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“So, that first time we met… is that what you usually do for sex? Pick up randoms in clubs?”
“It works for me.” Alec’s tone was frosty.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound judgemental. I mean, I was there—right? I was up for it too.”
“So I recall.” The ice melted again and humour crept in.
Ed glanced sideways and flushed when their gazes met. “Yeah. Um. So you’ve never, like, dated or anything? Nothing more permanent?”
“You’re a lawyer, Ed. Try and sound the part. No hesitation, no deviation. Just ask what you want to know.”
“Have you ever had a boyfriend?”
Alec shook his head. “No. But I’ve never wanted one. There are fewer and fewer men who are prepared to stay in the closet these days. Boyfriends tend to want to do inconvenient stuff like be seen in public together. It’s easier to pick someone up when I want a warm body to fuck instead of my hand.” He folded his arms defensively.
His words stung. “Don’t you get lonely?” Ed pressed.
“I don’t have time to be lonely.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Believe what you like. Anyway, I assume you’re not seeing anyone? Nothing serious if you were prepared to go home with me. So, aren’t you lonely too?”
“Sometimes,” Ed replied honestly. “I don’t live alone, though. I have a housemate. But I miss being in a relationship. I had a long-term boyfriend while I was at university, but it didn’t work out.” Ed’s gut twisted with the remembered pain of that relationship breakdown. “There hasn’t been anyone serious since. I hope I’ll find that closeness again sometime.”
“I’m sure you will.” Alec balled his napkin and stacked their empty plates. He got up and carried them over to the desk. With his back to Ed, he checked his watch and said, “We should hit the hay. We need to be in Mackenzie’s office for nine thirty.”
The time for confidences was clearly over. Disappointment nagged at the edges of Ed’s consciousness as he sat on the edge of the bed and put his shoes back on. He sighed, telling himself he was stupid for hoping for anything to happen. It was better this way. Less complicated. But he couldn’t tamp down the feeling of wistfulness, of a chance missed. Maybe in some parallel universe there was an Ed who’d managed to break past Alec’s reserve, but in this one, Alec’s walls had come back up. “Goodnight, Alec.”
Alec glanced up from checking his phone. “Night, Ed. Sleep well.”
Back in his room, Ed took off his trousers and hung them up, then unbuttoned his shirt before heading into the bathroom for a piss. When he’d finished, he went to the sink to brush his teeth and jumped out of his skin with a yelp. “Oh Jesus, fuck!”
He stared in horror, his heart pounding.
An enormous spider stared back. It looked as if it was staring, anyway, with all eight of its evil little eyes.
Ed hadn’t been kidding when he told Alec about his phobia. The idea of spending the night anywhere near this monster was intolerable. He picked up a glass and tiptoed closer. Maybe if he could trap it, he could put it out of the window or something. He knew it was stupid, but he didn’t like killing them. It wasn’t their fault he loathed the bloody things.
Ed paused, ready to pounce. He was sure it was watching him. He moved the glass closer, slowly edging it over the spider. God, it was so huge he wasn’t sure he could catch it under the glass without squashing its hairy legs.
Ed lowered the glass, slowly, imperceptibly, trying to keep his breathing calm and even and to not freak out. He was almost there. Just another couple of inches and he’d have it….
But then the spider moved, rushing towards Ed with intent. Ed yelled and smashed the glass down, trying to catch it. The glass shattered against the porcelain of the sink and exploded, sending shards everywhere. In a panic, Ed stumbled back and then howled with pain as he stood on a shard of glass, driving it into his foot.
“Fucking bastard spider!” he yelled. “You evil fucker!”
Ed retreated to the bedroom, slamming the bathroom door shut, and sat on the bed to check out the damage. He winced when he saw the piece of glass still sticking out of his foot. It wasn’t huge, but it hurt and his foot was oozing blood. Gritting his teeth, he pulled it out carefully, then wadded up a tissue and pressed it against the cut to try to stop the bleeding.
God, he still needed to brush his teeth and get ready for bed, and fucking glass was everywhere—plus the spider was still in his bathroom. Ed’s phone was sitting on the table by the bed. Before he had time to think better of it, he texted Alec.
