New Lease of Life (24 page)

“
Thanks
. He was being flirted with….” Wasn’t he? Everything had become blurry and confusing in the hazy memory of anger.

“You don’t sound sure.”

Pip shrugged and took a sip of his coffee. “Sugar!” He screwed his face up and stuck out his tongue. “Gross. I know it’s been a while, but you’ve been making me coffee since we had that dorm room together.”

“I haven’t forgotten. You look like you’ve had a shock, and I’m going on guesswork here. I can’t help you if you won’t tell me what’s wrong. Just like after you got bitten by that bloody dog.”

“Fuck off, Dubois.”

“And now you’re going to try and insult me until I go away. Not happening, Longhampton. Not this time. And if you won’t tell me….”

Quick as a flash, Davy grabbed Pip’s phone and leaned back out of Pip’s reach. He hummed to himself as he read, and a slip of pink peeked out from between his full lips.

“He sounds as confused as I am as to why you ran away, Pippin, but it’s clear he’s worried about you.”

“It’s what he does.” Pip blew on his coffee and watched the tiny waves ripple across the mug to hit the porcelain farthest from him. “He thinks I need fixing.”

“And you’re doing such a great job of proving that you don’t.” The phoned beeped, and Davy glanced down at the screen before handing it back. “You might want to answer this one. He’s going to start checking the hospitals.”

“No bloody privacy,” Pip muttered as he took the phone and read Colby’s message in its entirety. Davy had summed it up quite succinctly.

“Whatever you
think
he’s done, don’t let him believe that you’re hurt and unable to answer his calls.”

“I am hurt,” Pip said, not even bothering to hide the rising hint of petulance he felt. He tapped out a text,
I’m home
, and pressed Send. “There. Now he doesn’t need to worry, and you can stop nagging. I don’t need his pity. Or yours.”

Davy sniffed and lifted his chin. “Not going to work. Not this time. Teflon. Your insults will slide off me, because I know you love me,
mon frère
.”

Damn bastard. Davy was the closest thing to a sibling that Pip had, and he always did know when to pull the brother card.

Davy swung his leg off the armrest and pushed himself to his feet. “I saw the way he looked at you yesterday. Didn’t show the slightest interest in me, not even when I had my hands all over him. I didn’t see the slightest hint of pity.”

Like Pip needed to be reminded of the jealousy that had flared as brightly as the early spring sunshine as they had all stood together in the park. Before he did something stupid like admit that he was broken and not good enough for Colby, Pip took another mouthful of his too-sweet drink and frowned. “Where’s your coffee?”

“I’m carrying a nice buzz, and I don’t want to douse it with the coffee. Plus I had this couple of bears all but ready to carry me back to their cave when you called me. Hopefully they’ll still be interested when I get back.” Davy sighed dramatically. “One of them had the biggest, widest hands… like a paddle.”

The sound of an incoming message stopped Davy in his tracks. Thankfully. TMI. Pip hadn’t been kidding when he’d confided in Colby that he really didn’t want to know what Davy’s love life entailed.

Confide? Hell, he trusted Colby, with his own past and other people’s secrets apparently. And Colby had shown that same degree of openness in return.

“What did he say?” Davy interrupted his thoughts.

Realizing he hadn’t bothered to read the message, Pip glanced at the screen. He read it aloud, knowing Davy would only take the phone if he didn’t share.

“Thank God. Can I come ’round? Don’t want evening to end like that.”

“Like what?” Davy stood over him and planted his hands on his hips. “I swear to God that if you don’t tell me what happened I will set you up on a date with Andre the giant and his boyfriend, Yogi bear. And I hear those guys play rough. Not that I’ll ever find out if I don’t get back to them.”

“Seriously? Their names are Yogi and Andre?”

“Nicknames, and you’re missing the point.” Davy’s hands clenched into fists and dropped to his sides. He looked like he was about to explode. “My Pippin would dust himself off from any slight and pick up the next man that caught his eye, not mope in the darkness. You don’t want any kinky shit threesome, even if I was willing to give up the opportunity. You want cute, sweet as sunshine Colby.”

“He called me a cripple,” Pip blurted out, not wanting to hear how bloody perfect his best friend thought his boyf—Colby was.

“What? Fucking bastard!”

“Well, no, he didn’t. Somebody else called me it, and he agreed.”

