The Responsible One

By Eva Clancy

Owen and Tom's life together is great. It really is, it's just... Tom's becoming a workaholic and Owen doesn't know what to do about it.

When Tom breaks another promise to Owen, and goes into work at the weekend, Owen decides to clean the house... and finds something unexpected in Tom's closet.

It makes him wonder. Has Tom been needing something that he thinks Owen can't give him? Does Owen really know his boyfriend as well he thought?

This 9000 word story was previously published by Dreamspinner Press in their Cuddling anthoology 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Eva Clancy
• Release date: Jan 26, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386372776

Eva Clancy

Eva Clancy currently resides in the United Kingdom and loves reading, dreaming and writing sexy, romantic, emotional fiction. With favourite films such as: Talk to Her, The English Patient and Sweet Charity, musically she loves Midlake, John Grant, The Civil Wars and Bach. When it comes to books, her favourites are: The Sioux by Irene Handl, Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters, and The Adrien English mysteries by Josh Lanyon.

Book preview

Tom

Why don’t you go without me? Tom said. Or you could call Andy and see if he wants to go? He kept his tone light and his attention fixed on the coffee machine, but he could sense the waves of resentment coming off Owen as he ate his frosted cereal at the kitchen table. Frosted cereal. Ugh. Just thinking about that much sugar made Tom’s teeth ache.

There was a brief silence. Then, I wanted to go with you, Owen said. His voice was tense with anger. You promised last weekend we’d spend some time together.

I know, babe, and I’m sorry. If I could avoid going to work today—

Owen clattered his spoon down on the table. Please don’t pretend there’s nothing you can do. We both know that nobody else goes into your office at the weekends—you spend long enough moaning about it.

Tom sighed. Okay, maybe he had an overly developed sense of responsibility, but he couldn’t let everything slide just because that was what everyone else was doing.

I spent ages planning a route and getting the bikes ready, Owen continued. You watched me do it, Tom! You knew this was important to me, but you still let me down at the last minute. Again.

I’m sorry, Tom said again, but this time he didn’t try to suppress the resentment in his tone. Was it really too much to expect Owen to be in his corner over this? He wearily ran a hand over the back of his neck, wincing at the tension he carried there.

You’re always sorry, Owen muttered.

They lapsed into a strained silence, broken only by the drip, drip, drip of the coffee machine. It was an ancient thing, and it produced a lethal caffeine-heavy brew that Tom loved and Owen couldn’t stomach.

When the machine eventually stopped, Tom reached for a mug, pausing when he caught sight of the time. Shit, was it almost ten already? This morning’s argument had set him back more than hour. He’d hoped to be at the office by now.

Well, he could always have breakfast at his desk. It was probably better than being glared at by Owen across the kitchen table, wasn’t it?

Decision made, he began raking through the kitchen cupboards for something to put his coffee in, finally unearthing a big vacuum mug Owen had bought him a couple of Christmases ago. The reindeer on the front was a bit unseasonal for April, but it would keep the coffee hot, and it held almost a pint, which should help him stay awake after his crappy night’s sleep. He gave the mug a quick rinse under the tap, then filled it almost to the top with coffee, adding a