Worth Keeping (13 page)

Owen watched as he picked Nick off the ground in a bear hug that surely must have broken his lover’s ribs. He winced at the thought of the man doing that to him. Nick took his father’s suitcase from the boot of the taxi and the two men made their way up the path toward the house. Owen checked that he looked okay: clean jeans, an open-neck, long-sleeved button-down shirt, clean fingernails. His hair was brushed, his stubble was neat and he felt like a boy going to the prom about to face his girlfriend’s father for the first time. He swore he was hyperventilating.

Nick let his father through the door then followed, his face beaming. He plonked the suitcase down on the floor. “Don, this is my friend Owen.”

Don MacKenzie cast an appraising eye over Owen. He now knew what a fish being sized up for the frying pan felt like. “So this is your catch of the day, Nick, my lad.” His voice had a tinge of a Scottish burr. He reached out a huge, calloused paw to be shaken.

Owen shook it, grimacing as his fingers were ground together. He looked up into the man’s face. Don’s figure seemed to block out the morning sun.

“Morning, sir. It’s good to meet you at last. Nick has told me a lot about you.”

Don nodded. “Likewise, son. You’re the bloody idiot that jumped off that boat.”

Startled, Owen shot a look at Nick. He hadn’t been aware Nick had told Don the whole truth. He wondered just how much of his story Don knew. “I suppose, yes, that would be me.” Nick made an apologetic face in his direction.

Don nodded. “And call me Don, please. Sir makes me feel like a schoolteacher.” He stared at Owen with deep blue eyes then nodded knowingly and looked at his son.

“So I take it I’ve been relegated to the small bedroom, so you two can get up to mischief in the big one?” He grinned at the expression of discomfort that Owen knew was now plastered all over his face. “Never mind, lad, I’m a man of the world. I know how it all works. Nick’s a big boy.” He chuckled. “In a manner of speaking. I don’t profess to know his actual size.”

Owen’s face heated up and Nick chortled. “Don, you’re making Owen blush. Stop being so bloody awkward. You know where the bedroom is so make yourself comfortable. I’ll pop your case in there for you.” He picked up the suitcase and disappeared.

Don regarded Owen carefully. “It really is good to meet you, Owen. Don’t mind me. I’m a man who speaks his mind. My son seems to like you. I’ll reserve judgement until I know you a bit better. Just don’t give me any reason to hunt you down like a dog.”

Owen blanched at those words and Don smiled widely. “I see we understand each other. Now I guess I should get settled.” He walked away, leaving a dumbfounded Owen staring after him. A few minutes later, Nick appeared out of the guest bedroom.

Owen grasped his arm. “Your dad just told me not to give him any reason to hunt me down like a dog. What kind of thing is that to say?”

Nick laughed loudly. “His standard one. He says it to every man I get involved with. He has done since I was sixteen. Don’t take it personally.”

Owen felt marginally better. “Still, it’s a bit disconcerting,” he muttered sulkily. Nick reached over and caressed his cheek softly. There was definitely a softness to him since they’d talked that Owen hadn’t seen before. He felt a surge of pride that he could do that to him.

“
You’re
disconcerting,” Nick murmured softly. “Incredibly so.”

Owen’s cock swelled hard in his jeans at the look in Nick’s eyes. He pulled Nick to him, parting the other man’s lips and sliding his tongue inside Nick’s minty-tasting mouth. Nick responded, his hands gripping Owen’s waist as they kissed. They were wrapped up in each other until there was a loud cough from the doorway.

“Christ, you two, leave it for the bloody bedroom!” Owen pulled away hastily. Don was glaring at them. “If I wanted to watch man porn, I’d switch on the telly.”

Despite his words, Owen saw the look of relief in the older man’s eyes. “Sorry, Don.” Nick didn’t sound apologetic at all as he moved away to the fridge. “Owen’s incredibly tasty. I couldn’t resist.”

Owen shook his head in disbelief. The relationship these two had was incredibly open. Don scowled. “Aye, well, leave that sort of dining for private please. I’m an old man and that sort of action doesn’t do my heart any good.” He moved to plonk himself on the couch, which groaned under the man’s significant weight. He shuffled his arse around trying to get comfortable and the couch complained again. Owen wondered faintly if it was going to collapse.

Nick chortled. “There is
nothing
old about you. You could run circles around the two of us.” He opened a bottle of Coke and passed it to Don, who drank it down thirstily. When Owen looked, there was only about a third left.

