Ridley
I don’t want this night to end.
Dammit, I knew I shouldn’t drink so much on a night when I’m barely keeping it together. By morning, these guys who have held me up the past three years will go off in different directions, and then what? We’ll become strangers. I fucking know it.
“Hey.” Kit’s deep voice cuts through the storm of emotions swelling in my head. “It’s okay, man. We’re all feeling it.”
“Yeah?”
He nods, scooting his chair closer to me. “For sure. It’s scary but it’s also cool, right? We worked hard to get to this point.”
“I know. I guess I don’t feel like a grown up, you know? Am I ready to act like one?”
“Don’t get in your head. We’ll figure it out as we go. That’s how life works. You were probably scared going off to college, right? But look how it turned out.”
Blowing out a breath, I nod and huff a laugh. “When did you get so wise?”
Kit chuckles. “It’s the weed.”
“Yeah, okay. Wait. You didn’t smoke any.”
Kit just laughs. “Wanna dance some more?”
“Let’s do it.”
Just before Kit whisks me off again, Jimmy shows up and drops another round of shots off at the table.
“Courtesy of the guys playing pool,” he says.
We all turn in that direction and my mouth practically waters. Yes! I’ve had my eye on the ginger cub leaning against the wall with the torn jeans and blank tank.
“Change of plans?” Kit asks, ribbing me with his elbow.
“What better way to say goodbye to Willow Bay than between the thighs of a hot Daddy in training?”
Indy, overhearing me, cackles. “Daddy in training?”
“It’s written all over his cocky gaze. He wants to tell me what to do, and I want to let him.” I lift the shot of god-only-knows-what, holding the guy’s gaze as I slam it back. “Not yet though. Patience is required.”
“Here we go,” Lowen says. “The famous tease begins.”
“Can’t make it too easy for him. Even Daddy’s have to work for it sometimes.”
“I don’t get the Daddy vibe at all,” Bane says, stealing a glance. “But he’s fine as fuck, I’ll give you that.”
“I have such a weakness for a pretty ginger.”
Kit squeezes my shoulders from behind, pushing me forward. “Then let’s dance. You can show him your moves.”
Indy stands, leaning into me. “Yeah, let’s dance some more. None of them are my type but I’m willing to bend some rules for blue eyes with the Metallica shirt on.”
Kit chuckles. “Damn. That’s who I was eyeing.”
“May the best man win.”
“You’re on.”
Kit and Indy head to the dance floor while I try to summon the others. “Boys? Care to make a selection?”
Jerryn shakes his head. “I’d rather just hang out tonight. Dick is always available, but you guys aren’t.”
His words are like an arrow to the heart and I sink back into my chair. “Damn, Jer.”
He laughs softly. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to kill the fun. You do you.”
I drag a hand through my messy hair. “He’ll be there.” Leaning forward, I grab another peanut from the bucket. “This is so surreal.”
“It is,” Bane says. “What are you gonna be doing in Chicago?”
“Got a job in the city with a chemical engineering firm. I applied for a junior position but after they interviewed me, they gave me a senior role.”
Bane’s eyes go wide. “Dude. Seriously?”
I nod, trying to play it off like it’s not a big deal even though it fucking is. “Yeah. I guess they like the way I approach problems. I’m a strange blend of creative thinking with an engineering mindset.”
“Congratulations, Rid,” Jerryn says. “That’s really awesome.”
“Thanks. I’m kind of shocked honestly. I’m just a kid from a regular family. I got into Willow Bay on a scholarship. Now I’m moving to Chicago and making ninety grand a year.”
Jerryn’s mouth drops. “Whoa.”
“I know.” I laugh softly. “They aren’t even making me change my hair. Hopefully I won’t fuck it up.”
“You won’t, man,” Bane says. “You deserve this.”
Do I? “Thanks.” I lean back on the chair legs, balancing precariously as I glance at the ginger. He’s bent over now, eyeing the pocket he plans to sink his balls into. Speaking of sinking balls into something…
“Go,” Jerryn says. “It’s your last night here. Live it up.”
Grinning now, I pop out of my chair and salute the boys as I saunter to the dance floor to join Lowen, Indy, and Kit. I dance around them for a second before scooting to the edge and accidentally on purpose bumping into my target.
“Oh, sorry, man.”
He grins, but up close there’s something off about him. Call it instinct but I just got a shiver down my spine and not the good kind.
“Hey, sexy,” he slurs. “You looking for some fun tonight?”
He reeks of stale beer and cigarettes. Not feeling it. “I’m having fun with my friends. Thanks for the drinks though.”
His brow creases as he leans on his pool stick. “Come on, pretty boy. You have time for a quick trip to the bathroom.”
Ugh. “That’s not my style.” I pat his chest. “Sorry.”
I turn back to my friends, moving closer to them and bopping to the beat.
“What’s up with him?” Bane asks.
I shrug, lifting my arms and swaying. “Creeper. Besides I can always get dicked down but my time with you guys is limited.”
Lowen wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me close. “He’s still staring at you.”
“Great.”
“Want me to handle it?” Indy asks, already puffing his chest. Speaking of mad Daddy energy…
“Nah. I’m good. If he gets out of hand, I’ll put him in his place.”
Three songs play and the four of us dance off the alcohol just enough. Pancakes sound good. Or burritos. I wonder if that taco truck is around tonight.
“We should eat soon.”
Kit groans. “Damn. You just made my stomach growl. Yeah, we should.”
“It’s almost one, boys,” Lowen says. “Another hour of Jimmy’s.”
The pit in my stomach reappears. “I got another hour in me. You guys?”
“Definitely.”
“We need water,” Lowen announces, lifting his arm to gesture towards our table where Bane and Jerryn are still nursing drinks.
