Quinn almost dropped the coat. ‘You write naked?’
‘Sometimes.’
‘Oh, Jesus.’
Noah’s hands slipped in his jogging pockets. He looked around the apartment, cleaned only five minutes ago by Quinn, who panicked that he’d asked the author over. ‘How come you invited me over?’
‘I … don’t know,’ Quinn said. ‘Can’t sleep.’
‘No, me neither,’ Noah said. ‘I broke up with Matty.’
Quinn yelped, covering his mouth. ‘Sorry?’
‘It’s okay.’
‘No, I mean, did I hear you right?’
‘That I broke up with Matty?’
‘Exactly that.’ Quinn sank onto the sofa, light-headed. Maybe it was the hour of the night. ‘What? Why? Oh, god, was it my fault? Did I do something? It wasn’t yesterday, was it?’
Noah joined Quinn, but not close enough. Sitting across from Quinn like they were mutual friends at a party.
‘Actually, Quinn, yes.’
Quinn shook his head, unable to believe his words. He’d broken up a partnership? How would he be able to live with himself?
‘You’ve gone pale.’
‘I’m scared.’
‘Why are you scared?’
‘Please, Noah, tell me I didn’t break you up.’
Noah grimaced. ‘Well…’
Quinn let out a groan, hunching over. Noah, next to him now, patted his back.
‘It’s okay,’ Noah soothed. ‘Honestly, Quinn, it’s not your fault.’
Quinn took a deep breath, feeling hot. He’d never wanted to break them up. Maybe that was why Noah accepted the invite with ease: he wanted revenge.
Sitting up, Quinn braved a glance at Noah.
He didn’t look distraught. He looked dashing. Like he had no worries and everything was together for him.
‘It was time,’ Noah said. ‘I think last night reminded me of that and brought it home. Matty and I… We’d been having problems. He flipped when he saw you with me in the room.’
‘He knew what happened?’ Quinn put his head in his hands.
‘Nothing happened,’ Noah said.
‘But something almost did.’
Noah touched Quinn’s hands, removing them from his face with a gentle ease. They looked at one another, Quinn trying to understand what he was thinking.
‘It was the final straw for me,’ Noah said. ‘The things he said, the way he didn’t believe me when I told him nothing happened. There was no trust there. He didn’t trust me not to do anything. Assumed the worst of me.’
