Page 79 of Naughty November
Why would I have known? I haven’t seen or heard from him in three years. It’s my fault as much as his. I could have emailed, but I never got around to it. Given the distance between us, it would have hurt too much to get to know him again.
But now he’s here, just like he was in Amsterdam, as though fate has decided to throw us together yet again. My foolish, idealistic words flood into my mind.‘We’ll see each other again.’
“I’ve not been here long,” Jools says, breaking into my rambling thoughts. “The company I work for is opening an office in London, and they sent me to help set things up. Right now, I’m living out of a hotel room, but seeing as I’m going to be here for twelve months, I thought I should find something more permanent.” He clenches his fists and taps them against his legs. “I shouldn’t have mentioned that last part.”
“Why?”
“Because no one wants a flatmate who’s going to move on after a year.”
I press my palm to my forehead. “You’re here.”
“Yes.”
“For twelve months?”
“Yes.”
“And you used a kink-friendly app to find somewhere to live?”
“Yes.”
I drop my hand. “You’re into kink?”
“Yes. It’s a fun story, actually. Invite me in, and I’ll tell you all about it.”
TWO
JOOLS
Devin lets me in and shuts the door. I had no clue I was coming to look at his flat. I didn’t even know he’d moved to London. Yet, here we are, our paths crossing again without either of us trying. What’s the word for that? Serendipity.
His flat is neat, tidy, and roomier than I was expecting. No wonder he needs a flatmate. Every other flat I’ve looked at would have been better described as a shoe box, but this place is nice. Of course, my opinion might have something to do with Devin. Being in the same vicinity as him makes my pulse race, which is crazy. He’s the guy I let go. Twice. I shouldn’t be swooning over him, but I am.
He’s exactly the same as in Amsterdam. Well dressed, with a soft face, strong jaw, and a broad chest and shoulders. His straight, ash blond hair is a little longer, and he’s swept it to one side so the tips graze the righthand side of his jaw. His eyes are as kind and soul-searching as they always were, his arms just as inviting. It still surprises me that I’m taller than him. It used to be the other way around. I was short for my age until I hit sixteen and then had agrowth spurt, making me taller and lankier than almost everyone around me.
“You were going to tell me how you got into kink,” Devin says.
“Huh? Oh, right.” I was too lost in him to think straight.
“So…?”
“Well, I met this gorgeous guy in a bar in Amsterdam three years ago, and he let slip that he was kinky.”
Devin presses his lips into a smirk. “He led you astray?”
“No. He was an absolute gentleman. But, after the hook-up, I wanted to know what he was into. So I looked it up, fell down a rabbit hole, and got interested in it myself.”
“That is a fun story.”
“Right?”
He steps towards me, falters and moves away. “How have you been?”
“Good. You?”
“Yes.”
“You moved to London.”