Page 141 of Men in Shorts

Andrew set the dirty glasses on the table, then held up his hands in surrender. “You know I’m happy being waited on.”

“I’ve noticed once or twice.” He went to fetch the glasses. “Just don’t call me Dermot.”

Andrew lifted his chin. “My family’s butler is an honorable man. You could be compared to worse.”

Colin threw him a warning glare as he moved away, but by the time he reached the sink, he was smiling too. It was good to get back to their old banter. The last few weeks had been an awkward dance, as they fumbled forward with a new understanding of each other.

In a way, it was fortunate Andrew’s second panic attack had occurred in a public place. After Covent Garden, there was no more suffering in silence. Andrew had to own his trauma and speak about its treatment. Otherwise he might seem ashamed of who he was—something his pride would never permit.

True to Colin’s prediction, Andrew had inspired many of his followers. The tears on his cheeks made it obvious when he was reading another email or post containing a tale of struggle and survival. Colin had offered to screen the messages, but Andrew had refused, saying they encouraged him to keep fighting.“And besides,”he’d said,“No one—no one—touches my phone.”

Andrew picked up the device in question from the worktop. “Ah, our dear Evan decided to grace us with a message.” He held the phone up to show Colin:

Evan

Happy two-hour-belated birthday! Apologies again for not being there.

“Wonder how his ‘architectural emergency’ went,” Andrew said with a note of sarcasm Colin didn’t understand. Evan had phoned yesterday to say he had to work tonight. The cancellation was hardly surprising, considering Fergus and John were coming. Who in their right mind would want to hang out with their ex-boyfriend and his new husband at a small party like this?

Colin had been relieved and grateful when Andrew told him he’d spoken to Evan about his difficulties. He’d no idea what his teammate’s trauma was—and frankly, it was none of his business—but imagined it had to do with the Belgian lover Evan had run off with last year.

As Colin lifted one of the dining chairs to put it back in place, he felt a twinge atop his left hip. “Ow.”

“Are you all right?”

“Just a wee bit tight from the match.” He pulled his left foot up behind him to stretch his quad. This was a welcome pain, the sort that came from playing hard and leaving nothing on the pitch.

“Still, you could do with a massage.” Andrew moved toward him, holding out a hand. “We’ll finish tidying up in the morning.”

Colin knew by the look on his boyfriend’s face there was no point in arguing.

In their room, Andrew had Colin strip naked and lie face down on the bed.

“It’syourbirthday,” Colin said as he eased himself onto the mattress. “I should be doing this for you.”

“Don’t worry, there’ll be other things you can do for me.”

Andrew changed into a T-shirt and yoga pants, fetched the massage oil, then went to the bed and climbed atop Colin’s thighs. He began with long, broad strokes, courteously avoiding the scattered cuts and bruises acquired in today’s match.

Though the weather had been crap, and though Colin had “merely” provided assists for Duncan’s and Shona’s goals rather than scoring himself, he’d once again been happy just to wear the shirt of his beloved team. All thoughts of returning to his old league were now dead and buried. He was a Warrior through and through.

“So we’re a week into February,” Colin said, struggling to get words out between the groans of pain and ecstasy Andrew’s massage was provoking. “You said I could start paying you rent this month.”

Andrew paused. “About that.”

Colin tensed. Did Andrew want him to remain a charity case? “You’ve changed your mind?”

“Not exactly. But I’ve been thinking…”

“Thinkingwhat?” Colin turned over, nearly throwing Andrew off him.

“Outside the box.” He shifted so Colin could sit up. “If we stay here, you either pay rent—which makes you my tenant—or you don’t pay rent, which makes you my guest. Either way, we’re not on equal footing.”

“Aye.”Finally he gets it.

Andrew crossed his legs beneath himself, looking nervous. “What if we rent another flat together, a place that’d beours, not mine?”

Colin stared at him for a long moment, wondering if he’d heard right. “So we’d both sign the lease, and I could pay some of our rent?”

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