The man probably uses railway sleepers as bloody toothpicks for God’s sake.

Don patted the seat next to him. “Come sit down, Owen. Tell me a little bit about yourself.” Owen moved apprehensively toward the spot beside Don.

Nick rolled his eyes. “Don, for God’s sake. I’m not sixteen anymore, I’m a grown man. You don’t have to vet my boyfriends—” He stopped suddenly, aware of what he’d just said. Owen observed him with a sly smile and Nick coloured.

Owen warmed at that slip of the tongue as he sat down gingerly next to the older man. Nick sat down in the easy chair and crossed his long legs. He ran a hand through his hair, unconsciously smoothing it behind his ears.

Don sat back, his eyes searching as he looked at Owen. “Nick tells me you had your own tragedy, young man. I’m very sorry about what happened to your partner. It was a dreadful thing to happen. That kind of violence destroys the lives that are left behind as well.”

Owen felt a lump in his throat at the man’s obvious sincerity. “Thank you. It was a bad time.”

The man’s concern was apparently short-lived. “And then you went and jumped into the sea hoping to end it all and my boy here found you.” Don snorted. “It sounds like something out of a bloody romance novel.”

Nick twitched uncomfortably in the chair. Owen wasn’t sure how he was supposed to respond to Don’s words. “Er, yes, that’s true. But I was stupid and I certainly don’t intend doing that again.”

Don nodded. “I’m glad to hear it. Nick here has done his fair share of being stupid as well. Two stupid men together doesn’t bode well for the future.”

Nick scowled. “Can we leave me out of the interrogation? I’ve done my time.”

Don chuckled. “That you have, lad.” He gazed at Nick with a frown. “Your hair’s got very long, hasn’t it? Are you going to cut it anytime soon? It looks a bit girly.”

Nick gave an exasperated huff. “No, Don. I like it longer.”

“So do I,” murmured Owen, sticking up for his lover.

Don looked at him in amusement. “More to hold on to then when he’s down there?” He waved in the direction of Owen’s groin.

Owen’s mouth gaped open. “Jesus, that’s a bit off, isn’t it?” His face went hot with embarrassment.

Don laughed, a loud guffaw that shook the couch and Owen wondered if there’d been an earthquake.

Nick was trying hard to choke back laughter at Owen’s expression. “Don has a habit of saying things like that. He likes to shock, although I wish he wouldn’t. But I’ve given up expecting him to be circumspect.” He looked at Don with affection.

The older man grinned. “Nick and I don’t have what you’d call a normal relationship. We’ve been through too much together for that. But I rather like it the way it is.”

Owen was still shell shocked.

“So what are your plans with my boy then? You plan on sticking around longer or are you pissing back off home anytime soon?” Don’s words were jovial but the look in his eyes was watchful.

Owen shifted in his seat. “I’ve found myself a job in town with a friend of Nick’s. I’ll stay here as long he can put up with me or wants me here. My family knows I’m safe, and I’m in no hurry to get back to my old life. My previous job wasn’t up to much, so I’m not really missing out.”

Nick leaned forward curiously. “I don’t even know what your job was. What did you do?”

“Estate agent. I sold fancy houses in London. I made a fair amount of commission out of it and kept my own hours. I have no doubt any hole I left would already have been filled.” Owen shrugged. “I didn’t really have much in the way of debts, and my flat was rented. I’m sure they’ll have rented it out again already.”

“What about all your stuff?” Nick asked quietly. “Weren’t there things you wanted or needed there?”

Owen took a deep breath. “My dad went over and picked it all up and put it into storage for me. I’m in no rush to get anything.”

“Was there nothing of Jules’s you wanted, Owen?” Nick’s face was concerned. “Photographs, things he gave you?”

Owen did have a few things he’d desperately like to get: Jules’s old guitar, the one he’d composed countless love songs on for Owen and sang to him; his old Bristol University tee shirt that he’d refused to throw out even when the sleeve had ripped. Since Jules’s death, Owen had slept with it every night, soaking it in tears. And a book of photographs of the two of them together that Jules had compiled for Owen’s twenty-sixth birthday. But Owen couldn’t face going to fetch them even as he experienced a sense of disloyalty to his late lover in not doing so already. How could he forget the man he’d loved so intensely simply because he’d found someone else who made him feel alive? Was he that bloody shallow? It had been two years but...

