Chapter 14
EZRA
I’d died and gone to heaven. It was the only explanation for meeting a man so perfect for me, in and out of the bedroom. We got dressed and headed to the main room after spending an hour cuddling and enjoying each other’s company. The plan was to order DoorDash, and we both craved Italian.
I set our wine bottle and chocolate box on the kitchen island and held my cell phone to my face. “There’s a place close by. Have you been there? Olive and Ivy?” It was a little pricey, but I’d just gotten paid by his team for the shoot and he was worth every penny.
He pushed my phone down. “I’m getting this and yes, I’ve been there. The food is awesome.”
“No, I’m buying. It’s all part of my homecoming surprise for you.” I mock glared at him. I wouldn’t let him win this argument.
“Fine.” He chuckled and poured us more wine. “Dominate me some more. You know how much I love it now.” He peeked at me as he sipped his wine.
Shaking my head, I grinned. He was too cute. “What do you want?” I perused the menu. Pasta sounded good. “I’m having lasagna Bolognese. You?” I held my phone to him.
He scrolled the menu. “Get me the chicken scallopini.”
“Okay.” I ordered the items and set my phone on the counter. Now that we’d had the anal sex discussion, I should probably talk to him about protection. I glanced at Evan’s closed door. He must still be sleeping. “Lucas? I have something to tell you.”
“Okay.” He grabbed his wineglass, then my hand, and led me to the sofa.
After we both dropped in, I said, “I’m on PrEP.” Would he know about that?
“Yeah? My brother takes that.” He lowered his brows. “Don’t most gay men take it?”
“I don’t know.” My gaze fell to my wine, resting on my thighs. “I do because I never felt I could trust Tate.” In fact, before him, I’d always used condoms. He’d insisted on not using them.
His eyes widened. “Oh, and he always topped.” He nodded slowly, squeezing his lips. “But it means we don’t need condoms, right?” He cocked his head. “Do you want to stay on the medication?”
I shrugged. I was over the side-effects I’d had when I started it. “Yes, might as well.” I grabbed his hand. It was nice of him to ask. How different being with him was. “And no condoms needed. Unless you want them. There are other things—”
“I get tested regularly with the team. I don’t have anything.” He lowered his brows. “When was your last test?”
“A few months ago.” I hung my head. “I should probably get tested before we do this.” Fucking Tate. I tightened my grip on my wine glass. Who knew where his dick had been when we’d been together? I wouldn’t put it past him to have been unfaithful.
“Okay, get tested and in the meantime, we play.” He gave me an assuring smile as he threaded his fingers in mine.
“Oh my God, what time is it?” Evan ambled from his bedroom, his chiseled chest bare and his hair sticking up in odd places.
“It’s almost six.” With a smirk, Lucas glanced at Evan.
“Really? Damn, I was tired.” Evan opened the refrigerator, pulled out a Gatorade, and guzzled it. “By the way, guys, condoms suck. Get tested.” He hung his hand on the refrigerator door.
My jaw dropped. What portion of our conversation had he heard? My gaze crept to Lucas’s, and we both snorted.
“What’s for dinner? I’m starved.” Evan closed the door and turned around.
“Uh, we ordered food from Olive and Ivy.” Lucas rolled his lips. “Maybe we can order more still?”
“Naw, I’m in the mood for sushi. I’ll order some of that.
” Sliding his phone from his athletic shorts, he tapped on the screen.
“Hope you guys don’t mind a little company.
” He strolled to the loveseat and fell into it.
His gaze roamed over us. “How’s the order of protection working out? ” He drank more Gatorade.
“Good.” I snuck a peek at Lucas. I should come clean with him.
“Yeah? So, you haven’t seen the guy at all since you filed it?” Evan flopped his arm onto the armrest.
“Well…” I drew a deep breath. “I have, actually.” As my gut clamped tight, I cut my gaze to Lucas.
“What?” He shifted to face me. “When, today?”
“No. It was the day I filed the order, I think.” What days had he come around exactly? He’d left me alone the last few days. I gnawed my lower lip.
“Ezra, you didn’t tell me that. What happened?” Lucas lifted my chin, forcing our gazes to meet. “Talk to me.”
“Uh-oh.” Evan drank more Gatorade.
“I’m sorry, Lucas. I didn’t want to worry you. I thought it would be better for your game if I didn’t tell you.” I watched him. I’d lied to him. Would he ever trust me again?
Knitting his brows, he said, “I can handle it.”
“No, you can’t.” With a huff, Evan said, “Lucas was a fucking mess in our first game. It’s a good thing you kept that information to yourself.”
“Evan.” Lucas threw him a glare. “Stay out of this.”
“Am I wrong?” Evan snickered. “Come on, man. Give the guy a break. He was thinking about what was best for you. Right, Ezra?” He lifted his chin.
