Page 118 of Leather and Longing
Adam barked out a bitter laugh. “Oh, trust me, it makes perfect sense.”
Paul stared at the road ahead. “Now might be a good time to tell me where we’re going,” he remarked as he negotiated the turns.
“St. John’s Road, near the railway station. Number 201. There’s no parking on the main road, because there are double yellows everywhere, but you can park in the station car park.” He snorted. “Unless it’s all changed since I was last here, which was a long time ago.”
Paul snuck a glance at him. His face was flushed, his hands clenching and unclenching on his thighs.
Adam was seriously pissed off.
Paul fell silent for the rest of the twenty minutes it took to arrive in Ryde, which seemed to suit Adam. Paul longed to reach out and hold Adam’s hand but held back: one look at Adam’s tight expression told him to leave him alone.
“We’re here.” Paul parked the car in an empty space and turned off the engine. Adam had unbuckled his seatbelt and climbed out, cane in hand, before Paul was out of the car. Paul walked at Adam’s side, his fingers resting lightly on Adam’s elbow.
When they reached the house, Paul caught sight of the car in the small driveway. “That’s your sister’s car.”
“Good.” Adam snapped out the word, his voice grim. “I’d hoped that’d be the case. Wednesday is her day off.” He let Paul lead the way up to the front door. Adam lifted his cane and rapped sharply on it, the sound loud against the plastic. A moment later it opened, and Caroline appeared, her eyes wide.
“Adam? What are you?—?”
“Mind if we come in, Caroline?” Adam said, pushing past her, his hand wrapped around Paul’s upper arm. He entered the first room on the right. “This is your living room, isn’t it? At least, it was the last time I was here.”
“Well, actually, I was—” Caroline gaped, her face flushed.
“Paul, where can I sit?” Adam asked, ignoring her.
Paul glanced at the room. Dean was sprawled out on the couch, but there were two armchairs free. Paul guided Adam to one of them and took the other, his heart hammering.
This could get ugly.
Adam sniffed the air. “Good afternoon, Dean.” His nephew stared at him, mouth open.
Caroline followed them into the room, her hands on her hips. She glared at him, as though he was to blame, before turning her attention to Adam. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
“Because I wanted to surprise you.” Adam gave a thin smile. “Surprise!” He sat upright, his back rigid, cane held between his knees.
Paul’s stomach quivered.
Caroline recovered quickly. She cleared her throat. “As a matter of fact, I was coming to see you today.” She glanced at Paul, her eyes glacial. “About a matter of some urgency.”
“Well, it seems I’ve saved you a journey,” Adam responded, his cool smile still fixed. Paul’s scalp prickled. Adam aimed his gaze in Caroline’s direction. “What did you want to see me about?”
She cleared her throat. “I’m afraid it’s not appropriate for Paul to continue working for you.”
What the hell?
Paul straightened, a gasp escaping his lips. From the chair next to him, Adam reached across slowly and laid a hand on his thigh. The gesture reassured him.
“And why, may I ask, is that?” Adam asked, his tone icily polite. Paul recognised it instantly.
Something was coming.
Caroline arched her eyebrows. “You have to ask? The two of you are having sex.” She wrinkled her nose, her lips curling.
Paul sucked air in through his teeth, but Adam gently squeezed his thigh. “And how would you know that?” Adam asked, his tone even.
Caroline snorted, an unladylike sound Paul would never have believed possible of her. “I see you don’t deny it. As for how, Dean spied a used condom”—she grimaced—“in your bathroom when he came to fix your shower.”
“So?” Adam sat back and folded his arms across his chest, his face impassive.
