2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

The scent of frying bacon filled the room and Owen's stomach rumbled. Bacon was a rare treat, and he was going to enjoy every bite. He and Sebastian might try to stick to a high protein, low fat diet most of the time, but that didn't mean there wasn't room for indulgence every now and then. Well, if he was honest, it was probably more than once in a while. And that indulgence was usually a big cook-up at breakfast, or one of the sweet treats Sebastian tempted him with on a regular basis.

Owen removed the last of the rashers from the pan and laid them on sheets of absorbent paper. "Seb, how do want your eggs?" he called.

Sebastian rounded the doorway, looking sleep tousled and gorgeous. Dressed only in a pair of striped sleep pants and a navy T-shirt that had seen better days, his dark brown hair stood up at all angles. He muffled a yawn then grinned. "Any way they come is fine with me."

"You always say that," Owen chuckled. "You're easy."

"And that's why you love me."

Owen tried to hold back a smile, but that was impossible when Sebastian was around. "If you say so."

"Oh, I know so." Sebastian padded across the tiles and leaned in for a quick kiss. Laughing, he snagged a piece of bacon from the plate.

"Hey!" Owen snapped at his retreating hand with the tongs.

Sebastian darted out of the way. "Too slow, old man." He popped the bacon into his mouth as he slid onto one of the bar stools that lined the kitchen island.

Owen's answering smile was forced. Despite Sebastian's teasing tone and quick wink, his words stung. I am getting old. He shook his head to clear the all too familiar thought and turned his attention back to the breakfast he was preparing. The hot bacon fat immediately sizzled as he cracked four eggs into the frying pan.

Sebastian leaned on his forearms and watched as Owen set out plates and placed a couple of slices of wholemeal bread in the toaster. "Can I do anything to help?'

Owen gestured to the empty tumblers on the bench. "OJ?"

Sebastian slid from his stool to get the orange juice from the fridge. Owen's gaze automatically followed him across the room, admiring his pert arse as he bent to retrieve the bottle. Sebastian turned and winked, as if he'd known where Owen's eyes were focused. He chuckled as he filled the glasses and returned the juice bottle into the fridge. Sebastian's happiness was hard to resist, and Owen ended up with a genuine smile as he waited for the bread to finish, eyes glued to the man who made each day such a pleasure. The toaster finally popped.

"What do you have planned today?" Sebastian asked, placing a glass at each place setting.

Owen looked up from spreading butter. "I thought we were heading down to the markets."

"We are, but that won't take all day." Sebastian looked away from Owen, pulling open a drawer and rummaging for cutlery. When Sebastian looked back up his dark eyes were questioning and unsure. "I thought I might try to get in a paddle this afternoon. Matt said he'd come with me."

Disappointment flooded Owen and he pressed his lips together. He'd hoped the two of them would wander around the Salamanca Markets for a few hours, something they hadn't done for several months, and then maybe walk along the foreshore. There was a seafood restaurant that was a favourite of theirs that made the ideal spot for a long, leisurely lunch. He'd wanted to spoil Sebastian with an afternoon out and then maybe a quiet night in with a movie. He swallowed heavily and forced a smile to his face, knowing his disappointment was unreasonable. "Sure, babe. That's fine. I've got a stack of work to catch up on here anyway." He turned, grateful to hide his expression, and picked up the frying pan and tongs. The familiar twinge in his shoulder as he hefted the weight of the cast iron pan, only served as a reminder of his physical limitations. Although his hunger had faded, he added the eggs and bacon to the plates, along with the toast.

"It's Saturday, Owen," Sebastian said as he slid onto a stool. "You need a day off too."

Owen put a full plate in front of Sebastian, still not meeting his gaze. "I don't mind, honestly. I know you're dying to get out on the water, and I've got heaps to keep me busy."

"I don't have to go—"

"I said it's fine," Owen snapped.

Shit! After their fight a few days ago, he didn't want to risk saying the wrong thing and reopening the wound.

"Okaay." Sebastian's voice was uncertain, the word tentative.

It wasn't Sebastian's fault that Owen hadn't recovered enough use of his arm to get back into the things they used to enjoy doing together. He immediately changed his tone. "It's nice of you to offer but I'm a big boy. I'm sure I can entertain myself for a few hours. I don't have to work, maybe I'll read or watch a movie. Besides, just because I can't do something, it's no reason for you not to have fun, and I really want you to go and enjoy yourself." He sat on the stool next to Sebastian and elbowed him. "C'mon, eat up before it gets cold."

They ate the bacon and eggs, seated side by side. Unfortunately, it wasn't in the quiet companionship they usually enjoyed. Instead, Owen knew Sebastian was regretting making plans without him, and the guilt that seemed to continually haunt Owen swamped him again. Sebastian shouldn't have to miss out on all the things they'd done together in the past just because Owen was useless. Broken .

Owen chewed on the breakfast he'd been so looking forward to, but it may as well have been sawdust for all the pleasure he got from it.

At last, the legs of Sebastian's stool scraped across the tiles, the grating noise pulling Owen from his thoughts.

"Thanks for breakfast," Sebastian said as he stood. "I'll go shower. Give me thirty minutes and I'll be ready to go to the markets."

Owen plastered on another smile. "That'd be great."

Once Sebastian had rinsed his plate and left the kitchen, Owen scraped the remains of his own largely uneaten meal into the garbage bin. It took only a minute to stack the dishwasher and wash the frying pan. Once the kitchen was spotless, he made a cup of coffee and took it to the sunroom to savour while he waited. He settled into one of the upholstered rattan armchairs and stared out the window, palms wrapped around the warm coffee mug.

