14. Ethan #2
I waited for Rami to chew Sam out, the way I’d heard so many other models go off when faced with similar disruptions. But, once again, Rami surprised me. “Don’t apologise, Sam. I knew it’d happen sooner or later. It’s not your fault.”
“Still, I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again. Nox is on his way. He’s going to stand guard outside.”
Rami nodded. “Thank you, Sam.”
When we were alone again, I blew out a breath. “Well, that was certainly one way to meet some of your housemates.”
He groaned, covering his face with his hands. “Can we pretend that never happened?”
I laughed. “Which part? The bit where they insisted they were hotter? Or when they started stripping?”
Rami dropped his hands, glancing at the door. “Actually, maybe we should end this early. I can go help Ez train them.”
“No way, big guy.” I stopped him with a hand on his stomach again. “I’ve got you all to myself for another two hours, and I plan to make the most of every minute.”
His gaze dipped down to where I was touching him. “Sadly, I think we have different ideas about how best to spend those minutes.”
I laughed again, the sound wild and free. How was it that Rami was able to make me feel so…happy? Light? “We definitely do. Now, get your arse over on that chaise longue so we can make Sam happy.”
He pouted but did as I asked, arranging himself artfully. His arms went above his head, pulling his abs tight. “I’d rather make us happy, but sure.”
“You’re making me happy by doing this.” I checked the settings on my camera. “Is that enough?”
“Yeah.” There was a soft note in his voice that had my gaze snapping up. His lips were curved in a smile that had butterflies forming in my stomach. “That’s more than okay, Eth.”
I got on with the job in hand, willing the butterflies to fuck off back where they came from. They ignored me, so I changed tack and told myself it was because I had made Rami focus. That I’d managed to circumvent the bad mood brought on by the twins and get us back on track for the shoot.
It had nothing to do with the fact that I’d been the one to make him smile.
Nothing.
I had many questions after that little encounter, but I went with the most burning one. “What are they training for?”
“Just to look good for jobs.”
“Is everyone who lives here a model, then?”
There was a long pause. So long that I lowered the camera to peer at him. “Rami?”
“Most of us,” he said in a rush. “Sam obviously isn’t.”
I hummed, continuing to shoot. “Micah is another of your housemates, right? Is Nox too?”
“Yes. The two of them are together.”
I wouldn’t lie; I loved that there were at least two queer couples living here.
And not just because it meant another two housemates Rami wasn’t involved with. Unless they had open relationships…
Why do you care? You’re the one in a relationship here. Rami is free to do whatever he wants. You’re not.
That was a necessary reminder. One that soured my stomach and filled my mouth with bile, but necessary.
“Tell me about the others who live here,” I said impulsively as I switched out a lens.
“Well, you’ve met Theo and Nate, unfortunately. There’s also Noah and Jeremiah—they’re another couple. Grace and Breann are also together. That just leaves Benji.”
I raised a brow. “Is he straight?”
“Nah.” Rami gave me a lazy grin. “Everyone who lives here is somewhere on the rainbow.”
“That’s awesome.”
“It is. Not so much for me though.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s one thing being single,” Rami said slowly, stretching his back into an extremely distracting arch before falling back into his previous position. “It’s another thing entirely to be surrounded by happy, lovesick couples.”
I thought back to my time in Southampton. Back then, I’d been one of those couples. I could remember realising how out of place it had made Matty one night, back before he had Sebastian.
Funny how time worked. If the two of us hung out with that crowd now, it’d be the other way around. Dave and I might be in a relationship, but we were long out of the lovesick couple stage.
“Yeah, that’s rough,” I said finally. “I don’t think I’d like that if I were you.”
“It’s why I need you.” He shot me a wink. “Your job is to distract me from all the lovey-dovey bullshit going on around here.”
I rolled my eyes, but internally I was grinning. “Fine. I guess that’s something I can do.”
My conversation with Rami was still playing on my mind when he dropped me home. When had Dave and I stopped being affectionate with each other? Long before my diagnosis, I knew that much.
One thing was for sure—I had to remind myself what I was fighting for. Of the relationship we’d built through the years.
Or I had to let it go.
Tonight I was going to insist we went out to dinner. Somewhere neutral. We needed to stop skirting around the subject and have an honest, open discussion about our future.
But, as I opened our front door, I realised we were past that point.
Dave had already made the decision for both of us.
My gaze didn’t leave the bright blue jacket as I slowly closed the door behind me. I winced as I registered the noises coming from the bedroom I shared with Dave. They weren’t bothering to be quiet, and why would they? I wasn’t due home for another hour.
This isn’t your fault. Yes, the shoot wrapped early, but that doesn’t give him the right to fuck another man in the bed you share.
But what if it was my fault? I’d hardly been good company over the past few months. And with the way I’d been lusting after Rami…
A voice that sounded suspiciously like his rumbled in my mind. That’s not the same as fucking someone else, and you know it.
I rested against the front door. I wasn’t heartbroken. I should be, but I wasn’t. I also wasn’t surprised. I’d seen the signs long before now.
I’d just refused to acknowledge them.
What I was was angry. Furious that Dave hadn’t had the balls to end things before moving on.
Well, I wasn’t a coward. And I wasn’t about to slip out the door and pretend I didn’t know. Straightening my spine, I made my way up the stairs, ready to confront Dave and whoever he had in there.
After that? I had no idea. No clue what to do.
But one thing was certain.
I couldn’t stay here.