“Why…?”
“Nipples,” I said, and I was really hoping now that I wouldn’t have to say that word again for a while.
“Are you asking me why he got it pierced or why it’s hot?”
“Either. Both. I dunno. I’m trying to forget that your boyfriend’s hiding in the back trying to will away his hard-on,” I said, barely resisting the urge to pinch the bridge of my nose.
“It’s hot because he did it because he knew I’d like it,” Aiden explained. “Devin’s are decorative.”
“I’m starting to think you’re bullshitting me,” I said. “I must’ve seen him without a shirt before now.”
“He got ‘em done last fall, so you wouldn’t have.” Aiden shrugged. “You can ask him yourself, I’m sure he’d show you.”
“No thank you.” I sipped my coffee.
I wasnotasking Devin to take his shirt off for me. I’d been so careful not to freak him out.
I didn’t evenwantto have this stupid, persistent crush on him that only ever got worse and never went away.
“Well, if you wanna earn yourself a hug, I’ve got the perfect opportunity,” Aiden said, pulling a familiar phone with a glittery black case on it out of his pocket. “Devin left his phone at my place yesterday. You could drop it off while you’re taking a break.”
I took the phone without thinking, and it was already in my pocket before I’d actually agreed to do it. Aiden could’ve made the walk to the outdoor store on hisownbreak, I wasn’t his errand boy…
… but he was giving me the opportunity to go drop in on Devin with a really solid excuse. Plus, he’d bethrilledto have his phone back. I could hardly believe he’d survived without it for a whole night.
I wanted to see him light up when I handed it back to him.
I wanted Devin to seeme. Just once. Despite everyone I knew falling ass-over-tit in love with their soulmates, I wasn’t stupid enough to expect that to happen to me.
One person looking at me and seeing someone they could love would’ve been nice, though. And for reasons even I wasn’t completely sure of, I wanted it to be Devin.
So apparently I was at least alittlestupid, because my best friend’s younger brother was a terrible choice of crush even if he hadn’t been miles and miles out of my reach.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Aiden said, smilingthatsmile again.
Crushes were the worst thing that could possibly happen to a person, I’d decided. Anything else was just painful or embarrassing.
Crushes were an ingenious kind of psychological torture. Inflicted by your own brain.
And other, even less cooperative parts.
“He’ll be climbing the walls without his phone,” I said, pushing thoughts of less cooperative parts away before I ended up thinking about Carter’s dick again. “I’m doing it to save his coworkers.”
Aiden snorted. “Sure. Can I go back to my hot, partially naked boyfriend now? I promise you lunch tomorrow.”
I winced at the reminder that Carter was still hiding in the back room, although hopefully dressed by now. Unless Aiden’s shamelessness was starting to rub off on him.
… I didnotneed to think about Aiden rubbing off on him, in any context.
“Don’t tell me about it,” I said, backing away, coffee still in hand. I could handle missing one coffee date with Aiden, and Ididlike seeing him happy with Carter. “Just… have fun.”
“I will,” Aiden enthused, saluting me with his coffee cup as I escaped the tattoo parlor and stepped out onto the street.
I paused to take a breath, shoving my hand in my pocket to run my fingers over Devin’s phone and knowing already that I was going to be covered in glitter for a week.
That was why he had the cover, I thought. So no one would be tempted to take his phone in the first place.
Be cool, I told myself, turning in the direction of the outdoor store and already fantasizing over the thank-you hug I knew I was about to get.
