Chapter 1 #2
After shutting the refrigerator door, I twisted with the beers held at my chest, almost bumping into Grey.
He was so close…I focused on his plush lips, my mind reeling with the last time I’d watched him come.
The woman, I couldn’t remember her name, had been blowing him.
She didn’t swallow, and his come had landed on the back of my hand while I’d toyed with her nipples.
I’d licked it off when he wasn’t looking.
Fuck, Tex—what have you put in my damn head?
“Uh, can I have the beer?” With the edge of his mouth curling, he wrapped his hand around one beer, the touch of his warm fingers tingling up my arm, his gaze meeting mine.
My breath caught, and I startled. “Yeah, sure, man. Here.” I freed the beer as he took it. “Sorry, I zoned out for a minute.” With a faltering chuckle, I stepped away from him, my gaze flicking to Tex.
Twisted on the couch, Tex arched a brow, a smirk planted on his lips.
The fucker. He saw that. Grey and I would stay in the friend zone. Grey wasn’t queer, and I refused to lose his friendship over something so stupid. With a sigh, I snicked my beer can open and sipped it. “We were thinking of heading to a karaoke pizza bar tonight.”
“Yeah?” He leaned his ass against the kitchen counter by the sink. “Sounds like a good time.” He drank some beer. “I’ll go easy on these this afternoon then.” His gaze followed the movers bringing in his dresser, a modern piece with rich wood, the grain making lines across the drawers.
“What’s that dresser made from?” I’d never seen wood like that and, knowing him, it was hella expensive. I parked my ass against the counter, next to him.
“It’s rosewood.” He flicked an errant blond bang from his forehead. “My mother insisted on it because it’s very durable.” He chuckled as he drank more beer. “She thinks I’m hard on my furniture.”
“Are you?” I hooked a brow. I’d noticed nothing like that, but then we’d never lived together before.
“No.” He shrugged a shoulder. “Maybe when I was a kid, but what boy isn’t hard on furniture?”
“Right?” I tapped my beer can on his and sipped it. “When do you expect you’ll be ready to go to the pizza place?” He’d unpacked quickly so far.
“I’d say by six.” He bumped off the counter and waltzed toward the hallway. “I better show them where to put the dresser.” As he passed Tex, he patted his shoulder. “Let me know if they say anything interesting about last year’s draft.”
“Sure thing.” Tex focused on the television.
A few hours later, I stood in the bathroom I shared with Tex, primping my dark hair and checking the lay of my grey shirt across my abs—fitted, but not too much.
Grey walked in behind me in a deep blue button-down with short sleeves, his gaze roaming my body. “You look great as usual, Malik.” He wrapped his arms around me from behind and rested his chin on my shoulder, his lips tugging into a warm grin. “The girls will be all over you.”
“Yeah?” I smiled at him through the mirror as I rubbed my fingers across the prickly skin over my top lip. “Should I shave though?” I didn’t want to give a girl a rash during a make-out session.
“Do you shave?” He freed a soft snort, squeezed me and then turned me around by my shoulders.
With a mock scoff, I said, “I don’t have much, but I do shave.” It was an ongoing joke between us. I hardly had any facial hair because I was part native.
“Let’s see…” As his face came close to mine, his tongue swiped across his mouth, and he brushed his finger against the skin of my mustache.
“I don’t think it’s bad enough to shave, and when you get close, you can see it.
It’s kind of attractive, if you ask me.” He raked his teeth across his lower lip.
“Maybe you should grow it out and have one of those seventies porno mustaches. You know they’re coming back in style. ”
As my pulse picked up speed, I choked on a laugh and shoved his chest. “Fuck off, I’m shaving it.” Rolling my eyes, I twisted around and grabbed my shaver from the drawer.
“Fine, don’t listen to me.” He slapped my ass. “Your ass looks fantastic in those shorts, by the way.” With a cackle, he left.
After taking an Uber to the bar, we piled out of the SUV and onto Mill Avenue, the late evening sun throwing orange and reddish hues across the cloudless sky.
The street was bustling as usual with traffic crawling along the boulevard and young people strolling the sidewalks or on skateboards.
I spied the pizza place inside a short brick building—the patio closed for the summer heat, and the inside glow from the windows spilling out. “There’s the place.”
Grey swiped his brow. “Jesus, Malik. You told me it was hot, but it’s almost nighttime and it’s still over a hundred degrees?” He huffed.
“Yep, get used to it. It won’t cool off until October.” Tex patted Grey’s shoulder with his big hand. “Let’s go inside where it’s cooler.” He lumbered toward the restaurant.
Setting my hand on Grey’s lower back, I guided him to follow Tex. All was good between us. The shit that had run through my head earlier had ceased.
Tex held the glass door open and waved us inside. “After you.”
I strolled in and eyed a booth toward the back. It would be quieter there, and we could talk. “How about back there?” I pointed toward it.
“How will the girls see us back there?” Grey pressed his lips together.
“But we can hear each other talk.” My chest tightened. He wanted to hook up with someone already? I’d wanted him to get to know Tex better.
“Yeah, okay.” Dipping his head, he strolled across the yellow floor with red paint splotches and sank into a booth with a black table and yellow cushions.
I fell in beside him while Tex sat across from us, saying, “Do we want to get a pitcher of beer to start?”
“Sure.” Grey leaned back and swung his arm across the top of the seat behind me.
My chest warmed as I inched closer to him, his presence comforting. It was like old times. We’d always been affectionate with each other, and now was no different. I glanced at Tex. He'd better not say a word about our earlier discussion.
