Page 20 of Between the Lines

“Sure,” Luca said, stepping back. “I’ll start locking up.”

He walked away, uncertain what, if anything, had happened between them. And even less certain whether anything should.

Sleeping with the enemy would be a bad idea, however tempting the enemy proved to be.

Chapter Eight

After last night’s disaster of a meal, Theo decided to avoid eating at the Majestic. And since Dee’s Coffee Shop was closed at this time of night, he had to venture into the only other place in town serving food—the Rock House.

More of a bar than a restaurant, the place had a small stage for live music and a couple of TV screens showing sports with the volume turned down. It had an unpretentious, old-fashioned feel that Theo rather liked. There were red leather booths along the back wall, all of which were taken because the place was packed with people—most of whom looked scarcely twenty-one and wore t-shirts sporting Finn Callaghan’s face. His fans were in town, big time.

Crammed against the bar, waiting to order, Theo was tempted to give up. The noise, the music, and the jostling crowd were starting to grate. But he was hungry. Starving, in fact, after a couple hours in the water with Luca. Plus, he was still on an adrenaline high after his astonishing ride. He’d never felt anything like it. True, it had been arse-clenchingly terrifying, but it had been exhilarating, too, and had left him feeling capable of anything. Even getting served in a crowded bar.

At last, the blowsy woman serving came over, smiling at him. “Hey, sweetie, what’ll it be?”

He gave his order—burger and fries—and went in search of a table because he didn’t like his odds perching on one of the spindly bar stools. But making his way through the crowd had its own problems. Theo hated crowds, hated the complexity of navigating such a bewildering melee of people all moving in different directions. Sometimes, in London or Manhattan, he got so frustrated he stopped dead in the street and let people flow around him. It garnered him a few looks he assumed were either quizzical or irritated, but better to endure that than melt down and cause a scene. Here, of course, he had no option but to push through the throng and hope he didn’t tread on too many toes.

Shame none of the booths were free, because he’d feel much happier hiding away in one of those. A couple of the larger ones near the door were overflowing with teenaged girls who looked like they were there for the night, but there were three smaller ones at the back of the room and—Oh.

Luca sat in one of them, taking a long pull from a cold beer. His throat worked as he swallowed and Theo found himself entranced by the way his Adam’s apple bobbed, the smattering of stubble on his jaw glinting gold in the light from the lamp hanging over the booth. His skin prickled with a visceral sense memory of Luca’s touch, that bewildering moment when he’d stood behind Theo and slipped the wetsuit off his shoulders. Christ, how Theo had wanted him to do more, to go further...

Behind him, a woman exploded into laughter, knocking into him and spilling something icy down his back. He gasped and stumbled forward. “Oh excuse me!” she apologized, but Theo didn’t turn around because just then Luca looked up and caught his eye.

Theo froze. Shit. What should he do? What should hedo? They’d parted no more than an hour ago at the Surf Hut, Luca leaving with a nod and an intent look Theo hadn’t been able to interpret. He hadn’t been smiling, but he hadn’t been frowning, either. Justlooking. And he certainly hadn’t invited Theo to the Rock House, which meant he wouldn’t want his company now. But it would be rude not to say anything after their surfing lesson, wouldn’t it? He couldn’t ignore him, yet Luca’s expression wasn’t welcoming. His mouth was a straight line, brow lightly furrowed as if he was thinking through a problem. Maybe Theo was the problem.

Shit, what should he do? Uncertain, but knowing he had to do something, he lifted a hand in an awkward wave. Luca nodded. Nothing more. Just nodded. What the fuck did that mean? Hello? Goodbye? Come over? Piss off?

Someone else jostled him and he glanced around to see a rambunctious group of young men crowding into the bar, increasing the crush from busy to sardine-like. Theo felt a stab of panic and backed up. From the swagger and salty hair, he guessed the new guys were surfers. Friends of Luca’s, perhaps? He glanced past them to the door and wondered whether he should abandon his burger and escape, but his growling stomach didn’t much like that plan.

Then a hand landed on his arm and he jumped. Turning around, he found Luca standing behind him with an expression Theo could only describe as long-suffering. “You need a place to sit?”

“Oh. Only if you don’t—”

“Come on, then.” Luca slid back into his booth before someone else could snag it, waving at Theo to join him.

“You’re sure you don’t mind?” he said, hovering next to the table. “I don’t want to impose.”

“You’re not imposing.” Luca took another swallow of beer. “Relax, your highness.”

With an unmanning sense of relief, Theo slid into the booth. It was good to be out of the crush. “I didn’t realize it would be so busy in here tonight.”

“Not bad for a town nobody visits, huh?” Luca smiled around the lip of his beer. Perhaps he thought he’d scored a point.

Theo arched an eyebrow. “Not counting the Callaghan fans, how busy would it be?”

“I thought your plan relied on the ‘Callaghan bump’?”

“Sure.” He folded his hands on the table. “But I’m talking about attracting those seeking to emulate Callaghan’s Hollywood lifestyle, not those wanting to wear his face on their shirts.”

“His Hollywood lifestyle? Don’t tell me you believe that crap.”

Theo kept his expression neutral. “Every word.”

Luca rolled his eyes, golden lashes catching the light in a way Theo tried hard not to notice. “I need another beer,” he said, then hesitated. “You want one?”

“God yes.”

Luca appeared to find his vehemence amusing and got up with an odd little half-smile that did silly things to Theo’s stomach. Well—there was no harm in admiring, was there? Whatever else he was, Luca was a handsome man. And kind, too, he’d come to realize. Patient. Likable, even, despite his initial gruffness. Unfortunately, that made for a rather lethal combination and he could feel his heart starting to pound cartoon-style in his chest. Bloody idiot.

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