Ethanhad no idea why he felt the need to explain himself, but he had to catch thewords before he went any further. He didn’t want to intentionally hurt Blake,but their time together had run its course, and Ethan did want to move on.Having Blake show up every time he turned around was starting to seriously pisshim off.
“Look,–” Blake promptly cut him off before he could finish his sentence.
“He’sbeen talking shit about me, hasn’t he?” Blake asked hysterically. “Is that whyyou don’t want to see me anymore? Are you listening to his lies?”
Whatthe fuck? Ethan felt like he was in an alternate universe, one where Blake hadthe ability to rewrite history and change what had happened.
Glancingover his shoulder, Ethan noticed that Beau was watching them closely. He turnedback to Blake, trying to see what part of this that he’d missed. It wasn’t likeEthan had any contact with Beau. Well, aside from one kiss that had rocked hisworld and now this… today. But this was business, nothing more.
Ethanhad known Blake for a while. Spent a lot of time with him and was privy tonumerous sides of his personality. He certainly was extremely self-centered,insistent that everything revolved around him, but this seemed a little much,even for Blake.
Ethanhad no idea what Blake was rambling about. None whatsoever.
Heturned again to see Beau still staring at the two of them, his biceps bulgingthrough the tight sleeves of his short sleeved t-shirt as he crossed his armsover his chest. How the hell wasn’t he cold? It probably wasn’t more thanthirty-five degrees outside, and that didn’t include the wind chill factor.
Turningback to face Blake, Ethan mirrored Beau’s defensive stance, crossing his armsover his chest and keeping several feet between the two of them. He raised aneyebrow, signaling Blake to continue. If he knew anything about Blake, the guywould ultimately end up putting his own foot in his mouth before it was all over.He never had learned when to shut the hell up.
“Ihelped him move his stuff,” Ethan explained, gesturing toward the hulkingtoolbox still sitting on the flatbed, although he had no idea why he botheredto say anything. He didn’t owe Blake any explanations.
“Areyou dating him?” Blake asked, not seeming to have heard a word Ethan said.
Ethanleaned in closer to Blake, lowering his voice so only he could hear. “That’snot any of your damn business.” Ethan knew he should’ve just denied it, but hedidn’t. He wasn’t dating anyone, hadn’teverdated anyone, in fact. Butmore accurately, there wasn’t anything between him and Beau.
Blakemet his gaze, his green eyes glittering like emeralds. He was pissed, but Ethanwasn’t sure why that was.
“Youfucker,” Blake yelled at Beau over Ethan’s shoulder. “You should learn to keepyour fucking mouth shut. What happens between us is none of your goddamnbusiness.”
Ethangrabbed Blake’s arm, pulling him around the side of the truck and out of Beau’sline of sight. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Iknow he told you. But he’s a fucking liar.”
WhenEthan stared back at him, trying to catch up to the crazy that had obviouslyinfiltrated Blake’s brain, Blake stopped talking. Ethan spurred him on when hesaid, “What exactly did he lie about?”
“Iwasn’t really with that guy that night. But I knew he’d lie about it so youwouldn’t want to see me anymore. He was just a friend. Nothing happened.”
Ethan’sheart did a strange misstep in his chest. He felt his face warm as the ever-presentanger that simmered on low inside of him roared to a full boil. The biting coldwind had nothing on the fire that suffused his face as he stared back at Blake.Of all the crap he had expected of Blake, being a cheater hadn’t been it. Butobviously, based on the story he was telling, that’s exactly what he was. AndEthan had no room in his life for that shit.
“Youcheatedon me?”
Shit.Why did he ask that? It sounded like they’d actually been in a relationship.They hadn’t. It was just casual sex. Friends with benefits. Ethan didn’t dorelationships. And he damn sure didn’t have a relationship with Blake.
“Ididn’t. Beau’s lying,” Blake retorted defensively.
“Well,then, why don’t you explain your side of the story.” Crossing his arms over hischest again, Ethan tried to contain his temper.
Sure,Ethan was now being manipulative, but he deserved the full story. Part of himwanted to rip Beau a new one for keeping something like that from him, but ifhe honestly thought about it, it wasn’t any of Beau’s business.Stillwasn’t Beau’s business.
“Itwas one date. A long time ago. The guy wouldn’t leave me alone, so I met him ata restaurant, but I was very clear up front that I wouldn’t sleep with him.”
Narrowinghis eyes at Blake, because honestly, he didn’t believe a single word that cameout of his mouth, he waited for him to continue.
Blakelooked down at the ground, then back up at Ethan. “I only slept with him once.”
Ethan’sthroat closed, he couldn’t swallow.
Itdidn’t matter that what he and Blake had before wasn’t serious. Never had been.However, during their time together, Ethan thought it went without saying thatthey wouldn’t be with anyone else. Cheating was one thing Ethan didn’ttolerate.
Yankinghis ball cap off of his head, Ethan shoved his hands through his hair, heturned his back on Blake, making sure not to look at Beau. How the hell hadthis happened? And why did Beau have to be witness to this? Why the hell didBeau have to be anywhere around him?
