They were both the kind of hot Spencer might have tried getting into bed with if they weren’t off-limits courtesy of their relation to Noah (Ryder might not have been blood-related, but he was considered part of the Teller family regardless).
Who was Spencer kidding? Hedefinitelywould have tried to get either or both of them into bed. They were hot as fuck, and snarky and cool in the kind of careless way that couldn’t be faked.
But the Noah barrier was probably a good thing, saving Spencer from his own horny tendencies. Because the summer had been long and lonely, and Spencer could use all the friends he could fucking get. His two besties—Noah and Chase—had both found serious love, and though they tried to be around for him, being super stellar boyfriends took up a lot of their hang time.
And with Spencer spending less time in random beds than he used to for … reasons of his own, it made things kind of quiet.
So Ash and Ryder coming to hang was welcome, even if they’d originally come for Noah. Spencer didn’t mind beingsomeone’s second choice. It was better than being no choice at all.
He brought back their drinks, giving a nod to the trio of girls who’d come to pick up their beta friend. Spencer pushed the piña colada toward Ryder, still not sure if the alpha had been fucking with him with his order. “We don’t have a blender, so I made it on the rocks with crushed ice.”
Ryder accepted the drink from him, his dark gaze never leaving Spencer’s, and took a slow sip. He nodded once and pulled the drink closer.
Ash grinned at Spencer, all sharp and lovely. Beautiful smiles seemed to run in the Teller family. “He fucking loves it.”
Spencer grinned right back.
Hell yeah, the night was looking up for sure.
Spencer wokeup with a cramp in his lower back.
Not the kind of cramp that came from doing fun things with hot people either. It was the kind that came from sleeping all wonky on a couch not made for sleeping.
He should probably start spending more hours in his own bed, but Spencer didn’t like sleeping alone. He never had. Half the fun of banging randoms was getting an all-night cuddle as part of the deal.
Well, nothalfthe fun. Ninety percent was still probably getting to bust a nut with someone warm and willing. But, like, a decent 10 percent was the cuddling. Maybe 15 to 20 if Spencer got to be the little spoon.
One of the major drags of being an alpha was not enough people figuring out hewantedto be the little spoon. Fucking designation stereotypes, man.
Ash and Ryder had kept him company for the rest of his shift last night. Ash had been making Spencer cackle and Ryder smirk by flinging peanuts at Spencer’s taciturn barback during his closing duties. Spencer had no idea where Ash had kept getting the peanuts from—their bar didn’t even serve them.
Spencer had gotten home a little after three, but even by then, Noah and Chase still hadn’t returned. Noah had probably slept over at Eli’s, and Chase was on night four in a row at Killian’s. The house had been too quiet without them, so Spencer had thrown off his shirt and jeans, turned on a very loud and violent action movie, and passed out to the sounds of aggressive alphas punching each other.
Not a bad night of sleep overall, actually, cramp or no cramp.
Spencer sat up and pressed his hands to his lower back, arching forward to try to relieve the aching soreness. Then he stumbled into the bathroom, where he brushed his teeth and splashed water on his face.
It was time for a protein smoothie, and then he’d hit the campus gym. Maybe a good sweat would get his lower back straightened out. He hated spending the extra money for a summer pass, but it was too fucking hot in the summer months to exercise outdoors, and Spencer needed a physical outlet or he’d go nuts. The school year was starting next week anyway, and then his membership would be covered by his scholarship again.
Maybe Chase’s old teammate Carter would be there—he and Spencer tended to keep similar workout hours, and the surprisingly chill alpha was always down to spot Spencer on weights.
Spencer had just blended his smoothie and was about to pour it out into three glasses—he’d fucked up and thrown the ingredients in on autopilot and made enough for Noah and Chase too—when the doorbell rang.
He yelled out, “Coming!” and hustled to the front door. He’d feel kind of ridiculous if it was just someone leaving a package and bouncing, but whatever. He wasn’t going to apologize for answering the door in his underwear when it was before noon and he’d been up the whole night.
It wasn’t a delivery man after all. Ash and Ryder were at his door.
Spencer beamed at them, his heart doing that weird kick-thump again. “Damn! Two days in a row. We’re, like, totally besties now. Come in.”
He didn’t wait for them to answer, just left the door open to the sweltering August heat and headed back to the kitchen. If he didn’t eat right away in the morning, he turned into a pissy fucking beast.
“Noah’s not here yet,” he told them as he poured out three glasses. His back was still aching, so he tried stretching it again, groaning loudly at the twinge. “But if you want to wait for him, I made extra smoothie.”
His offer was met with silence. Had they even followed him inside? But they must have, because the whole house already smelled like damp earth and wet leaves, Ryder’s pheromones easily overpowering Spencer’s spiced-tea scent.
Spencer turned. Ash and Ryder were both standing in the doorway of the kitchen, but Ash was looking … weird. Kind of flushed, actually, and his mouth was hanging open. He was staring at something on Spencer’s chest.
Spencer looked down. Had he spilled toothpaste or something? But there was nothing. Well, yeah, he’d gotten his nipples pierced this summer, but Ash had already seen those at one of Eli’s pool parties. And maybe there was a little hole in Spencer’s boxer briefs, but he wasn’t flashing schlong or anything.
