Blurring the Lines (Book Two - ManxMan ManxManxWoman)

Chapter Nine

'What are the chances he'd message you right as you were writing him an email?' He'd asked himself silently. 'Not very surprising considering you email him everyday,' came the silent reply from his own mind.

But he really wanted to speak to James right now. The isolation he'd experienced in the week since the gala had been so very profound that he felt alone even when in the company of Melissa.

She had supported him as much as she could through it all but now even she seemed to have had enough of his wallowing. He just needed someone to talk to.

Not Melissa. They'd spoken about James so often in those first few months when it was the hardest that he felt it was beginning to become a problem; though she assured him it wasn't.

Had he hit Josh that night at the gala because he was angry with him for making a huge mistake and blurring the lines? Or had he hit Josh because he'd said those precise words;

"... James is mine," he said it out loud as he had this thought and even as he did an image of Spence Williams flashed before him.

Josh was right. While he disapproved of Josh's relationship, casual or otherwise with the eighteen year old football captain, his real problem was with Spencer Williams whom had his James.

'No!' He yelled at himself silently, 'Spence and Sarah's James, not mine,'

This was why he couldn't call James or speak to him or see him or even allow himself to say his name even when he was alone, as he'd just done.

It simply hurt too much.

He went into the deleted messages of his phones text messaging menu. Found the message from James that he'd just deleted, and recovered it.

James Sharpe
[Hey... not even sure if you're getting my messages or if you have me blocked...]

Blake had tried to block him several times. He just couldn't do it. If James had forgotten about him and stopped trying to contact him, he needed to know.

[So anyway, I saw that article in JOCK.]

Blake hated that article. Melissa had read it cover to cover many times fuming that Blake hadn't let her exact her revenge on the busty blonde. Blake couldn't bring himself to read it, though it had been quoted to him several times.

[You looked great on the cover btw ;)]

He did. He knew it. He wondered if James agonised over writing that sentence as much as his heart fluttered reading it.

[Anyway, I just saw that second article though, I'm sorry that has happened to you. It was really low of whoever took those photos.]

Second article? Photos? Oh shit. Had someone managed to take a photo of his hand after that scuffle at the gala? He'd been so careful.

[I hope you're ok, I don't know if you guys are planning on suing but I just wanted to let you know, if you need me, I'm here for you.]

Suing? Over a photo of his damaged hand? Why would he do that? He'd stuffed up, if he'd been caught out he was screwed, it was no one else's fault. What the fuck was James referring to?

[All three of us are here for you, if you need us.]

The dagger to his heart at that last sentiment was overshadowed by the previous. What was this second article, and how was it worth suing over?

He Googled himself on his phone and clicked on NEWS.

The first article was dated ten minutes ago, published digitally by JOCK magazine. Article by Penny Whitman.