Jace kept his eyes on me while he took another slow sip of beer, like he had all the time in the world for me to unpack why that bothered me so much.
I sighed. “It really bothers me that she sees me that way, okay?”
“It’s not the first time you’ve been called a fuckboy. My mom calls you one all the time,” Jace said, pointing out the obvious.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever cared.” I swallowed a lump in my throat and then hid my discomfort behind my beer. “She apologized too, like she could tell it bothered me. But I have no idea why it’s bothering me so much.”
“Who is this girl to you?”
“No one. I mean, she’s someone, obviously. And she’s notno oneto me—that sounds terrible. She’s a friend? I guess. I’m not sure. We just met and I think we’re going to hang out more?”
More like hookup.
I shut my mouth before more spilled out.
Jace’s eyes roamed my face, and my skin heated under the scrutiny. “Leo, what’s happening right now? Are you sweating?”
“I don’t know.” I wiped my brow with my shirt again. “Yep, I guess so. My palms sweat when she’s around, which seems unusual. And apparently now I sweat when I talk about her. Or maybe this is still from the run. Oh God, I’m going to be terrible at sex for the first time.”
Jace burst out laughing. His whole body shook, and he knocked his beer on the edge of the table twice before finally setting it down successfully.
I glared at him, wondering what on earth he could find funny about the weird shit happening in my body today.
He stood up and bent over with his hands on his knees, catching his breath the same way I had after my run. He took a deep breath in through his nose and looked at me. “Hey, hockey star, I think you have your first crush.”
“No,” I said immediately, taking a sip of my beer and shaking my head. “That’s not a thing that happens to me.”
Jace smirked. “Maybe not before, but it’s happening now, man.” He picked up his beer bottle and went to the kitchen to grab another. “You want a second one?”
“If not tonight, when could I possibly ever need a second drink?” I chugged the rest of mine and set the empty bottle on the table.
“Why her?” Jace asked, returning with two open beers. “I assume she’s hot.”
I took my bottle from him. “She’s not just hot. I mean, she is, but it’s more than that. She’s beautiful, Jace.”
Jace bared all his teeth in a deep, satisfied grin.
Oh fuck, maybe I do have a crush.
“She calls me on my shit,” I said rubbing my jaw as he sat down. “I barely know her, but she couldn’t be less impressed that I’m good at hockey. In fact, I think she even likes me less because I’m known for my talent.”
“Now I’m not following.”
“Do you know how long girls have been interested in me just because I’m athletic or because they anticipate I’ll get perks as an athlete. Or even because they’ve figured out our family is wealthy?”
Jace frowned. “Yeah, I’ve had that last one plenty of times.”
“Exactly.” I took another swig of beer. “She gives zero shits, dude. Zero. It only makes her hotter.”
“So, what are you going to do?”
“Well, I already agreed to sleep with her and give her feedback,” I said with a deep sigh.
Jace choked on his beer.
“Feedback?” he asked through a cough. “We might need to take a few steps back.”
“I’m not getting into it. She came to me and asked me for help, and that involves having sex with her,” I said, leaning back on the couch.
