THE PARTY TURNED into one of those epic nights that lasted well into Saturday, giving me barely a day to recover from the rager. Which I did from the comfort of my bed, while our condo was put back into place like there hadn’t been an overflowing crowd of bodies crammed inside only hours ago. Then Sunday passed by like all good Sundays do, with nothing planned but whatever the hell I wanted—and what I wanted was to lounge around all day and remember the kiss that had taken place on the rooftop. It might’ve ended quicker than I wanted it to. But the fact that there was something to end at all was a step in the right direction.
At least, that was what I told myself as me and my crew climbed out of the Sprinter van Monday morning and dragged our sorry asses up through the courtyard of Astor.
God, I was definitely still feeling the effects of Friday night’s activities. I might have to sit out anything the guys had up their sleeves for at least another day or two until my system fully detoxed.
“Looking a little sloppy over there today, West. Still crying into your pillow over your failed attempt of seduction this weekend?” Donovan’s pearly-white grin gleamed in the sunlight. I seriously fantasized about knocking one of his teeth out.
“Who said I failed?”
East snorted as we stopped under one of the massive trees that shaded the benches lining the entrance. “How about you locking yourself in your bedroom all weekend?”
“That doesn’t mean shit.” I dropped my bag onto the bench. “I just didn’t want to be in the way when our furniture was returned.”
“Or be seen red-eyed from crying yourself to sleep,” Travis interjected.
I looked over at the phone he was always glued to. “Better than getting carpal tunnel from scrolling and mooning over things I can’t have all day.”
Travis jerked his head up, leveling me with a fuck you glare that rivaled even Daire’s. “You don’t get to say shit to me after the stunt you pulled this weekend.”
Ouch, someone was touchy. But hey, while Travis was causing a scene, the guys weren’t focused on me. Again, I wasn’t above using someone’s weakness to my advantage.
“I didn’t pull anything. I merely did what I had to in order to secure myself a win in a challenge you assholes threw down. Don’t get pissy with me because the target made friends with—”
“The one person I can’t stand?”
“I can’t stand either of you,” Daire said, glaring between the two of us. “So can you shut the fuck up?”
Travis turned on the scowling shadow that always seemed to be wherever we were despite his caustic complaints.
“For someone who can’t stand us, you sure as shit manage to loom over us all the time.”
Daire pulled a packet of cigarettes out of his jeans pocket and flipped open the lid. “Not by choice.”
“Vice versa, asshole,” Travis grumbled to himself as he went back to scrolling and Daire walked off, and suddenly, all eyes were back on me.
“So, you tanked it with the golden boy, huh?” Preston grimaced and shrugged his bag up his arm. “Maybe he really is straight and not wanting to experiment. Some people are into girls, you know.”
I eyed my friend closely, from his perfect, all-American looks to the light blue collared shirt he’d tucked into his navy pants. “Like you?”
The smile he flashed was so charismatic, I really could see him one day following in his father’s political footsteps.
“Exactly.” Preston shrugged. “Serena and I get each other, you know? So, there’s no point in experimenting and looking around when I have someone who understands me.”
“Right, but JT doesn’t have anyone… Not like you do.”
“Oh, right,” Preston quickly agreed. “I know. I was just saying—”
“That he’s going to fail miserably?” East chuckled, like he’d already won the bet. “I already told him that. But he insisted on jinxing himself by preplanning his great vacation.”
“I haven’t jinxed shit.”
East arched one of those pompous eyebrows. “Did your date not flee your party on Friday night without a word to anyone?”
“He wasn’t my date.”
“Ha, so you admit it.”
“I don’t admit shit. Except he wasn’t my date. He was, however, the guy I took up to the rooftop for a more…private party.”
I’d been keeping this little nugget of information until a moment when I would enjoy it most—like now.
East’s eyes narrowed. “Bullshit.”
“Um,” Gavin said from his spot at the end of the bench. “It’s true, actually.”
I smirked in his direction. Donovan’s brother might’ve cock-blocked me that night, but he was also witness to my greatness, so I was willing to forgive him.
“How much did he pay you?” East asked, but Gavin’s soft smile was answer enough. “Fucking hell.” East turned his attention back to me. “You really got Golden Boy up on the roof?”
I couldn’t help it—my shoulders straightened and my chest puffed up like I was some sort of proud peacock, or maybe just a cock. Thinking about that moment on our roof had my dick stiffening.
“I did. Why do you think he left without a word?”
“You persuasive motherfucker.”
“I told you, I’m going to win this bet.”
“I don’t know,” Preston interjected. “He did run away.”
“He did,” I admitted. “But not before he kissed me back.”
Gavin nodded. “He was definitely kissing him back.”
Hell, I might have to get the kid a gift or something with the way he was corroborating my story. But before I could think of what, a familiar face came into view.
I grabbed my backpack and slung it over my shoulder, more than ready to dip out on this conversation, but East grabbed hold of my arm.
“You coming home tonight?”
I chuckled, knowing he was asking if I had plans around town tonight. But I was exhausted, so I’d definitely be staying in.
“Yes, dear. I’ll be home for dinner. Feel free to have it waiting for me.”
