot too.
All angles and hair.
He’d only meant to offer a bit of friendly advice, but things had taken an unexpected yet very welcome turn. He grinned to himself as they walked. “What’s your last name then, Henry? I feel we should share that before getting half-naked together.”
Henry glanced at him, lips quirked. “That’s not usually the way it happens.”
Dom barked out a laugh. This was not what he’d expected when he’d seen Henry walk in through those doors. “I like to do things differently.”
For a minute he wondered if Henry would answer, but after a slight pause he said, “My last name is West. I’m twenty-six and from Bristol.” He grinned. “Thought I’d get it all out there, save you the trouble of asking.”
“We’ll have nothing left to talk about if you carry on like that.”
“Sorry.” Henry fiddled with the buttons on his coat. “New places make me a bit nervous, and when I’m nervous, I tend to talk a lot. And quickly.” He shrugged. “I’ll be fine once I get my bearings.”
Dom looked around at the villas nestled in the forest and the fairy lights lining the road and nudged Henry’s shoulder. “It’s a holiday park in England. Not the Vegas Strip.”
“I know it probably sounds stupid, but—”
Dom stopped him with a hand on his arm and waited until Henry looked at him. “I’msorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel self-conscious. It’s not stupid at all.” Guilt tugged at him, and Dom mentally kicked himself for being so insensitive.
That wasn’t him at all.
Maybe his breakup had affected him more than he thought.
Resolved to do better and not give Henry the impression he was an arse, Dom made it his mission to point out everything on their walk down to the lake.
“There’s more restaurants up ahead on the left.” He gestured to where the roofs jutted out above the trees. “And there’s a massive children’s playground there too.”
Henry’s eyes widened as they passed it. “They never had anything like that when I was little.”
“Same.” Although Dom’slittlewas a few years before Henry’s.
As they reached the start of the raised walkway down to the lake area, Henry bumped his shoulder. “You never told me your last name.”
“Spencer.” He grinned. “I’m thirty-two and I’m from Somerset.”
Henry smiled back, and Dom wondered if he was imagining the slight relaxing of Henry’s shoulders. “Why did you decide to come here on your own?”
“Why did you?” Dom countered.
“I asked first.”
Dom breathed in deep and let it out slowly while he figured what to say that wouldn’t make him sound sad. “I’ve been coming here for a few years. Used to come with my family when I was younger. I like the familiarity.” He found it easier coming back to somewhere he knew so well. “When Sam and I broke up, it just seemed like the natural thing to do.”
