Chapter 5

Drying my hair with a towel, I pace back and forwards in front of the hotel bedroom window. As tour guides, we don't get the best rooms. This one passed poky a while back and has a delightful view of the bins, but to be quite honest, it could have a view of Westminster Abbey, and I wouldn't be able to pay attention to it.

Every inch of me is focused on the closed door, the sound of the shower, and the man currently naked in there—my best friend. And maybe something more.

I fumble for my phone, and pulling up my contacts, I ring Milly.

The call connects, and there's the sound of loud music. "What?" she shouts.

"It's me. Go somewhere quiet."

"Freddie?"

"The one and only. Hurry up."

"This had better be good," she grumbles. "I'm this close to pulling Pete Daniels."

"I wouldn't bother. I heard he's married, and his wife definitely doesn't understand him."

"Damn it."

There's a cacophony of noise, and then her voice comes clearer. "Okay, I'm here, and you've saved me from aiding and abetting adultery. What's up?"

"Joan told me Darcy fancied me."

"Who the fuck is Joan?"

"An old lady on the tour. She has two gentleman friends with benefits because she wants sex and then to have her house to herself."

"I think I need Joan in my life. She should be my mentor."

"She certainly wouldn't be bothering with Pete Daniels."

"So, she said Darcy fancied you, and you decided to listen to her when I've been telling you that fucking fact for years."

"Well, she's very wise, Milly. And your advice can be a teeny bit erratic."

"Pardon?"

"I said your advice is very wonderful."

"That's what I thought you said. So, what are you going to do?"

"I don't know."

"Freddie, you fucking well do. You're going to strip naked and throw yourself at him."

"What if he doesn't catch me?"

"But what if he does?"

"I'm scared I'm reading the signals wrong."

"What signals has he given you?"

"He bought me tea and food and stuck up for me in an argument about seats."

"He always does those things. You're like an old married couple doomed to experience Groundhog Day on a tour bus."

"And I caught him looking at me."

She starts to laugh. "Oh my god, I thought this day would never arrive."

"I'm not meeting that bloke from the Heart2Heart app. I want to give this a chance."

"I think that's a good idea, Freddie."

The shower switches off. "I need to go," I say quickly. "He'll be out in a minute."

"Okay, listen to me. Darcy Griffiths is in love with you, and if you take even a tiny step forwards, he will meet you halfway. This is a sure thing, sweetie."

"Promise?"

"Well, I don't like doing that, but I will say if he doesn't want you, I'll take all my clothes off and run over Pulteney Bridge."

"Didn't you do that last week?"

"Damn it."

"Love you, Milly. Got to go."

"Love you too. Make sure you save up all the details. I've been dying to know what Darcy's like in the sack for years. I bet he's wild. The quiet ones always are."

The door opens as I put the phone down, and Darcy appears. My mouth goes dry. He's wearing just a towel, the white material making his olive skin glow. His shoulders are broad, and his big body is tightly muscled, unlike me, who couldn't bench press a toddler. His curly hair is waving around his handsome face. He looks stripped bare somehow, and it feels lovely to be the one who sees it.

He looks up and stills at the sight of me, and I finally see it. I see everything in his eyes - hunger, lust, mixed with affection and fear, and it's all for me. "Darcy," I whisper. "Was it me you were talking about on the bus?"

He blinks, looking for a second as if he's going to deny everything, but then he sighs and slumps until his bum rests on the dressing table. "Yes," he says simply.

I inhale sharply. "Since when?"

"Forever, Freddie. I've been in love with you in some form or another since I met you. You're the love of my life."

I blink, my heart pounding loudly in my ears. I'd better not faint and miss this. I'm pretty sure it's going to be the best moment of my life. "But why didn't you tell me?"

He bites his lip. "And ruin the best friendship I've ever had?" he finally bursts out passionately. "The question is why the hell I would tell you."