“The person he was flirting with.”

“The person who was flirting with him.”

“Wait.” Davy held up a hand. “Colby wasn’t flirting.”

“Not at first. Then the bastard called me a cripple and told Colby I couldn’t get it up. Colby told me to get out and then agreed and”—Pip shuddered at the memory—“then he touched the bastard that had insulted me. Put his hand on the guy’s chest.”

“Then what happened?”

“You don’t think I was staying around to be humiliated even more? I hobbled out of there as fast as I could, grabbed a cab, and phoned you.”

Davy squatted down in front of him and placed a hand on Pip’s chest. “Like this?”

Unable to speak, Pip just nodded.

“Easiest way to get close to someone. Tell them what they want to hear, a placating caress with a hand to the chest, they relax, and then you’re in the perfect position to—” Davy pushed, the unexpected movement throwing Pip against the back cushion. “—shove! You prat. I’ll lay odds that he was defending your honor. You need to speak to him.”

“Maybe tomorrow.” Davy might be right. If Pip could study events without the veil of anger that still descended far too quickly…. A week with Colby had done wonders to his outlook on life, but it wasn’t enough to wipe out six months of isolation and despair.

“Speaking as someone you pushed away in the most scathing and hurtful of fashions, I call bullshit. You’ll use this as an excuse not to see him again. Either you’ll convince yourself you are right and I’m wrong, or you’ll pretend you are too embarrassed because you misjudged him, and he doesn’t deserve you.”

Damn it. Davy was spot on. “Sorry. For all the things I said. I didn’t mean—”

“Forgiven. Months ago. I think Colby deserves not to have to wait six months to have the same opportunity. More than that, you, Pippin, deserve to be happy. Don’t push away the people that care for you. Me, your mum, Colby.” Davy gave him a pointed glare as Pip’s message tone sounded again. Pip glanced down at the screen; anything to avoid
that
look.

Pipsqueak?

“Colby again?” Davy asked when Pip didn’t share the content of the text. “He’s persistent, I’ll give him that. At least he’s not willing to give up on you.”

Come around if you want.
Pip pressed Send then focused on Davy. “There. The deed is done. You can go back to your sure thing. I’d say let me know how it goes, but I really don’t want any details. Text me in the morning, and let me know you’re okay.”

“I’ve been doing this since uni. I know what I’m dealing with.” Davy’s eyes gleamed with excitement; then his expression softened. “But thanks for worrying about me anyway. Come on, walk me to the door.”

Pip let Davy pull him to his feet and pass him his cane from beside the chair.

“This is an elegant piece. It suits you.”

“Colby gave it to me.”

The look Davy sent his way spoke volumes about letting the good ones get away, about Colby, sunshine, and Care Bears. Or maybe Pip was projecting, because he doubted Davy had ever heard of Care Bears. Not unless there was a kinky dungeon Bear. Whips’n’Leather Spanking Bear. Oh my God, he had to stop thinking about that, right now, or he’d worry himself sick about Davy tonight and ruin his childhood forever.

“I could wait until he arrives,” Davy offered, but his hand was already twisting the handle to open the front door. “Don’t want you to change your mind.”

“I won’t. I promise.”

Davy nodded and opened the front door. He glanced outside, a private smile forming, and then leaned in for a hug. His lips smacked noisily against Pip’s cheek, leaving his skin damp in their wake. “Night, Pippin. Don’t do anything stupid.”

He stepped outside, allowing Pip to move into his place on the doorstep.

“Colby.” Davy nodded a greeting toward a shadow at the top of the stairs. “What would you have done if he’d said no?”

“Gone home.” Colby came down a step, moving into the light. “I was already in the area looking for him. I just needed to know he was safe.”

Colby looked past Davy and caught Pip’s gaze. He looked worried and exhausted, and Pip didn’t have the heart to look away.

“Do you want me to go? I didn’t realize you had company. I didn’t want you to have to deal with all that on your own, but if you’d rather talk to Davy about it?”

Davy snorted. “I doubt that. It’s been like squeezing blood from a stone.”

“Davy’s just going. He’s got a hot date.”

“Hey, you say that like I don’t care. I dropped everything when I got your distress call.” Davy turned to Colby. “I was in a club down the road when Pip rang.”

“There’s a club down the road?”

