My Chevelle was the only one of our vehicles that would fit four grown adults comfortably, so I drove with Major up front while Joel and Beckett sat in the back. We caught up with each other like we always did, and they seemed willing to leave the subject of Walker alone for the night.
Sawyer let us into his top-floor condo and gestured to the bar, inviting us to help ourselves. Beckett, Joel, and I grabbed Modelos from the bar fridge, while Major asked Sawyer to make him his “usual.”
Thinking I’d escaped the inquisition, I’d barely taken a seat in Sawyer’s elegant living room before they were on me like flies on shit.
“So, have y’all fucked?” Joel asked.
I sent him my best glare as I popped open my beer. “No.”
“Don’t you want to fuck him?” Major asked, accepting a tall, narrow glass of something bubbly and probably highly alcoholic from Sawyer.
“Sawyer, man, maybe you should give Major a bigger glass. Also, are you wearing a three-piece suit?”
“He’s fine with that glass, of course it’s a three-piece suit, and stop avoiding the question.” Sawyer swirled his martini glass, one finely plucked brow arched sky-high. “Do you want to fuck him?”
“Yes, but no.”
“What’s stopping you?” Beckett asked, accepting the bottle opener from me.
I rubbed my forehead as he and Joel opened their beers. We toasted and took a drink, and then they all stared at me until I caved.
“First of all, you nosy assholes, I don’t want to just fuck him.”
“Which means…?” Major asked, managing a delicate sip of his concoction.
“I’d like to date him.”
“How very white picket fence of you,” Joel responded, far too happy with my answer.
“You’ve got an engagement ring on your finger,” I said, bumping his hand.
“I wasn’t making fun of you, buddy. I was welcoming you.”
“I don’t want to marry him, you jackalope. I want to get naked with him and see if there’s something there.”
“You still haven’t answered Beckett’s question,” Sawyer noted sharply.
“Dude, have I annoyed you or something?” I asked, taken aback by his tone.
He took a sip. “I’d just like to hear what’s stopping you, Oswald.”
“Full first name, huh?”
“Yep.”
Tilting my head to the side, I took in my friend and fellow clotheshorse. Sawyer looked ready to take over a corporate boardroom, but it seemed something about my answer was important enough to unsettle him.
“What was the question again?” I asked, knowing damn well what he wanted to know.
“What’s. Stopping. You?” he asked, smoothing his expression.
“Well, good buddy, surely you know Walker still calls himself straight.”
A series of laughs and snorts went around the room. Even Sawyer was amused.
“Y’all can laugh if you want to, but if he hasn’t come out to himself yet, I don’t have much of a chance.”
“That’s fair,” Major admitted before holding up a finger. “But that’s not the only issue here.”
