Chapter 15
WILDER
It was a little past midnight when I slipped out of Avery’s bed, crossed the front yard between our houses, and climbed onto the fold-out couch.
I’d been tempted to stay longer, but at the same time I had a whole bunch of conflicting feelings going on right now—and yeah, wanting to stay the night while knowing I shouldn’t was at the top of the list.
Avery was meant to be helping me explore my sexuality.
And we were definitely doing that, sure.
But more and more, I found myself looking forward to spaghetti night almost as much as our sex sessions.
And take last night. Avery had been ready to rock my world—and don’t get me wrong, the offer of a blow job had been tempting as hell—but what had I really wanted to do?
Watch TV and hang out. Seriously, what was wrong with me?
This wasn’t meant to be about watching movies and napping on the couch. That shit was for couples, and we weren’t that. We were strictly about sex.
I just had to remember that.
I tossed and turned for a while before I finally crashed out, and by the time I woke up the sun was streaming through a gap in the curtains, and the way it lay in golden stripes across the room told me I’d slept in.
The house was quiet, and I hauled my ass out of bed and went and used the bathroom, making a mental note to clean it before Gracie came back on Sunday, then went to see if there was anything good for breakfast.
I’d just liberated some leftover pizza when Miller joined me in the kitchen. He started making his morning coffee.
“Hey,” he said, “did you hear anything back from Gracie’s grandparents?”
“Nah.” I spoke around a mouthful of cold pizza.
“I guessed they asked around and found out I actually do have a lawyer. Or Cassidy told them what’s what.
But this is what they do, you know? They’ll settle down for a bit, then start up their bullshit again.
” I sounded more casual about it than I felt—the threat of losing Gracie, however remote, made me sick to my stomach.
“But thanks. I really appreciate your help. Like, more than I can say.”
Miller smiled warmly. “It’s no problem, Wilder.”
Danny came wandering into the kitchen. Judging from his messy hair and his flushed cheeks, he and Miller hadn’t exactly been sleeping in this morning.
I was glad Danny had found someone who appreciated him, and I liked Miller a lot, but seeing the way they smiled at each other and the soft glances they exchanged made a stab of longing twist in my gut, sharp and unexpected.
I did my best to ignore it.
“Hey,” Danny said, leaning against the counter, “we need to talk to you about the twins.”
“What did Chase do now?” It was always gonna be Chase, let’s be real.
Danny laughed. “Nothing, but I’m gonna tell him you said that. No, it’s their birthday next week, and talking with Chase I got the impression that nobody’s ever thrown them a party. So I thought we could have one.”
“Hell yes. What sort of party?”
Danny lifted a hand and waggled it back and forth. “Nothing fancy. Cake, some beers, couple of presents. We could fire up the grill while the weather’s still nice.”
“As soon as Gracie hears about it, you’re gonna need hats and party blowers,” I pointed out, “and probably a unicorn cake.”
Danny’s smile softened. “Yeah, of course.”
Chase would complain about the hats, but he’d secretly love it.
“Also, we were wondering if you wanted to ask Avery,” Miller chimed in, wrinkling his nose. “Unless it’s too awkward.”
“Why would it be awkward?” I asked, like an idiot.
Miller gave me what I could only describe as a courtroom stare. The sort that would have defendants curling their toes in their jail-issued slip-on shoes. “Well, since you guys are a thing now.”
I stopped with the pizza halfway to my mouth and a wheezing sound escaped me. Danny just laughed, the asshole.
And yeah, okay. I hadn’t actually gotten around to telling the guys what was up.
In my defense, it wasn’t like I could casually drop, Oh, by the way, I’m having sex lessons with my kid’s teacher into the conversation over supper, not when Gracie was listening—and Gracie was five. She was always listening.
“What makes you think we’re a thing?” I said once I could speak.
Danny hummed. “Let’s see,” he said, ticking his points off on his fingers.
“You told us you kissed him and you haven’t mentioned it since, which means something happened that you don’t wanna share.
You’re less grumpy than normal, which means you’re probably getting laid.
And there are nights when I don’t hear you come in until after midnight but your truck’s still here, which means wherever you’re getting your action, it’s close.
Plus you think Avery’s cute. So it must be him. ”
Shit. I’d thought I was being more subtle than that. But at the same time, I could feel the weight of keeping secrets from Danny lifting off me, and it was a relief to be able to talk about it. “Did you really figure it out?”
