Because he was right.
“And then you’d spend the whole night hating yourself because it still wouldn’t be him.”
I broke eye contact first. “Probably.”
“So I’m not going to do that.”
Something washed over me. I wasn’t sure if it was relief or disappointment. Maybe both. “Thanks.”
We stood there for another second before he lightly bumped the neck of his bottle against mine.
“Let’s head back before they start talking and then I have to lie and say I needed a smoke.”
I snorted and followed Bradford back inside. We played pool, threw darts, and had a good time, but that night, I still fell asleep thinking about the boy next door.
16
Keaton
Present Day
The momentI walked into the gym, I knew it was going to be one of those days because everything felt off.
My shoulders were tense even before I started warming up, and my mind was elsewhere entirely. I wrapped my hands with tape more slowly than usual, flexing my fingers as if I was trying to shake loose something that wouldn’t let up.
It had been less than forty-eight hours since I’d been in my own bed, alone, hand wrapped around my dick, thinking about Rowan like I hadn’t spent years pretending he didn’t exist. Despite my attempts to forget that bad decision, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. The grappling session the day before hadn’t helped either.
As I left the locker room, I saw him standing near the cage, talking to one of the coaches with his arms crossed over hischest. He appeared relaxed, as if he had been training here for years rather than just two weeks.
I moved over to the treadmill and tried to focus on my cardio rather than how my body reacted whenever he entered my line of sight. By admitting to myself that I was still attracted to him, it felt like I’d flipped some switch I couldn’t turn back off. And to make it worse, he kept looking at me. It wasn’t enough that anyone else would likely notice, but I did.
Somehow, I got through my training for the day and even managed to avoid the man who’d basically turned my world upside down the moment he’d stepped through the doors of Titan Elite.
I was just finishing up in the locker room when I heard someone say, “Keaton.”
“What?” I snapped. Irritation flared because I didn’t need to turn around to know who that voice belonged to.
“Devon’s been looking for you. Said if I saw you, to have you stop by his office.”
Devon was the last person I wanted to deal with. He could probably tell I was off my game and was going to give me shit about it.
I slammed my locker shut and turned around. “So you’re his little errand boy now?”
“What? No,” he replied hesitantly. “Just telling you what?—”
“I don’t need you to tell me shit.”
His expression turned into something like anger or frustration. I couldn’t tell. “You’re in a mood today.”
I stepped closer before I could stop myself. “Maybe I just don’t feel like dealing with you.”
“Clearly.”
He began changing, slipping on the dog tags he wore whenever we weren’t in the gym, while I grabbed my shit andtook off. Devon would have to wait until tomorrow because nothing good could come from going to his office right now.
I hopped into my car and drove off. Luckily, the rest of my roommates had plans. At least Enzo, Derek, and Mason did, which meant if Rowan stayed out, I’d have the place all to myself.
However, luck had never been on my side.
