Chapter 37
NOVA play: An Honest Mistake by The Bravery
Icouldn’t remember why I didn’t like drinking.
I was feeling really good, and this sparkly blue cocktail Jay had given me tasted like heaven. So far, everything I’d consumed on this campus had just tasted so stinking good.
I giggled to myself as I stirred my drink with the little paper umbrella, watching the edible glitter billow around in the fancy glass.
The pub was bumping old 2000s hits and was full of people from all departments. They’d opened up the big garage doors, making the venue open air, and the industrial feeling of the interior spilled out into the balmy California evening air.
“Want to play some pool?” Jay asked me, leaning in close so he didn’t have to yell. Sebastian was standing on my other side, sipping a lager out of the bottle, smirking.
“I kicked your ass last time, Reynolds. You sure you want to play again?”
Jay gave him a challenging grin and nodded.
“I let you win. You were having a shitty day.”
Seb rolled his eyes. “Sure you did, bud.”
“I’ve never played pool before,” I mused, feeling much calmer than normal with this sparkly, amazing drink humming through my veins.
Jay feigned shock. “Never?”
“We’ll have to teach you.” Seb winked, already making his way over to the large red velvet pool table set off to the side of the bar.
“We’ll play a few rounds first so you can learn, then you can take a few practice shots,” Sebastian said easily, as he put the balls in the triangle and set up the game.
I nodded, happily slurping my drink as I watched them chalk up their cues.
Jay was dressed more casually than normal. His cream cotton t-shirt and army green joggers looked great with his tanned skin and toasted chestnut hair. He shot me a dazzling smile as he rubbed some blue stuff on his cue.
Jiminy Cricket—he was so hot.
The muscles in his lean forearms rippled as he adjusted the cue, and I found myself wondering if the muscles in his chest were rippling under his t-shirt, too.
Jeeze, Milo! Friends don’t check their friends out.
Though as I slurped the rest of my drink, the alcohol convinced me it was okay to look.
Looking was okay.
Harmless.
Sebastian was ridiculously good-looking, too, but he didn’t have the same sexy swagger Jay did while he played. Something about the confident, casual way Jay fingered his pool cue had my mouth watering.
What would those hands look like fingering something else?
My cheeks flushed, and I giggled to myself.
I was being ridiculous. Definitely couldn’t let him anywhere near me with the NeuroManipulator now…
Jay glanced at me and caught me looking at him. Normally, I would have felt shy and looked away, but again, I was feeling less anxious than normal.
I found myself biting my lip, and his eyes darkened as we stared at each other. Sebastian was busy lining up his shot when Jay ambled over to me, a sly grin on his face.
“Like what you see, Milo?” he asked, leaning in close enough to my ear that his warm breath made me shudder.
“What? No! I’m just trying to learn!” I squeaked, and he chuckled, shaking his head playfully.
“Sure you are.” He glanced down at my now-empty glass and smoothly swiped it out of my hand. “Looks like you need another drink. I’ll be right back.”
“You trying to get me drunk?” I teased, and his eyes flashed with amusement.
“Maybe.”
I blushed and waved him off. “Can I try the pink one this time?”
He grew strangely serious for a minute, and I thought he might reach out to touch me, but Sebastian had finished his turn and was watching us with an odd look on his face.
“You can have anything you want, Milo. All you have to do is ask,” he said, and I felt naked as his eyes rolled over the full length of my body.
Jeebus. Now I was freaking sweating. Send help.
“I’ll be right back,” he said softly, handing me the pool cue and brushing past me to make his way to the bar.
I watched him go, doing my best not to stare at his ass as he walked, when suddenly, Sebastian was speaking in my ear.
“So, how has it been working with Jay? You two seem close.”
I jumped and turned to face him. He was smiling at me, but his eyes had that calculating look in them that reminded me of his father.
“Yeah. We’ve become good friends.”
“I see,” Sebastian said, and I anxiously shuffled before him, hoping he couldn’t tell how attracted I was to Jay.
I didn’t want to get him in trouble.
“You want to try taking a shot?” Sebastian asked, gesturing to the cue Jay had given me.
Grateful for the change in subject, I nodded.
