Page 17 of Intolerable Bishop

Humiliation had me wanting to crawl under a table and hide. Being a peeping tom was bad enough. Being called out on it and thanked was another whole story. I cleared my throat and looked away from the teasing look in Theo’s eyes.

“As for more…that seems to be one-sided.”

The way he said that led me to think he was the one that wanted more. “So, you’re not exclusive?”

“We are when it comes to other guys, but not girls.”

The cone stopped halfway to my mouth as I computed what he just said. “I’m sorry, what?”

“I said that we don’t sleep with other guys, but we will girls for obvious reasons,” Theo said, and my mouth fell open before I covered my eyes. Holy shit, I’d been walking around half naked in front of Theo since we arrived. Earlier that morning, I’d walked out of the bathroom when I realized there were no clean towels. I held a pillow in front of myself as I ran out into the hall to grab more from the larger linen closet. I bumped into Theo as he was coming out of his room. He’d looked me up and down, but I assumed it was just a WTF stare.

“Let me guess, you’re thinking about all the prancing naked in front of me you’ve been doing,” he asked. Jesus, I hated him right now. I nodded, and he laughed. “You do have an exceptionally nice ass. I’m shocked they’ve been able to resist. I’m not so sure I would have the same restraint if you wiggled it up against me.”

Please let the ground open and swallow me whole right now. “Why didn’t you say anything,” I whispered as harshly as I could muster.

“Why would I? As long as you thought I was gay, I was getting a great show.”

“Oh. My. God. Now, I want to kill all of you just for different reasons. Rude, O’Brien, very rude,” I huffed as I walked toward the exit.

“Me? You shouldn’t make such fast assumptions about people. Just saying, I had no obligation to say a word.”

“Ugh,” I growled and walked outside to join Ivy and the guys.

“Ren Davies?”

Oh no. I knew that voice. I knew it very well. We’d been in the same school and most of the same classes since grade three, and I’d memorized his voice. I had the biggest crush on Rylan, the local hockey star and total player. Of course, he never made a move. I was friend-zoned from day one and was never able to get out of the spot. He’d wrap his arm around me and call me his buddy. Brought me in on all the guy jokes and offered to drive me to lunch when a group was going, but that was it. He was always dating someone else, and in the few breaks in between, he would complain to me about his current relationship issues.

I slowly turned around. “Rylan?” I feigned surprise. “Wow, it’s great to see you,” I said, acutely aware of how awkward this felt now that I was dating someone else. This was probably why making friends with any of his girlfriends never happened. Huh. Perspective really was hindsight.

“Shit, I didn’t think I was ever going to see you again. Lizzy kept saying you were gone for good, and I thought I’d missed my chance,” he said, smiling wide and showing off the sexy dimples that had melted my heart so many times. He was still just as sexy, but there was no flutter of excitement like there used to be. Now, there was a knot of tension, and I prayed that the guys weren’t paying attention to this exchange.

“I’m only back for a visit. I’m leaving again in a couple of weeks.”

“Oh damn. That sucks. I was hoping you’d be sticking around so we could get some dinner or something?” He licked his bottom lip, and I knew what that meant.

“Sorry, I can’t, I’m dating…someone,” I said, not sure how to label my relationship with the two guys. “I guess our timing is off, eh?” I really wanted to say I was in front of you for years, and you never bothered to take notice, but now you do? I held my cool, just wanting to exit this conversation without any blood spilled.

“But we’re still friends, right,” he asked and stepped a little closer.

I smiled, licked my cone, and pretended to be making a mess while I took a step back. Using the napkin, I wiped my chin.

“Friends? Sure, we can do that.”

“Hey, listen. I’m sorry about your mum. I didn’t get to see you after she passed away, and I felt terrible. My dad said the service really did her justice.”

That statement showed how little people really knew about my mum. Rylan’s father was the mayor, so he’d been invited to Mum’s funeral. I didn’t know him well, but he golfed with my father.

“Has there been any word on catching the guys who broke in?”

I shook my head. “No, my father has been pretty quiet about the whole investigation.” By quiet, I meant he hadn’t said a single word to me about what was happening, but Rylan didn’t need to know that.

“Shit, I’m sorry, that’s gotta be tough.” I’d always loved Rylan’s blue eyes, but after seeing Nash’s, they didn’t seem as bright and intimidating as they once had. Nash’s seemed to swallow you whole, and he commanded you to look at him without saying a word.

“It was good seeing you, Rylan. But I better get going,” I said as I spotted a handful of other guys from his hockey team closing in. “Looks like your team is here.” I pointed to the group walking along the sidewalk.

“Wait, before you go. Will you reconsider hanging out or grabbing dinner with me while you’re in town? You know, as friends, like we used to.” I knew that shit was going to go sideways the moment he stepped in close and ran his hand down my arm. “I can’t stop thinking about you and how I was stupid for not asking you out sooner. Maybe I can change your mind about whoever it is that you’re dating.”

This was not good. I hadn’t believed Lizzy when she said Rylan was upset that he’d missed his chance with me, but apparently, she wasn’t exaggerating. I’d never seen him look at me like this.