“Of course he didn’t,” Miller said, elbowing Danny in the side. “He saw you leaving Avery’s place last night when he got up to take a leak and told me this morning.”
Danny’s grin widened. “Yeah, that too. So what, are you guys dating now?”
“No,” I said quickly. “Avery’s helping me figure some stuff out, that’s all. But I’m not looking to date. And even if I was, he’s out of my league.”
“Uh-huh,” Danny said, clearly disbelieving. “You do know he likes you.”
“I mean, yeah, he likes me,” I said. “I’m hot. But it’s not serious. He’s just…”
“Giving you private tutoring?” Miller said, waggling his eyebrows. “Please tell me he gives you a gold star for effort.”
Danny cracked up, and I glared at them both. Assholes, the pair of them. Nosy assholes. I missed when Miller was still on his best behavior. Now he gave me shit just like the rest of the guys.
Once Danny had stopped laughing he said, “But you’re gonna invite him to the twins’ birthday, right?”
“Of course,” I said. “But not because we’re dating or anything. I’m inviting him as a friend, and so he’ll bring his awesome potato salad.”
“Sure,” Danny said. “We all know you only like Avery for his creamy… dressing.”
An image of Avery with my cum streaking his face flashed into my mind, and I felt my face getting hot. “Fuck you.”
Miller must have felt bad for me because he said, “So back to this birthday. Danny, can you talk to Bobby and arrange it so y’all have next Saturday afternoon off? And Wilder, does that work with your schedule?”
Shooting him a grateful smile, I pulled out my phone to check my calendar. I didn’t have a gig. I blocked it out so I wouldn’t forget and said, “Yeah, works for me.”
Miller made coffee and we talked some more about what we needed and who to invite, but I only half listened, my mind still caught on that image of Avery. Him blowing me had been hot as all hell, and it had made me curious. What would it be like to have another guy’s dick in my mouth?
And how soon could I find out?
I wiped my damp palms against my jeans and stared at Avery’s front door.
I could do this. I wanted to do this. I’d spent the last hour debating whether I should come over or if it was too soon after last night and I was crossing some invisible line I wasn’t aware of, but in the end it had come down to two things.
One, my afternoon was free. Gracie was at her grandparents’ and I wasn't working, and who knew when that might happen again?
And two, I really wanted to suck Avery’s dick.
I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it all morning. I’d thought about it while I did a load of laundry, and while I’d done a grocery run, and especially while I’d been on my knees cleaning the bathroom. And in the end I’d decided to go for it.
Avery had said “next time,” so it wasn’t like I was offering out of the blue. Still, butterflies danced and twirled in my stomach, just like every time I came over and asked him to rock my world. I took a deep breath and knocked, my chest tight.
The door swung open a minute later and Avery stood there.
“Hey,” I said before I could lose my nerve. “I was thinking if you’re not busy, I could suck your dick.”
Avery made a strangled noise. “Wilder! It’s so good to see you!” he said, a little too brightly—and why did his smile look like a grimace? “Come in! You can meet my brother!”
It was then that I noticed the strange car in his driveway, tucked up along the side of the house and out of sight. “Oh,” I said, my stomach tying itself into sudden panicked knots. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you had company.”
I was also pretty sure he hadn’t mentioned expecting company—but then, why would he?
It wasn’t like his personal life was any of my business.
I was the one who was out of place here, rolling up on his doorstep and expecting him to be available, and worst of all, blurting out that thing about wanting to suck his dick. The hell was wrong with me?
But before I could fuck off out of there and pretend it had never happened, a man appeared behind Avery. He was older and taller than Avery, and he had a neatly trimmed beard, but the family resemblance was obvious. I gave him a tight smile.
“Dallas drove down to surprise me. Isn’t that great?” Avery said, still wearing an unhinged grin. He turned to his brother and said, “Dallas, I’d like you to meet my neighbor, Wilder. His daughter is in my class.”
Dallas’s face did something complicated before his expression smoothed out and he said, “Pleased to meet you… Wilder, is it?”
“Yessir,” I said, shuffling awkwardly while praying he hadn’t heard what I’d said earlier—or if he had, he’d assumed I was kidding.
Ha ha. So funny.