James watched Theo turn around and disappear around the corner of the storage room. He hadn’t imagined that, had he? They had been a second away from kissing.

He had goose bumps all over and not just from the cold rain that had soaked him through.

He wasn’t as soaked as Theo, though. James’s heart had practically stopped when Theo had gone into the water, even though he hadn’t been in any real danger. All James could think of was to protect him.

It wasn’t until he’d had Theo half-naked in his arms did James realise how much trouble he was really in. He was glad in a way that Theo had pulled back because James didn’t think he would have. But that left him wondering why he’d moved away. Because he didn’t want to kiss? Or because, like James, he didn’t think they should?

He’d clearly been flustered when he’d fled. James didn’t want to undo all the progress they had made that afternoon getting to know each other. He made a snap decision and dashed from the storage room.

Luckily, Theo hadn’t got far. He was squelching along one of the back corridors just outside the storage rooms where not many people tended to be, his arms wrapped around himself shaking his head. As James approached from behind, he thought he might have heard Theo muttering to himself.

“Theo,” he called out. Theo stopped and turned to look at James.

“Hi?” he said.

James smiled. If there was a chance their almost-kiss had held something behind it, James wasn’t going to waste it. “I’ll walk with you,” he said convivially, pointing in the direction of Theo’s room. “That way we can drip on the floors together.”

Theo laughed and seemed to relax a little. “I think I’m dripping a lot more than you,” he said with a sigh. “I can’t believe I fell in the moat.”

He looked down at his soaked, broken shoes as they walked and seemed genuinely distressed.

“I’m sorry about your Converse,” James said sincerely. He hadn’t missed that was all Theo had been worried about once he’d saved his phone.

Theo nodded glumly. “Yeah,” he said heavily. “I live in these. I guess it’ll be slippers and my dress shoes for the rest of the week now.”

The corridors were getting busier as everyone had run inside to escape the rain. But they knew better than to bother James as they walked. He bit his lip, worried he was about to undo all his hard work. But he had to offer.

“Would you let me buy you a new pair?” he asked quietly.

Theo’s eyes went wide as he looked over at James. He opened his mouth to speak, but then appeared to reconsider his words. “Are you sure?”

James beamed at him. What a breakthrough. “Absolutely,” he said as relief flowed through him. “What size are you? I’ll have some sorted by tomorrow.”

He wanted to add that he could have some by today if he really pushed. But it was a Sunday and the shops would be closing soon. He would rather not stress Manjeet out by sending him racing into town before business hours were over.

But…James didn’t want to rush this. He also wanted to handle it himself. It was pretty monumental that Theo was allowing James to buy him what he would consider to be quite a large gift. To James, it was nothing. But for Theo, new Converse trainers were a huge expense.

“Size nine,” Theo said. His voice was warm. “That’s proper decent of you, mate. I appreciate it.”

“It’s the least I can do after how hard you’ve been working,” James assured him.

Theo tilted his head. “It’s just my job,” he said. But he smiled. James wondered how used to accepting praise he was. His grandmother certainly thought the world of him. But was Theo used to taking compliments from other people?

“It’s my pleasure,” James insisted. “I don’t think this project would have got off the ground without you. So thank you.”

Theo smiled. “I appreciate that,” he said quietly.

The rain was still hammering down outside the window, but the thunder was quieter now and James hadn’t seen any lightning at all. The storm was probably rolling away. He would need to go back to the dock and make sure he tidied everything up from their picnic on the rowboat. But it was worth abandoning it for the moment if it meant everything was well between him and Theo.

When they reached the base of Theo’s staircase, James thought it best not to go up. Theo probably needed some space to shower and James didn’t need to be hanging around when he was trying to do that.

“I’m sorry our lunch got a bit soggy,” James said. “But thank you for the company all the same.”

Again, Theo looked like he wanted to say something but changed his mind. “Same, mate,” he said, sounding genuine. “I’ll see you later, yeah?”

“Absolutely,” James assured him.

Although the castle was a hub of activity, no one bothered James as he wandered slowly back to the dock to rescue Peggy’s picnic basket. He was glad, because he had so many thoughts rolling around in his head.

As excited as he was that he and Theo were getting along, he knew anything between them could only be short-lived. They couldn’t date lest anyone were to find out. The way the press hounded James, it would only be a matter of time before they did.

It was utterly infuriating that same-sex couples were still regarded as taboo for so many people. James hadn’t chosen this life in the spotlight. He had been born into it. It shouldn’t stop him from dating whoever he wanted. However, Livy had got quite enough flack for getting engaged to a man of colour, for crying out loud. Never mind that he was a decorated military officer from an upper-class family. Even in this day and age, people were still so frightened by the idea of change.

If his grandmother couldn’t endorse James marrying a man, it was safest not to date them and risk falling in love. But as he reached the docks once more, he couldn’t help but feel it might already be too late not to get involved with another man. There was a very good chance that – although it had been Theo who had gone into the lake – it was James who was actually falling.

Of course, James thought as he dashed back out into the rain to get the basket from the boat, it was entirely possible Theo didn’t feel the same way about him. He could just be being friendly. But that idea made James feel even worse. Thinking that Theo might not be interested made him realise how much he wanted Theo to be attracted to him.

James stood in the rain and raised his face to the sky, letting the water run down his skin. The way it stood right now, he was damned if he did, damned if he didn’t. The best solution would probably be to walk away and forget he had ever met Theo Glass.

He couldn’t do that for another week at least, though.