“Sure!” I scurried up to the table and did my best to emulate what I’d seen Sebastian and Jay do.
The cue felt awkward and heavy in my hands, and it slipped out of my fingers when I tried to strike the cue ball.
“Oopse,” I cursed as the tip of my cue skittered across the velvet.
Sebastian chuckled next to me.
“Almost. Here, do you mind if I help you?”
“I could use some pointers,” I laughed, expecting him to explain what I was doing wrong.
Next thing I knew, he was behind me, wrapping his arms around my body and physically adjusting my hands on the cue.
I froze, shocked that he’d touched me so brazenly without asking first.
“Sebastian, I-I don’t think this is a good idea,” I stammered, glancing around at the crowded room to find a few people already watching us with curious looks on their faces.
“It’s fine, Milo. I’m just correcting your form,” he murmured. He was so close to my ear that my skin sheeted in goosebumps. His cologne was much different than Jay’s. Cedar and saffron…
I didn’t like it.
I squirmed, trying to stand up and shake him off.
“I’m sorry, I just don’t feel comfortable.”
Seb laughed easily, like I was being ridiculous.
“Relax, Milo. Just let me—”
“He said no, Seb.”
Jay’s angry voice cut through the air, and finally, Sebastian backed off.
Relief flooded through me as we both turned to find Jay standing with my pink drink in his hand and a stormy look on his face.
“I was just teaching him how to correctly set up a shot. I didn’t mean anything by it,” Sebastian said, frowning.
A muscle pulsed in Jay’s jaw.
“Did you ask if you could touch him?” Jay’s voice was dark and cold. I’d never heard him sound like that before, and I was growing increasingly uncomfortable as the tension grew between the two execs.
“I asked if I could help him, and he said yes.”
“That’s not the same thing, and you know it.”
Sebastian rolled his eyes and shoved his hands into the pockets of his expensive slacks.
“You touch him all the time without asking. I’ve seen you do it. He doesn’t seem to mind.”
“He. Said. No. Sebastian,” Jay snarled.
Sebastian sighed.
“Whatever. I’m going to go get another drink,” he grumbled, before leaving me alone with Jay.
Jay watched him go for a beat, his dark eyebrows furrowed in a deep frown. Finally, he glanced at me, his expression softening.
“You alright?” he asked, handing me the bright pink drink he’d gotten for me.
I accepted it gratefully, hoping the alcohol would help me feel less awkward about what had just gone down.
“Yeah. I don’t think he meant anything by it. I just didn’t want people thinking I was doing something inappropriate with the CMO. It’s fine.”
Jay looked angry again.
“It’s not fine, Milo. You asked him to stop, and he didn’t. I heard you.”
“Yeah, but—”
Jay was now inches away from my face, his normally warm brown eyes swirling with fury.
“But nothing. No one touches you unless you want them to. I won’t allow it.”
My eyes were so wide I felt like they might pop out of my head. I was feeling a little woozy from the booze, and Jay’s woodsy scent was making me feel even more drunk than I probably was.
My mouth went dry, and he glanced at my lips.
He hadn’t done that since the first night we’d played Stardew together… In fact, he’d barely even touched me since that night. I missed his gentle touches. I missed touch in general, and it had only been a week. I couldn’t imagine how he and Sebastian must feel.
God, I wished I could kiss him.
“I like it when you touch me,” Drunk Milo said.
Whoopsie. Sober Milo was gonna be maaaaaaddd tomorrow.
I almost giggled out loud, and Jay’s eyebrows shot up into his hairline in surprise.
I enjoyed the stunned look on his face as I took another sip from my drink.
“Where’s the bathroom?” I hiccuped, suddenly needing to pee. Jay was still staring at me like he couldn’t believe what I’d just said.
“Over there, down the hall. Behind the bar.”
“Kay. I’m gonna go pee. I’ll be right back.”
He nodded, remaining uncharacteristically silent as I stumbled off to find the men’s room.
Oh boy.
I probably shouldn’t have told him that.
But the look on his face had been worth it. I could apologize tomorrow for being a drunken idiot. He knew I didn’t drink much.
He would understand.
Jay was the best like that.
He never made me feel bad about anything, and for the first time in my life, I felt like I finally had a real friend.