Rentboy

to have adhered to the insides of his pockets. He couldn’t get his hands
    out!
    Watching as Fox angled his skinny body onto the wooden seat, Edward stood helplessly, trying
    to pull his hands free without seeming to. If he could just sit down, he might manage it surreptitiously
    under the table, but the chair was tucked in, so he could do nothing but stand looking at it.
    “What’s up?” Curiosity making his black-rimmed eyes squint, Fox looked up at him.
    Why did he always have to be a complete bloody berk? A total and utterly pathetic Billy No
    Mates. A poor, sad git. “My hands are stuck in my pockets. They get really sweaty when I’m
    nervous.”
    Fox sank his head onto his chest. He was obviously embarrassed by being seen with an idiotic
    boffin who could not get his hands out of his pockets. He’d probably leap up and make his getaway
    any second, leaving Edward standing helpless, unable even to open the door to leave. He felt the heat
    rising up his face from his neck and suffusing his cheeks.
    Fox’s shoulders shook with mirth. “Come here.” He grabbed Edward’s arms and began to pull,
    laughing hysterically as he did so. Several other patrons turned their way, looking on in disapproval.
    “Would you mind?” A heavyset man in a white apron came over to them. “This is a family
    restaurant.”
    “His hands are stuck in his pockets,” Fox said loudly. “Don’t just stand there. Help us.”
    By the time Fox and the burly chef had freed his hands, Edward’s cheeks burned scarlet, and
    everyone was staring at them. It was like one of his bad dreams where he found himself wandering
    through Trafalgar Square naked. “Now sit down and behave yourselves,” the apron man commanded,
    clearly displeased with them.
    Fox kept bursting into fresh giggles while they read the menu and ordered a Thai rice bowl each
    with curried tofu and a glass of papaya juice.
    What on earth had become of Edward’s quiet, respectable life in the last twenty-four hours?
    He’d had sex with a prostitute, not once but twice—one time in a filthy back alley. He’d made
    himself ridiculous every time he attempted to look cool. The young man in front of him, whose blue
    eyes were a magnet for his, obviously considered him a semiretarded nerd of the worst kind. The
    excitement that had surged within him when Fox had said come here and then proceeded to wank him
    off was a thing he had never before experienced. Now all he wanted was to get away from him with
    the last shreds of his dignity intact.
    A shadow fell over them when the big man brought their order. Fearfully Edward looked up,
    surprised to see the man’s face soften into a semblance of a smile. “Enjoy that, boys. You make a nice
    couple,” he said kindly.
    “We’re not a couple. He’s a prostitute.” The words tumbled from Edward’s tongue before he
    could stop them.
    The kind eyes narrowed into an angry glare before being cast up to the ceiling. “Just eat up and
    get the fuck out of here.” Edward dropped his chin onto his chest. Why couldn’t he keep his mouth
    shut?
    “Thanks for telling everyone I’m an arse for rent.” Fox picked up his fork and took a large bite.
    “I don’t know why I said that. I’m so sorry. A thing comes into my head, and it comes out of my
    mouth before I know it. I can’t help myself.” Meeting his eyes, Fox took a long slurp of his papaya
    juice but did not respond.
    Edward looked at his food, unable to manage a bite. When he was upset, his appetite was
    always the first thing to go. He took his wallet from his back pocket and pulled out a credit card. “Let
    me pay you for the—you know.” He proffered the card.
    Fox stared at it for a moment. “Are you taking the piss?”
    “No.”
    Spluttering food from his mouth, Fox laughed again. “You’re not, are you?” For a moment
    Edward was stunned. What the hell had he done now? He looked at the credit card in his hand.
    Suddenly the sheer stupidity of trying to pay a prostitute with a credit card struck him, and he too
    began to laugh. He had never laughed like this in his life. When his papaya juice went flying off the
    table, the apron man came running out from behind the counter. “Get out, both of you. Now!”
    For a moment Edward sat terrified, not knowing what to do. How utterly humiliating to be
    thrown out of a restaurant! Fox grabbed his hand and dragged him from the place, running hell-for-
    leather down the street, screaming with laughter.