his presence. Although Niall wouldn’t have been at all surprised to find out he was. “I want you,” he said, then made a wordless sound of embarrassment and went on with, “I mean, I want you for the part. You’re perfect for the part. You’re the only one who could do it any justice.”
“Then I happily accept.” Blake’s smile was warm and forgiving. He moved past Niall to fetch his satchel and coat. “Who do you have playing Greta?”
“Um, me?” Niall followed him, trying not to think of himself as a puppy. “I hope you don’t mind,” he rushed to add.
“Not at all,” Blake said with a gracious laugh, straightening from where he’d picked up his satchel. “I think it would be amazing to play opposite the man who wrote the play.”
Niall’s mouth hung open, but he couldn’t think of a thing to say to a compliment like that. Best of all, Blake didn’t seem at all uncomfortable with playing opposite another man. Though he still didn’t think that Blake was an invert like him.
“Rehearsals start tomorrow afternoon,” Niall said at last, no idea what else to say. He was highly aware that John and David had stopped flirting with each other and were now watching him and Blake with a little too much interest.
“Fantastic,” Blake said, putting on his coat and looping his satchel over his shoulder. He paused, an idea lighting his face. “You know, I have a spare ticket to that concert at McQueen Hall tonight. Do you want to come?”
Niall nearly choked on his tongue. “That’s the most exclusive concert the university has seen all year,” he said.
“I know.” Blake’s eyes lit with mischief. “I bought two tickets, but I haven’t been able to find anyone to go with me. Are you interested?”
Niall was more than interested. His hands and feet were swiftly going numb with excitement, and he was having a hard time catching his breath. “I am definitely interested,” he said.
“Then come along,” Blake said, gesturing toward the door. “I’ll even buy you supper afterwards.”
The corners of Niall’s vision went black for a moment. The most handsome and talented man he had ever met was offering to take him to supper and a concert. And no, it didn’t mean anything. How could it, considering they’d only just met? But that didn’t stop Niall from racing back across the room to gather his things with shaking hands and shove them into his own school satchel. Across the room, John winked at him and David nodded in encouragement. Niall’s face heated at his friends’ gestures, but he hardly had any brain left to think about it. All he knew was that he was about to have the night of his life with the man of his dreams.
Chapter 3
“I was lucky enough to hear Octavia Righetti when she sang in London two years ago,” Blake said as he and Niall strode across campus on their way to McQueen Hall. The spring evening was balmy and fragrant with roses that were just beginning to bloom in overflowing garden beds between the august buildings. “She has the voice of an angel.”
“She does?” Niall studied Blake’s rapt expression. Everything about him, from the sensual shape of his mouth to the way the late-afternoon sunlight lit his face with a golden glow had Niall’s heart beating faster.
“Absolutely.” Blake glanced to Niall with a bright smile that seemed to make his eyes warmer and kinder. There was so much life in those eyes, so much emotion, even though the two of them were merely walking to the concert. Perhaps it was Niall’s imagination, but Blake’s gaze seemed to linger on him for a moment, dropping to his mouth, before he went on with, “She was the talk of the season on her last tour. I’m amazed that the university was able to convince her to perform here.”
“You’ve been to London?” Niall cursed himself the second the question flopped past his lips. Not only was it a beat behind where their conversation had gone, he was certain it made him look like a rube.
But Blake laughed, his eyes crinkling and his smile widening. “Of course I’ve been to London,” he said. He swayed closer as they walked and nudged Niall with his shoulder. “Haven’t you?”
Niall’s entire arm tingled where it’d made contact with Blake’s. He wanted to lean closer to Blake and return the gesture, but knowing him, it would come off as clumsy. “I haven’t,” he confessed. “All of my money has