“Owen? Are you all right?” Nick’s anxious voice bought him back to reality.

Owen nodded. “Yes, I was just remembering stuff...” His voice trailed off.

Nick reached over and took his hand. “Do you want me to go with you to get it? Would that help maybe?”

Owen nodded. “Yes. That would be good.” And incredibly kind of Nick to offer. “I’d appreciate it. It’s at a storage place in Stratford on the outskirts of London, not far from my old place.”

Nick smiled. “We’ll make a plan on the weekend to go and fetch it then.” He let go of Owen’s hand and smiled.

Don leaned forward. Owen realised the older man had been very still during the conversation, simply watching them both steadily. Don spoke, his voice terse.

“Nick, if you’re going down to London I want you to be careful and stay away from your old haunts.” His voice was quiet. “I don’t need you coming face to face with Brad.”

Nick looked at him with a nod. “I’ll not be going to the West End.”

Don leaned forward. “You make sure you do that. He’s caused enough fucking damage to you.”

The fierce protectiveness in Don’s voice was stirring. Owen felt a surge of admiration for the man for the way he looked out for Nick. This was definitely no ordinary man.

Nick nodded, his voice wry. “Of course, if you hadn’t made his life a misery with all the stuff you pulled he might not be such a threat. You made his existence a bloody nightmare with your constant messing with him, even though he deserved it.”

Don scowled. “Those potential boyfriends of his deserved to know what they were getting into. I merely warned them about his violent tendencies.”

“And all the constant police action, the harassment and the hazing?” Nick quirked an eyebrow. “You lost him a very lucrative gallery contract through your word-of-mouth network when you told everyone he was a narcissistic twat. Word got back to the business network he was doing the deal with, and if I remember they dropped him like a hot potato.”

Don grinned. “Can I help it that people listen to me and I have some influence in the city?” He chuckled. “The man doesn’t like me, that’s a given. But he deserved everything he got at the time.” He looked at Nick. “And I’d still be doing it if you hadn’t convinced me not to. You were still the better man even after what he did to you.”

Don looked around the room in puzzlement. “Off topic I know, but where’s Socks? I haven’t seen him in ages. Normally that little rascal is the first to greet me.”

Owen shot to his feet, mortified. “Shit, I locked him in Nick’s room earlier because he was being such a pest when I was cleaning the bathroom.”

Nick shook his head in warning. “If he’s crapped anywhere in my room, you, my friend, are cleaning it up.”

Owen nodded. “Sorry, Nick. I’ll go let him out.” He scarpered over to Nick’s room—
their
room—and opened the door. No sooner had he done so than a flash of fur shot past him, squawking loudly in fury.

Owen saw the capuchin make a beeline for outdoors, through the cat flap Nick had installed, no doubt to perform toilet duties. Owen sniffed the room. There didn’t appear to be any pong. He took a cursory look around. Satisfied the monkey hadn’t messed anywhere, he went back to the other men.

Nick was sitting engrossed in conversation with Don. Owen stood watching him as he conversed animatedly. Nick had definitely relaxed since his and Owen’s talk. He was a different man, as if baring his soul and not being found wanting had been some sort of a cathartic process.

Owen loved the way Nick’s hands absently brushed the thick bronze hair behind his ears—perfect ears to nibble. His hands were elegant and long-fingered and Owen knew exactly how they felt on his body. Nick wasn’t a big man, tall but more wiry and strong than buff, but he was perfectly proportioned with an arse to die for. Taut, round and very biteable. Owen felt himself growing hornier by the minute and couldn’t wait for bedtime. He shivered slightly at the thought of being alone with Nick, hopefully naked and very willing.

He became aware Don was talking to him. The older man had a glint of amusement in his eyes. “Earth to Owen. Are you with us lad or are you too busy ogling Nick to listen to us?”

“I was not ogling,” Owen said loftily as Nick sniggered. “I was thinking deeply about something important. What were you saying?”

“I hadn’t asked anything yet,” Don said dryly. “I was too busy trying to attract your attention.” He smirked as Owen scowled. “I was going to ask whether Nick had shown you his studio yet.”

Nick started. “Don,” he said warningly. “I’m sure Owen is not interested in my dabbling.”

Owen nodded fervently. “Oh, but I am. I’ve asked to see it loads of times, Don, but he doesn’t really want me in there. You’d think it was bloody Fort Knox with the Crown Jewels in it or something.”