Page 11 of Fairy Cakes in Winter

He did his own recon before leaning in. “Well, all right, things I’ve learned are as follows: It’s important to be enthusiastic, use your hands. Any part you can’t get into your mouth should be stroked or fondled. And saliva is your friend. It’s okay to be sloppy, then clean up your mess. There’s more, but…you get the idea.”

“Uh…right.”

And now I was a horned-up, strung-out man on the edge. My dick pulsed behind my zipper, begging for release and yeah…that wasn’t going to happen.

He triple-checked his seat belt as he settled into his seat again. “Of course, that’s from my own personal data bank. Hmm. I’ve said too much, haven’t I?”

I swallowed hard. “Nope. All good.”

“Youdidask.”

“That was a mistake,” I grumbled.

Theo’s lips twitched in amusement. “You’re funny. I’ll remind you that I—” He paused when the plane touched down. “Are we here?”

I nodded just as the captain announced that we’d arrived at London Heathrow. We shared a smile as the cabin came to life with the sound of clicking seat belts, opening bins, and random chatter.

Time to get back to reality.

Reality consisted of gathering my shit, getting through customs, finding some real food, and getting a good night’s sleep before organizing myself to move to Bath for the month to oversee the pop-up.

Theo and I walked off the plane together, shuffling like lemmings from one line to another—passport check, baggage claim, customs. I was sent through without a hitch and could have been in the queue for the London-bound train, but I lingered in the corridor, waiting for him.

I couldn’t say why. Yes, I liked him, but this was where our story ended. Geez, I must have been delirious with fatigue, ’cause this wasnotnormal behavior for me. I repeat—not normal.

“There you are. I thought they might have booted you out of the country and put you on the next flight home,” I teased, gruffly pushing the strap of his carry-on over his shoulder.

Theo swiped his hair from his forehead and sighed. “It was a close call, but it looks like I made it.”

I pursed my lips to keep any nonsense from spilling out and finally found the words to put together a decent departing speech. “Good luck to you, Theo. It was a pleasure to meet you. Happy New Year and all that.”

He tilted his chin shyly. “Same to you. And thank you for being so…nice.”

“Nice? Don’t go spreading rumors, man.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

He beamed at me, and you know…I couldn’t help but smile in return. A big, stupid grin that should have embarrassed me but didn’t. I took the opportunity to memorize Theo’s features and catalogue our differences from this new vantage point.

I was tall and thick, he was short and slight; I had dark hair and brown eyes, he was blond with blue eyes. Christ, I was ten years older than him too.

And that was just surface stuff.

He was sweet-natured and I was…not. Theo was also enterprising and adventurous—braving new frontiers while I was a jaded asshole hoping not to lose my shirt in the new year.

And on that sobering thought, I tipped the wheels on my suitcase and stepped aside for a fellow passenger. “We’re in the way and I have a train to catch, so…”

“Oh, right. Me too. I, um…”

More staring. One of us had to make a move. I didn’t want to be the one left standing here, but I didn’t want to walk away from him either. I wanted—

I leaned in, intending to kiss his cheek. Nothing crazy. Just a platonic peck to commemorate our unlikely short-term friendship in the sky.

But the moment my nose brushed his temple, Theo turned and sealed his lips to mine.

Fuck me, that was good.

He tasted sweet and minty, like honey and peppermint and something I needed more than my next breath.