Page 121 of The Pairing

“So sorry about that,” I say. “That’s—that’s really a design flaw, isn’t it? If anything should be easy to grab when it’s covered in oil—”

Fabrizio claps his hands together with delight.

“So, youaretogether again!”

“What?” Theo says.

“Yes, of course, when two lovers are reunited, the sex is better than ever. All you want to do is make love, day and night.” He takes Valentina’s hand, glowing with the romance of a poet, and plants a kiss on the inside of her wrist. “When I return homefrom a tour, Valentina and I—”

“Fabs, darling,” Orla says. “Spare them.”

“We’re not—” Theo says.

“That’s not what it’s for,” I say.

Fabrizio pauses halfway up Valentina’s arm.

“It is for something else, then?”

And it’s been such a long day with so much to process that I can’t think of a single excuse.

A twinkle appears in Fabrizio’s eye.

“Ohhh. You think I invite you here for—ah, I forget the word in English.” He turns to his wife. “The sex with three people?”

Valentina helpfully supplies, “Threesome, amore.”

“Threesomamore.”

“No, amore.Threesome.”

“Ah, yes. Threesome.”

Theo and I lock eyes.

Do we tell him?

Of course we don’t fucking tell him.

“We—” I start.

“We weren’t—”

“I wouldn’t say we—”

“I mean, I may have gotten the impression—”

“We just—we—” I’m losing the plot. “Maybe we—”

Theo glances at me, eyes huge. “I guess wemighthave. ..”

“We. ..” Fuck it. “Did. Yes, we did think you wanted to have sex with us.”

After a beat, Theo adds, “Respectfully.”

Orla sits back and takes a hearty swig of wine.

“And we’re so sorry for presuming,” I say. “And to you, Valentina.”

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