“I…” I stared at the glass in my lap. I hadn’t wanted to start a rift between Evan and Lucas.
Under his breath, Lucas said, “But I don’t want him—”
“There’s nothing you could have done about it, anyway. What the hell? You were like, three-hundred miles away. Did you think you were going to fly home really quick and save him? Leave it to the cops.” Evan scowled and shook his head.
Evan was defending me, but I still felt like a shit. “I’m sorry, Lucas.” Facing him, I straightened my spine. I had to own my decision.
He slumped and blew out a breath. “Fuck, Evan is right. I suppose we should make a plan in case you see him again.”
“Okay.” I sipped some wine. “He came to the studio like before, but I didn’t let him in. After, I found a note on my car. I kept it in case I needed it for court.” If only Tate would stop the harassment. It was officially causing problems for me and Lucas.
“Has he tried to contest the order?” Evan shifted, watching me.
Shaking my head, I said, “Not that I know of.” I scoffed a laugh. “Knowing him, he’ll do what he wants and doesn’t care enough about it to contest it.”
“Then what’ll you do if he keeps coming around? I take it you didn’t call the police when he showed up at your studio?” Lucas fisted his hand.
“No, he wasn’t there very long. By the time the police arrived, he’d have been gone.” After pressing my lips together, I said, “I tried to video it, but he stopped as soon as I thought of it. I-I was scared and not thinking clearly.”
“I’m pretty sure if you can prove to the police he was there after the fact, they’ll arrest him.” Evan sighed. “Listen, man, take this seriously.”
Lucas wound an arm around my shoulders and hugged me to his chest. “Please, listen to Evan. I’d be a lot less worried on the road if I knew you were calling the cops when he came around.”
“Okay. I promise to do that next time.” Shit, I’d let them both down. I had to do my part. “He came around my apartment again and Stella called the cops.” I let out a defeated laugh. She might be the strongest woman I’d ever met.
“Okay, be like Stella.” Lucas kissed my head. “And don’t worry about me. Tell me if Tate shows up when I’m gone. I have Evan to help me pull my head out of my ass.” As his lips tugged up, he glanced at Evan.
“Damn right you do.” With a sly grin, Evan sipped his drink. “I won’t let my partner suck on the ice.”
Rapping filled the apartment.
“Oh, food is here.” Lucas jumped from the couch and brought a bag of food from the doorway. Garlic floated in the air. “Smells good. Damn.”
I rose and glanced at Evan. It would be rude to eat in front of him, wouldn’t it?
“Go head.” Evan waved me off. “My food will be here any minute and you two should eat while it’s hot.”
“Thanks.” He read my mind. I sat at the table with my wine and opened our containers while Lucas rummaged through the kitchen for plates and silverware.
“Here.” Lucas placed everything on the table.
How long was I invited to stay here? At some point, I should go home. I spooned lasagna onto my plate. “So tomorrow, I’ll go back to my place.”
“No, tomorrow we’ll get more of your things so you can stay here.” Lucas pushed his chicken dish onto his plate. “I don’t trust you going back there. Especially since Tate didn’t take the order seriously.”
I peeked behind me at Evan. This wasn’t fair to him, was it? “I will need to go home at some point, Lucas.” I cut into my food.
Another knock cut through the air.
“That’s mine. Hot damn.” Evan bolted to the door and grabbed his food from the delivery driver.
“Let’s give it a few days and see if he shows up at your studio this week or if Stella sees him hanging around. Okay?” Lucas’s gaze followed Evan as he planted his food on the table. “Right, Ev? You don’t care if he’s here for another week.”
“Hell no. It doesn’t bother me. Especially now that he’s sleeping in your room with you.” Evan gave Lucas a lop-sided grin. “Right? He’ll be sleeping with you now?”
As he held his fork over his food, Lucas’s cheeks bloomed pink. “Of course he will.” He ate a bite of chicken.
“Great.” Evan opened a plastic container, exposing a colorful sushi roll. “Just keep the ass play in the bedroom.”
Holding my knuckles to my lips and chewing, I stared at Evan. How would Lucas take that?
“Yeah? If I want my boyfriend to fuck me on the kitchen counter in my own home, I’m doing it.” He raised a brow at me.
I dropped my mouth open. “Lucas.” What the hell? Boyfriend? Hadn’t Evan called me that when I was on the phone with Lucas? I’d thought they were joking.
“Dude, I’m buying Lysol.” Scoffing a laugh, Evan poured soy sauce into a wasabi cup.
Lucas’s gaze crawled to mine. “Um…” He rolled his lips. “That sort of slipped out.”
“What, the part about you wanting to get fucked?” Evan chortled and dunked a slice of sushi into his sauce.
“No, well, yeah, but the boyfriend part.” He slid his hand across the table and covered mine. “Ezra, can I call you that? I mean, shit, I think we’re past any dating stages, and I sure don’t want to date anyone else.”