The raw hope and honesty in Alec’s eyes pierced Ed like a knife to the heart and emotion flooded through him. “Of course I will,” he managed around the lump in his throat. “God… come here.” Ed reached for Alec, curling his fingers around the nape of his neck as he pulled him close. He pressed his face into Alec’s neck and breathed in the scent of his skin. “I’m fucking crazy about you. Saying no to you in Edinburgh was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
His words were muffled, but Alec must have heard, because he tightened his arms around Ed as he replied. “I’m fucking crazy about you, too.”
Ed turned his head, seeking Alec’s lips in a greedy, messy kiss that Alec returned until they finally pulled apart, breathless and grinning at each other like idiots.
Just at that moment, Ed’s mum called from downstairs. “Ed, dinner’s ready.”
Ed groaned in frustration. “God, really? What timing.”
Alec chuckled. “I’m starving, though. Come on. We can talk more later.” He stood and offered his hand to Ed.
“Talking wasn’t all I was thinking about,” Ed grumbled as Alec pulled him up.
Alec kissed him lightly on the lips before saying, “Talking is all we’ll be doing tonight. We have a lot to talk about, and I’m not fucking you in your mum’s house.”
Ed’s whole body flushed hot at the thought of it, even though he knew Alec was right. He wouldn’t be able to get in the mood with the twins in the next room and his mum across the hallway, anyhow. He raised an eyebrow. “There’s a B & B over the road. They might have rooms available.”
“If everything works out how I’m hoping it will,” Alec said, taking Ed’s hand again, “we’ll have plenty more nights for fucking. Now come on, we’re keeping your mum waiting.”
Grinning at Alec’s words and what they implied, Ed couldn’t wipe the smile off his face as they entered the kitchen. It was only when he noticed Gemma’s gaze drop to their joined hands and saw her eyebrows shoot up that Ed realised Alec still had hold of his hand.
“Gemma, this is Alec,” Ed said. “Alec, my other sister, Gemma.”
“Hi, Alec.” She dragged her gaze away from their hands and managed a typically awkward teenage smile before looking down at her phone again and hiding behind her hair.
“You said Alec wasn’t your boyfriend,” Alice’s voice piped up accusingly.
Ed blushed and scrambled for words, but his mum saved him.
“Alice, that’s enough. You’re such a nosey parker. Now, Alec, would you like a glass of wine? I have some red open, but there’s white in the fridge, or beer if you prefer?”
“Red would be lovely, thanks,” Alec said.
“Come and sit down.” She indicated two empty chairs. “And you sit next to him, Ed. Do you want wine too, love?”
“Yes, please.”
“Can I do anything to help?” Alec asked.
“No, everything’s ready. Just sit yourself down. Greg, can you start serving the lasagne while I pour the wine?”
By the time everyone had food on their plates, Ed had stopped feeling weird about having Alec there. In fact, the strangest thing was how utterly right it felt. Alec was charming—of course—and soon even Gemma was talking animatedly to him about some boy band she was longing to see in concert. Ed caught his mum’s eye. She glanced at Alec, and then she smiled at Ed. Ed’s cheeks warmed as he read the knowing look in her eye.
Yes. I’m in love with him, he thought, and it’s written all over my face. For the first time since he’d known Alec, Ed believed this could end well. It was early days, and they had a lot to work out, but the knowledge that Alec wanted a relationship with him was a warm curl of contentment in his chest.
After the meal, and once the clearing up was done, the twins badgered everyone into playing Pictionary. Even Gemma joined in. They drew lots for the teams, and Alec ended up with both twins on the only team of three. Gemma and Greg were together and Ed was with his mum.
“You’re not very good at this,” Alice said, looking at Alec’s attempt to draw a bull. “You need to draw faster, like Gemma.”
Gemma had scribbled hers in about three seconds flat, and Greg had guessed it as soon as she added the ring to the nose. Alec had only got as far as drawing something vaguely cow-like.
“Sorry,” Alec said. “This is my first time. Maybe I’ll get better with practice.”
“I expect so,” Ava said kindly, taking the pencil out of his hand. “Right, it’s my turn to draw next.”
Alec did improve a little during the game, but not enough to challenge the experts. Gemma and Greg ended up thrashing the rest of them, but nobody minded because they spent so much time laughing over one another’s terrible drawings.