They had lived in the apartment at Battery Point for a couple of years now. He and Sebastian had put blood, sweat, and tears into the remodelling, and they'd created a beautiful home from an outdated late nineteenth century apartment. Their home had classic features and spacious rooms, decorated with antiques and beautiful classic timber pieces they'd found over the years. The apartment made the most of the view over Hobart, and it was filled with many happy memories. So many wonderful memories of times spent together.

He must have been daydreaming for longer than he thought because the next thing he knew, his coffee was finished, and Sebastian had returned. His hair, still damp from the shower, was combed back, and his smile was wide as he plonked himself into the opposite armchair. God he was sexy—long limbs and toned body, and the swept-back dark hair highlighting his classic bone structure. Owen counted his blessings every day for the good fortune that resulted in someone as special as Sebastian falling for him.

"Remember when we found this place?" Owen asked, still thinking of their earlier days together.

Sebastian's face lit up and his eyes sparkled. "Sure. God, what a find. I still can't believe we got it. I was certain someone else would outbid us, but it must have been fate, particularly after all those Saturdays traipsing around looking at apartments and houses."

"I loved those weekends," Owen said, and he wasn't exaggerating in the slightest. It didn't matter that he wasn't a morning person, he relished the crack-of-dawn mornings, made better by starting bright and early with Sebastian, enjoying coffee at a local cafe while reviewing the list of places they wanted to inspect that day. Then the joy of watching Sebastian's reaction to each property they saw. It was the absolute excitement on Sebastian's face when they'd found the Battery Point apartment that had sealed the deal for Owen. Sebastian saw the potential in the old apartment and had been enthralled by the challenge. "I can't believe you were happy to settle down, let alone spend your time off work going house-hunting."

Sebastian leaned forward, elbows on his knees as he studied Owen. "What do you mean?"

Owen smiled. Even now he couldn't believe he'd gotten so lucky. "You were twenty-two when we moved in together, and we hadn't even been together that long. I was sure you were going to head back to the bright lights of Melbourne or move to Sydney, anywhere but stay here in Hobart. Instead, you bundled up all your stuff and landed on my doorstep."

"Gathering my stuff didn't take long, given I was living out of a backpack." Sebastian laughed, the rich sound filling the room. "And a good thing, too, as there was hardly room to swing a cat in the house where you were living back then."

Owen nodded, remembering the basic one-bedroom rental property he'd lived in while he saved for the deposit needed for his first mortgage, all the while establishing the antique furniture import business. "Still, it was better than the backpackers' hostel you were staying in."

"Anything would have been better than that place." Sebastian chuckled then his voice grew serious. "Not that I spent much time at the hostel once we met. And your place, as small as it may have been, had one definite redeeming feature."

"Yeah?"

"Uh-huh. The true reason I stayed in Tassie." Sebastian winked, but his smile was genuine. "You."

Warmth filled Owen. He still counted his lucky stars that he'd run into Sebastian that night at the pub—it certainly seemed that fate had a plan for the two of them. They discovered a shared love of the outdoors—kayaking in particular—and an immediate attraction. Sebastian was holidaying for six weeks in Tasmania after completing his university degree, making the most of everything Tassie had to offer. Although Sebastian was destined for an office job with his degree in marketing, he adored nothing more than being outdoors. The great expanses of Tasmanian wilderness made it a perfect destination for Sebastian to explore, and Owen had loved every minute of sharing his home state with him. They'd hiked and kayaked, and played at being tourists, until it came time for Owen to leave.

"I hated it when I had to go to Indonesia. Travelling for business is something I've always loved, but I dreaded leaving for that trip. Even now it's the only trip I've ever hated taking."

"And waiting for you to come back was torture. Those two weeks felt like two months."

Owen placed his empty mug on the side table and reached across to place a hand on Sebastian's arm. "It was the best moment of my life to come home and find out you hadn't left Hobart."

Sebastian's grin was wide. "I wasn't going anywhere. Someone would have had to drag me to the airport and put me on a plane to get rid of me. I knew where my future lay. What can I say? When you know, you know."

Owen returned Sebastian's smile, suddenly wishing he could express all the thoughts that circled in his mind—his overwhelming love for Sebastian, and his fear he was holding him back. But at moments like these, when Owen caught sight of the love radiated back at him, he pushed his doubts aside. Instead, he leaned forward. "Come here, you."

Sebastian obliged. There was a twinkle in his eye as he rose from his chair to drop a kiss on Owen's mouth. It was sweet and gentle and perfect, and with that simple gesture, Owen's world righted again.

"So, are we going to hit these markets or what?" Sebastian asked as he straightened. "Time waits for no man, and I want to grab some fresh produce before it's all sold out. Plus, I need another coffee. And I know you don't want to miss all the action."

Owen blinked at the sudden change in mood but stood and smiled. It was hard not to grin at Sebastian's obvious enthusiasm. "It's been ages since I've been people watching. Let's get out there."

"I don't know why you find fighting through crowds of tourists so fascinating."

Owen shrugged. "I like the atmosphere, especially on a gorgeous day like today. And I know you enjoy browsing the stalls too so don't pretend you aren't looking forward to it as well."

"Okay, okay. C'mon, there's a coffee with my name on it out there somewhere."

Sebastian almost bounced across the room in his eagerness to get going, and Owen found himself feeling equally light as he trailed in Sebastian's wake. He grabbed his wallet, his phone, and the house keys on the way out the door. At the last minute he darted back in and grabbed the packet of ibuprofen that was starting to make a permanent home in his pocket. It only took a moment for him to lock up the apartment, then he was bounding down the stairs after Sebastian.

At least my legs still work.