I stare at him, feeling so many feelings run through me. I must be lit up at the moment like the electricity grid. But most predominant is utter joy. He loves me. "Don't you know?" I stop and clear my throat. "How can you not know, you utter idiot?"

He gapes at me. "What?"

"The way I feel about you."

He stands up sudden hope making his eyes glitter like stars. "Tell me," he says hoarsely.

I open my mouth and then just decide, ‘fuck it" and launch myself at him. He catches me. Of course, he does. Darcy has always caught me right from the moment we became friends. He's always defending me when my mouth gets me into trouble, which happens much more than you might think.

He clutches me to him, and I wrap my legs around his hips. A sudden coolness tells me I've lost my own towel, but I dismiss that, wrap my arms around his neck, and look into his beautiful eyes. "That I'm in love with you too."

"What?"

I nod. "I love you, Darcy Griffiths."

"But how? When?"

I shake my head. "Always. It's always been you."

"Freddie," he breathes. "Really?"

The shy pleasure in his eyes makes my heart feel like it's glowing. "You're the best thing that's ever happ?—"

I stop talking as he kisses me. For a second, we rest our lips against each other, stunned that we're here, and then the pillowy softness of his lips registers, and I lick over them, dropping a small kiss on the scar that cuts through the top one from where I threw a cricket ball to him. I meant for him to use his hands to catch it, but he led with his mouth, and the result was so much blood and a lot of tears. Most of them mine. I pull away and then suck lightly on the full lower lip. He gasps, and suddenly we're kissing furiously, our tongues tangling.

I taste mint on his breath and a sweetness that seems appropriate for my gentle giant. His large hands cup my arse, his fingers digging into the globes, and I moan, kissing him wildly and straining to get closer to him. It's so intense, and yet at the same time, because this is him, it's safer than I've ever felt. Sex has always been easy and nice before, but now I want to pull him into me. I want to absorb him like air.

The next minute we're moving. I cling tighter, winding my arms and legs around him and then I'm in the air. I bounce lightly on the mattress, starting to laugh. "Fucker."

My laughter dies as I look at him. His lips are swollen, his face flushed, and his hair a mess where my hands have been in it. As I watch, he reaches and loosens his towel, letting it drop to the floor, and I gulp. He has a genuine v line, and his tight abdomen has a trail of brown hair leading down to his cock. He's big and hard already, the head a dark plum red like his nipples and glistening in the low light. My mouth waters, and I sit up and crawl over the mattress to him.

"Freddie," he says hoarsely, but I lean in and inhale. His scent here is strong, and the skin is warm and moist from his shower. I lick over the head, humming softly as his taste reaches over my tongue. "Yummy," I whisper.

Feeling his fingers in my hair, I look up and find him staring down at me. His eyes are heavy-lidded.

I smile and then take him into my mouth. I suckle on the head, getting it nice and wet and then pull back to blow over it. His hips move involuntarily, pushing towards me, and I lick down the shaft, suckling on the heavy veins. Then I pull back and open my mouth, sliding him to the back of my throat.

"Oh my god," he breathes, and his hands clench in my hair. "Fuck, that's so good, Freddie."

I feel a thrill run through me, and my cock jerks. This is Darcy. My Darcy. And I have his dick in my mouth.

His fingers move restlessly in my hair as I suck him.

Then it's my turn to groan as he reaches down my spine, trailing his fingers along the soft skin and making me shiver. I pull back and look up at him. There's wonder in his eyes.

"You're so bloody pretty, Freddie," he says in a hoarse whisper.

I turn my face into his hip and give a loud helpless moan as his finger slides between my cheeks and circles my hole.

"Onto your front," he orders, and I lick my lips as he turns me, his big hands hot on my skin. He directs me onto my front and pulls at my hips, so my face is in the mattress and my arse in the air. "Look at you," he marvels. "Fucking hell, Freddie. I need to ?–"

His words trail away, and I lift my head, intending to ask him what he was going to say, but instead, I groan as his big hands spread my cheeks, and I feel his tongue slide over my entrance.

