“And how’s that going?”
Oliver sighs and drops his face into his pillow. “Fffucking gfreaf.” I can’t really understand his muffled statement, but I get the gist.
“Look, it takes time. You’ve only been here a year. Don’t give up on it yet.” He doesn’t move, his face still buried, body unmoving. I give him a second, hoping he’ll roll over and face me again. When he stays that way, I start to worry about him suffocating. “Look.” Fuck me. This is against all my better judgment, but I feel sorry for him. If I moved somewhere new at this point in my life, I’m pretty sure I’d become a recluse, only leaving the house to go for a run. “We could hang out again. Sometime.” I tack on the last word in hopes of keeping me from overcommitting. My work schedule is inconsistent, and my running plan is rigorous. It’s part of why I don’t date often. Neither of those things is negotiable, which most people aren’t too keen on.
That does it, Oliver rolls to one side, kicking the blankets off of him as he splays his legs. “Really? You aren’t just saying that out of pity? Because I know I’m being dramatic right now, but that will pass.”
“I’m serious. I’d love to get together.” It’s the truth. In general, I don’t like many people. It’s different from Matthias, Nathan, and Tyler. I’ve known them a long time, and they’re used to me. Everyone else tends to be the problem. Oliver’s different, even if I can’t put my finger on how. I’ve genuinely enjoyed spending time with him—even the parts where we had our clothes on.
“Perfect, I?—”
“As friends.” As great as tonight was—and it was fantastic—I’m already getting myself in trouble. With Oliver lying next to me, his big brown eyes pleading with me, it’s easy to forget this is the guy Colt was on a date with a few hours ago. The guy whosent Nathan into a downward spiral. The guy Matthias nearly punched.
Being friends with him is going to cause enough problems. Sleeping with him was a bad idea. Doing it again? Disastrous.
“Right. Friends.”
“That’s what you said you were looking for, right?” I watch his face for any sign that I’m getting this whole thing wrong. The last thing I want is to wind up hurting him. He deserves to be cared for and adored.
By someone who’s definitely not me.
“Yeah, friends sounds perfect.”
OLIVER
Friends isnotperfect. Aaron has the most perfect body I’ve ever seen, and I only scratched the surface of things I’d like to do with it. I was hoping there’d be a repeat where I’d get to sink my cock into his incredible ass. Or the other way around. I’m not picky.
Seriously, that ass is carved out of marble. I might not have gotten to play with it, but I had my hands on it a few times, and holy shit. I’m pretty sure I might die while fucking him, but it’d be worth it.
“Oliver?”
And once again, I’m completely lost in my head. “Yep.” Hopefully, I didn’t miss anything important. “What did you say?” People who are around me enough get used to the whole zoned-out thing. I’d say it’s not my fault, but it is. Or at least it’s the fault of my ADHD. I like to pretend it’s a whole different side sometimes, to make myself feel better.
“I said I should probably get going. I have to be up early in the morning for a run before work.”
I wrinkle my nose because what kind of crazy person gets up early, on purpose, and then spends that extra time exercising? Running’s the worst kind of exercise. “Okay, well, I’ll walk you out.”
We spend the next several minutes pulling on our discarded clothes in silence. Honestly, there’s not much to say once a guy tells you that he’s only interested in being friends. I walk him to the door, wondering what the protocol is here. An hour ago, my dick was in his mouth. Now, what am I supposed to do? Give him a handshake?
I lean in for a hug, deciding that it’s the perfect happy medium. Except Aaron has something different in mind, leaning in for a kiss at the same time. We wind up butting heads, which, honestly, is the perfect end to this discussion.
“Shit.” Aaron rubs the side of his head, grimacing. “Well, I’ll see you around.”
“I’ll text you,” I say. Even as the words leave my mouth, I hate myself for them. Aaron literally just finished telling me how he doesn’t want to be in a relationship, and I immediately became needy. “Or not.”
He gives me a bit of a confused look, then smiles and shakes his head. The next few seconds go by so slowly it’s like watching an old movie.
Aaron opening the door.
Aaron walking out the door.
Aaron closing the door.
For a minute after he leaves, all I can do is stare. No matter how hard I try to talk myself out of it. He’s just a guy I met at the bar. A one-night stand. Whatever I’m feeling right now is the effects of an orgasm and a couple of drinks. Nothing more.
By the time I move, I’ve almost managed to convince myself that it’s true.
CHAPTER 5
