Page 14 of Glitterati Omega

He sighed, realizing the water had gone cold. He didn’t feel any more relaxed or sleepy. He thought again about the fentanyl patches. He dismissed the idea, then hauled himself out of the bath.

He startled and slipped back into the tub, nearly smashing his chin off the porcelain lip, as his phone rang out, loud and angry.

“Heavens,” he muttered, then crawled out of the bath, grabbing first a towel, then his robe. Who the hell was calling him at this hour?

He grabbed the phone and stared at the number. The same number that had been texting him before. Maybe it was Morgan. Or a spam call? Or someone who thought they had someone else’s number. Maybe he ought to tell them, let them know, so they could reach … whoever they actually wanted to talk to.

“Hello?” His stomach took a sick leap when he finally answered it.

“Ah, hello,” Winston said, and Rupert leaned against the wall, dizzy and weak and a hundred other things. “I’m sorry; I know it’s late.”

“It is,” Rupert agreed.

“I hope you don’t mind; Morgan gave me your number. I wondered if you were all right,” the alpha continued, and Rupert dropped his head, looked at his feet. “You left in an awful hurry.”

“Yes, well.” He curled his toes against the marble, watched water dripping out of his hair, down his legs, to pool on the floor around him.

“Did you get home all right?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“That is good,” the lawyer said. “I’m sorry about this evening. I wasn’t aware that you and Percival didn’t get along.”

“Mm.”

“I did not know you knew him. Although I might have guessed. He and Morgan keep separate circles, though.”

“Yes,” Rupert agreed. “For good reason, I think.” He peeled himself away from the wall.

Winston’s laughter was soft, warm, and Rupert tingled with it. “Morgan is much more agreeable,” the lawyer said. “I will give them that.”

“He’s never liked me. I’m sorry I let him chase me off.” He paused, then said shyly, “We didn’t get that drink.”

“Some things cannot be helped. But we will need to reschedule, I suppose.”

Rupert sank down on his bed. “Yes,” he agreed. He felt dizzy with possibility. Winston wouldn’t have followed up if he wasn’t interested, would he? He thought back to the alpha’s words at the party—that Rupert was his date. That they’d started dating the day before.

It was a lie, wasn’t it? It felt less like a lie now.

“What about tomorrow?”

“Hm? That’s rather … soon.”

Rupert had no idea if he was ready to date anyone. He’d hardly socialized since the divorce proceedings had started sixteen months ago. People in general seemed like too much effort. Too much emotion. Too much hurt.

A snort of laughter. “I thought you wanted to go for a drink, since you brought it up. Or are you in the habit of getting everyone to buy you a drink?”

Rupert knew he colored up to his ears. “Oh! No—I can buy my own drinks, thank you. I just thought …”

He paused, fiddling with the bedspread. What had he thought? “That perhaps you knew of some more impressive Hill Country wines.” Ugh, he sounded pathetic, bland, even to himself.

“Mm, I thought I might get some more ofyourrecommendations,” the lawyer drawled. There was a decided pause, as though the alpha were mulling something over. “I’m supposed to attend a function tomorrow evening.”

“A function,” Rupert repeated, barely holding back a laugh.

“Mm, yes.” He could picture the alpha smiling. “A charity thing.”

“Is it a function or a thing?” Rupert’s mouth had started to ache with the force of his own smile.