Page 23 of Forgiven

“I’m pretty sure I don’t.”

“You do.”

Clearly, Dylan hadn’t been aware enough of his behaviour to realise. He slumped on the bench.

“Isn’t this the part where you give me some kind of advice?” he asked.

Hunter’s mouth quirked so one side was raised and the other dragged down in a frown. “You really want some?”

Dylan nodded, even though he doubted he was going to like what Hunter had to say.

“Callum—do you just want to fuck him or do you actually want to get to know him?”

“Does it matter?”

Hunter scowled. “Yes.”

Dylan sighed. “I wanted to get in his pants the moment I saw him. You’ve noticed him, right? He’s fucking gorgeous.”

Hunter gave him a sideways glare.

“I don’t just want to screw his brains out,” Dylan said defensively. “I want to get to know him too.”

“Really?”

Dylan put on his most indignant expression, dropping his jaw and raising his eyebrows. “Yes.”

“All right…take sex completely off the table. Do you still want to get to know him?”

It might have made him an arse, but Dylan had to think about it. “I barely know him,” he concluded at last. “But I want to,” he added hastily, before Hunter could draw any conclusions. “I don’t know what, but there’s something about him.”

“What?”

“I just told you I don’t know.”

“Try harder.”

Dylan glowered at the floor. He really couldn’t put his finger on it, but he was drawn to Callum like a moth to a flame. Maybe it was just a passing physical attraction that would be satisfied if they ever got to sleep together, but what if it wasn’t? What if he did want to get to know Tattoo Boy on something more than a physical level? It wasn’t his style, and it scared the hell out of him, but he couldn’t dismiss the possibility.

“He’s tough, but fragile,” he said at last.

Callum had a bad boy exterior, but Dylan was sure it was just a mask. If that were true, it meant they had something in common—they were both hiding beneath a fake persona, both keeping their truths concealed. Or maybe Dylan was just projecting his own behaviour and insecurities onto the gorgeous twink.

“That turns you on?” Hunter asked.

“Yes, but I also want to know why. What’s made him that way? What makes him tick?”

“You really want advice?”

“Yes.”

“Forget about sex. Apologise for being a jerk and start over. Offer him friendship. He’ll either accept or he won’t.”

“And if he doesn’t?”

“Respect him. Walk away.”

“You make it sound so easy,” Dylan mumbled.