Page 67 of Cupid Calling
“Later,” Ejiro echoed.
Obiora, grinning like a maniac, set the plates and served up the eggs between them. Then he carried the dishes over to where Ejiro was standing by the toaster just as the first two slices popped up, perfectly golden brown.
As usual, Ejiro stiffened for a moment at the proximity, before relaxing completely. He set the slices on the nearest plate, placed fresh ones in the toaster, and pressed the button.
Obiora nudged their shoulders together after a moment of comfortable silence, feeling ridiculously giddy.
Ejiro nudged him back automatically, glancing at him with a small, amused smile on his lips. “What?”
“Nothing.” Obiora nudged him again.
Ejiro nudged him back. “Go away.”
“I like it fine right here, thank you.”
The toast popped out. Ejiro used it as an excuse not to look at him, though Obiora could see the blush in his expression. He set two fresh slices in the toaster and pushed the button.
“Are you really going to stand here and watch me make the toast?” Ejiro mock glared at him.
“Yes.” Obiora leered.
Ejiro blushed and looked away, then seemed to steel himself and looked back once more. “You’re so annoying. And why on earth aren’t you wearing a shirt?” The last sentence seemed to come out almost without Ejiro’s will, quickly and almost shrilly. His eyes darted down to said chest, a quick onceover that made Obiora feel like he was on fire.
“I just felt like it.” He shrugged, voice a little deep. “Why? Is it distracting?” He waggled his eyebrows.
“What? No.” Ejiro looked away quickly. “Why would it even—?” He growled. “You know what—”
Obiora laughed, dodging out of the way when Ejiro tried to smack him.
The toast popped out before Ejiro could chase him around the kitchen like a child. He grabbed his two slices and placed them on his plate.
“Abeg leave the road, jor,” Ejiro said, using his hip to playfully butt Obiora out of the way.
Obiora felt his chest expand to painful proportions, like his heart had grown ten times its size. He picked up his own plate, following Ejiro out of the kitchen and to the dining table.
They sat opposite each other. Obiora stretched his legs out until the insides of his feet were bracketing the outsides of Ejiro’s.
Ejiro sucked in a sharp breath. He looked up quickly, but Obiora was focused intently on his food, pretending like he hadn’t done anything wrong.
He waited for Ejiro to react—to remove his feet or make a playful but pointed comment about the surprise contact. Or hell, he waited for Ejiro to panic and decide he didn’t want to eat next to Obiora anymore.
Ejiro didn’t do any of that. Instead, he focused on his own food, his breathing slightly faster than usual, the only sign he was affected at all. Obiora could’ve imagined it, but he could’ve sworn Ejiro’s feet moved slightly, nudging against his own.
God, Obiora wanted him so fucking fiercely. It felt like he’d been in a constant state of minor arousal, because teasing Ejiro meant teasing himself. But Obiora loved the sweet torture of it all.
Yeah. He was definitely going to hell.
“I JUST DON’T THINK IT’S fair,” Obiora was saying later that evening on his date with Sophia. He was the last bachelor for the day. “I mean, the tour was nice and all, but it’s just not the same as an actual holiday, you know?”
“Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m personally having a great time,” Sophia said, leering at him.
Obiora laughed, then pretended to clutch at his chest. “Seriously? Are you really rubbing it in my face right now that you’re going on romantic dates around Venice with other men?”
“I mean, I’m just saying.” Sophia shrugged, grinning, completely unapologetic. “It’s not my fault the show is catered to my desires.”
“Ouch.” Obiora laughed again, even as he felt a pang. He was sure at this moment, now that he’d gone on two private dates with the bachelorette, that if he hadn’t already been invested in Ejiro, he could easily see himself falling for Sophia. She was smart and sexy and witty, and they got along extremely well.
It was too bad that even though they were having a great time—he’d chosen to take her on a stroll around the winding Venice streets, with the aim of ending with a light dessert at the canal—all Obiora could think about was Ejiro. How it would have felt if it were just the two of them here, on holiday, together.
