Chapter 29 #2
Johnny leant back in his chair, taking a swig of champagne. “Date rape jokes before the starters? Jesus, Wendy. Can’t imagine why you’re still single.”
She giggled before kicking off her heels and sliding them under the table. She walked barefoot across the restaurant, running her hands over her face as she disappeared into the toilets.
Taylor let out a breath, letting his eyes fall back to the beer bottle in his hand. “She better find someone that treats her right or I swear to God…”
Johnny’s hand ghosted across his thigh. “Of course she will. Maybe she’ll end up getting a nice little bungalow in Dingly. Manicured borders, underfloor heating, the works. You can water her lawn in your downtime.”
“Uh-huh. I’m still her nail tech, though.”
Johnny ran a hand up Taylor’s leg, thumb resting in the crease of his groin. It sent little sparks of pleasure straight to Taylor’s balls.
“And how’s your… uh… heating system, Tay?” Johnny said.
Taylor frowned, digging a hand into the bowl of plantain chips Maman had left on the table as a snack. “Could be better. Pretty sure our boiler needs servicing because it’s making that weird grinding noise again.”
Johnny laughed, rubbing little circles across his thigh. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”
Taylor noisily crunched the chips, crushing them between his back teeth before going in for more.
Johnny slapped his hand away. “Your rut’s almost here, and I’m pretty sure half the restaurant knows it. I’m asking you what we are going to do about it.”
Taking a breath, Taylor clenched and unclenched his teeth. Swallowing, he shook his head. “We haven’t had the all clear from the clinic. I should probably just—”
“We have condoms and lube.”
Taylor scoffed. “Those anti-rut things? The ones that crush your knot? Yeah, no thanks. Besides, you’ve never taken a knot.”
Johnny bit his lip, mouth falling into a lopsided grin.
Taylor dropped his head. “Have you?” When he didn’t answer, Taylor pushed a knee between his thighs and leant over Johnny in the chair. “Have you, JP?”
Johnny crossed his arms, leaning back with a self-satisfied smirk.
“Who?” Taylor said, feeling his mood darken. “Tell me who so I can find them, strangle them, then feed them their own cock.”
Johnny’s nostrils flared, and he grabbed the front of Taylor’s shirt.
Dropping his voice to a whisper, he said, “Tay, I’ve never taken a knot, but for half our lives I’ve had to think ten steps ahead.
Your moods, your eating, your reactions to other people.
Did it seriously not occur to you that maybe I’ve thought your rut through too? ”
A hot rush of something shot up Taylor’s spine as Johnny tilted his head and smiled up at him with unwavering confidence. “You rut, I rut,” he continued. “Why do you think I’ve been training your hole for the last week?”
“But—you—training?”
“Did you think I was just going to lie on my back and let you fuck me, Taylor? Knot me up for a few hours until the whole thing blows over?”
Taylor let out a ragged breath. “Well—maybe—eventually—yeah.”
Johnny let out a humourless laugh, pressing his knee up into Taylor’s groin. Taylor pitched forwards, almost climbing into Johnny’s lap as he struggled to stop his hips from twitching.
“Please,” he whispered. “Can we just go home? I’ll use the condoms if I have to.”
Johnny hummed, tilting his head towards the sound of the ladies’ toilet door opening. “What’re we going to tell our date?”
Taylor gave a low growl. “Er, sorry but I need to go home and fuck my boyfriend now?”
Johnny grinned, pressing two fingers against Taylor’s sternum and gently guiding him back towards his chair. “You should let me do the talking.”
Wendy appeared, which did nothing to cool the fire that had taken root in Taylor’s belly.
“That’s better,” she said, patting her cheeks.
Her hair was slightly damp around the edges, and Taylor realised that she had taken all her make-up off.
She looked sweet, like a little old lady in a really nice dress.
Taylor took a napkin from the table, laying it over his lap. “You look great, Wend.”
Unfortunately, they couldn’t avoid the starters, and Taylor found himself picking at the edges of the plate as his eyes kept flicking to Johnny.
He gave Johnny a pleading look, and Johnny was doing his best to speed along the conversation, subtly suggesting that they could prepare the food to go if Wendy was tired.
Well, the old beta was not picking up on what Johnny was putting down, and eventually Taylor just groaned and looked out across the tables.
He frowned as he noticed the two customers who had just sat down near the bar, both of them suspiciously familiar.
“Hi!” Emily said, waving from across the restaurant. She had her hair up in a messy bun, the Elvish tattoo visible from beneath a short-sleeved shirt.
Taylor gave a flat smile and waved back, his eyes drifting to the person sitting opposite her. He’d half expected to find Theo, which probably would have been awkward as shit given how things had played out, but was surprised to see an older man with a shock of white hair and bushy eyebrows.
“Is that… Wallace?” Johnny said, leaning across the table.
Wallace—who was not their biggest fan—clocked them and gave a withering look. He was wearing a chequered suit with a lime green bow tie, and honestly it was pretty sweet.
My dad, Emily mouthed, pointing enthusiastically at Wallace. He’s my dad.
Taylor raised his eyebrows. “Did you know he had a daughter?”
Johnny shook his head. But then something strange happened. Wallace was looking at Wendy and Wendy was looking at Wallace. Staring. They just would not stop staring. Emily must have noticed it too, because she gave Wallace a slightly disgusted look before reaching for her drink.
“Aaanyway,” Taylor said, reaching across the table to click his fingers in Wendy’s face. “More champagne?”
“I… Yeah…” she replied with a far-off look in her eyes. “Who’s that man?”
They both smirked before Johnny placed a hand on her shoulder and said, “Wendy, I think you’re about to meet your Prince Charming.”
Taylor nodded rapidly. “Yeah, but make it absolutely clear that we aren’t related… like, at all.”
Blushing, Wendy tucked a stray strand of grey hair behind her ear. “You think so? I mean, wouldn’t it be rude of me to just interrupt his daddy-daughter dinner?”
Johnny scoffed. “And since when have you cared about being rude?”
Wendy looked thoughtful. “True, but who is he?”
“Forensic science guy over at West Newton. He worked on the alpha murders.”
“Uh-huh, and… single?” Wendy was already smoothing down her dress as she rose from her chair.
“Er… yep,” Taylor said, although he actually had no idea if Wallace had a wife or husband or anyone else for that matter.
Regardless, it didn’t seem to matter because Wendy was already halfway across the restaurant. “Bye, then,” Johnny said, taking another swig of champagne.
Just then, Taylor’s phone vibrated, and he yanked it out of his too-tight pocket. ‘THIS IS AN AUTOMATED SMS. YOUR RECENT TEST RESULTS CAME BACK ALL CLEAR. PLEASE REMEMBER TO PRACTISE SAFE SEX—’
Blah, blah, blah. There were some other words, but Taylor stopped reading as he lowered his phone to the table. When he looked up, he saw that Johnny was running his eyes over his own phone.
“JP,” Taylor said, rocking his hips as heat pulsed through his dick. “Please don’t tell me you’ve got the clap or something.”
Johnny lowered his phone, eyes running over Taylor’s throat. “Get your coat.”
“I didn’t bring a coat.”
“Then get your keys, because we’re going home.”