Rubbing One Out - Susan Mac Nicol Page 0,56
hanging in his way. “I don’t know what to do.”
They’d reached the building and mounted the stairs to enter.
“All you can do is keep showing him you care, and telling him whatever it is, he can share it.” Hemingway squeezed Ben’s shoulder in comfort. “He’s head over heels for you, anyone can see it. Be patient and keep trying.”
Someone called Hemingway’s name and he moved towards them. “If anyone can get him to open up, you can, mate.”
Ben watched him leave then turned to go into his office.
I’m scared he’s going to leave me one day and I won’t see him again. But he can’t leave until I’ve made my last wish, can he? Ben had a terrible thought. I wonder if there’s an expiry period for wishes?
He made a mental note to ask Dae about it when he got home. He’d make Dae his favourite cup of hot chocolate, with sprinkles, insist he sit down and then drag the truth out of him. He might be one stubborn Djinn, but Ben was stubborn too.
He wasn’t going to leave Dae alone until he learned what was troubling him.
Chapter 15
Dae wasn’t ready to hear the words he’d been dreading all day, ever since Ben came home.
“We need to talk.” He’d known it was coming. Ben had a habit of loitering around looking as if he wanted to speak, then sighing heavily and finding something else to do. The dinner had been cooked, the dishes washed, and Ben had even taken the ironing board to iron a shirt for the next day. It was driving Dae crazy.
How do I tell him we have three days left before I have to go away?
Dae sat up on the couch, pulled his silky night-robe closer around his naked form, and sat back again. “What do we need to talk about? Have I done something wrong?”
Ben shook his head and sat down next to Dae. “No, not really. It’s more what you aren’t doing.”
Dae raised one brow in question even though he knew damned well what Ben meant. “Oh? Tell me then.” He picked up his chamomile tea. “I’m all ears.”
Ben fidgeted nervously. “The last couple of days you’ve been…different. Distant, I mean, like you have something in your mind and won’t share it.”
Dae shrugged one shoulder. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be.”
Ben reached out and took Dae’s hand, rubbing it gently. “If something is bothering you, you can tell me. I thought we were partners.”
Dae heart lurched. “Partners? How do you mean?”
Ben looked at him in confusion. “Well, you’ve been staying here with me for nearly three weeks now. We share a bed, we make love. I thought that meant we had some form of relationship.”
Dae’s heart cracked a little. “Ben, we do all those things, but you realise it isn’t going to last, don’t you?” He swallowed, trying to get rid of the lump in his throat. “You’ve known this is only temporary. We come from different worlds and I need to get back to mine.”
Ben’s eyes darkened. “I understand that. More than you know. It’s been eating away at me because I’m not ready to end things.” He sighed. “Why do you think I haven’t made my second wish yet? As long as I hold back on it, you’ll stay.” His smile was beautifully sad. “Call it selfish, but I keep dreaming I’ll find a way to keep you here.”
Dae stood, unable to be too near to Ben. He wanted nothing more than to pull him close and hold him, and that wouldn’t do. He needed to get the news out quickly, shock Ben like ripping a plaster off a wound. There was no other way to say it.
“You only have three days to make a wish. Then whether you make it or not, I have to go back into the lamp. Back to Calado’r.”
Ben’s face paled. “Three days? How the hell does that work? I thought it was up to the wisher to determine how long it takes. I’m not ready.” He stood and paced around the room, his movements jerky, paired with his distress.
Dae swallowed. “No. Turns out I didn’t read the manual properly. There are rules.”
Ben turned to him, his expression angry. “How did you find this all out? Who reminded you of these ‘rules’?”
“The Lady Mage Elicia came to see me the other night.” Dae stared out the window towards the garden bench. “She sat over there,” he pointed,” and told me my time here on Earth had