Bray’s hand finally leaves my thigh as the waitress sets our drinks down. He takes a sip of coffee. I miss the feel of his hand on me. It’s reassuring. Everything about this man is reassuring to me. He’s been there through the thick of it with me, and because of that, I don’t have to pretend to be someone I’m not.
We start talking about all the things we’re excited to do. Fletcher’s family has paid for everyone to have day trips and meals while we are there. It sounds lavish, and I’m looking forward to a spa afternoon. Vito’s grandmother has insisted on babysitting Ava at least once, so I can enjoy some alone time. After Drew introduced them on a video chat when he started living with Vito, they became fast friends and now Ava requests chatting with Nona Lucia every couple of weeks. It helps that Drew has been around recently, but he heads back over next week. I miss him living here, but as he pointed out, Cam needs her bestie to help her with wedding preparations.
By the time we finish eating, I’m starting to finally get excited for our trip, except for the flight.
“I’m going to get you something for the flight to help you sleep,” Bray says, reading my mind again.
“Thank you,” I whisper. I don’t want Ava to know I’m afraid of flying. We took a vacation to Puerto Rico recently, and I was able to take a pill that Bray gave me and sleep. The flight breezed by, and I had no issues, so I’m hoping that will work again.
“Of course, for you anything,” he says, squeezing my thigh again before playing tic-tac-toe with Ava.
I wish anything involved more than a friendly brunch. I swear I saw heat flash in his eyes when he saw me naked, but I was probably being delusional. I haven’t had sex in so long that a man could glance at me, and I’d think he wanted a date. My friends recently told me to go get laid. Maybe they’re right. Maybe I should just join one of those dating apps. I have to rip off the bandage eventually, even if it’s not with Bray.
CHAPTER SIX
Bray
The image of Carly naked is burned into my retinas. I can’t unsee it. I can’t stop thinking about it.
I’ve seen her in a bathing suit and with a towel wrapped around her, but never fully naked. And holy shit, she’s more gorgeous than I ever imagined.
Did I imagine it? Who am I kidding? I’ve imagined it every time I jerk off and half the times I’ve slept with Becca. I know I shouldn’t be envisioning another woman while sleeping with a different one, but I can’t help it.
“Dude, snap out of it,” Hutch says as he snaps his fingers in front of my face.
It’s my second night off this week, and it’s also men’s book club night at Roxy’s bookstore. I was supposed to have read a brother’s-best-friend hockey romance, but it’s been a long week. So instead of discussing the book, I’m over here daydreaming about Carly.
“Sorry, long week,” I state as I try to get my brain into the discussion. “I admit, I didn’t read the book.”
Gray frowns. Of all the men in the building, Gray is my closest friend. We’ve both lived here for several years. Gray is a composer and loves all things music. Back when I was new in the city, we would go to concerts together.
Hutch and Kasen have the gym thing in common. And Fletcher has his brothers. Cam’s old roommate, Drew, is cool, but he spends most of his time with his boyfriend in Italy. In fact, he’s trying to get residency there.
I grew up with a brother and spent a lot of my time on the boys’ cross-country team. Having good male friends has been at the center of my life since I was a kid, well, ever since my best friend, Lanie, got sick. I don’t know why I associate women with her. It’s been years. She’s cancer-free, married, and has a kid.
I guess girls and then women were more of an enigma. I had a few female cousins and my mom and grandmothers, but I didn’t date much. I’ve only ever had three girlfriends. Mostly, I’ve just found women to hook up with along the way.
“Do you think it’s weird that I’ve never been super serious with a woman?” I ask my friends as I look around.
They all shrug except Gray.
“What?” I ask him as I try to read his expression.
“Can I be honest?” he asks.
I give him a pointed look.
He holds up his hands in defense. “Fine. I think you are super serious, you just don’t have sex.”
I furrow my brows. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“She’s five foot three inches tall, curvy, with brown hair and hazel eyes, and lives upstairs with her daughter,” Gray says deadpan.
I groan and run a hand over my face. “I’m not with Carly,” I growl, trying to persuade him that’s the truth because it is…sort of the truth.
“Yeah, you keep telling yourself that,” Gray huffs.
“What the fuck, Gray? We aren’t together. We’ve been friends since day one. I’m so far in her friend zone that when I walked in on her naked the other day, it didn’t even change anything between us,” I blurt out and then press my lips together as every head in the circle turns to look at me.