“In your fucking dreams.”
“Not unless you serve it off JT’s body it’s not.”
He rolled his eyes, and that made me laugh even harder as I jogged off in JT’s direction.
I tracked his head of curls as he made his way through the morning crowds heading into the halls of Astor before the first classes started for the day. All weekend I’d wrestled with the urge to call or text JT to see where his mind was after the party. But something had told me to give him some space—probably the way he’d fled like it was the stroke of midnight and he was going to turn into a fucking pumpkin.
I was done with that now, though. He’d had two days to curse me out in his head, and now it was time to mend fences and all that “friend” stuff, in the hopes that maybe there was some lingering attraction behind his fleeing the scene of the crime.
If not, the bet would be done, and East was going to be hell to live with.
“JT,” I called out, not wanting him to disappear inside until we’d at least talked to each other. When he came to a stop and turned to face me, I took that as a step in the right direction.
I hurried over, and as I approached I noticed the way his fingers tightened on the strap of his bag. He was nervous, and the only way he was going to even begin to relax was if I played it cool.
Luckily for me, I was the king of cool. I could sell honey to a bee, or so my father always told me.
“Hey you,” I said as I came to a stop. “I was wondering if you’d recovered from Friday night.”
He gave a forced smile as he nodded, and I knew I had my work cut out for me. I just had to get him talking.
“Yeah. Took a day or so for my head to stop pounding, though.”
“Mine too.” I snorted. “Nope, that’s a lie—pretty sure it’s still pounding right now.”
JT’s lips eased into a more relaxed grin as he laughed. “I’m not surprised with the amount of alcohol you drank that night.”
“Hey now, I wasn’t the only one. You were tossing back shots right along with me, Golden Boy.”
“God, don’t remind me.” JT reached up and ran a hand through his hair—the same hair I had twisted my fingers in to angle his mouth closer to mine.
“I get that. Might have to lay off the liquor for a couple days.”
“A couple?” JT’s eyes widened, and he shook his head. “I’m thinking maybe months.”
“Months? Now that’s just not right.”
JT scoffed and looked away, like his mind was on other things, and I knew it was now or never.
“So, you up and disappeared on me Friday night.” JT’s eyes darted back to mine. I could see the worry swirling in them, and something twisted in my gut—guilt, maybe? “Everything okay?”
JT worried his lower lip as he toed the ground underfoot. “Yeah, I’d just had a lot to drink and was a little tired, that’s all. Thought it was smart to head home before I passed out or anything.”
Anything was code for: continued kissing your brains out on the rooftop.
“I get that. I was tired as hell too. So, did you catch up on sleep?”
His eyes brightened a little because it seemed I would let that particular line of questioning go.
“I did, yeah. I got home and passed out for, like, twelve hours straight.”
“Oh yeah? Have any good dreams?” I lowered my eyes to his mouth. “I did.”
I heard JT’s breath catch as my meaning hit home, but this beating around the bush shit wasn’t for me, and if I had any hope in hell of getting him back to the place he’d been on Friday night, I needed to see where his head was.
“Look…” JT said, and glanced over his shoulder.
Shit, put the nail in my coffin right now. He was clearly about to “let me down easy.” I was right back to square one.
“I know what happened on Friday night seemed like I was interested in something happening between us.” He swallowed. “And I’m sorry I let it get out of hand, but that’s just not for me. The whole kissing guys thing. I’d been drinking, and, well…” He shook his head. “That’s no excuse. I’m sorry if I led you on.”
Wait, what? He’s apologizing to me?
Hadn’t seen that coming. But I could definitely work with it.
“Oh…” I tried to remember how to feign regret, and judging by the contrite expression on JT’s face, I managed to pull it off. “That’s okay. You’d told me, and I should’ve been stronger—”
“No, no.” JT stepped forward and put a hand on my arm. “I feel like a total shit. All weekend I was trying to work out what to say to you because you’d been so nice, and then I went and led you on…”
“JT, stop. It’s cool, okay? We just got our wires a little crossed, that’s all.” And almost our swords, but I wasn’t going to push my luck by reminding him. We were finally back on the right track, and I just had to reassure him we were all good. “It was just a kiss, and, well, if you ever change your mind, you know I’m a good time.”
A relieved laugh burst free of JT, but he shook his head. “I won’t.”
I stepped around him, happy to leave well enough alone. But as I did, I spotted Dean Hawthorne across the courtyard, staring at me and her son with an incensed expression on her face.
My, my, she does not look happy.
This morning was turning out to be much better than I’d anticipated.
“Okay, so we’re good, right? Friends?” I said, placing my hand on his arm.
JT nodded. “Friends.”
“Good. Well, you’ve gotta get to class, and so do I, I guess.”
“Right.”
“Can I text you later?”
That relaxed friendly smile of his was back in full force, the relief from stressing all weekend now gone.
“Sure, I’d like that.”
“Of course you would. I’ll see you then.”
“See you.”
With a little extra pep in my step, I walked off across the courtyard. As I got closer to the dean, I couldn’t help but smirk and toss her a wink before I made my way to class like the good boy I wasn’t.
