Page 44 of Sun, Sea and Spotted Squid

The sadness that washed over his face made Sam instantly regret his barbed comment. Perhaps he had overplayed the ice-maiden act a little too much now.

“Sorry,” he added. “I have no right to judge.”

“You do have every right after what I’ve put you through,” Wolfgang replied. “Please don’t think my feelings were false. I fell for you despite trying very hard to fight it.”

Fell?

“Past tense?” Sam asked.

Wolfgang met his gaze. “Hardly.”

The sweat on his back had soaked into the sheets. They lay there, still entwined in each other. Of course, the inevitable had happened and had been as amazing as all the other times. They might struggle to realise what they meant to each other. Yet in the sack they had no such issues whatsoever.

“I was absolutely not going to do that,” Sam said.

The heat in his room resembled the surface of Mercury but he wouldn’t let Wolfgang take his arms from him for anything.

“I’m glad you did.”

“Well if I’m sending you home to Germany to a life of normality, the least I can do is put a spring in your step.”

He kicked Sam. “Springs everywhere.”

Sam rolled away. The heat finally beating him. “God it’s so hot in here.”

Wolfgang kissed him. “Come back. I miss you.”

Sam had no intention of complying. Instead he sat up and crossed his legs. Wolfgang scooted across and laid his head in Sam’s lap.

Why did something so perfect have to end?

“When’s your flight?”

Wolfgang groaned. “Do we have to talk about this?”

“Yes.”

“Thursday morning. You?”

“Thursday afternoon. I’m bloody dreading it. I’ll hear everyone else saying their goodbyes and banging on about what a wonderful time they’ve had. I’ll be lucky if they spare a scowl for the mad gay in the attic.”

Wolfgang caught his hand and brought it to his lips. “I cast you in that role. I’m so sorry, Sam.”

“Oh well. At least we found the fucking squid.”

They both collapsed in fits of laughter. His eight weeks in Spain had been crazy and way more than he’d signed up for.

Surely not every overseas role will be like this.

SIXTEEN

They all sat in a semi-circle in the meeting room. Sam on the end with Wolfgang forming a human shield between him and the others. Sam had tried to make amends with Maria the night before. He hated parting badly. She had accepted his apology with good grace until Astrid had called her into her room.

They were planning a farewell meal together somewhere in the old town that night. Of course Sam hadn’t been invited. Wolfgang had refused. They’d spent the last few days sneaking from one room to the other. The Jack and Jill bathroom had actually come in useful in the end. Although who was Jack and who was Jill was very interchangeable. Parts of Sam ached like they’d never done before. He didn’t care. He’d decided to get the most out of Wolfgang before the inevitable wrench the next day.

Ruben stood in front of them. Sam studied his handsome Spanish looks.

Things might have been a whole lot different if I hadn’t gotten caught up with bloody Wolfie.