Page 45 of Hold On

“Would he like to join the volunteers on Monday? He doesn’t need to pay, just as long as he doesn’t tell anyone he’s getting a freebie.”

“One minute you think he’s a thief or a spy, the next you want him on the dig?”

“Just thought I’d take a look at him.”

Ren gave a heavy sigh. “I’ll ask him.” Hopefully, Dominic had sent his number.

He had. Ren tapped out a text.Like to come out for a bike ride tomorrow? 9.00 My brother wants to know if you’d like to help with the dig on Monday. 9.00 We can slope off when we’ve had enough. Approx. 9.05 I’m sure we can find something more interesting to do.

“You should call Mum,” Will said. “She’s waiting to hear whether you’re going to Dad’s birthday party.”

Ren sighed and sent a message to his mother.Yes to party x“Done. Anything else?”

Will chuckled. “Short and sweet. You had a lot more to say to Dominic.”

Ren pressed his lips together.

“I’ll start dinner.”

“Does this count as your turn on the kitchen assistant rota?”

“No, because there’s only two of us here to cook for.”

Ren turned to look inside the tent and spotted his brother taking two pizzas from a bag. “You’re not actually cooking, are you?”

Will turned on the propane oven. “Do you want yours raw?”

“No.”

“Then shut up.”

A few moments later, Will came back out with two more beers and handed one to Ren.

“Andreas almost hyperventilated when I showed him the head you found. He thinks you’re our rabbit’s foot.”

Ren sighed. “It isn’t as if you’re going to leave any section of this field untouched.”

“No, but finding items like that is good for morale.”

“Let’s hope your volunteers don’t arrive expecting an all-inclusive holiday.”

Will chuckled. “Better than those hoping to find a body.”

Ren’s phone buzzed with a message. Dominic sayingYes, yes and maybe.He laughed. “Dominic’s going to help on Monday. I’m taking him for a bike ride tomorrow.”

“Be careful.”

Ren almost opened his mouth to sayaren’t I alwaysbut that wasn’t true.

The following morning, Ren was about to ring the buzzer when the door opened. Dominic stepped out. Ren felt as if he’d been hit by a wrecking ball, but in a perfect way so that he fell onto something soft and took Dominic with him. But the pleasure in seeing him was flattened by the wide-eyed and anxious expression on Dominic’s face.

“It’s okay if you’ve changed your mind,” Dominic said.

“It’s not if you’ve changed yours. My brother’s loaned you his gear. I’ve put it with the bike. I want to take you out. You have no excuse. Not even motorcyclophobia.”

Dominic managed a small smile. Ren’s gaze dropped to his mouth and he knew he was a goner. He shouldn’t…but he didn’t care.

One step into Dominic’s space and their mouths were together, Ren sucking on Dominic’s tongue, then running the tip of his own tongue along the line of Dominic’s teeth before dropping hot sloppy kisses into his mouth. The kiss had felt imperative, still did, but Ren made himself move back.

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