Page 21 of Bruised

And I don’t. I just like the way he makes me feel.

“Something wrong?” Oliver asks as we sit in front of our gaming rigs after breakfast, gearing up to explore a high-level cave.

“I don’t know,” I say, avoiding his gaze. “Just didn’t sleep that well, I guess.”

Lie. Last night, I slept the best I have in ages. The reason why is the issue, and the guilt over it has etched itself onto my face this morning.

“Is it my snoring?” Oliver asks, rolling his eyes at himself. “I told you—just hit me with a pillow, like super hard, and tell me to shut the fuck up.”

I force a smile, eyes locked on my monitor. “It’s not that. I guess I just haven’t gotten used to sleeping in an unfamiliar place.”

“Well, just tell me if you need anything. Anything at all.” He puts a hand on my shoulder, and I’m so easily spooked these days, I jump at the slightest bit of contact. “We’re going to have fun this summer, right?”

I nod, unsure of what he’s getting at.

“So you need to get your beauty sleep,” he continues. “I can’t defeat these bosses without you.”

“Well, they’ll tear me to shreds without your healing,” I say, my smile genuine this time.

Oliver smiles back. “I’m glad you’re here, Lane.”

“Me too.”

Soon enough, the guilt returns, and I frown at the screen as I load into the game. He’s being so nice. He’s my best friend. And I betrayed him.

“Energy drink?” he suggests.

I jump eagerly from the chair. “Hell yeah.”

My enthusiasm fades when I realize getting an energy drink means going to the kitchen, and going to the kitchen means we might run into Mason. How am I supposed to act around him now? Even if he’s not there, I’m bound to cross paths with him sooner or later, and when I do, what the hell am I supposed to say? Just keep ignoring him? Even though I saw his cock and sat in his lap and rubbed up against him like a dog in heat? Fuck, what have I done?

I fidget with the hem of my oversized shirt as we walk downstairs, hoping to God that he’s not in the kitchen. I’m not ready. Not now, not ever.

We enter the kitchen, aaand… he’s not there. Phew.

All I know is I can’t let Oliver find out what happened last night. I can’t let him know I betrayed his trust and did what I promised him and myself that I wouldn’t do.

I can’t let him know Mason won.

At least I didn’t let him touch me skin-to-skin. At least I didn’t let him fuck me, though he didn’t even try that, to be fair.

He didn’t even come, yet he looked so pleased before I turned around in a panic and escaped, my boxers a wet, sticky mess. At least I changed them before breakfast, but I should really take a shower.

Oliver and I each grab an energy drink from the fridge, and I gaze at the empty kitchen, the empty living room, and the hallway leading to the garage door. There are no thuds coming from there, so maybe he’s still asleep.

“What are you looking for?” Oliver asks.

“Nothing.” I try to appear unfazed as I pop open the can and take a sip, but my mind keeps replaying bits of last night.

Mason’s naked body, his low, rumbling voice, and his hands on my hips as he guided me back and forth over his cock. It was almost like… like fucking. But not quite. What would it be like to go that far? How good would it feel? How guilty would I feel afterward? Does he even want to?

I shake my head, a shudder of embarrassed arousal running through me. Of course he wants to.

Sooner or later, I’m going to have to face him. Sooner or later, he’ll be out here, able to say whatever he wants and look at me in whatever way he wants. It won’t be easy to ignore him when even now, all I can think about is how it felt to have his thick erection slotted in between my legs as he looked up at me and said, “Feels good, right?”

It did feel good. And I can’t stop thinking about the taste of his precum. As soon as it hit my tongue, I was a goner. Not good. Not good at all.

Right when we’re about to go back to Oliver’s room, a door slams on the top floor, and my heart pumps hard and fast as Mason comes strolling downstairs, shirtless of course. At least he’s wearing his gray sweatpants, but that means the outline of his dick is showing through the fabric. I flick my gaze away, startled by the flash of memories shooting through my mind.