Page 25 of Forgotten

Jared leant against the back of the chair and folded his arms. “Oh?” It amused him that Kyrone wasn’t simply asking him. Whatever Kyrone’s game was, he was more than happy to play along.

Kyrone returned to the table and sat. “You have a very soft and clear accent.”

“It sounds more like you’re describing a wine than an accent.”

Kyrone arched an eyebrow. “To describe a wine properly, you have to taste it.” He leant forward so his lips were almost touching Jared’s.

“Last time I checked, you can’t taste an accent.”

“No,” Kyrone conceded. “But I can taste the next best thing. The mouth that sweet, slightly posh accent comes out of.”

“I don—”

Kyrone grabbed his neck and pulled him into a demanding kiss.

“Havethatposh an accent,” Jared managed breathlessly once Kyrone released his lips.

Kyrone stroked his neck softly with his thumbs. “Tasty. And definitely southern.”

“My mouth or my accent?”

Kyrone laughed heartily. “Both?” He looked thoughtful in an over-the-top way. “I’m right, though, aren’t I? You’re from the south… somewhere near London?”

“Surrey.”

“Oh, very posh,” Kyrone said in an affected accent.

Jared rolled his eyes but didn’t deny it.

“What brought you from sunny Surrey to grim Leeds?”

“I wanted a change of scenery.” Jared wrinkled his nose. “Leeds isn’t grim. I like it.”

“You’ve heard the saying, haven’t you?” Kyrone asked.

Jared hated that he had to shake his head. Maybe before the accident, he would have known what Kyrone was talking about, but not anymore.

“It’s grim up north,” Kyrone said in an exaggerated Yorkshire accent. “But it’s even grimmer down south,” Kyrone concluded. “Although I think only us Yorkshire folk tack that bit on the end,” he added with a wink.

Jared laughed.

“You didn’t come here for uni, then?”

“No. I—” Jared clenched his teeth together. It was harder to tell Kyrone the lie he’d told Faye, but he wasn’t sure why. “I felt drawn here,” he said at last, which wasn’t too far from the truth.

Kyrone smiled. “Whatever the reason, I’m glad you came.” He was still stroking Jared’s neck softly.

“Oh?”

“I wouldn’t have met you if you hadn’t.”

Jared rolled his eyes. “That’s a soppy thing to say.”

“Is that a problem?” Kyrone asked.

“No… I just didn’t expect it from an Adonis.”

“I’m a multifaceted man,” Kyrone said in an overly serious tone.