Jordan’s eyes flew open, giving Matty a look of betrayal. Heat rushed to his face, chest tightening like he’d been gently but unmistakably exposed.
Matty’s eyes went wide. “What? It’s true. They’re different. They…get it.”
The one sitting beside Cree—Levi—nodded. “He’s right. We all became friends with each other because we were kind of too much for anyone else.”
“And very gay in place where nobody was allowed to be gay,” Arsen said, his accent making his words almost melodic.
“Dude, nobody is more annoying than me,” Nico said.
“Or gayer,” Mal added.
Nico poked him, but looked back at Jordan with a grin. “I promise. Be as loud and invasive as you want. We’re used to it.”
“Just don’t ask Ever anything about sex…because he’ll tell you. Everything,” Shiloh said, jabbing Ever in the ribs.
Jordan smiled. It was automatic, polite, practiced. He knew they were being sincere but it did nothing to ease his anxiety. He didn’t want to ruin this for Matty. Or himself.He liked these people. All of them. And before he’d met Cree he would have dived head first into the chaos and hoped he didn’t drown. But that was before. Before he’d realized Cree was more than just one of the guys. Before he realized Cree mattered to him. He really didn’t want Cree to realize how fucking annoying he could be when he was in his own head. How messy his thoughts got when he cared. How needy and obsessive he felt.
So, instead, he just smiled uncomfortably and the group’s conversation swelled around them once more. Voices layered over voices, laughter cresting and breaking, the room too full.
Jordan’s gaze jerked to Cree as he stood abruptly, startling everyone.
Jordan’s heart plummeted.
Was he leaving?
He watched as Cree crossed the space until he was standing in front of Jordan. Close enough that he had to crane his neck back to look at him, that Jordan could feel the heat of him, the quiet gravity Cree carried. He grabbed Jordan’s hand, pulling him to his feet. “Let’s go.”
There was no malice or demand behind it. Just a quiet permission to leave a space that he clearly found uncomfortable.
Still, he couldn’t stop himself from asking, “What? Where?”
“We have a movie to watch. Remember?” Cree said, gazing down at him with those beautiful, intensely dark eyes.
They were steady.
Certain.
Like he’d already decided this was happening.
It made it easier for Jordan to just go along with it.
“Right,” Jordan said, glancing over at Matty. “I-I did tell him I’d watch a movie with him.”
Matty gave him a weird look like he wasn’t sure why he was offering him an explanation. “Uh, okay?” He looked between his friend and Cree, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Have fun.”
Jordan barely heard him. His pulse was roaring in his ears now. The others ‘oohed’ and ‘awwed’ at the implication, earning a sharp look from Cree.
“What movie are you watching?” Shiloh asked around a giggle, arm gathering Ever closer.
“None of your business,” Cree said calmly.
There was more teasing and laughter, but Jordan heard it all like he was sitting at the bottom of a swimming pool, his heart hammering where it was lodged in his throat. Everything else blurred, background noise swallowed by the simple fact that Cree hadn’t let go of his hand.
He allowed Cree to pull him from the main room to the theater room next door. Once inside, Cree stopped, looking back at how close they still were to the others.
Jordan’s heart fell.
Too close. Too visible.
