Page 27 of Thrill

Eddie laughed. “So, you’ll take your car across town and get the bus home?”

Scott swatted him over the head. “Enough you. Some people enjoy driving. Just because you’ve never bothered your arse to pass your test.”

“All in good time.”

“Right, are you ready to discover the Penthouse of Pleasure?” Scott said. “I can’t wait to show you.”

They walked up to the building. Tyler noticed a sign painted on a glass panel above the door.

“It says Safe Haven up there,” Tyler said.

“They all had different names when they were boarding houses,” Eddie said. “On the ground floor and first floor are Theresaand Gwen. Amazing couple. They never bother about noise and we don’t take the piss.”

“What he means is. If you intend on bringing a rugby team home. Firstly, share. Secondly, keep them quiet,” Scott added.

Tyler followed his new housemates up a narrow staircase. At the top stood a bright pink door.

“We told you the guy who used to rent your room is a designer, right?” Eddie asked.

“Yeah.”

“Good. Hope you like. His style is…distinctive. We love it though.”

Eddie opened the door and let Tyler go through. He found himself in a narrow landing painted navy blue with wooden parquet flooring. White doors led off to the left and the right.

“Take a left,” Scott shouted.

“Shouldn’t we show him his room first?” Eddie asked.

“No, work up to it. Bring the drama. Call yourself gay?”

“Fuck’s sake,” Eddie grumbled. “Take a left, Tyler. It’s easier to go with it when Scott gets an idea in his head.”

Tyler obeyed and came into a spacious lounge. One wall had been painted plum and the rest white. Mismatched couches sat on a blue and white rug. A huge TV dominated one wall. He had struck lucky this time. It was a million miles away from where he’d woken up that morning.

Honey and Alistair weren’t speaking to him. It hadn’t placated them when he’d offered to waive the two-hundred-pound bond for the inconvenience. Although he had a slight suspicion that was why Alistair had brought such an entourage home. Oh well, it was Honey’s problem if he’d spent all the money on drugs. Tyler would be putting that little hiccup behind him from now on.

Placing his suitcase down, he took it all in.

“This is gorgeous,” he exclaimed.

“Phew, that’s a good start,” Scott said. “Eddie has a house rule. No sex in here.”

“You make me sound like a prude,” Eddie replied. “Tell him the real reason.”

Scott placed the airbed onto the sofa and tossed the pump after it. “I may have broken a previous couch one night.”

“Seems like a wise rule then.”

“Thank you,” Eddie said, putting Tyler’s other case down. “That door over there is my room.”

“And not a soul has passed that threshold in many a year,” Scott said.

“Fuck off,” Eddie replied with a grin. “Scott has the top floor. We’re thinking of having a revolving door fitted.”

Eddie led him out onto the landing again. With a flourish he opened the next door to reveal a slim but still spacious dining room with a black table and white chairs.

This was the most grown-up place Tyler had ever been in, let alone lived in.