Roses & Thorns by Sage Marlowe

Author:Sage Marlowe [Marlowe, Sage]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2014-09-16T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

“Add the spices and some wine and then just leave it to simmer for, uh, let’s say twenty minutes, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Have you been paying attention?”

“Uh-huh.”

“You could at least try to pretend you were taking this seriously, you know,” Chester scolded softly, hiding his grin behind his wine glass.

“But I am.”

“Aha. Do you really expect me to believe you?”

“Nope.” Sheridan smiled disarmingly. “But I have been paying very close attention.”

Chester raised his eyebrows. “To what, one might wonder?”

“To the cook’s cute arse. And I’m finding myself seriously attracted to the cook in question.”

“Flatterer.”

“Mm-hmm. And you like it.” Leaving his watch post by the table, Sheridan bypassed the cooking island to stand behind Chester.

He slid his arms around Chester’s waist and bent his head to nuzzle the nape of his neck. “Very attracted,” he repeated in a husky growl.

“Easy, sunshine.” Chester fought him off, laughing. “You won’t get any more wine if you don’t behave yourself.”

“Maybe I just don’t want to behave myself.” The low grumble was part frustration, part resignation with just a twist of hope.

“I know.” Turning around, Chester tilted his head up to accept a kiss. Short and chaste, it wasn’t what either of them wanted but it was all they allowed themselves these days. “Neither do I, but…”

“It’s better that way, I know,” Sheridan finished. He stared at the glass in his hand, watching the wine swirl in it.

Lacing his fingers with Sheridan’s, Chester rubbed the back of his hand with his thumb in a wordless gesture of understanding. After the initial rush of being together, they had decided that it would be best if they took things at a slower pace. Sheridan needed time and space to adjust to the changes in his life and come to terms with the end of his disastrous relationship.

Part of that was that they kept their physical relationship to the level of innocent teenagers—a kiss, a brush of fingers, a hug. The most intense was a cuddle on the sofa while watching TV. It was frustrating for both of them but it would help Sheridan to break his patterns and regain a healthier attitude towards intimacy than the one Jake had left him with.

Another part of Sheridan’s newfound independence was having his own place to live. After a week at the hotel he had found an affordable, if tiny, flat within walking distance of his new place of work. He’d made a long, explanatory phone call to Molly. They had both apologised, then she’d made a phone call herself and secured Sheridan a job at one of London’s most renowned forensic institutes. It wasn’t a leading position like the one he’d had, but Sheridan had shrugged it off and declared that it meant less overtime and still paid better.

Despite having separate homes, Sheridan and Chester spent a lot of their free time together. Chester arranged his writing time around Sheridan’s work schedule, which gave them the chance to roam the streets of London together, allowing Sheridan to reacquaint himself with the city.

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