Tex arched a brow as his gaze swiped from me to Grey and returned.
A server stopped by the table, and we ordered our beer.
“So, Grey, where did you grow up in New York?” Tex leaned back in his seat.
“Um, the Upper East Side. My parents own a penthouse there. It’s um…” He glanced at me.
“It’s fucking fantastic. The views are incredible, and the doorman is a cool dude.” I swung my gaze to the server as she dropped off our beer and glasses.
“Yeah? What does your father do?” Tex poured our beers and slid them toward us.
“He’s the head of Moore Enterprises. They run a few finance firms, places where wealthy people let you invest their money for them, shit like that. I don’t know much about it.” He ran his fingers along his glass. “I’ve tried to keep my head in football.”
“But didn’t you meet some of your dad’s associates before you moved?” I drank my beer, the cool bubbles coating my throat. If he didn’t make the draft…shit, he’d make the draft. I’d be sure of it.
“Yes, but I ended up meeting a lot of their daughters.” His cheeks pinked as he dipped his gaze toward his beer. “I think my father is trying to set me up.”
“What? That still happens?” Tex’s eyes widened.
As he focused on Tex, he said, “It’s called strategic matchmaking. My mom said to keep my options open and that it would ultimately be my decision.” He set his jaw.
“You don’t look happy about it.” Tex sipped his beer.
“I’m not. My dream has always been the NFL, not working for my father, or marrying some socialite.” He scoffed and looked away. “It’s just not me.”
“Hey.” I covered his hand in mine on the table and leaned in close. “You can do whatever you want, and with an NFL contract, you won’t need their money.” His trust fund hinged on his GPA. I knew that much.
Grey’s gaze searched my face. “But what if I get picked for a second-string position or end up on the practice squad?” He winced.
“Dude, that’s still some good money. Even practice squad guys earn enough to buy a house and shit. Maybe not a Paradise Valley mansion, but you know what I mean.” Tex scoffed a chuckle and drank his beer.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I’m, uh, just not used to worrying about money.” He glanced from me to Tex. “Which, I’m picking up the tab tonight and you can’t stop me.” Giving Tex a lop-sided grin, he said, “It’s the least I can do for you guys letting me live with you and showing me around.”
Lifting his chin, Tex said, “I’d tell you we’d do that wanting nothing in return, but I know you won’t listen.” He held his glass toward Grey and said, “To having a new member in the Desert Dog house.”
“Thanks.” Grey tapped his glass on Tex’s, and I did the same.
“Hey, should we order some pizza?” I scanned the restaurant for our server and flagged her down. “Everything?” I already knew Tex liked that.
“Sounds good to me.” Grey twisted his beer on the table. “This’ll be some year.”
“Do you have any brothers or sisters who can take over your family business?” Tex studied Grey.
Tex was still stuck on that topic. I’d already discussed it with him. I draped an arm across Grey’s shoulders.
“Nope, it’s just me. I don’t know why my parents didn’t have additional kids, but it is what it is.” He glanced my way and gave me a thin-lipped grin.
After sipping his beer, Tex said, “It must put a lot of pressure on you.”
“It does.” Grey nodded. “I’m sort of used to it. For the last few years I’d been able to push it to the back of my mind, but this year, since it’s my make it or break it year, it’s up front and center.”
The server stopped at our table, and we ordered our pizza.
Fuck, I didn’t know how much it had affected him. I pulled him close to my side. “Hey, let’s not worry about it right now. Let’s see how our season plays out.”
He pressed his lips together. “Yeah.”
“I’ll be right here, regardless. You know you’ll always have me.” I planted a quick kiss on his cheek. That’d snap him out of it.
“Bro…” With a snort, he wiped his cheek. “Don’t do that here. The women will think we’re together.”
Tex’s brows snapped up. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were too.” He drank more beer.
Throwing a look at Tex, I said, “It’s called a bromance. Don’t gay dudes have those?” He had to go there. He just didn’t understand our bond yet.
“Of course. But I think you two have a bromosexual thing going on, since you’re queer and he’s not.” Tex freed a sharp laugh.
“Bromosexual?” Grey hooked a brow. “I’ve never heard the term, but I’ll go with it.” Turning his head, he pecked my cheek. “Malik, if I were queer or you were a woman, you’d be mine. You know that, right?”
“Of course, and you’d be mine.” I sniggered as warmth floated across my chest. It didn’t matter what Tex thought. He’d understand our relationship in time.
The server set our pizza down along with some plates. “Enjoy your food.” She left.
Tex pulled slices from the pizza, set them on the plates and pushed them toward us. “Here you go. Eat up.” After gliding one toward himself, he picked it up and took a bite.
I slid my arm down from around Grey so I could eat. “Hey, do you want to sing karaoke when it starts?” I ate my pizza, the sauce full of garlic and the melted cheese pulling from the slice.
“Sure. I’m not a great singer, but I don’t mind making a fool of myself.” He wiped his generous lips with a napkin.
“I think you two should sing, You’re the One that I Want from Grease.” Holding the back of his hand over his mouth, Tex cackled. “It’d be hilarious.”
As Grey’s gaze slid to mine, his smile grew wide. “That would be funny.” He elbowed me in the ribs. “Let’s do it.” He scanned the room. “There’s a table of hot females over there. Maybe we can get their attention when we sing it. I bet they’ll get a kick out of it.”
Tex rolled his eyes. “Oh, brother.”
“Okay, then we’ll do it.” I ate more pizza and washed it down with beer. “You’re a genius, Tex.”