"Oh fuck," I cry out. "Darcy."

His only answer is to tighten his hands on my buttocks. I'll have bruises there tomorrow, and I'd like to savour that fantastic thought, but I can't because Darcy Griffiths is apparently a genius at rimming. He starts light, sending his tongue flirting around the wrinkled opening and wriggling the tip into me, but soon he's eating me out, groaning against my arse while I grip handfuls of the duvet and stare sightlessly ahead.

Pretty soon, I feel the telltale tingle in my balls and wriggle away. His hands clamp down. "Freddie?" he says, his voice hoarse.

"I need you inside me." I look back and suck in a breath at his face. It's my best friend but also not because he looks wrecked with lust and almost like a very sexy stranger at the moment. The combination is nearly enough to make me come, and I grab the base of my dick and squeeze hard. "Darcy," I groan.

He scrubs his mouth dry and strides over to his bag, and I exhale in relief as he extracts a condom and a bottle of lube. "Thank fuck you were a boy scout, Darcy."

"That is unfortunately not true because you got us chucked out."

"How was I to know that the navigator's badge actually meant you had to know the way?"

"It was probably the Scout Leader's fault, but he was too cross at the lecture he got from the emergency services to own up."

I smile at him as his long fingers rip open the packet. "How do you want me?" I whisper.

"Just like that. Bent over with your arse showing."

I wriggle enticingly and then gasp as he slaps my bum. "Cheeky," I gasp and groan as his fingers, wet with lube, start to open me up. Sometimes this isn't good for me. Other men have gone too slowly or too quickly, but as Goldilocks said, this one is just right. He's sure and steady, and soon I'm moaning a string of incoherent rubbish into the sheets.

Finally, I push back. "Now," I say hoarsely and crane my head back to watch as he rolls on the condom and coats his shaft with lube.

He comes over to me, dropping a tender kiss on my nape that makes my eyes hot. "Ready?" he whispers. "Are you sure about this?"

I grab his hands and feel his chest against my back, the skin hot and wet with sweat. "Yes," I say, knowing we're not just talking about sex. "I've never been surer of anything."

My eyes slide shut as his cock nudges against my hole, the heat seeming to sear me and then he slides in. He goes gently, stopping every so often to check I'm okay and I've never felt so cherished or so safe.

Finally, he bottoms out, and I stay him with my hand on his hip. He's big, and my eyes are watering even though he prepped me thoroughly. "Wait for a second," I gasp, and he obeys, his big body vibrating against mine.

I wriggle a little, feeling him brush against my prostate, and I shiver. "Go now," I finally say, shuddering. "Fuck me."

He takes it slow at first, but when my moans and cries grow loud, he starts to let go, ramming into me in long slow screws that make me shiver. "That's so good," I moan, and he grunts. Then his hands are on me, pulling me up so he's half standing and I'm resting back against him.

His cock is high in this position, hitting all the good stuff. His hands are gentle on my throat, pulling my face towards him so he can kiss me. Our tongues tangle and our moans drop into the space between our mouths. His hands rest on my chest, and I pull away and cry out as his fingernail rubs against my nipple. I've always been sensitive there, and Darcy immediately realises, rubbing and scratching at the nubs until I want to scream and then I do as he rolls his hips, fucking hard into me.

I groan when he stops and pulls out of me. "No. Where are you going? Don't stop."

His eyes track over my body, his expression feverish. "On your back. I want to see your face when I come inside you."

I scramble over, just stopping myself from falling off the mattress as I do. "If you laugh, I may not have the stamina to finish this," I warn him darkly, and he bites his lip, glee in his eyes.

"I won't say a thing."

