Page 38 of And the Best Man Ran Away With the Groom

I reach into his hair and tug the hair-tie out, letting his long waves fall through my fingers. God, I love his hair. I loved it before our little hairdressing session yesterday, but since then I’ve become pretty much obsessed. It’s just one of the many things I’ve come to love about him recently.

Wait…what?

I drag my lips from his, my whole body stiffening in astonishment at my sudden realisation. No. Obviously I’m getting way too carried away here. I don’tloveTrent. That’s completely ridiculous. I’m fond of him, of course. Certain parts of him in particular…but it’s just an attraction. And it’s going to go away in a few days when this trip ends.

“Everything okay?” he asks, his eyes full of concern.

“No, it’s nothing,” I rush to reassure him as I scramble out from underneath him and get to my feet. “I just remembered I need to…um…go call my mum.”

Trent stares at me, wide-eyed. “You were thinking about your mum just now?”

Okay, yeah, that sounds bad. “No, no, of course not. Just…” alright, seriously, how do I get out of this? I give a sharp shake of my head and backstep towards the door. “Yeah, I’ve got to go.”

Before Trent can say anything else, I spin around and rush the rest of the way out of his bungalow, not slowing until I’ve reached my own, letting out a heavy sigh of relief when I get inside.

My feet are all gross and muddy from the dash across the wet ground outside—because of course I didn’t stop to put my thongs on—so I take a quick shower before sprawling out on my bed to call Alastor.

“You don’t look as happy as last time,” he observes upon answering the FaceTime call. “What happened? Trent realise he doesn’t like dick after all?”

“It’s worse,” I say with a groan. “I think I’m falling for him.”

“What? How can you be falling for him already?” Alastor demands. “You only started hooking up a few days ago. Wait—does he have, like, a magic dick or something? I mean, he does strut around all happy and smiley as though the sun’s shining out of his arse. Is that it—does he have a magic arse?”

“No, you fuckwit. He doesn’t have a magic anything.” I let out a long sigh as I fall back onto my mattress. “He’s just…shit, he’s just so sweet, andgenuine,you know? I mean, the whole first week we were here I kept expecting him to drop the nice guy routine…except it turns out it’s not a routine. He genuinely cares about the people around him. Even people he doesn’t know.”

“Pretty sure I told you all this before you left.”

I roll my eyes. “You said, and I quote ‘he’s a good bloke’.”

“What? And from that you didn’t get how sweet and genuine I think he is?”

“Whatever,” I say with a wry shake of my head. “It’s not just that, though.”

“Go on,” Alastor prompts, waving a hand at the screen in a gesture for me to continue.

I scowl at him. “I’m not telling you anything else. It’s private,”

Alastor’s face splits into a Cheshire Cat-like grin. “Ahh, that means he’s a great root. Is he better than Macey?”

“Fuck off, mate. I’m not answering that!”

“That means yes. Can’t wait to tell Macey that his best mate who’s been queer for a grand total of five days is a better fuck,” he adds with a bark of laughter.

I narrow my eyes in warning. “You are not telling Jackanything.Jack’s not going to know about any of this—got it?”

Alastor rolls his eyes. “Pretty sure he’ll clue in when you and Darc get back to Melbourne and are all lovey-dovey. I mean, I know he’s not the sharpest tool in the shed but let’s give himsomecredit.”

“We won’t be all lovey-dovey when we get home,” I counter with an eye roll. “This is just a holiday fling. It’s over as soon as we leave. What happens in Thailand stays in Thailand.”

Alastor lets out a harsh scoff. “Yeah, right. You just admitted you’re falling for the bloke. Doesn’t sound like just a fling to me.”

“I said IthinkI’m falling for him,” I correct. “Think.And I’m probably jumping to conclusions. It’s probably just the sex haze. Or a rebound thing…”

Alastor casts me a dubious look. “Right. And maybe the Hemsworths will show up at my door and want to play naked Twister.”

“What? All three of them? Together? With each other?” I ask, one eyebrow raised. “That’s a bit…"

Alastor sends me a dark look. “Hey, don’t judge me for my fantasies, Mr. Vanilla.”

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