At college, when people had started talking about their sex lives, he’d always changed the subject, feeling chronically shy and unsure of himself.

Dan shakes his head firmly and says, ‘Fitz.’

‘Is that your safe word? Where is he anyway? Washing his hair?’ Atticus says, filling his glass to the brim.

‘He’s at home.’

‘He’s welcome here,’ Atticus says, taking a sip of wine.

‘He’s happy,’ Dan says. ‘He’s probably hogging the sofa and eating all the cheese.’

‘And you like to have an excuse to bolt.’ It’s not a question, it’s a fact. Dan twiddles the stem of his wine glass as Atticus loads a pitta sliver with hummus and places it delicately in his mouth.

Dan feels out of his depth, clumsy and awkward. Why did he agree to come? Why does Atticus want him here? Surely he could have anyone. Someone who knows all about woody red wine and art and how to do this. How to drink and flirt and move from the dining table to the couch.

Atticus has been watching him, and when he looks up, they lock eyes and Dan jolts, like he’s touched an electric fence. Atticus smiles and puts down his wine glass. ‘Relax, Daniel. I’m not going to ravish you before the main course. I’ve spent all afternoon cooking it.’ The joke is supposed to relax Dan, but he only feels worse. The wine, the carefully prepared stew. The best plates. What does Atticus want in return? It can’t just be Dan’s company. Atticus didn’t do all this just to sit and watch Dan gulp nervously.

Dan takes a sip of the wine before he realizes what he’s doing. It’s thick and rich and no doubt cost more than anything Dan has drunk before. The flavour coats his tongue and he worries his teeth will stain. He plants his feet on the floor, ready to push his chair back, make an excuse, pull out his wallet and offer to pay for the food, when Atticus stops him with a hand on his thigh. It’s heavy and warm. His long fingers curl round the side of Dan’s quad and squeeze gently.

‘Don’t go, Daniel, please.’

‘I don’t know how to do this, Atticus,’ he confesses, to the fingers on the leg of his black jeans.