Part 18 (1/2)
”I'd be delighted to cook for you. I'm sure Alcide will be perfectly fine without my attention for a few moments. One small dog can't possibly make much mess, particularly if I keep the flour and eggs out of reach.”
Tyler winced. ”I only want a sandwich.”
”Which I'm only too pleased to-”
”Wilson,” Haris snapped, ”let him make himself a sandwich.”
Haris left the kitchen and Tyler's shoulders slumped. Not quite out of his black mood then.
”Bread in the box, b.u.t.ter in the dish, cheese and ham in the fridge, or there's Marmite and jam in the cupboard,” Wilson said.
”Thank you.”
Tyler gathered everything together and smiled at Wilson hand feeding the dog tiny sc.r.a.ps of beef.
”Shall I make a sandwich for Haris?” Tyler asked.
Wilson opened his mouth and Tyler just knew 'no' was going to come out, but Wilson said, ”Yes. That would be kind.”
”Does he like Marmite?”
”A faint smear.”
”What about you? Would you like a sandwich too?”
”No, but thank you for asking.”
Tyler sawed awkwardly at the loaf. He only ever bought sliced bread.
”So...” he mumbled. ”Am I one of many strays?”
”I've no idea what you mean, sir.”
”Cut out the sir. I know you don't like me.”
Wilson sat at the table with the dog in his arms. ”I apologize if I've given that impression. I don't know you. I'm not able to judge. Yet. But no, you're not one of many. No one on two legs has ever been invited to stay here before, and of course you are no bother, the extra bedroom and bathroom to clean should take me no time at all, provided my back doesn't seize up. And whatever makes my employer happy makes me happy. Mostly.”
Tyler let out a heavy sigh. ”Except he's not happy.”
”You've disturbed the equilibrium, and sometimes that can be a good thing. He's...”
”What?”
”He's a good man. A word of warning, if I may be so bold. If you hurt him, I'll hurt you.”
Tyler almost dropped the jar of Marmite. For a moment, Wilson had looked and sounded an entirely different guy. On the point of saying what if Haris hurt him, Tyler pressed his lips together. He tidied up before he left the kitchen and carried two plates of sandwiches to the study where Haris worked on a laptop.
”I made you a sandwich too.” Tyler put it on the desk.
Haris ignored it and him. Tyler slumped in a chair and rested the plate on his lap. One mouthful and he realized he'd cut the bread too thick.
”Take little bites or you might choke,” he said.
Haris looked up from the laptop to the plate and rolled his eyes. Tyler glanced around the room. Books, books and more books. Oh and a photograph in a silver frame. He pushed himself up and walked over to it. Three boys and their parents. ”Is that-?”
Haris reached round, s.n.a.t.c.hed the picture, put it face down on his desk and carried on working.
Tyler knew it was up to him to put this right. He had a feeling the guy could win medals for sulking.
”I haven't and won't break the terms of our arrangement,” Tyler said. ”I don't know how many times I have to tell you that you can trust me. But you have to let me breathe. You can't chain me to you.”
”You walked out in the middle of the f.u.c.king night without a word. I was worried,” Haris muttered through gritted teeth.
”I'm sorry.” Tyler picked up the sandwich and then put it down again. ”A friend needed help. That's all it was. He'd been...”
Haris looked across at him. ”What?”
”Raped.”
Haris's eyes widened in shock.
”And no, he hasn't told the police. He won't. He knows what will happen if he does; the humiliation, the raking up of all his s.e.xual history, and the rapist would likely still get away with it.”
”Is he...okay?”
”A little knocked around but yeah, he'll live. He's learned a lesson the hard way.”
Haris opened his mouth and Tyler spoke quickly before he could ask for more details. ”I've a gig on Tuesday night. You can come if you like.”
There was a long pause before Haris answered. ”What time?”
”We're on at nine. We usually rehea.r.s.e in college after lectures and go straight to the venue. The Room on Borough High Street.”
Haris smiled. ”I'd love to come. Thank you. I have to attend a charity dinner this evening. Want to give your new tux an outing?”
Tyler breathed a mental sigh of relief. ”Sure. You're going to have to teach me how to tie a bow tie.”
Haris pushed to his feet. ”I'll show you now.”
”I don't want to disturb you.”
”I want to be disturbed.”
”So we're friends again?” Tyler asked.
Haris nodded.
Haris hated to be this needy but felt powerless to resist Tyler. Before they'd even reached the bedroom, he had the guy half-undressed. Tyler tripped on his pants and stumbled into the dark room, laughing. Haris switched on the light and yanked off his own clothes before Tyler had untangled himself from the rest of his. But when he reached to pull Tyler down on the bed, he twisted round and Haris was the one who landed on his back.
”Let me be in charge?” Tyler asked.