Keep Me (Beggar's Choice #3) by Lily Morton Read Free Book Online

be me taking you to and fro and let’s
face it Henry is a lot less pretty than me. His face won’t cause riots on the
campus.”
    “I can walk and take the bus.”
    “No,” he says loudly and firmly. “No, no, no. I want to know
you’re safe and not having a panic attack somewhere.”
    “That makes me sound so pathetic,” I protest and he looks
angry.
    “You’re not pathetic. You’re as fucking far from that as
anyone I’ve ever met. You’re a brave girl who suffers from a condition that
can’t stand small spaces. Which means that you can’t cope with the underground.
Deal with it and move on. The bus is too far for you to walk back later when
it’s dark. Therefore the only option is a driver. I have more money than most
people I know. This is like me paying your bus fare. I’d do that Alys and I’ll
happily do more because I like you and I think that we’re going to be good
friends.”
    I swallow hard and he takes my silence as the opportunity to
push me gently towards the front door.
    “We’ll talk about this later,” I say firmly.
    “Henry’s waiting,” he says merrily. “If it pleases your
embarrassed studenty little soul have him drop you a few yards from the
campus.”
    I go to say something but I’m struck dumb when he pushes me
through the door, hands me my bag over which he exclaims in disgust. “You’re welcome,”
he shouts happily and slams the door in my face.
    Bram
    I slam the door smiling which falters slightly when I see
Matt leaning against the kitchen door giving me that x-ray stare of his.
”What?” I ask defensively because let’s face it it’s my default return when I
see that look. However, he just shrugs and wanders back into the kitchen. “Oh
no don’t shrug,” I call. “You can’t look at me like that and then walk away.”
    He laughs. “Bram you’re so fucking needy. Always wanting to
know what I’m thinking and feeling. It’s like having a very cloying wife.”
    “Fuck off. I’d be an amazing wife.”
    He blinks slightly. “Mate that thought is so disturbing my
brain is squirming trying to get rid of it.”
    I laugh and then look hard at him. “What do you think of
her?”
    He stares at me over his coffee cup. “I like her Bram. She’s
quality.”
    I relax because Matt’s really astute and a great judge of
character. If he likes her and Sid does then I know that I’m right. They’re
like the voices of my conscience. Well, Matt is. Sid not so much nowadays, but
I dismiss that thought instantly because it hurts too much to think about him
at the moment.
    “And beautiful,” he adds knowingly, giving me that stare
again.
    I wriggle slightly because she totally is and I’ve got no
right to be looking. I settle for shrugging. “If you say so.”
    He laughs. “I may be gay Bram but I’ve still got eyes. How
the fuck are you going to keep your hands off her?”
    I slump slightly. “I don’t know,” I mutter. “But I’m going
to.”
    “You seem to like her though. I mean all these arrangements
for her and you gave a whole day up for her with no hope of a blowjob in
return. Ah, my boy is growing up.”
    I flick his arm hard making him say ouch and then I
shrug. “I just like her mate. You know me I tend to make up my mind quickly and
run with it. “
    “Yes, but usually it’s less you being the clear thinker that
you’re obviously trying to portray here, and more due to total pig headedness.”
    “I don’t know why I like her. It was instant.” I hesitate.
“She reminds me a bit of Sid though when we first met him at school don’t you
think?”
    He looks arrested and then nods. “Yeah you’re right. She’s
got that slightly damaged charm about her. You’ve always been a sucker for
that.”
    “I have not.”
    “Have too.” We grin at each other and then he sobers,
rubbing his finger meditatively along the worktop. “Maybe that’s a good omen
then mate because let’s face it Sid’s always had your total loyalty despite
everything