ODDS OF LOVE : SEASON TEN

Episode 26

" You are most extraordinary," Gerald whispered as his fingers rose up to gently, tenderly stroke at the side of his face. " So beautiful. "

" I'm not," Alfred said tentatively with a slight tremble to his voice as his eyes met the headmaster's own. What was it about this man ? Not even Scott had inspired such intense feelings and emotions inside of him. He wanted him. He wanted this man so damn much.

Their lips met slowly and steadily in a passionately demanding kiss.

And then Alfred woke up in his bed at his mother and stepfather's home. He lay in the bed with his heart racing and his body trembling.

And his bed sheets were slightly wet as a result of the very odd dream he had just had.

Maybe it would not be as easy to stay professional as he wanted to.

Maybe he should not have invited the man to Sunday dinner at the house because he seemed so lonely and he didn't want to think of him wandering around that big empty house all alone while mourning his wife's murder.

His phone beeped with an incoming text and he reached for it. When he saw it was Gerald a strange warmth crept over his body.

Gerald: Thank you once more for your lovely invitation to dinner tonight, Alfred. Please convey my thanks to your family as well. Tell your mother I am going to bring a nice bottle of Scotch tonight. My family taught me a proper guest never arrives empty handed.

Alfred smiled faintly and texted back that he didn't think the Scotch would be appropriate because his stepfather was a recovering alcoholic. Then he hit send. He knew Andrew was fine about people drinking around him but he didn't think that the man should be tempted by such things. He would do anything to protect the man who was more of a father to him and more accepting of him than his own had been. Franco had considered his cousin Jacob to be more of a son really. In fact too often the man had said outright to him that he should have been more like Jacob. Although he never had said it around Glory. If they had believed in divorce he often wondered if his mother would have left his father. He wished she had. Maybe she could have found Andrew sooner.

His phone beeped once more.

Gerald: That's fine. I shall bring scones instead. We can save the Scotch for a future dinner with the two of us possibly.

Alfred swallowed. Was the man trying to ask him out on a..... date?

No. It couldn't be.

The only man who had ever asked him out was Scott. Scott's dates had always filled him with excitement and anticipation. He wondered what it would be like dating Gerald.

He was your boss , he told himself sharply. And he was straight and a new widower.