Page 87 of Best Supporting Actor
Just then, Tag let out a soft snore and shifted in his sleep. He looked so peaceful, lying there, his hair dark against the white cotton pillow. Last night, after they’d both come, he’d suggested they have a lazy Sunday morning. A long lie-in, more sex, a late breakfast. It had sounded nice,reallynice, but Jay was so fucking uptight he couldn’t even relax enough to enjoy the simple pleasure of not having to get up. Here he was, before seven in the morning, his brain working overtime, his limbs itchy. There was no way he could just lie here until Tag woke up. If he tried, he’d only disturb Tag’s rest.
A run, then. He’d leave Tag sleeping peacefully while he ran off his anxiety and hopefully come back in a better mood—or at least better able to pretend to be in a better mood.
Plan made, Jay carefully slid out of bed and quietly collected his running things, taking them into the bathroom to get changed. Tag was still dead to the world when he emerged and let himself quietly out of the flat.
It was an unremarkable, overcast morning, a little humid. After a few warm-up stretches, Jay set off on one of his more challenging routes.
When he finished, he was exhausted but feeling better—still squirmy in his gut, but less caught up in his own thoughts. On the way back to the flat, he stopped off at their favourite deli to buy breakfast sandwiches and coffee, and by the time he arrived back at the flat, he was doing a pretty good impression of ‘normal’.
“Rise and shine,” he said as he entered the apartment, chuckling when Tag groaned.
“I thought we were having a lie-in,” Tag said in muffled tones.
“We are,” Jay replied. “As soon as I’ve had a quick shower, I’m coming back to bed. In the meantime”—he set down the brown paper bag and cardboard drinks tray on the nightstand—“there’s a double cappuccino here for you and an egg, spinach, and mushroom brioche roll with extra roasted tomato.”
“My favourite,” Tag murmured. “You’re awesome.”
“I know. Mine’s the all-day breakfast roll, and I won’t even complain if you nick some of my bacon.”
Tag levered himself up on one elbow, grinning now, his dark gaze on Jay. “I think I love you,” he said.
Jay’s heart stuttered.
He froze where he stood, beside the bed. His shock was probably obvious. After a moment, he attempted a normal smile, but his face felt weird and stiff, and anyway it was too late—Tag wasn’t looking at him anymore. He’d averted his gaze, reaching for the bag and rummaging for his sandwich inside, his cheeks blazing with embarrassment, his regret clear.Shit, it had obviously just been a throwaway, playful comment, but with his stupid, over-the-top reaction, Jay had made it awkward. Tag was probably mortified by that slip. Worried that Jay had taken him seriously.
Maybe because, for a fraction of a second, Jay had…
It was a thought that made Jay feel both intensely sad and incredibly foolish as he turned away and headed for the bathroom to shower.
* * *
They spent the rest of the day in amiable companionship, lounging in bed for a couple of hours, then heading out to a local cinema to watch an artsy Spanish film Tag was keen to see. Several times throughout the day, Tag tried to initiate conversation about the play, and once, he tried again to tell Jay about his conversation with Austin Coburn at the party, but each time, Jay closed him down quickly.
“Let’s have one day where we forget about the play,” he said, smiling to take the sting out of his words. “It’ll do us both good.”
Tag acquiesced with an easy smile, but Jay suspected he realised how uptight Jay was, his glances growing more concerned as the day wore on. When they went to bed that night and Jay—by then, desperate for oblivion—begged Tag to fuck him again, Tag gently refused. Instead, he gave Jay the longest and most insanely pleasurable blowjob of his whole life, waving him off when Jay tried to weakly insist on reciprocating.
“Go to sleep,” he said with quiet firmness, settling his head on Jay’s shoulder and wrapping an arm around his waist. “You’re exhausted.” And, finally, Jay did.
Again, however, the relaxing effect of orgasm was only temporary, and when he woke early the next morning, his first exhausted, anxious thought was,Dress rehearsal day.
Then,Just one more day till opening night.
Later, while Tag was showering, Jay sat at the breakfast table, ignoring his toast and reading the email he’d received from Dr. Maynard with details of the pharmacy where he could collect his prescription and dosage instructions.
He found himself thinking back to theDraculafiasco. He’d had a massive panic attack at home that day and had pulled his meds out from the back of the bathroom cabinet in desperation. He’d taken the full dose, and, in fairness, the medshadkilled the panic stone dead—but they’d also left him lumbering around the stage in a stoned stupor, tripping over his own feet and slurring his words.
“Shower’s free,” Tag said, interrupting his thoughts. Hurriedly, guiltily, Jay closed the email and shoved his phone into his pocket but when he glanced at Tag, Tag wasn’t even looking at him, too busy pulling a tight, green t-shirt over his dark head and yanking it down over his muscular torso.
“I’ll be quick,” Jay said.
“Take your time,” Tag replied cheerfully. “We’ve got ages. Plenty of time to grab coffee on the way.”
Jay showered and dressed, and soon they were heading out. The pharmacy was on the way to the theatre. Jay waited till they’d been walking for a few minutes before pretending he needed some headache pills, and then it was easy enough to persuade Tag that he should go to the deli to grab their coffee while Jay popped to the pharmacy.
“I’ll see you at the theatre,” Jay said as he crossed the road, and Tag lifted a hand in acknowledgement before walking on.
Luckily, Jay didn’t have to wait long for his prescription, and nobody recognised him. He tucked it inside his rucksack, making sure to push it down into the middle of the main section, before heading off.