Chapter Five
chapter five
DEREK
I ’m almost floating on cloud nine when I send Keith a text when I get home. Throughout the rest of the day, I can’t stop thinking about him—mainly the fact that he’s Evan’s father. I always knew the older men that I was attracted to would have kids, but I didn’t think I’d know the kid.
Sighing, I flop on my bed and pull my phone out. Even though Evan is my best friend, I know I’m going to end up seeing Keith again. He’s handsome, and everything I look for in a man—not to mention that he has a delicious, thick cock. No way will I let him get away from me.
Me: What building are you in?
He doesn’t respond right away, so I busy myself with pulling out some study material and get started on cramming for my sociology exam in a week .
Twenty minutes later, my phone dings and I grab it quickly, almost dropping it in my rush to get it unlocked. I smile when I see the initial I saved him under pop up on my notification screen.
K: Building 1608. You?
My hands shake and my heart thumps in my chest. We’re in the same building, but I didn’t see anyone moving in. He may be on the other side.
Me: Me too! What apartment number?
K: 211.
Yep, he’s on the other side. One side is even numbers, and the other is odd. I live on the odd side. The apartments are labeled by the odd or even side, floor, and apartment location. So Keith lives on the even side, first floor, in the first apartment. I’m on the odd side, second floor, in the third apartment.
Me: 123. Really easy to remember .
The conversation lulls for a moment and Keith doesn’t text me back for another few minutes. I mean, what did I expect him to say? I just told him my apartment number. Maybe I should have said something else after? Is he expecting me to pick another topic of conversation? Ugh! I’m terrible at this.
Groaning, I flop back on the bed, throwing a hand over my eyes. I’m not terrible at flirting, but the stakes haven’t been this high before. I’m not sure where things will go with him. Sure, I’d like there to be more than us… hanging out or whatever we plan to do, but Evan is my best friend. So nothing will come of it after we’ve had our fill of each other. That should make things easier, knowing that things won’t get too deep between us.
But it’s the opposite.
I can’t help but think that I’m ready to settle down and be with one man. I’m not sure if Keith is that man, but our chemistry from the one time we were together was explosive. I want to explore more of that, but not for just a few months.
Am I willing to lose my best friend to be with his dad? Would Keith be willing to lose his son to be with me ? Will we be enough for each other, knowing that if we lose Evan, it’s because of our own doing?
Before I sink too deeply into that rabbit hole, my phone dings with a text.
K: Step outside.
With my heart in my throat, I scramble out of bed, glad that Bryson has to work tonight. It would just be my luck that he saw the hot stranger from the club and found out said hot stranger is actually the hot dad of our other best friend.
Quickly, I check myself in our hall mirror—for once happy that Bryson insisted we get one—and step outside, looking left and right. I see Keith leaning against the banister just to the right of the door. He has his hands in his jeans pockets and a shy smile on his face. I grin back, walking over to him slowly.
“Hey,” he says in a deep voice that I don’t think I won’t always find sexy as hell.
“Hey yourself,” I squeak out, sounding way less sexy than him. I feel my cheeks flame, but I don’t drop my eyes.
I step beside him and lean against the banister as well. We’re quiet for a moment, just soaking up each other’s energy and presence. Finally, he glances down at me. “Were you serious about helping me move in, or was that some kind of line?”
Laughing, I bump his biceps with my shoulder. “No, it wasn’t a line. Though I was thinking more of ‘ you unpack and I’ll keep you company ’.”
It’s Keith’s turn to laugh. “That’s what I figured. Come on, I could use the company now. Evan won’t be over until after his study hall.”
Uneasiness settles in my gut at the mention of Evan’s name, but it’s not enough to make me turn down the invitation. “Let me grab my keys.”
Rushing inside, I grab my keys and cell phone. I step into a pair of slides and walk out the door, locking up before I waltz over to Keith. “Ready?”
Stupidly, I hold up my keys and my phone, like he didn’t already see them.
“Ready.” I was way more smooth than this when I thought I wasn’t going to see him again .
Much to my surprise, Keith grabs my hand and pulls me behind him, and I follow him eagerly.
Our apartments are set up much the same, just backwards. Where my kitchen is on the left, Keith’s is on the right. The master bedroom is the same, down a hallway on the left as opposed to the right. It’s easy to remember.
Boxes litter the floors, counters in the kitchen, and on the couches that are already arranged into some semblance of structure.
“I’m working in the kitchen,” Keith says, inclining his head to the open doorway. “Can you grab the kettle and get some water on for tea while I find some mugs?”
Nodding, I move around him, rinse his kettle, then fill it with water. After I put it on the stove, I start opening cabinets to find tea bags. Once found—in an otherwise empty cabinet—I pull two out and slide myself onto the counter. Keith finds mugs and rinses them, setting them beside the stove near the tea bags.
We’re quiet, just staring at each other until the kettle starts whistling. I hop down from the counter and get our tea together. When it’s done, I hand him his mug and blow on mine, watching him over the rim of my cup. He does the same and I feel my cheeks heat for more reasons than the hot tea.
After the silence grows thick and I think we’ll just end up staring at each other for the remainder of the time I’m here, Keith sets his cup to the side, rubbing his hands together. I set mine down as well, then hop back on the counter.
Keith chuckles, shaking his head, and turns to the box next to me. “I swear,” he says as he pulls cups out of the box and places them in the dishwasher, “I really am better at conversation than this. It’s just …”
“Weird,” I fill in for him .
Another chuckle. “Yeah, weird.” He looks over his shoulder at me. “Not in a bad way. I just never thought I’d be attracted to a man so young.”
I shrug and lean forward a little, my hands gripping the counter. “I’ve always liked older men, though I didn’t act on it until about a year or so ago. Most don’t want a college kid long term—just someone to have fun with for a while and move on to the next.”
Keith gives me a sad look over his shoulder. “I’m sorry about that. I don’t know what I’m looking for, but I wouldn’t toy with you like that.”
“This is different,” I tell him. “There’s our relationship with Evan at stake. I don’t think we can have anything more than fun. I don’t think I could bear the thought of your relationship with your son being tarnished because of me.”
He turns back around, smiling sadly. “That’s what makes this so hard. I want to get to know you, but I don’t know how Evan would react to us.” He waves his hands back and forth, gesturing between us. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t hang out.”
I nod. “I know. I’d like that.”
“Good.”
Deciding I really should help him move in, I jump down from the counter and open a box, helping him unpack like I offered.