Page 64 of Best Supporting Actor

“It’s okay,” he whispered, which wasn’t much of an answer, but it seemed to answer something for Tag, because his lips tugged into a small smile.

“Yeah?”

Then, slowly, deliberately, he brushed his mouth against Jay’s again, eyes open, searching Jay’s gaze. Jay took in a shaky breath, but he didn’t pull away, and when Tag did it again, his lips a little firmer this time, Jay returned the faint pressure, closing his eyes on a sigh.

Oh God, this was a Bad Idea.

That didn’t stop him parting his lips, though, and allowing Tag to deepen the kiss. It didn’t stop him kissing Tag back. Hell, nothing could stop him now, because hewantedthis. He’d wanted it for weeks. WantedTag.

Jay shifted, letting Tag muscle closer, his taut, gorgeous body bearing Jay back into the soft cushions of the sofa.

Sliding his hands beneath Tag’s t-shirt, Jay caressed his smooth, warm skin. His hands moved upwards, pushing Tag’s t-shirt up, baring his chest to Jay’s hungry gaze. Leaning up on one hand, Tag reached behind his shoulder, grasping the back of his t-shirt and hauled it off over his head. He tossed it aside, then lowered himself back down, grinning at Jay, his dark hair sexily ruffled. And then they were kissing again, and Jay couldn’t get enough of him, couldn’t kiss him deep enough, couldn’t hold him tight enough. Could hardly breathe for wanting him.

They arched and ground against one another as they kissed, wrestling and tussling on a sofa that was too small for two grown men. Jay heard the coffee table scrape across the floor, the empty wine bottle hit the rug and start to roll, but he didn’t care. As messy and ungainly as this was, it felt fucking fantastic. “Fuck,” Tag gasped against his mouth eventually, sounding as shaky and breathless as Jay felt. “Why did you have to be so bloody gorgeous?”

Jay laughed unsteadily. “I could say the same to you.”

Tag pulled back enough that they could see each other properly. His hair was wild, eyes dark with desire. “I don’t want to fuck things up,” he said desperately. “Will this fuck things up?”

He meant the play.

Yes, Jay should say.Yes, it’ll be a bloody disaster.Who knew better than him that fucking your co-star was an incredibly awful idea?

But right now, he couldn’t think rationally. He wanted Tag so much his body physically ached for him. And it wasn’t just his body; something deeper and far more terrifying clamoured for this connection.

And yet he felt compelled to honesty.

“It’s a risk,” he admitted through numb lips. “But… it doesn’t have to be serious. I mean, it could just be some fun, right?”

“Right.” Tag didn’t sound too sure. After studying him for hours in rehearsal, his face was very familiar to Jay, and the expression he wore now, brows pinched in unhappy concern, made Jay’s chest ache, and his confidence sink.

“I know last time wasn’t exactly fun…” Jay trailed off, his heart shrinking from the memory of that night. A memory fresh enough to still be viscerally painful. He swallowed against the lump that had appeared in his throat. “Actually,” he said, trying to sit up without pushing Tag away, “maybe we should—”

“Jay, wait.” Tag placed a firm but gentle hand on his chest to keep him in place. “About last time. I’ve been wanting to apologise for ages…” He gave an embarrassed laugh. “It’s not exactly come up in conversation, but… What I said that night? About, you know, having to work hard or whatever?”

“It’s fine,” Jay said, face burning. “I know I’m not—”

“Jay, don’t.Please.” Tag looked agonised. “It would’ve been a shitty thing to say even if it was true, but itwasn’ttrue. It was the opposite of true, and I’m sorry. I had a fuckingfantastictime with you. I was just—” He blew out a breath, pressing his lips together in that expression he wore when he was dissatisfied with his own performance. “I don’t even know. I didn’t know you then, and I thought I sort of hated you—which was really fucking immature.” His sheepish gaze met Jay’s. “It was just, well, at the start of the evening, you were my archenemy.”

Jay couldn’t help but smile at that. “Your archenemy?”

Tag gave a lopsided grin. “My over-privileged nemesis.”

“Ah.”

More seriously, more softly, Tag said, “I know you better now. I like you better.” He wet his lips, eyes darkening as he reached out and stroked Jay’s arm, making him shiver. “And yeah, I do want to… have fun with you. As much fun as possible if I’m honest. After all, we’re only going to be in York for three more weeks.”

Jay’s mouth dried, his skin prickling beneath Tag’s slow caress. And then, amazingly, his cock stirred too, just when he’d thought the mood was well and truly gone. Breathlessly, he said, “Right. It doesn’t have to be a big deal. We can just… fool around.”

Tag’s gaze was careful. “And no one has to know, do they?”

Jay blinked, uncomfortably reminded of Seb’s insistence on secrecy. “You’d want to keep this quiet?”

Tag made a face. “Do you mind? You know how people are. I don’t want anyone saying I earned the Owen role on my back. I’d never be taken seriously again.”

Jay nodded, relaxing. “Yeah,” he breathed. “I get it.” And he did, because Tag was right—that’s exactly what people would say. Hadn’t Jay thought something similar, back when he’d first met Tag? Besides, Henry had strong views about romantic entanglements between cast members. So, really, it was good that Tag had raised it, good that they were on the same page. It made sense to set the ground rules. A quick fling. Nothing serious. And kept private, just between the two of them.

Tag lowered himself back down, covering Jay’s body with his own. “So, if we’re in agreement,” he murmured, “shall we get back to where we left off?”