I forced myself to avoid glancing at Ryder, but the restraint grew more challenging by the second.
Dozens of questions bounced around in my head. How was he after the drama with his father yesterday? Had they talked?
Do you still fuck Corvin?
I no longer felt the waves of tension flowing off him like yesterday. Maybe he’d had a productive conversation with his father. I was dying to ask, but I wouldn’t air his dirty laundry in front of Trevor and Corvin. Plus, we weren’t friends. He’d probably find it weird if I checked in on his personal life.
Though what we’d done last night felt personal as hell.
Ugh, why had I crossed that line? I could write off blowing each other as nothing more than us trying to win a stupid bet, but the way I’d let him have at my dick after I sucked him off? I had no justification for that beyond wanting him to touch me and make me feel good.
Stupid.
As Trevor rambled on to Corvin, who kept sending heart-eyed looks Ryder’s way, my fists curled under the table, and I had to force my fingers to open. I hadn’t punched someone since I was thirteen, when a kid at school insulted my sick mother. It felt great at the time, but the ass-chewing she gave me afterward left me ashamed and promising I’d never use my fists to solve my problems.
And I hadn’t.
My gaze finally drifted left, and I found Ryder watching me. I sucked in a breath as the nerve endings in my skin came to life, tingling with awareness. I could almost feel the heavy weight of his gaze like a caress on my sensitive skin.
Or maybe that’s just what my subconscious wanted it to be.
I needed to get the hell out of there. But instead of standing and making an excuse to leave, I opened my big mouth. “So, uh, what are you up to today, Ryder?”
He cleared his throat. “Just finished up a meeting with my academic advisor for next semester. And this afternoon, I’m signing a lease on an apartment.”
“No shit?” The news overrode the bullshit in my head, and I grinned at Ryder, who nodded. “Well, congrats, man. That’s awesome news.”
“Thanks. Want to come with me? I can give you a tour.”
And we can get each other off again.
The unspoken words reverberated through my brain as loudly as a brass marching band.
Everyone not at our table disappeared. Trevor’s gleeful stare was palpable. My friend used every ounce of strength to avoid standing up and cheering us on. Corvin’s stare, on the other hand, burned into the side of my head—hot, jealous, and laden with heavy disappointment.
But I didn’t care. All I could think about was being alone in an apartment with Ryder, where I could get my hands on him and feel his on my bare skin.
Where I could make him come.
Again.
“Uh, yeah. Sure. I guess I can do that.”
Trevor snorted.
My hoodie and jeans went from keeping me comfortably warm to stifling me in a burning inferno. A bead of sweat rolleddown the center of my back. If someone didn’t change the subject, I’d start panting and might hop up and hump his leg.
Ryder knew exactly what the offer did to me. He smirked the same arrogant grin I’d seen from him and hated countless times, and while it still had a profound effect on me, it no longer enraged me to the point of blind fury. Now it riled me up in a way that had my dick aching.
“I didn’t realize you’d found an apartment.” Corvin’s clipped tone had Ryder frowning his way. “I’d have been happy to join you if you wanted company.”
Over my dead body.
“Oh.” Ryder cleared his throat. “Shit, sorry, Corvin. I—”
“Actually,” Trevor broke in, flashing Corvin his most charming smile. “I was going to ask if I could get a tour of the university’s ballet studio after lunch.” He batted his eyelashes and scooted his chair close to Corvin, resting his hand on the other man’s arm.
“Yeah,” Corvin said. “I can do that.” He did a shitty job of erasing the disappointment from his face, and if Trevor had an actual interest in him instead of just taking one for the team, I’d hate the man even more.
