I reach for him. “Oh, Cy, that’sawful.”
He turns on me suddenly. His dark eyes are burning with intensity. “You know why it pissed me off so much?” He demands.
“... Because you were violated?”
“No. Because it made me think of you.”
I pout. “I thought you liked it when I visited you in the shower.”
“Not like that.” He heaves a sigh, running a hand over his face. He looks exhausted. “Does it bother you? What I do?”
“Oh myGod,are we having this conversation again? No, I do not care that you take your kit off onstage.”
“I’m not talking about thedancing,” he insists. “I’m talking about thewomen.Me touching women.Me picking women up and tossing them around. Grinding one inch from their faces. Letting them rub baby oil over my chest.” He wipes a hand over his mouth. “I like you, Beth. And it feels really unfair to sleep with you every single night, but still let other women grab my junk.”
“Yeah, but it’s just a performance, right? Choreographed. You’re not really Cyrus up there, you’reRandy Romeo.The girls are just part of your routine. If you were an actor, I wouldn’t get mad at you for kissing your co-star.” He doesn’t say anything. I reach up and touch his face, grazing my fingers down the line of his smooth jaw. “I appreciate you checking how I feel. I get why it would bother some people, but you don’t have to worry about me. I love that you have a job that you love. I love that you entertain people. And I love that you come home to me,” I take his hand, putting it on my hip. “And I get the real deal. I’d never want you to stop doing what you love for me.”
His eyes rove over my face. “I would,” he blurts out. “I stopped for Chloe.”
“And?”
His shoulders slump slightly. “It wasn’t enough. She was still jealous. She still didn’t trust me. I’d given up my whole career for her, switched back to bartending instead, and she still thought I was probably picking girls up at the bar. Because that’s just what men like me do.”
“She should have trusted you,” I say honestly. “I can’t even imagine you cheating on someone.”
His dark eyes flare. He pulls me even closer. “You’re really not jealous?” He asks quietly.
I snort. “Cy, I’ve seen the women at those shows. They’re all drunk, most of them have, like,penisesdrawn on their faces because they’re at a hen do, and they spend the whole night yelling at you to get your junk out. I don’t think there’s much competition.”
He cups my cheek. “None. There’s none.”
I sigh as he kisses me softly, his mouth hot and gentle. His big hands slide off my hips and down to my bum, giving me a little squeeze. I had sex less than four hours ago, but I still feel a flutter of desire between my legs. All I want to do is grab Cy by the collar and drag him to the nearest bedroom, but as he tentatively nudges my mouth open with his, I can still feel that something’s off. He’s still feeling insecure about something. And I don’t really think that sex is going to fix it.
“Since you’ve got the night off,” I whisper against his lips, “do you wanna go out?”
He blinks. “What?”
I thread my fingers through his silky hair. “You. Me. Cheesy chips from that dodgy van on the corner and a moonlit stroll by the river.” I glance back at Sebastian, who’s still sitting on the sofa, watching us like we’re an episode of his favourite soap opera. “That okay?”
He nods, his lips tugging up like he’s trying not to smile. “I think that’s a great idea.”
Cyrus pulls me closer. “You asking me on a date, Bethie?” He purrs.
“I sure am.”
His nose nudges mine. “Why?”
“Because you’ve had a hard night, and I fancy the pants off you.” I step back, clenching my thighs together under my dress. “Come on. Get your coat. Let’s hit the town.”
Forty-Eight
Cyrus
Beth and I end up walking through central London, following the curving line of the Thames. We’ve picked up cans of beer, a chicken and mushroom pie, and a massive portion of hot cheesy chips. The pie is long gone by the time we pass Shakespeare’s Globe, and we’re steadily working through the chips. The garden pub outside the theatre is filled with raucous laughter, as hipsters and Shakespeare-nuts swig mojitos and watch the city lights reflecting off the river.
“So.” I elbow Beth as we walk. “You and Seb, huh?” She blushes prettily, and I laugh. “It was bound to happen eventually. He’s been into you ever since you first walked into our flat.”
“And you don’t mind?” She checks, anxiety tensing her face.