Page 73 of Love, Academically
“All right now, you two! Break it up!” Daff crowed.
Lila pulled back, blinking, but he wasn’t ready to stop, and greedily pressed his lips to hers again for another fleeting kiss.
She looked up at him, her big ocean eyes unsure and confused. That was a look that he would have to decipher later because Daff was laughing loudly and slapping him on the back. She wet her lips, as if seeing if she could still taste him and fuck, that was hot.
“Happy now?” He turned to his uncle, but pulled Lila tightly to his side.
“Yes, I am,” Daff took a large gulp of his drink. “Seriously though, my boy, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look so happy.”
Smiling, Daff squeezed his shoulder.
“You seem to be very content in your job and you’ve got this wonderful girlfriend who obviously adores you.”
Lila rested one hand on his lower back and the other on his chest, folding herself around him. His breath caught. As he glanced down at her to check she was all right (because Daff was beingwaytoo much, as he always was), she smiled up at him warmly. A smile that said she was fine, she didn’t mind, before turning back to Daffydd.
“Well done, my boy. I’m proud of you,” he said, eyes warm and wistful. He shook his head lightly and looked at his drink. “Oops, glass is empty!Wela’i di wedyn.”See you later.
Daff sauntered off, presumably to the bar to replenish.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry, Rhys,” she said, pressing her hand to her mouth. “I shouldn’t have, I didn’t mean to…” she trailed off.
He frowned at her. What had he missed?
“Shouldn’t have what?”
Lila stared up at him with wide eyes, as if the police had come in and arrested everyone and he was blissfully unaware.
“I shouldn’t have kissed you,” she whispered, her cheeks the most beautiful shade of fuchsia.
Rhys grinned, remembering the way she wet her lips to taste him again.
“You never need to apologise for kissing me.”
Lila eyes widened and a long breath escaped her lips. She swallowed, and took a small step back. Rhys’s hand dropped from her waist. This was a show, a pretence, and he didn’t need to be pawing her every second. He played with his shirt cuffs for something to do.
“Do you think we were convincing?” she asked.
Fuck yes. He more than thought so, heknewso.
“I think so.” He nodded.
“He’s really nice,” Lila said, gesturing towards Daff.
“Yeah, he is.”
Rhys took in the room, the relentless networking and handshaking his family did. They were all the same; always looking for the next opportunity, uncaring about who they stepped on to get higher up their greasy little ladder. He loved Elin, but there she was with their father and Rhydian, probably throwing Madoc under the bus, whilst Madoc scowled from the other side of the room, talking with a new COO of some division or other.
Daffydd’s business circles were smaller, having decided early on that he would be a more silent partner in the brothers’ business. That wasn’t to say that his division of Dallimore International, Dallimore Shipping, wasn’t successful. Daffydd was extremely good at reading people and had hired a very capable CEO and management team.
“He’s the best one. I love him.”
“Never married? No kids?” Lila shifted on her heels.
“No, never married. No children.”
Rhys took a breath. Daffydd’s wasn’t his story to tell, but it felt so good to be able to talk about his family. He’d spent so long keeping it all bottled up inside, afraid that people would find out who he was and judge him, only want him for his money, that he didn’t realise how much of a relief it would be to finally talk to someone.
“He’s gay,” Rhys blurted out. “He told me when he was drunk once. I tried to bring it up again, but he didn’t want to speak about it. I don’t think he’s ever told my dad and my other uncle. I think that’s why he drinks so much.”
