Page 65 of Reflex

“What the heck does that mean?”

“Anyway the wind blows,” he said, smirking.

“Okay,” she mouthed.Honestly, she wasn’t sure she wanted to know anything too in depth about Xane’s proclivities.Mind, it was fun just to chatter to Spook while he pottered around doing everyday activities.She was still surprised that he’d been so relaxed about parading around naked for her.Of course, he was fully clothed now.Which was in no way a let down.That man made for one serious clothes peg.He could probably have had a career on the catwalk if he hadn’t opted for music.

Alle watched him pull a brush through the damp knots of his hair, then scrunch the strands into a bunch at the back of his head.The effect made his jawline and cheekbones more pronounced.His stomach growled loudly while he stood before the mirror teasing a few strands loose to frame his face.

“Want to borrow some clothes?”

“I’m not skinny enough to borrow your jeans.My dress is fine.”Spook scooped it off the floor along with her bra and tossed them onto the bed.“No panties,” she mused.That seemed to happen whenever they hooked up.It was a good thing they didn’t have nametags embroidered into them like when she was at school, or she’d have one heck of a sleazy rep.

“I can offer you boy shorts, or is that too weird?”He put his tongue to his teeth, and seemed trapped in a thought loop for a moment, before startling back into motion.“I’m not offended if it is.I mean, I turned down the same offer from Xane.”

“Xane offered to loan you his underwear?”

“Yeah, yesterday after I got wankered, and the spent the night at his place.”

One, it was news to her that Xane had a “place” in Monte Carlo, although also not stupefyingly surprising.Two, crashing over didn’t usually result in a loss of underwear, and three, “What the fuck!I know you’re friends, but that’s weird.It’d be like wearing your brother’s.”

“I wouldn’t know.”He shrugged nonchalantly.“I don’t have a brother.”

She knew that, and he was missing the point.

“You’re pulling weird faces,” he observed.Something riling you?”

“I’m thinking.”

The mattress jumped as he pounced onto it on all fours and crawled towards her.Once close enough he smoothed a stray curl away from her face.“Maybe not so hard.It looks like you might strain something.”

“So distract me.”

He kissed her on the tip of her nose.

After a moment, he sat back on his haunches.“What is it?”One side of his face creased as he dragged an eyebrow downwards.

“Xane.The underwear thing.You said everyone’s fair game.Does that include you?”She’d read that exposé inBang!Magazine.Then, dismissed it as bollocks, but now something was niggling at the back of her brain.Something she felt she needed an answer to, once she figured out what exactly the question was.

Spook grinned at her, his lips peeled back over his white teeth.“It includes everyone, Alle.It’s an addiction.I’m pretty sure he’s fucked every member of the band at some point or other, and all but the most recent additions to the road crew.”

“Including you?”she reiterated, her voice practically breaking under the strain.

Spook stretched out his arms before him, hands clasped.“Ah!Oh.Well, it was a very long time ago.”His grin broadened, until he actually laughed.“Is that not what you expected to hear?I hope you’re not labouring under the delusion that I’m in any way pure.”

She shook her head.Lord no, he had way too many mad skills for that.

Spook prodded her bare thigh, prompting her to curl her toes against his stomach.

“I kind of assumed you were straight, you know?It’s what you implied, when you were talking about being celibate last night.”

He shrugged.“I am.Mostly.”

“Except with him.”

Another shrug.He began massaging the tops of her feet.“Xane’s unique.”

He didn’t say.

“Also, it’s not really about gender.”