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Ashok didn’t want to put anyone out. He could easily find a room somewhere until he had more money.
“It’s fine. I can find somewhere else. I don’t want to kick anyone out.” Ashok made to stand and pick his bags up from the floor. “Just point me to the nearest guest house or hotel. I can stay there for a while.” As long as it wasn’t for too long, he reckoned he’d be OK.
“Hey, no worries. He said it’s cool, and Jerome’s his pet snake,” Dom said with a grin.
“Snake? What the fuck? Is it venomous?” Ashok was horror-stricken. Dogs and cats he could do, but reptiles? Fuck, no! A hotel room was looking more and more appealing.
“Nah, he’s just a green snake. Had him for a while, I think, but he’s never bitten him or any of us actually and he doesn’t let him out of his tank too often. Oh, and he only lost him once.” Dom winked at him, and he honestly didn’t know if he was joking or not.
Ashok really wasn’t sure about this now and was convinced he still had a horrified look on his face. He didn’t have a phobia, but living with a snake? He didn’t know if he could do that, especially if Hayden let it out. Best to let them know now before he unpacked all his stuff and got comfortable.
He was about to protest again when the door opened, this time letting in Seb and the most gorgeous man Ashok had ever seen. This must be Hayden.
They were similar in height, around six feet, but where Ashok was of slim build, this guy was fit, his polo shirt stretching across his chest and biceps. Did he work out, and would his pecs be as firm as they looked? He wore slim-fit black jeans with a pair of Converse on what appeared to be enormous feet. His hair was a beautiful strawberry blond, not too ginger, but just enough that it was kryptonite to Ashok.
Coming back to his senses and realising he’d been staring, he held out his hand to introduce himself to his new landlord. But instead of shaking, Hayden bent down and picked up his holdall before turning to leave.
Ashok was stunned and dropped his hand back to his side, noting the embarrassed looks of Seb and Dom. How fucking rude was this guy?
Seb smiled apologetically. “He’s just a little surprised, is all. We need to get a move on, but he will come around. He has to get back to close up the coffee shop later.”
Ashok didn’t know what to say. Obviously, the guy didn’t want him in his house, but how could he walk out now? He’d taken his bag, leaving him with just his backpack containing his wallet and now switched-off phone.
He followed Seb out of the studio to Hayden’s car where he was sitting in the driver’s seat, tapping on the steering wheel impatiently. Ashok couldn’t help but think this was the worst idea ever and went to sit in the back of the car.
“No, you get in the front,” Seb said, opening the front passenger door. “I need to get back inside. I was just showing you which car.”
Shit, he was going to have to go with him alone, and he wasn’t good at small talk, not at all, and the hostility rolling off Hayden was making him seriously regret his decision to come here. Was he jumping from the frying pan into the fire?
He got in, though, fastening his seat belt, and looked over at him. They’d need to discuss rent etc., but he really didn’t think now was the time. The more he thought about this situation, though, the more he realised it was a terrible idea. He’d stay for a few days, then move out when he could.
“So, er, thanks for doing this and sorry for springing it on you,” Ashok said, trying to break the tension in the car. “I could have stayed somewhere else, you know, and there’s no need to kick Jerome out. I can take the couch or whatever. I could get a hotel room just for a couple of weeks. It really isn’t a problem.” Ashok mentally kicked himself. He rambled when he was nervous, and this guy made him nervous. He felt warm, and his palms were sweaty. “I’ll just stay for a few days.”
Hayden turned to glare at him. It really was the only word for it. No welcoming smile, just a grimace, as if he were an inconvenience.
Technically he was, but surely it wouldn’t hurt the guy to smile or at least be nice to him!
Hayden didn’t reply, and they sat in silence as he drove, both of them facing forward. Not a word spoken between them. Ashok glanced over occasionally, hoping he didn’t see him, but he really was good-looking. Ashok reckoned when he did eventually smile, his face would light up. His eyes would sparkle, and was that a hint of a dimple he saw? Ashok was determined to bring a smile to his face, but maybe today was not the day.
Time crawled by as they got caught at every set of traffic lights. Hayden’s jaw tightened with each stop, and Ashok didn’t even want to imagine what was going through his head. His hands gripped the steering wheel, but even though he was clearly annoyed, his driving was never erratic. The guy was cautious, and Ashok appreciated that.
“How much further?” Ashok was trying to think how long it would take him each day to get to work. More to the point, how was he going to get there? He’d not really made any arrangements for that, nor was he sure when Seb would want him to start. Turning up early had thrown them all for a loop, but he wouldn’t apologise. Being away from London had lifted an enormous weight from his shoulders.
Hayden’s next words snapped Ashok out of his thoughts and any hope he had that they could put aside their differences flew out of the window.
“What, can’t stand to be in the car with me? I wouldn’t blame you. I’m doing this for Seb and Dom as a friend. Don’t be looking for any favours. You don’t know me, I don’t know you. Let’s keep it that way.”
If the car hadn’t been moving, he’d have opened the door and got out, leaving his bags. He was regretting his decision and vowed to move out as soon as he could. One night, that’s all he thought he could spend with him, but it’d be one long fucking night!
Chapter Three
Hayden
Haydendidn’tknowwhathe was doing or saying. He just knew he felt so fucking annoyed by this whole situation. It wasn’t Ashok particularly, but where he found himself right now, driving home in the middle of the day to drop off a guy he didn’t know at his house. To top it all, he’d need to move Jerome, and he’d only just got his new vivarium set up.
Hayden hadn’t known what to expect when he walked into the dance studio, but it certainly wasn’t the slim Indian man currently sitting next to him. The moment he’d seen him, his interest was piqued. Wearing grey sweats with a lavender hoodie, Ashok had long, black hair in a messy bun on the top of his head, tendrils of loose hair framing his perfectly symmetrical face. Or so Hayden thought anyway.
The colour of his flawless skin left no doubt as to his ethnicity, and Hayden had struggled to tear his eyes from him. The only way he’d kept his wits about him was by channelling the annoyance he was feeling at being inconvenienced by his arrival.
