Page 105 of Mercury Rising

“Kind of. Being here made me think. It’s time I did more with my life. So, I’m going to volunteer.”

Gavin straightened his back. “Oh, yes? Where?”

“This place, of course. That’s why I popped in for a chat. Let’s face it, we haven’t got off on the right foot. Now that we’ll be seeing such a lot more of each other, we should bury the hatchet.”

Gavin opened and closed his mouth. No words seemed to be forthcoming.

“And just in time by the looks of it,” Mercury continued. “Why don’t you carry on with your reading? Me and my famous mother have got things covered.”

He got up.

“If you think playing a few games with the kids will get you into Nick’s pants, I highly doubt it,” Gavin spluttered.

Mercury leant down so his mouth was inches from Gavin’s ear. “I know how to get into those and it has nothing to do with ping-pong.”

Mercury lay in the dark, listening to Nick’s gentle snores. He was too fired up to sleep. Besides it was only ten o’clock. Normally his going-out time.

Everything he had wished for had come true. Shit like that didn’t happen in real life.

I’m never going to drop off at this rate.

Knowing it to be an impossible mission, Mercury slid out from under the arm Nick had casually slung across Mercury’s stomach.

He stole down to the lounge. After wrapping himself in a blanket, he snuggled up on the sofa and got his phone out.

In between some of the best sex of Mercury’s life, they had discussed his role at Bodhi House. Nick had suggested he make a list of everything he could offer and they would form it into something to present to Fenella.

Mercury started typing. The kids had loved the social media class he’d given. Perhaps he could do more things like that. He wondered how far he would be allowed to go. Imagine if he took them to the set of his mother’s next movie. Hassan would combust.

He typed it in.

“What are you doing?”

Mercury jumped. Nick stood at the bottom of the stairs.

“Oh, I couldn’t sleep. I didn’t want to wake you, tossing and turning.”

Nick padded over. Mercury opened the blanket and he crawled inside. His body was warm as he cuddled into Mercury. God this was good.

“Who were you texting? Got a fancy man already?”

“Three actually,” Mercury said. “No, I made a start on that list.”

Nick kissed Mercury’s chest. “You’re keen.”

They lay for a while, enjoying being in each other’s arms.

“What time is it?” Nick asked.

“A little after ten, why?”

Nick took Mercury’s phone from the table. “Why don’t you take a selfie of us and post it?”

Mercury frowned. “You know what will happen then. You’ll be my significant other.”

“I know. I want to be your significant other. No more creeping around. If we’re doing this, we’re going for it.”

“Giddy up, cowboy. I’m in.”