Colby stared out into the darkness, but Pip knew he would see no flashing neon sign or even a canopied entrance. Only a discreet brass plaque acted as a marker to Davy’s club of choice. Even half the residents of the street didn’t know it existed.

“It’s private. Exclusive.”

“Posh?”

“Extremely,” Davy agreed at the same time as Pip muttered, “Niche.”

“Wait!” Colby said, holding up his hand as though that would be enough to stop them. “Pip’s distress call?”

“It’s rare I hear my BFF on the verge of tears.”

“Davy!” Wanker. What did he have to say that for?

“Tears?”

Colby jogged down a few more steps until he stood on the one up from Davy. From his position by the door, Pip could see that Colby still towered over him, though it was the least threatening thing he’d ever witnessed. To be fair, Davy didn’t look in the mood to back down, and his best friend in a snit was enough to tame even the most savage beast. Not that Colby had ever acted in any way less than a gentleman… until tonight.

“I’m sure you’ve got a good explanation. You better have, I’ve been defending you based on one meeting and the light you put in my boy’s eyes. Don’t let me down.”

“Me? Pip?” Colby turned to him, his confusion evident.

Damaged.
The words echoed in his head, reminding him of the hurt that had stabbed at his heart.
Maybe he is.

“See?” Pip directed his comment at Davy. Not that he knew quite what Davy was supposed to glean from that. His head hurt. Seeing Colby all frantic and confused made his chest ache. His ankle was killing him. Too much drama. “I’m going to bed.”

Colby had already covered three of the stairs before Pip turned away. Pip heard Davy’s muttered, “Make it right. Don’t let him push you away,” and then there was warmth at his back. Pip stepped over the threshold, back into the house, but Colby didn’t follow. A shiver went down Pip’s back at the loss of heat.

“Pip, what have I done? I’m sorry I lost my temper, but that guy was an arsehole.”

“I already knew that.” Pip closed his eyes and tried to hold on to his anger. “What I didn’t expect was for you to be one as well. Will you close the door? You’re letting the cold in.”

“I don’t know if I’m welcome.”

“In or out, I don’t give a fuck. Just shut the door.” Pip held his breath. Didn’t dare turn around in case he had to watch Colby walk away.

The door closed with a solid
thunk
, and the mortise lock clicked into place. Pip waited for the heat of Colby’s body pressing against his back and strong arms wrapping around his waist, but they never came. Eventually he had to turn to ensure he wasn’t imagining the sound of Colby’s breathing.

Leaning against the front door, Colby was about as far away as he could get without being outside.

“You think I’m pissed at you because you lost your temper?”

“Honestly, I thought you were upset at being hassled by that guy, but now I can see I’ve done something wrong. I’m not normally so jealous or possessive, and I know you can handle yourself, but that guy was a cunt, and he made me see red, okay?”

Pip took a step back at the vehemence in Colby’s words. “Don’t use that word. It doesn’t suit you.” Part of him wanted to step close, caress the angry regret from Colby’s face, and kiss that horrible word from his mouth.

“I should go. I don’t know what I’ve done, but now I’m scaring you. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

No, don’t go
. That’s the words he should have used. Instead Pip said, “You barely raised your voice. That’s not losing your temper. And you agreed with him.”

There. He’d said it. Laid Colby’s crime out between them.

“I came
so
close to punching him.” Colby flexed his right hand and then held up his thumb and forefinger with barely any distance between them. “Ask the barman.”

Pip shook his head. “You agreed with him. When he said I was damaged goods.” He sighed, echoing that damning refrain. “Maybe I am.”

“You’re not.” Colby took a step forward, his arm outstretched as though he wanted to offer comfort. “Don’t say that about yourself.”

“That’s what you said earlier.” A sudden wave of sickly disappointment washed over him and he leaned back against the banister, all the fight draining out of him. Davy had been adamant Pip had made a mistake and now, with Colby there in front of him, Pip was struggling to believe it as well. Especially with the hurt and confused expression on his face, endearingly enhanced by those heavy eyebrows.

“I never agreed with him.”

God, this was hopeless. They were just going around and around in circles, and all Pip really wanted was for Colby to rush over to him and use his body to shield him from the hurt. Just the way he had in the bar before—

His ankle chose that moment to protest at the stresses of the day and, as his legs turned to jelly, he gripped the carved newel post and lowered himself down onto the nearest tread.