‘Maybe.’
‘You never sent me any pics.’ I keep my tone light, because I’m mostly joking. Ninety-five per cent joking. Okay, fifty per cent joking.
Will laughs. ‘I think we should do it.’ The T-Rex dies, and I’m glad of the distraction. Will punches the air, before pretending to blow out his guns. ‘I’ve still got it.’
I don’t want to ask him to elaborate. It’s not for me to push. But the thought of going to The Laurel and hanging out with Will naked is… enticing. From the corner of my eye, I sweep over his body, lingering on his thick thighs.Get a grip on yourself, Sam.
‘I was so happy when they released these games again,’ Will says. ‘Remember how much we loved playing them?’
‘I do,’ I say, but my voice is choked and I look away.
‘You okay?’
‘Uh, yeah,’ I announce, standing up. ‘Just thought about checking on the lovebirds.’
‘Tim said he’d text when they were leaving,’ Will says. ‘Invisible, remember?’ Will pats the seat next to him. ‘Come on. Come play with me.’
Does he mean for that to sound like an innuendo? Does he know what he’s doing to me? My feet are numb as I head back to him, fresh glass of wine. Sitting beside him, I feel his warmth, feel the hairs on my legs brush against his. He doesn’t shift, instead he welcomes the touch. His arm slinks behind me, across the sofa, his other hand moving the controls. Lara stomps across the screen, over the slain corpses of the T-Rex and velociraptors.
Resting my head against the pillow behind me, I turn to look at him. ‘Do you think we’ll stay in touch after you go?’
Will pauses, allowing Lara to let go of a ledge she’d jumped to reach. ‘You’re already thinking of me going?’
‘Yes.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I don’t want you to.’
Will grins, his arm moving closer to me. His fingertips graze my neck and I shiver. ‘You going to miss me?’
‘I’m going to miss being fake boyfriends,’ I say.
Will giggles, his mirth so warm, my new favourite sound. He makes Lara climb. ‘We’ll keep in touch, Sam. I don’t know why we ever lost it.’
‘No, me neither.’
Will places the game control down, leaving Lara standing precariously on the edge of the ledge. Am I about to fall, too? I look at Will’s face, his handsome smirk, the way his Adam’s apple bobs as he takes me in.
‘Will…’
I could reach out, pull him to me. I’m about to rest my head against his shoulder when a crash from downstairs sends him scattering like a terrified cat.
I follow after him, feet thudding across the floor, down the stairs.
I crash into Will at the bottom of the stairs.
Catching my breath, the sound of joy and unadulterated pleasure reaches me.
Jemima has pushed Tim onto the table, empty platters scattered on the floor. Her kisses land on every available surface of the man, and as she rips at his shirt, buttons ping across the room.
‘Okay, I think that’s all for tonight,’ I announce to the room, clapping my hands and leaving Will hunched over in hysterics by the doorway. ‘Thank you for eating at No Name Coffee House tonight.’ Jemima doesn’t apologise. She allows Tim to guide her towards the door, but she keeps snatching at him like she wants to devour him. They’ve barely even looked at me. ‘Unfortunately, we no longer do food but feel free to stop by for coffee anytime.’
‘Tip is on the table,’ Tim whispers, face bright and lipstick stained.
‘Have a good night.’
I wink at him, turning my back on the couple that won’t make it back to their room in one piece.
