"It sure feels like we’re dating."
If i knew what dating felt like maybe, but I’m not the guy to ask here.
"Nah, Charming, we’re just taking advantage of you being in town." I lean in and add, "I mean, I’m just using you for your body and your cooking ability."
"Shut up." Rhys laughs quietly.
"You know how to shut me up." I dance my eyebrows at him and he fully cracks. A smile spreads across his face and he leans over to rest his head on my shoulder.
"I’ll come to your friend’s Halloween party." He says after we sit in silence for a few beats.
"Matching costumes?"
"Don’t push it."
Chapter thirty
Rhys
Kilt.
"Rhys!"Duncansaysenthusiasticallyas he shoves the man with a little salt along his temples in a grape soda can costume, who answered the door out of the way to reach me.
A tittering laugh escapes as I lock eyes with the host as the last of the spooky sounds he programmed his doorbell to play fade out.
"I’m so glad you…came." Duncan winks and my eyes flick to the man beside us. His eyes narrow and little elevens appear between his brows.
I clear my throat. "Wouldn’t miss it."
It feels strange not to be able to hug or kiss him hello. I have gotten used to how we act alone at home.
But tonight we’re not alone. There can be no touching. No winking. No inside jokes.
And it shouldn’t be difficult for me. Meeting new people always puts me in meet-n-greet mode where I don't have to remember much and can move through conversations quickly.I plaster on my stage-smile but it morphs into a grimace when Duncan pulls me through the door and into his arms.
I’m too shocked to appreciate the flash of heat I get from the brief contact before he’s pulling back and clapping my shoulder.
"C'mon, I'll introduce you to everyone. And they're cool, we don't have to do NDAs. They're not going to tell anyone you’re here and E.T. is gonna send shots to Lydia for her post so we don’t have to do any publicity ourselves." He says that last line loudly so everyone hears him.
I see two of the girls nod eagerly, clearly excited to meet me. Harper, who walked in on Duncan naked the day I moved in, brings her margarita to her lips to mask her smirk.
Duncan's hand rests in the middle of my back, ushering me forward and I lift a hand in a wave. "Hey everyone, I'm Rhys."
"We know." One of the girls says and then she snickers into her drink.
"Ivanna, be nice." Duncan scolds.
She narrows her eyes at him but smiles anyway. "I am nice."
Duncan turns to me. "You want a beer?"
"Sure." He lets his hand trail down my back and then steps away to the refrigerator.
I watch him effortlessly interact with his teammates and friends. He waves me over.
"Rhys Reid, meet Bryson, Boba Tea, Svoboda." I shake hands with a guy on the shorter side dressed like a can of orange soda. Duncan continues the introductions. "This is Aiden, Young Gun, Youngren." I nod to the man in a cola costume. "And, Emmett, E.T., Turner." He’s in a lemon-lime soda can outfit. "Crosby, Crocs, Loughty is over there with Stella who is dressed up like the bestGolden Girl, Blanche. Yo Crocs!" Duncan calls across the room and a tall, blond man in a Mountain Dew can costume lifts a hand and waves. "And you met Felix, French Fry or Captain, Fornier."
"Welcome to my home." His tone is warm but there’s a bit of a command to it. Like this man is used to being an authority figure.
