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“Hey,” Albie murmured. “We’re keeping this secret together, yes? Our secret is the same, is it not?”
Percy nodded and he began to cry again, scrubbing his shirtsleeve across his cheeks. “I tried not to be like this,” he murmured. “And I need this job, Albie. I don’t have anywhere else to go.”
Albie cupped Percy’s face, wiping away another tear. His skin was warm and alabaster white; his lips were pink and parted just so...
“I told you before your job is safe here,” he murmured, unable to drag his eyes from Percy’s lips.
Oh, how he wanted to kiss him.
“Have you ever been kissed?” Albie asked, his voice barely a breath.
Percy gave the slightest shake of his head. “I kissed Emily Phillips’ cheek once.”
“Lucky Emily Phillips,” Albie mumbled with a smile.
“It was terrible.”
Albie chuckled at that. They were so close now, chests almost touching, and Albie’s heart was thundering, every bone in his body buzzing. And yet, he was still struck by how beautiful Percy was. Even more so up this close. He had flecks of sapphire in his eyes and a faint spray of freckles on his nose.
But those lips... those pink lips would be the death of Albie, he was certain of it.
“I sure would like to kiss you right now,” Albie whispered, leaning in closer, almost touching.
Percy gasped and his cheeks flushed the most beautiful shade of crimson.
“So beautiful,” Albie murmured before he brushed his lips against Percy’s. He’d never kissed anyone before, not outside of a dream, anyway. And he trembled with the excitement, the nerves. The thrill of it.
He pulled back, lightheaded and giddy. “Was that fine with you?”
Percy’s eyes swam, and he slow-blinked as he nodded. A whole palette of pinks spread across his cheeks, and it stole Albie’s breath.
He traced his thumb across the warmth of Percy’s cheekbone to see if it felt as warm as it looked.
It did, and Albie’s heart squeezed. He had no words to describe how he felt in that moment or how utterly mesmerising Percy was. So instead, he lifted Percy’s chin and kissed him again.
A little harder this time, daring to capture Percy’s lips between his and opening their mouths just a little.
Enough to make Albie’s pulse quicken, and he was almost overcome with the need to push Percy against the wall with his body, to feel every inch of him and devour his mouth, taste his tongue...
He pulled back abruptly, startled by his desire. How he even knew to do such things was beyond him, but his body somehow, most definitely, knew.
“Whew,” he said, letting out a rush of air. He laughed at himself, licking the corner of his mouth. “I think I should stop before I’m unable to.”
Percy slow-blinked again, his eyes dazed. “Oh,” he said, breathless. Then he smiled and laughed. “Wow. Kissing Emily’s cheek was never like that.” He put his hand to his heart, and Albie put a hand to his own chest.
“You feel that too?”
Percy laughed and grabbed Albie’s hand, sliding it over his breastbone. Then he stopped as if just realising what he’d done.
But Albie kept his hand right where it was. “I can feel it,” he murmured.
Percy ducked his head. “I should go.”
The last thing in the world Albie wanted at that moment was for this to end, but he knew Percy was right.
“Here, let me help you,” he said, taking Percy’s coat. He helped him into it, pulling the collar up for him. “Stay warm.”
Percy gave a nod and slipped out the door into the dark. The wind was biting, carrying sleet in fierce flurries. When Percy disappeared off the end of the veranda, Albie closed the door and rested his forehead against the frame.
