Page 124 of In at the Deep End

“Mm-hm.”

“I invited him into a house full of strangers.”

Gray folded his arms. “And yet you haven’t checked on anyone else.”

Another eye roll. “That’s because everyone knows each other. This is not my first shindig.”

Adam’s grin widened. “You’ve introduced Matt to practically every guest who’s arrived.”

Owen aimed a steady gaze at him. “I believe that’s called being a good host.”

Gray shook his head. “Being a host is introducing everyone once.”

Adam nodded in agreement. “You’ve spent the entire afternoon making sure he never stands on his own for more than five minutes.”

Owen frowned. “I haven’t.” Have I?

Adam smiled. “You genuinely don’t know you’re doing it.”

Owen looked back towards the garden.

Matt and Felix were laughing again. Sebastian had wandered over with three drinks, automatically handing the first one to Felix before taking a sip from his own.

Gray’s voice softened. “Look, we’re not winding you up.”

Owen glanced back at them.

Adam nodded. “If anything, we’re pleased.”

“Pleased?”

Gray inclined his head towards the garden. “We asked you that day in Winchester if the young bloke next door was cute.”

Owen was hoping they’d forgotten that part.

Of course they hadn’t.

“I recall you trying very hard not to answer,” Adam said with a grin.

Gray chuckled. “And now look at you.”

Owen frowned. “What exactly do you think you’re seeing?”

His smile became unmistakably smug. “A man who hasn’t taken his eyes off the young bloke next door all afternoon.”

Owen opened his mouth, then discovered he had no words.

Adam laughed. “We’ll take that as confirmation.”

“And for the record…” Gray nodded once more towards the pool and raised his bottle. “You’ve got excellent taste.”

Owen rolled his eyes once more. “I’ll be sure to pass that on to his parents.”

Gray groaned. “Oh, he’s deflecting with humour.”

Adam’s grin turned wicked. “So… are we allowed to flirt with him, or is the gardener under new management?”

The question should have been easy. Matt was twenty-five. Single, attractive, and entirely capable of making his own decisions.