I needed to shower the last twenty-four hours off my skin. Some sleep and getting back to my life were what I needed.
The next morning, Dare and I went out for our morning run. I put my earbuds in and cranked up my music as we ran through downtown Portland.
I could tell he had a lot on his mind, so I didn’t try to hold a conversation. If he wanted to talk, he would. But between songs, I heard him say something.
“Huh?” I asked, removing my earbud. “I missed what you said.”
He huffed out a breath. “Just scolding myself.”
I elbowed him. “It’s only a week. You can make it work.”
He looked over at me with a raised brow, then slowed to a walk to cool down. “If you were going to spend a week with the Commander on a tropical beach, you’d be okay with that? You’d just get through it?”
I laughed and intentionally blew off the question. “Yeah, but I wouldn’t have to worry about GQ. He has Dominick.”
“That’s not the Commander I’m referring to, and you know it.”
I groaned and ran my hands through my hair to push it back off his face.
“Yeah, okay. It would be a struggle withhim.” But what he didn’t know was the struggle would be keeping my handsoffof him.
“That’s what I thought. Any more advice for me, Romeo?”
I made a lewd gesture of jerking off at him until he shoved me.
“Jerking it won’t help.”
“Well,” I said, heading to the coffee shop we frequented. “The way I see it, you’ve got two choices. Grow up and hear him out or fuck the hell out of each other and get it out of your system.”
Austin scoffed. “You could fuck the Commander for a week.” He paused. “But wait,” he said, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk. “You’ve already done that.”
I flipped him the bird as I laughed at him. He was so stubborn when it came to Greer.
“Fuck you very much, buddy. But okay. You do your scowling, angry thing bro because it’s been working so well for you.”
Dare followed me into the coffee shop as I sauntered up to my favorite barista. Caleb had flirted with me since the first time I’d come in here. He was cute, but a little too young for my tastes. Commander had ruined that for me, but Dare didn’t need to know that. I had to live up to my reputation as a self-professed man whore.
“Hey, sexy. What can we get you this morning? The usual?” he asked, tilting his head to the side to get his dark hair out of his eyes.
I knew my flirting drove Austin crazy, so I let it fly.
“Hey, Caleb. That’s exceptional customer service there. Memorizing my order for me.”
“Thank you,” he beamed. “I do my best to take care of my special customers.”
He winked, making me grin from ear to ear.
Austin was edgy because he was leaving with Greer today. But he pulled out his wallet and slapped down a twenty.
“When you’re done flirting, bring mine to the condo. I’ve got to go pack,” he grumbled, heading for the door.
“It might be a while, Dare,” I called, winking at Caleb. He knew I loved to get Dare stirred up.
“Hurry the fuck up. I don’t have all day. I’ve got a plane to catch.”
I grinned. “Remember what I said!”
Dare grunted as he walked out the door, making me laugh.
