Page 41 of Rubbing One Out

Chapter 15

Dae wasn’t ready to hear the words he’d been dreading all day, ever since Ben came home.

“We need to talk.” He’d known it was coming. Ben had a habit of loitering around looking as if he wanted to speak, then sighing heavily and finding something else to do. The dinner had been cooked, the dishes washed, and Ben had even taken the ironing board to iron a shirt for the next day. It was driving Dae crazy.

How doI tellhim we have three days left before I have to go away?

Dae sat up on the couch, pulled his silky night-robe closer around his naked form, and sat back again. “What do we need to talk about? Have I done something wrong?”

Ben shook his head and sat down next to Dae. “No, not really. It’s more what you aren’t doing.”

Dae raised one brow in question even though he knew damned well what Ben meant. “Oh? Tell me then.” He picked up his chamomile tea. “I’m all ears.”

Ben fidgeted nervously. “The last couple of days you’ve been…different. Distant, I mean, like you have something in your mind and won’t share it.”

Dae shrugged one shoulder. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be.”

Ben reached out and took Dae’s hand, rubbing it gently. “If something is bothering you, you can tell me. I thought we were partners.”

Dae heart lurched. “Partners? How do you mean?”

Ben looked at him in confusion. “Well, you’ve been staying here with me for nearly three weeks now. We share a bed, we make love. I thought that meant we had some form of relationship.”

Dae’s heart cracked a little. “Ben, we do all those things, but you realise it isn’t going to last, don’t you?” He swallowed, trying to get rid of the lump in his throat. “You’ve known this is only temporary. We come from different worlds and I need to get back to mine.”

Ben’s eyes darkened. “I understand that. More than you know. It’s been eating away at me because I’m not ready to end things.” He sighed. “Why do you think I haven’t made my second wish yet? As long as I hold back on it, you’ll stay.” His smile was beautifully sad. “Call it selfish, but I keep dreaming I’ll find a way to keep you here.”

Dae stood, unable to be too near to Ben. He wanted nothing more than to pull him close and hold him, and that wouldn’t do. He needed to get the news out quickly, shock Ben like ripping a plaster off a wound. There was no other way to say it.

“You only have three days to make a wish. Then whether you make it or not, I have to go back into the lamp. Back to Calado’r.”

Ben’s face paled. “Three days? How the hell does that work? I thought it was up to the wisher to determine how long it takes. I’m not ready.” He stood and paced around the room, his movements jerky, paired with his distress.

Dae swallowed. “No. Turns out I didn’t read the manual properly. There are rules.”

Ben turned to him, his expression angry. “How did you find this all out? Who reminded you of these ‘rules’?”

“The Lady Mage Elicia came to see me the other night.” Dae stared out the window towards the garden bench. “She sat over there,” he pointed,” and told me my time here on Earth had to end. The Lord and Lady had decreed it so, and I have to go back.”

Ben’s face twisted. “The Lady Mage Elicia. How come I didn’t see her? Where was I?”

“You were sleeping,” Dae muttered. “It was early in the morning and something woke me.” He sat down on the couch again and pulled a cushion close to his chest. “She had news of my family and life back home. It was lovely to hear it, but then she told me the bad news.”

Ben slumped down next to him, looking shattered. Dae’s heart cracked a little more at the sight.

“So three days is all we have?” Ben’s shoulders slumped. “I can’t believe it.”

They sat in silence. Tess came over and laid her head on Ben’s lap, brown eyes soulful. Ben stroked her head absently. “Is there no way they’ll grant an extension? I mean, I don’t even know what to wish for.”

Dae didn’t answer, and shook his head in sorrow.

“Do you want to stay?” Ben asked abruptly. “I mean, is it something you’d consider? I know life here isn’t exciting, and your life back home is more magical than this world, but you’ve become a part of my life. Is there some magic you can do to stay here?”

Dae sighed. “I’ve thought about it a lot the last week. I’ve come to love this world of yours, and then there’s you. You make me feel life here could be fulfilling. But as a Djinn, I’m bound by the Rules of the Accord. They are the law where I’m from and cannot be broken.”

He reached out and took Ben’s cold hands in his. “It isn’t on my list of things I want to do, but I have no choice. The Lord and Lady have decreed it. I’m being summonsed back to a further five-year sentence in the lamp, still without seeing my family or seeing you again.”

They stared at each other in silence for a minute. Finally, Ben heaved a sigh and stood. He shuffled over to the window, his sweatpants and tee-shirt hanging loosely around him, and stared out into the dark.