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"So Hales isn't pissed, that's good," Strike said. He didn't move. "What did you do after you met with her?"
"I went back to my house," I said honestly.
He frowned. "There's a piece of this puzzle that I'm missing. You went back to your house, had dinner and went to bed all by yourself?"
"It's been known to happen," I said.
Strike glanced over at Nate. "Do you believe it?"
"Sorry Ax," Nate rumbled. "You definitely have that air about you today."
"Come on, confess," Strike pressed. "What did you do between picking Hales up at the airport and coming here this morning?"
I almost saw the pieces of the puzzle fall into place in his brain. His eyes widened.
"Wait a minute." He drew out the first word, long and slow. "Dude," he said in the same tone. "Did you sleep with Hayley?"
Nate lowered his arms and blinked in surprise. "That's a guilty face if I ever did see one." He pointed at mine.
I spread my hands out to either side. "So what if I did? Last I checked, we're both grown-ups."
"How close did you check?" Strike grinned.
"Close enough," I said with a grunt. I gave him a gentle shove and stepped around him.
"Was she good?" Strike asked.
I stopped mid-step and turned around. "That, is none of your business." She was good. Better than good. She was responsive and generous, and her mouth was unexpectedly incredible. In fact, all of her was. I meant it when I told her she was more gorgeous than she knew. She was beautiful without having to try. I could count on one hand the amount of times I'd seen her with make up on, or her hair in anything other than a neat ponytail or a bun.
I felt like a shallow asshole for not noticing her sooner. I should have, she was right there under my nose. I'd always liked her, but I'd never really looked until yesterday. And now I had, I didn't want to look away.
"I'll take that as a yes," Strike said. He and Nate followed me as I trotted up the stairs and over to the kitchen where everyone else was busy making sandwiches and coffee.
I grabbed a cup and a chicken, salad sandwich and stepped out onto the deck.
"For real," Strike said when he followed me out there too. "I'm happy for you, bro."
"Why are we happy for him?" Jude asked around a mouthful of sandwich.
"He slept with Hales," Strike told him.
I sat in a chair and rubbed my forehead with my fingertips. "Why don't you shout it to the whole world? Don't," I said quickly when he put his hands around his mouth.
"Who is Hales?" Mel asked.
"Tour publicist," Jude said, still with his mouth full. "Hayley Rivera. She's nice. Not as nice as you." He swallowed just in time to give her a kiss. "But nice enough for Axel."
I thought he meant that as a compliment.
"This isn't supposed to be public knowledge," I said. "I wasn't even going to tell you guys.” I should have tried harder to deny it. Strike would have given up eventually. Like, in a day or two. Maybe a week.
“Do me a favor and don't let on to her that you know. And for the love of little green dragons, don't tell Roman. She's already worried what might happen if people found out."
"We won't say anything," Jett assured me.
"Not a word," Tilly agreed.
"No one knows but us eight, and her," Strike said. "How would anyone find out?"
