Page 77 of The Good Neighbour

Hugh kissed him. “Thank you. What did your soon-to-be ex-husband want anyway?”

“Yeah. He wanted to talk about things.”

Hugh unfurled himself from Josh and stared at him. “And what did you say?”

Josh shrugged. “Not much.”

“But you listened?”

“I didn’t know what else to do. He had a crazy idea of us getting back together. Don’t worry, I told him that would never happen.”

Hugh frowned. “What did he say about me?”

The hard fact was that Josh hadn’t told him. He’d wanted to. Yet, something had stopped him. Even though it was a cold day outside, he had started to sweat.

How the fuck do I say this?

Josh didn’t have to worry. His hesitation seemed to give Hugh all the information he needed. He leapt to his feet.

“You didn’t tell him about me?”

Josh reached for him but he shook his head.

“There wasn’t the chance,” Josh said. “I wanted to get him out of here as quickly as possible.”

“Winston. I’d like to get back together. Josh. No I am seeing someone else. It’s really not that difficult.”

This was exactly why Josh hated confrontation. Things escalated far too quickly and he panicked. He’d always been the same.

“Hugh. Don’t. I can’t take another argument today. It wasn’t about you.”

“Not about me? Fucking hell, Josh. I know I’m not exactly a PR dream at the moment but being relegated to dirty little secret is starting to get really bloody stale.”

All his words were coming out wrong. “I meant I wanted to tell him no from me. If he thinks it’s a competition, he’ll stick around for God knows how long. He has to win everything.”

This appeared to stop Hugh in his tracks. He closed his mouth and sank down again on the sofa.

“I suppose I can understand that,” he said. “I wish you’d told him. He wouldn’t win this competition. I can guarantee that.”

Josh stroked his hand.

“I froze,” Josh said. “He was the last person I expected to see at the top of those stairs.”

Hugh scanned the room as if Winston would appear from a dark corner at any moment. An expression on his face of utter revulsion at the mere prospect.

To Josh’s relief, Hugh pulled him close.

“That was over quickly,” Josh said.

“I’m not going to apologise for reacting,” Hugh replied. “However, I recognise that he will be up for causing as much trouble as possible.”

Josh laughed. “You’ve never even met him.”

Hugh playfully swatted him on the arm. “He made a move on my man. Forgive me for feeling attacked.”

Heat burst from Josh’s chest at being described as Hugh’s man. Tonight, he would use any means necessary to leave Hugh in no doubts about the feelings Josh had for him.

“How did you feel?” Hugh asked.