Chapter 9
“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.”
Brooks
With My Skittish Supple Lipped Pal
“Have you ever eaten rocky mountain oysters?”
Tilian choked on his pizza. I tried to conceal my smile behind my own slice. It was cool to see him opening up a little more. He was still incredibly introverted, but when I showed up at his dorm today with food, he’d only hesitated for, like, thirty seconds before he invited me in.
I was going to hang out with Kai and Sen, but they were stressed about the move. If they’d asked, I would have told them it was a bad idea to have a housewarming party on the day they got their keys. They should’ve waited until next weekend. They hadn’t asked, though, so that was none of my business. I imagined the Kermit tea sipping meme and chuckled to myself.
“I haven’t,” he replied when he wasn’t in imminent danger of aspirating his food. “And I never would.”
“Picky eater?”
“Yeah, but I don’t think refusing to eat cow balls falls under ‘picky.’”
“I’d say it’s subjective.”
“Have you eaten them?”
I leveled him with a look that I knew was indecipherable. “I’ll never tell.”
“You’re kind of a dick.”
His bluntness made me laugh. “Am I?”
“Totally. You’re super mysterious and I’m pretty sure you know exactly what you’re doing.”
“Hm. I assume you’re referring to that time when I got your dick hard, then walked away.”
The pizza fell from his hand. He quickly snatched it off the comforter and took a bite without stopping for a moment to blow it off. Five second rule, I guess.
After a minute, he looked at me again. “What was the point of that, anyway?”
“Did you feel wanted? Did it make you forget your insecurities for a bit?”
“Yes, on both counts.”
“That’s the point. I told you that you’re desirable, but you didn’t believe me. If words don’t work, jump into action.”
“Could’ve at least followed through,” he muttered with a poorly concealed smile.
“Still could.”
His cheeks turned red, but he kept his face carefully controlled. Those pesky defenses were up. It would be easy to tear them down, but I’d let him cling to them for now. I’d freaked him out enough last night.
Kissing Tilian was nice, if I was being honest. He was just so adorable and pliable. I was a hundred percent certain he was submissive when he was with someone who knew how to make him bend.
I was all for casual encounters, but I didn’t know if that was his thing. He might be the type to get easily attached. Would I be open to that with him? Yeah, but not right now. A committed relationship was the last thing I needed to add to my plate. They seemed cool and all, but they took work. I could barely manage to keep myself above water.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
I blinked to bring myself out of my head. “Nothing.”
“You had a look.”
“It’s the fluorescents.”
After he snorted a laugh, he grabbed another slice of pizza. “Well, if it’s just a game, maybe don’t start kissing me again.”
Licking my lips, I leveled him with my best smolder. It made him shift on the bed. I wouldn’t tell him that I remembered what his hard dick had felt like against my thigh. That would just be too much for the guy.
“Fine,” I conceded with a dramatic sigh. “You’re a lovely kisser, though.”
“I am?”
“You’re very good at following the lead, so yeah. For me, you’re pretty perfect.”
“Hm.”
He didn’t say anything else as he continued to munch on his pizza. Tilian would likely move into my ‘good friend’ category if we continued like this. He was chill and gave off different vibes than most of my others.
Whereas some people were mood readers or eaters, I was kind of a mood friend. To many, I was seen as a dick who was flaky and bounced around, but it wasn’t that. I just needed certain things at different times. Life wasn’t always bright and cheerful for me. And sometimes, like right now, I needed something that was easy. Not too loud and not too quiet. Just simple existence with someone who gave off that sort of energy.
Tilian was the friend I needed when things were too loud in my head, when I needed someone who could pull me back from the ledge without even realizing he was doing it.
That rebellious little self-sabotager in my head needed to calm the fuck down sometimes.
“Oh, you’re coming with me tomorrow,” I informed him.
He didn’t look spooked for once. I thought he might be getting used to my shit. It was easiest to just go with the flow and I was pretty sure he’d caught onto that.
“Where?” he ventured, trying to appear cool and casual.
“My friends are having a housewarming thing. It’s bound to be a mess and there will be a bunch of football players there.”
“You’re not selling me on it.”
“I don’t have to. I’ll pick you up at two in my dope Audi that got your balls tingling. Imagine how it’ll feel when you’re driving it.”
His mouth dropped open. “You’ll let me drive it?”
“Guess so. You have a license, right?”
“Yeah, I’m twenty-one.”
“Never know. My buddy has a suspended license, so it’s best to ask.”
A smile curled his lips and his eyes crinkled. With the sun shining in the window, the blue was intense. All it took was the prospect of driving my car to get him smiling like that. Maybe I’d have to offer more often.
*****
The Newly Labeled Apartment From Hell
Damn, this place was trashy, and that was putting it nicely. These guys did not understand the assignment. Granted, their budget was pretty damn low, but still. This was… not it.
