“Oh, he’s got fancy underwear. Very nice.”
I take a deep inhale, turn around, and glare. My heart races, and I try to ignore the fiery heat crawling up my neck like a rogue flame, daring me to surrender.
“These are Old Navy. They’re not fancy. Or expensive.”
And then I realize he’s only wearing a towel. A hotel towel. It’s small, thin, and doesn’t leave much to the imagination. I can see nearly everything beneath the flimsy excuse for a cover-up. If this were a decent establishment, they’d be large, plush, and not allow the outline of his cock to be so clear. Fuck my life.
“I said they’re nice. Learn to take a compliment, Harry.”
His use of my first name—for the first time ever—pushes the heat from my face back down my torso and right to my groin. I quickly pull my pajama pants up.
“Did you want to shower?”
“No, I’m good. Still fresh and clean.”
I give a feeble smile.
“Well, the bathroom is all yours. I’m ready to hit the hay.”
And then Darius walks around to the other side of the bed and throws his towel on the chair like yesterday’s news.
He’s a blur as he dives under the covers, franticallyarranging the pillows behind his head. With his hands propped up, his biceps tense, and his armpits exposed, every muscle screams for attention. Dear God, what am I supposed to do now?
As I brush my teeth, I go over the situation in my head. Darius Hill is straight. Or I thought he was—is. Darius Hill is an asshole who torments me and attempts to make my life hell at school. He’s also incredibly sexy. And naked. And in the bed we’re about to share for the night.
I can do this. I worked in an ice cream store as a teenager and barely ate anything. After a few months, I wasn’t even hungry for ice cream. And they had the best mint chip—not those tiny flakes of chocolate, but giant, full-sized chips. If I can resist the allure of minty, chocolaty-sweet frozen dessert, I can resist spending a night in bed with a PE teacher-slash-hockey coach who I’m almost certain doesn’t even like men.
With a steeling breath, I open the door and march to my side of the bed. I avoid making eye contact as I crawl under the covers and turn my body away from him, quickly securing my eye mask in place. I’m like a horse with blinders—out of sight, out of mind. Take that, clean, naked man emanating heat a mere two feet away.
“You good if I turn the lights off?”
I’ve never heard Darius’s voice so soft. It’s like the bus ride, intense game, and hot shower somehow put a damper on his volume. He almost sounds . . . sweet.
“Mm-hmm.”
Maybe if I keep my communication to wordlessaffirmations, he’ll doze off and leave me alone. I hear the light click and begin counting breaths, hoping sleep will come.
“Thanks again for coming,” he whispers. “It meant a lot to the boys.”
“Yup,” I say. The boys. The only reason I’m here.
Technically, it’s a word, but only one—no more.
“And me.”
I hear some rustling and the sheets shifting, but I stay as still as a fly caught in a spider’s web.
It’s quiet for a minute, only the sound of our breathing and my heart pounding against my ribcage in my ears.
And then, Darius speaks.
“Listen, Harry, I know you think I’m a Neanderthal jerk—and, well, you’re not completely wrong. I don’t mean to be so gruff with you. I swear I’m not a complete asshole.” He shifts, and there’s a gentle tug at the sheets. “It’s just a cover. I hope you can forgive me. No hard feelings. Anyway, thanks again for coming.”
“A cover for what?”
Darius takes a few slow, deep breaths, making me uncertain if he’ll respond. However, his soft voice eventually breaks the silence.
“Have you ever seen one of the boys teasing a girl in class? Making jokes. Doing all he can to make her miserable?”
