Chapter Nine
My phone screen glares up at me from where I dropped it on the couch cushions, but I don’t pick it back up.
My brain buzzes too loudly. I lean my head back against the soft leather sofa and let out a long breath, staring up at the ceiling.
Today was supposed to be a productive day.
I spent another morning firing off job applications, but now I’m just killing time.
Tonight’s Aiden’s turn.
Ash was patient, teaching me how things work and holding my hand through every new experience. Ryker was the polar opposite. He bossed me around, taking whatever he wanted and showing me how dirty things could get without holding anything back.
But Aiden? I don’t know what to expect from him.
He’s playful. He treats me like a buddy.
We watch sports on the couch and he tells jokes and bumps his knee against mine.
I’ve got no clue how that translates to the bedroom.
The unknown makes me restless, shifting my weight on the cushions, bouncing my leg.
The anticipation hums under my skin, making my fingers tap nervously against my thigh.
The front door beeps, saving me from my own thoughts.
Ash walks in, dropping his keys in the ceramic bowl by the entryway.
He shrugs off his suit jacket, rolling up his sleeves as he heads for the kitchen.
I push myself off the couch to join him, needing something to do with my hands before I crawl out of my own skin.
“Hey,” I say, leaning against the kitchen counter.
“Hey yourself,” Ash says, flashing me a warm smile. “Did you find anything interesting in the job hunt today?”
“Sent out a few apps for some retail gigs. Nothing crazy.”
Ash pulls a cutting board out. “You’ll find something. Don’t stress too much about it.”
He starts pulling vegetables and meat from the fridge.
I try to help, but my track record with knives isn’t great, so my contribution boils down to handing him spices and staying out of his way while he chops.
It’s nice, though. Easy. Ash hums under his breath while he works, and I sip a glass of water, watching him.
The door beeps again. Ryker strides in, looking mean and gorgeous in his dark clothes, a leather bag slung over his shoulder.
I stiffen, my pulse picking up just from the memory of what he did to me last night.
I still feel the soreness in my thighs, the ache in my hole from how deep he fucked me, but he doesn’t look at me. He walks up behind Ash at the stove.
Ryker wraps a tattooed arm around Ash’s waist, pulling him back against his chest. He leans down, burying his face in Ash’s neck, and Ash tilts his head, letting Ryker kiss him. Ryker’s hand slides down to grip Ash’s ass, squeezing his glutes hard, making Ash let out a soft, breathy moan.
“You’re home early,” Ash murmurs, turning his head to catch Ryker’s mouth properly.
They kiss like nobody else is in the room. Ryker bites at Ash’s bottom lip, sucking the flesh into his mouth, then pulls back just enough to look over Ash’s shoulder at me. Those blue eyes are sharp and dark, glowing with lust.
“Our little rent boy’s got me all stirred up,” Ryker says huskily. “Sadly, it’s not my turn tonight. So how do you feel about taking his place?”
Ash laughs, soft and fondly. He turns fully in Ryker’s arms, wrapping his hands around Ryker’s neck. “Sure. I suppose I can make the sacrifice.”
Ryker grins, grabbing Ash by the hand and towing him away from the half-cooked dinner. As they pass me, Ash stops. He reaches out, cups my cheek, and presses a kiss to my mouth. It’s sweet and quick, tasting like mint and a little like Ryker.
“Have fun with Aiden tonight,” Ash tells me, his eyes sparkling with amusement. Then he turns and follows Ryker down the hall.
Ryker’s bedroom door clicks shut a second later.
I stand there in the kitchen alone, the quiet buzzing in my ears.
The stove is still on, water starting to simmer in a pot.
I turn the burner off, my mind spinning.
The casual intimacy of it blows my mind.
Ryker just walked in, horny from thinking about what we did, and seamlessly took Ash instead.
And Ash didn’t mind. He welcomed it. He shifted from making dinner to letting Ryker drag him to bed without a second thought, transitioning between partners so easily.
They share everything. They really meant it.
I lean my hips against the counter, staring down the hallway. I’m just part of this now. It’s so weird. It’s also kind of freeing, honestly. It makes my chest feel light, knowing they’re in that room at this moment, getting sweaty and loud, and nobody cares.
It also makes my cock twitch in my pants.
I swallow hard, gripping the edge of the counter.