Well, time to put on a brave face for my buddies. It was their first place and that was a cool move regardless of the dated floors and cabinets and paint and counters and lights and… Anyway.
“Neat, huh?” I said to Tilian.
He looked around, seeming unfazed but unimpressed. “I used to buy weed from a guy in the next building before I was twenty-one.”
“I’m sure he was a nice guy.”
“He got arrested for sleeping with a sixteen-year-old, so no.”
“Ah, well, good thing I don’t need a plug. Fake IDs go a long way.”
“Cause you’re a special rich kid,” West bellowed from right behind me. My shoulders rose, but I forced myself to relax.
“I see a beer in your hand,” I noted when I turned around. “We’ll all get our substances one way or another.”
“Maybe you can make it easier and get me one of those IDs. Make it a housewarming gift.”
“I thought you guys decided that wasn’t a thing.”
He smiled conspiratorially. “Kai isn’t the boss. Come on. Share what you’ve got in those deep pockets.”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. It was all fun and games. I didn’t mind most of the time, but West knew how to beat a dead horse. Pretty sure he’d developed the ability to kill it again somehow.
“You shouldn’t judge people for the parents they have,” Tilian said.
West looked taken aback, but he quickly composed himself. “I can’t argue, I guess. I’m West.”
He held his fist out and Tilian bumped it, looking more confident than he probably felt.
“I’m Tilian.”
West flashed him a manic grin. “Make yourself at home, Tilian. But not too at home. If I find you in my bed, I’ll be cross.”
He danced away like the nutcase he was. I glanced sidelong at Tilian. He was taking in the crowd silently.
He’d defended me, even though I didn’t need it. But why?
“I’m gonna mingle,” I announced. “Wanna come?”
He considered for a moment. “I’m just gonna grab a beer and chill for a bit.”
“Cool. I’ll be back.”
Hoping to make him feel more comfortable, I squeezed his shoulder. I didn’t know where I was gonna go at first. I spotted Dean on the back patio. It looked like he was smoking a cigarette with some of the team. Hopefully, he was just a social smoker.
When I looked at the couch, I found a target I was interested in. I strode over and dropped onto the other side of it.
“Hey, you’re Lincoln, right?”
He brought his beer to his lips while he shamelessly studied me. It made my skin feel warm in an exhilarating way. He was perceptive- more than most. I loved it when someone tried to figure me out, mostly because they couldn’t.
“Linc,” he replied. The smile he offered me did not match West’s whole villain claim.
“The god of Harmon University,” I said in a dramatic voice.
He laughed, albeit a little awkwardly. “Yup. Former god now.”
“Oh, yeah. West’s ego is about to grow like the Grinch’s heart.”
“Only if he lets it. What’s your name?”
Hm. I wondered if he shared West’s resentment. It didn’t look the same. I bet he was just hella annoyed with his antics.
“I’m an asshole, obviously. Brooks.” When I held my hand out, he took it. I used my thumb to brush over his skin. It was softer than I’d expected. I loved a man with a good skincare routine.
“What are you studying?” he asked.
I blew out a raspberry. “Law.”
He grimaced. “Damn. I’ll have to make sure to keep my nose clean around you.”
“On the contrary, we should be living it up before I’m obligated to give a shit.”
“To living it up, then.”
He clinked his bottle against mine and drained it. His eyes remained on me the whole time. Go ahead, buddy. Peel away my skin layer by layer. You won’t find whatever you’re looking for.
His eyes grew distant as he seemed to get lost in his head. I wanted to know what went on in that pretty thing. Lincoln was drop dead gorgeous. His curly hair was something I appreciated and his hazel eyes were to die for.
I motioned for him to come closer. “Do you think they’ll be offended if I tell them their place is a shit hole?”
He snorted a laugh. “If they don’t already know that, they’re all delusional.”
God, I wanted to open him up. He was more intriguing than I thought he would be. He also seemed genuine. While West appeared to be an open book, he put on a front to hide his pain.
I knew what it was like to do that. His wasn’t entirely fabricated, but I saw the difference when he wasn’t actually feeling the way he presented. That shit ate at you. It was exhausting and even if you convinced everyone else, the truth was always buried inside of you.
I watched as Linc stared at West in the kitchen. Obviously, they were rivals and there wasn’t romantic intent there, but there was a general interest that didn’t fit with their relationship. Linc, like me, wanted to understand people. I wondered if he’d perceived that there was more to West and his anger toward him.
Linc’s strength might lay in the way he was able to perceive things. He may dislike West, but I bet he’d cave easily if the guy wanted to suddenly be his friend. What was Linc’s weakness? Forgiveness, maybe. He seemed like the type to give people too many chances. Eventually, he’d stop trusting people or he’d just keep repeating the same cycle.
Or it could work out at some point. If he was lucky.
My eyes shifted to Tilian. He was alone, but he looked content. I forced myself to stay seated and continued digging inside of Linc. It was entertaining enough and the view was nice.