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When he came out of the shower, a towel around his waist, Ben was lying on his stomach on the bed, naked, eating, and watching TV.
It was the first time Aleksey had had time to actually appreciate the other man’s body, and he leant against the wall, taking it in. He could not see a single flaw. Ben shifted a little over to one side of the bed and placed an apple in the space next to him.
He had apparently quickly learned the rules of this odd relationship, and if he had thought there might be something more, possibly some talking, hell, even some kind of intimacy, he now affected an air of studious and silent indifference.
He idly flicked the channels, apparently intent only on his pasty and chips.
Aleksey eased onto the bed, sitting up against the headboard. He picked up the apple and considered it, turning it around in his hand for a while. “I do not suppose you ordered any wine?”
“Nope.”
Aleksey bit into the apple and winced at the taste, but it gave him something to do while he studied Ben’s backside. He wanted to put his hand on it, stroke over the taut skin, explore and test this man’s limits.
Ben flicked channels again and landed on a news site. Aleksey, seeing him about to select again, interjected quickly, “Leave it,” and Ben did. He was apparently uninterested now in watching, however, for he shoved the empty plate onto the floor and turned over, staring at the ceiling.
After a few minutes, when Ben appeared to finally realise that the man he had just had sex with was actually watching the lunchtime news and was not about to comment on what they had done, he rolled off the bed to his feet, stretched and went into the shower.
Aleksey took the opportunity to dress. He clearly could not go back to the office as his clothes were done for. His face didn’t feel too good either. When Ben emerged, he took in the situation and quickly dressed too.
“I have a job for you, by the way. You leave tomorrow.”
Ben gave him a quizzical look, buttoning his shirt. “So soon?”
“You will go with someone in a support role only as part of your ind—training. There are people you need to meet.”
Ben gave him a brief nod.
“Do you have any questions for me?”
Ben surveyed the room for a moment then flicked his eyes to his boss’s face. Aleksey guessed there was quite a lot Ben Rider was tempted to ask, but all he offered, in a stony voice, was, “I think I know all I need to know, sir.”
* * *
Chapter 19
Five Months Before April
“Ben has outdone himself with his choice of holiday location, do you not think?”
“Until I’m certain the damp has been conquered, I’m not going to risk hanging the wallpaper. Did I show it to you properly? Perhaps the light would be better outside. William Morris Arbutus. Only on the feature wall, of course. A bit overpowering otherwise.”
“Have you been there? I wasn’t sure if you had…”
“I still haven’t heard about the results of the planning application for the extension. Have you?”
Nikolas gritted his teeth and the expressionpulling somecame to mind.
He tried again. “Maybe another time you and the mor—Michael would like to go there? My treat.”
Tim Watson brought his gaze off the newly plastered wall that he was admiring with slightly defocused adoration. “What? Sorry?”
“Our holiday. Nice…place. So I’ve heard.”
Tim wrinkled his brow. “From whom?”
The urge to wrap his more than adequate grip around the smaller man’s neck was almost irresistible. He wondered whether he’d get away with it when Squeezy returned to the cottage to find his lover dead. Would he immediately suspect him? Probably. Everyone always suspected him for everything. Maybe he could start mentioning escapees from Dartmoor Prison, just to prep events in case he ever did need to murder Tim W—
“…but he said no.”