Our laughter dies as he falls between my parted legs and pushes inside me again. Our speed has slowed, and I wrap my arms around his broad shoulders, clutching him close as he thrusts into me in long strokes that brush my prostate, sending sparks behind my closed lids. "Fuck," I whisper, and he kisses me, tangling his tongue with mine. Slowly his thrusts pick up speed until he's bottoming out with a sexy grunt, and we're panting into each other's mouths, incapable of speech. I wrap my arms and legs around him, pushing down on him as his hard abdomen rubs against my cock.

"Darcy," I plead and then arch, crying out as he takes me in his hand, and I shoot over his fingers and my chest.

He carries on thrusting until my orgasm has stopped, and I lower my hands and grab his bum, pulling him into me. "Come," I whisper, and he stiffens. His hands fly to my hips, and I feel the wetness of my own spend on my skin, and then he pushes his head into my neck and groans low and long, his body jerking as he empties himself into the condom.

We lie there for a while, and the room is silent apart from our loud breaths, but it isn't an uncomfortable silence. Instead, it's just us. Me and him. Happy whether we're silent or chatting. The thought makes me hug him tight, and he drops a kiss on my head. Then he turns my head slightly and kisses the small mole behind my left ear. "I've wanted to do that for years," he whispers, and I grab his hand squeezing it.

Eventually, he stirs. "Let's get cleaned up." I come up on my elbow, watching his arse as he vanishes into the bathroom. His buttocks could make a grown man weep. He smiles at me almost shyly as he comes back into the room with a wet towel.

"Don't stare," he mutters, and I grin at him, lying back with my hands behind my neck.

"I can't help it. You're gorgeous, Darcy." I look at the flush on his cheeks with satisfaction. I'm going to make it my life's work to get Darcy to admit he's pretty.

He cleans me with the damp towel chucking it on the floor and then sliding into bed as naturally as if we've done it hundreds of times. I slide over and into his arms feeling them close around me.

"That was amazing," I say sleepily, and he hugs me tighter.

"I love you," he whispers. "And we need to talk."

A sudden yawn takes me by surprise, and I hear my jaw crack. "Is this talk serious?"

"No, but we do need to work out what we're doing now."

I sit up on my elbow and take in the sight of him, his olive skin dark against the sheets and that lovely pirate face rough with a beard. He looks sated and happy. And all mine, I think fiercely.

"Well, I think I love you, and you love me, and we're together now." I pause, and he nods solemnly, his amber eyes seeming lit up from within and so bright they make me catch my breath. "And we go on like that, being best friends and lovers." I hesitate, wanting to say more but cautious about the effect of my words. I bite my lip nervously and then gasp as he reaches up and releases the sore skin.

"Don't do that," he admonishes. "There's no need to be nervous with me, Freddie. I'm still me, and you're still you, and we'll go on being that for the rest of our lives."

I look at him and feel something snap and settle inside me because he's right. Nothing has changed apart from the lovely fact that we're together. I've always been able to tell him anything, and he's been the same. If we change that dynamic now, everything else will fall apart.

I smile at him loving the way his eyes follow my mouth. It's such a heady feeling like I've inhaled laughing gas. "Okay. I think it should just be me and you from now on. I don't want to share you."

"Agreed," he says quickly. "One hundred per cent agreed."

I laugh, unable to hold my joy in. "And we'll be best friends and the best lovers. And eventually, we'll live together."

He holds out his hand. "Swear on it, Freddie. It's what we do."

I slide my hand into his feeling the heat of his skin against me and the strength in those fingers, and I swallow hard because this feels serious and almost sacred, as if we're making vows underneath our words.

"I swear," I say solemnly.

"Me too." He draws me to him, kissing me softly, and then I slide down into the warm cocoon of our sheets as his arms close around me. I feel a delicious sense of relief that we're sorted, and just like that, tiredness rushes in.

"I need to tell you something else," he says, but I just snuggle closer.

"Mmm, later," I mutter, and sleep pulls me under. The last thing I feel is his hand in my hair, stroking it softly, and I fall asleep with a smile.