34. Chapter 34
thirty-four
Boston
As promised, Jake, Jonathan, and Pacey show up at the gym this morning. And although Jake said Archer wouldn’t be with them, he struts through the door minutes later, dressed in a too-tight ringer tee and blindingly white sneakers.
He drops a cardboard drink carrier onto the counter.
“Protein shakes,” he says, nudging it toward the guys. “Figured you idiots would forget breakfast again.”
“Damn, Arch, don’t spoil me like that. I might get used to it,” Jake says, grabbing one.
“You’re not seeing Skye?” Pacey asks, also helping himself to a drink.
“Nah, she’s pissed at me about some shit,” Archer grunts.
I don’t mean to look up, but I do anyway. Skye’s pissed at him? There’s a twisted, ugly flicker of hope in my chest before I can stomp it down. I hate that part of me wants something to be wrong between them.
Jonathan chuckles. “What’d you do now?”
“Nothing, which is apparently her fucking problem,” Archer mutters.
“Please elaborate,” Pacey urges.
I keep folding and refolding the same towel, pretending to be preoccupied.
“I told her I wouldn’t eat her out last night and she’s mad about it. Not sure why it’s suddenly so important to her,” Archer says.
My hands freeze.
While I was staring at my fucking ceiling last night, imagining Skye in Archer’s bed, she stood up for herself and he still refused.
“Wait… we’re talking about oral sex, right?” Pacey asks, head cocked.
I’m all fucking ears.
“Yep,” Archer confirms.
“She asked you to go down on her and you… refused?” Jonathan asks, incredulous.
“Damn straight. I don’t do that shit. I don’t eat pussy,” Archer says.
Jake, Pacey, and Jonathan gasp like he just said he kicks puppies for fun.
“You can’t be serious,” Pacey exclaims.
I chuckle under my breath.
“You don’t partake in the most delectable, perfect delicacy known to man? And woman?” he adds.
“Fuck no,” Archer says with a duh expression.
“Why? Bad experience or something?” Jonathan asks.
Pacey’s already launching back in. “Okay, I need more context. So… Skye—” He motions his hands like he’s outlining the shape of a goddess. “—asked you—” He points directly at Archer. “—to taste her rosebud. And you told her ‘no’?”
Archer nods.
“I’m flabbergasted,” Pacey huffs, eyes wide.
“Does she suck you off?” Jonathan asks, blunt as hell.
“Fuck yeah she does. But that’s different,” Archer says.
My hackles go up. Skye said this. But hearing him talk about her like that… the entitlement, the carelessness, it’s a fresh punch to the gut. I clench my jaw so tightly my teeth crunch.
“Uhh… how?” Jake asks, raising one brow.
“Well, for one, it’s not so, like, wet…” Archer mutters, clearly grasping for a good reason.
“Uh-huh, so you’ve never nutted in Skye’s mouth?” Jonathan asks crassly. “Because that shit’s pretty wet, if you ask me. And I heard it doesn’t taste great, either.”
“Well, I… fuck, guys, I’m not a chick, okay?” Archer snaps, his voice rising.
Jake frowns. “Huh?”
“It’s submissive. Going down on a guy is a girl’s job. I’m not a chick; I don’t go down on no one,” Archer says, squaring his shoulders.
“You can’t be fucking serious,” Jonathan snorts. “You think going down on a girl makes you submissive?”
“Yeah,” Archer replies, tone sharp and defensive.
“Dude, she’s literally lying on her back, legs spread, while you have total control. If anything, she’s the one being submissive,” Pacey argues, hands gesturing emphatically. “When she’s going down on you, she’s got your dick in her mouth. She’s the one with the power then.”
Archer’s face turns a shade redder with every word. I can practically hear the steam whistling out of his ears.
“If he doesn’t want to go down on Skye, he shouldn’t have to,” I finally say, folding the towel. Again.
All their heads snap toward me.
I shrug. “No one should do anything they don’t want to do.”
“See? Boss gets it,” Archer says, gesturing toward me. His tone is surprised, but relieved.
He thinks I’m on his side. I’m not. I do mean what I said. Consent goes both ways. Always. But that doesn’t stop the ugly part of me from feeling relieved that he’s too selfish to learn her body.
“Oh yeah. Boss gets it,” Jake says with a sarcastic chuckle, but I don’t look at him. I just keep folding towels, pretending like none of this is affecting me.
But it is.
Archer isn’t willing to give when he thinks he won’t get anything in return.
But I am.
And that’s exactly what’s going to get me hurt.