My body is waking up to all of this way faster than my brain is.
Just the thought of Ryker bending Ash over the bed, fucking into him while Ash moans, makes my breath hitch.
And tonight, I’m going to be doing things with Aiden.
My imagination runs wild, trying to picture Aiden’s broad shoulders and athletic build over me.
Does he like to top rough like Ryker? Does he praise like Ash? I’ve got no clue.
I grab the chicken Ash left on the counter and put it back in the fridge.
Might as well clean up since dinner is officially canceled.
I wipe down the marble counters, wash the cutting board, doing anything to burn off the nervous energy pooling in my gut.
Every time I hear a muffled thump from Ryker’s room, my heart skips a beat.
They aren’t trying to be quiet. A low moan echoes down the hall, followed by a harsh smack, and I squeeze my eyes shut, my face flushing hot.
I’m not standing alone in the kitchen for very long, thankfully.
Just as I toss the dish towel aside, the front door beeps. I jump.
Aiden pushes through the door, lugging a duffel bag over one shoulder.
His dark hair’s damp, sticking up at odd angles like he just stepped out of a post-practice shower at the training facility.
He drops the bag by the door with a dull thud.
When he looks up and catches me hovering awkwardly by the island, a slow, easy grin spreads across his face.
“Hey man, you ready?” he asks, his voice relaxed, acting like we’re about to go grab a beer instead of head to his bedroom.
I nod, though my pulse spikes hard against my throat. “Yeah. I’m ready.”
Aiden tips his head toward the hallway. “Come on. Let me grab a quick shower first.”
I follow him out of the kitchen. Walking down the hall behind Aiden feels a hell of a lot different than being dragged by Ryker.
Aiden moves with a loose, confident swagger, comfortable in his own skin.
He tosses a glance over his shoulder, offering a reassuring wink to make sure I’m keeping up.
We pass Ryker’s closed door, where another muffled groan bleeds through the wood, and Aiden smirks, shaking his head in amusement.
He doesn’t seem phased by it at all. I guess when you share everything, you get used to the background noise of your roommates having sex.
We reach the end of the hall and Aiden pushes his door open, gesturing for me to go in.
It’s my first time seeing his space. It looks exactly how I expected.
It’s the most casual out of the three bedrooms, a little messy and lived-in.
The bed’s a king-size, covered in a mismatched flannel patterned blanket that looks like it’s been washed a hundred times.
Framed baseball jerseys and sports memorabilia line the walls, alongside photos of teams he’s played for or coached.
A pair of dirt-smudged cleats sits kicked carelessly into a corner next to a laundry hamper overflowing with workout gear.
My eyes catch on a tall wooden shelf packed with shiny trophies and plaques. I want to walk over and read them, to look closer and ask him about the games he won, but Aiden’s already moving. He pulls his t-shirt over his head, tossing it onto a nearby chair, and heads for the attached bathroom.
“Make yourself comfortable,” he calls over his shoulder. The bathroom door clicks shut behind him.
I stand in the middle of the room for a few seconds, feeling out of place. Eventually, I walk over to the bed and sit on the edge. I press my hands flat against the flannel blanket, the sound of the shower turning on echoes from the bathroom.
My nerves are humming. What’s Aiden going to do? He’s approachable. Normal. He feels like a guy I’d be friends with back home if my life hadn’t blown up.
But now I’m sitting on his bed waiting for him to fuck me. I can’t figure out how to bridge the gap between buddy I watch the game with and guy whose cock I’m about to take. The mental whiplash is doing me in. I rub my palms against my thighs, trying to steady my breathing.
The water runs for a solid ten minutes. I spend the whole time overthinking, bouncing my knee up and down.
The room smells like him, a mix of cedar, clean sweat, and the sporty body wash he uses.
It’s masculine and intoxicating, making my dick throb inside my sweatpants.
I try to calm myself down, reminding myself that I survived Ryker.
I survived Ryker bending me over and using me like a toy.
Aiden can’t possibly be scarier than that.
The water shuts off. I freeze. The bathroom door opens, a cloud of warm steam rolling out into the cooler air of the bedroom.
Aiden steps out shirtless, wearing a pair of heather-gray sweatpants that hang low on his hips, the v-line of his lower stomach on fully visible. He has a towel draped over his head drying his dark hair.