Oak was objectively very good-looking with pretty muscles, yet there was an emptiness to his expression that told me he didn’t really want to be the center of all the attention that Seb was so envious of.
Funny how life worked. You always wanted what you didn’t have.
Good looks. Charm. Popularity.
Love.
Except everything I wanted was waiting back home, and I was pretty sure Sebastian wasn’t going to get any better at pool.
“I should get going. I’ve got a long drive ahead.”
Sebastian tore his gaze from Oak. “Uh, about earlier…”
“We don’t have to talk about it.”
“No, we do,” Seb said, “because we live together, and I don’t want things to get weird.”
Iris motioned toward the popcorn machine. “I’ll get a refill.”
When she was gone, Sebastian shifted, looked over at Oak, and cleared his throat.
“Nothing happened worth talking about,” I told Seb. The less we discussed his awkward boner, the better, as far as I was concerned. “We’re cool.”
He nodded, still avoiding my gaze. “Cool. But just so we’re clear, I’m not into you.”
“I know.”
“Likeat all.”
“Damn, okay,” I said with a laugh. “Should I be offended?”
“I’m not gay.”
“I know, Seb. Relax. I’ve got a boyfriend already.”
He finally met my eyes. “Yeah, and he’s a big motherfucker, and I don’t want him to get the wrong idea and kill me before I’ve gotten my dick wet in an actual woman.”
My eyebrows shot up. I didn’t know Sebastian was a virgin, but I supposed it shouldn’t be too surprising.
“Your secret is safe with me,” I said.
“Which secret is that?” he asked, sounding wary.
“All of them, man. You know that.”
He relaxed a fraction. “Okay, thanks.”
Protest as he did, Sebastian had reacted to a male body in a way that wasn’t straight. I didn’t believe he was into me, specifically, but he had some shit to work out.
It wasn’t my job to tell him that, though. He was smart enough that he’d figure it out.
“I kind of hate that guy,” Sebastian said, gaze going back to Oak.
“No, you don’t,” I said.
He sighed. “Yeah, no. I just kind of want to be him.”
“Be yourself,” I said. “You’ll be a lot happier if you accept who you are. Trust me, I had to learn that this year.”
