Page 85 of B is for Beg

“I should go,” he says in a content tone. “Before I miss the last train home.”

“Me too,” Cal says around a yawn.

I don’t want them to go. I love our evenings together but hate it when we all go our separate ways at the end. We’ve been taking it in turns to go to my place and Cal’s flat. Both are a trek for Blake, but he never complains about the journey.

“Stay,” I say.

Cal chuckles. “No offence, but you get up for work at the crack of dawn.”

“Too early,” Blake agrees. “I don’t think I’d be conscious enough to get the train home.”

“You wouldn’t have to get up just because I need to.” I kiss Blake’s hair and then lean over and seal my lips over Cal’s, kissing him slowly and tenderly. “You could sleep in as long as you want and leave whenever you’re ready.”

“While that sounds amazing, how would we lock up?” Cal asks. “Plus, I’m not sure our princess would even want to leave when I do.”

Blake pulls a face at us both. “I can get up when I have to. I just don’t like mornings.”

“We’d noticed by the time you send us your daily underwear photo,” I say, amused. Often, we don’t get that photo until nearly midday, sometimes after. Our boy certainly likes his sleep.

I nudge Blake off my lap and go through to the hall, retrieving the two keys I’ve had cut from the small chest of drawers I have in there. I wander back into the living room and dangle a key in front of each of them. Blake’s eyes go wide, and even Cal looks a little surprised.

“You’re giving us each a key to your home?” Cal asks.

“No, they’re for the maisonette upstairs,” I say dryly.

Cal rolls his eyes. “No need to be sarcastic. I’m just surprised, that’s all.”

“Why?”

He shrugs and then furrows his brow. “Honestly, I don’t know. I was about to say I didn’t think we were there yet, but… I guess we are.”

“We are.”

“We are?” Blake asks, staring between us. “No one’s ever given me a key before,” he adds, blushing. His eyes widen even farther. “Does that mean we’re nearly at the ‘meet the parents’ stage?”

I chuckle and sit beside them again. “I think we can put that step on hold for a while if you’re not comfortable with it.”

“I’m sorry. I probably sound like a stupid kid.” Blake dips his chin.

“No, you don’t, princess,” Cal says. “That’s a big step in any relationship, even more so when the relationship is a little unconventional, and you’re not sure how your family are going to react.”

“I haven’t even thought about what my parents might think,” I say. “I haven’t introduced a guy to them since I was in my twenties.”

“I am in my twenties,” Blake mumbles.

I stare at him, curious about what he’s thinking. The age difference between us hasn’t seemed to bother him before, but now he’s made two roundabout references to it in as many minutes.

“Are you worried about telling your parents because we’re older than you or because there are two of us?” I ask.

Blake shrugs.

“Hamish is a good ten years older than us,” Cal points out.”

“Yeah. Archie hasn’t told Mum and Dad about him either. Maybe it feels like a bigger dealbecauseI’m younger and it isn’t all that long since I moved out of home.” He rubs the heel of his hand over his thigh. “What they think still matters. Not that I ever seem to be able to make them happy or proud anyway.”

Cal and I almost collide as we hug him simultaneously.

“We’re proud of you, princess,” Cal says.