As I exit the dance floor, I feel a hand grab my ass and swing around. Sure enough, it’s the creepy ginger, clearly drunker than he was during our first interaction.
“I was enjoying the show.”
His breath turns my stomach. “Well, show’s over.” I pat his chest. “Gotta go.”
“No,” he growls. “You got five minutes for me.”
“Let me go please. I’ll only ask nicely once.”
He scoffs. “Or what?”
I know I’m hardly intimating to a guy like him but that’s my superpower. In one swift move, I grab his arm and twist it behind his back until he’s squirming and in pain. I bend down to make eye contact with him.
“Or I’ll tear your balls off and feed them to you. Got it, Ginger?”
“Yeah, yeah, I got it.”
I let him go and smile. “Good. Let that be a lesson to you.”
I saunter off while my friends holler and cackle with laughter. The ginger’s friends are stunned as he rubs his arm and turns his back on me.
“God, I love you, Rid,” Lowen says.
Grinning, I take a seat and the cool glass of water pushed in front of me by Bane. “What a loser. Too bad. That face held a lot of promise.”
“Story of my life,” Lowen muses. “The hotter they are, the more toxic. Present company excluded.”
“Eh, I don’t know. There’s a trail of men who probably think I’m pretty toxic,” Indy says.
“Truth,” Kit says, grinning.
I laugh. “Eye of the beholder.”
“Fair,” Lowen says. “Sorry you aren’t getting laid tonight, Rid.”
Shrugging, I lean on the table. “S’okay. Jer is right. I have a lifetime of opportunities to have sex but only tonight with you guys.”
“No,” Bane says. “We’re not losing each other. No fucking way. I’ll hunt every one of you fuckers down before I let you ditch me.”
Indy holds his hands up in mock surrender. “Yes, sir.”
“I mean it,” he grumbles as Jerryn rubs his back.
“I know,” Indy says, with a serious tone. “I agree.”
The mood definitely dips but I’m not letting the night end on a downer. “Remember the night we went to that frat party over at the university?”
“Oh god,” Lowen moans. “How can we forget that?”
Indy cackles, slapping his thigh. “I thought we were wild. We looked like fucking monks compared to those dudes.”
“Right?” Kit says. “Wild shit.”
Bane laughs. “It was my first time seeing a circle jerk that wasn’t porn.”
“Same,” Jerryn agrees.
“I think it was a first for all of us,” I add. “And those poor confused girls who showed up.”
Lowen giggles. “I almost forgot about them. Guess they didn’t get the message that it was the gayest frat house on campus.”
“They really didn’t,” Indy says, grinning. “Any other night I probably would’ve been down, but I was already too primed for some dick.”
“Our resident bi boy,” Lowen says, rubbing Indy’s bicep.
He looks sheepish for a second. “You wouldn’t think given my track record. There are way too many fine boys in New Onyx. Takes time to work through them all.”
We explode in laughter. Indy is the only one in our group who probably warms more beds than me. I need a break sometimes, but he’s always ready for more. Lucky dude who gets a night with Indy as long as he keeps his heart out of it.
When I look up at the clock again, it’s nearly one-thirty. Thirty minutes left. Shit.
“Okay,” Lowen says, his tone conspiratorial. “Is anyone else surprised none of us ever fucked each other?”
Kit throws his head back in laughter.
“That we know of,” I say. “Maybe we’re good at secrets.”
Lowen gasps dramatically, clutching make believe pearls. “I refuse to believe we keep secrets from each other.”
Indy shakes his head. “Nope. I haven’t fucked any of you. Not that I didn’t think about it.”
“Hardly a compliment,” Kit says.
“Hey,” Indy complains. “I have standards.”
“Sure you do, bud.” Kit winks at him.
Bane’s cheeks are bright red but he shakes his head. “Nope.”
“Same,” Jerryn says. “Low?”
“Of course not. I didn’t want any of you falling in love with me after a night in my bed. Then I’d have to break your hearts and you don’t deserve that.”
“How benevolent of you,” I tease.
“That’s me,” Lowen replies, smiling. “I imagine we all had the same thought. Too much at stake.”
Everyone nods.
“See?” Lowen continues. “We’re not idiots. Not completely anyway.”
I notice the secretive looks between Kit and Indy and point at them. “You two. Guilty?”
Kit shakes his head. “We already said we didn’t.”
“We almost kissed once,” Indy admits, shocking no one. “But it was…” He looks at Kit.
“Weird,” he finishes. “Brotherly.”
“Yeah,” Indy agrees. “And we were trashed so we backed off.”
“Good call,” Lowen says.
“For sure, but I’d like to think we’re all good enough friends that we could navigate a fuck up, you know?” Everyone looks at me. “Say you guys fucked but in the morning it was obviously not a good idea. Don’t you think our friendship would make you talk it through and work it out?”
Kit twists his lips, glancing at Indy before answering. “Yeah, probably.”
“Who knows,” Indy says. “I was a dick to guys back then. Best we didn’t test it.”
Kit nods. “I have to agree. Besides, it’s fun keeping the intrigue alive.”
“Intrigue?” Jerryn asks.
“Yeah, you know, wondering what you’re all like in bed.”
“I spend zero time wondering what any of you are like in bed,” Lowen says.
“I’ve wondered,” I admit. “Mostly when I’m drunk.”
“Like right now?” Bane asks, grinning. “I’m amazing by the way.”
“Says you,” Lowen retorts.
“Do you even take off your clothes first, Low?” Bane shoots back.
“As if I would allow sweat and cum on my wardrobe.”
Indy cackles. “Nice clapback.”
Lowen bows his head.
“How would you know?” Jerryn asks softly. “Like, how would you know if you’re good or not?”
Everyone stops talking, focusing on our friend.
“You’re um, you’re not a virgin are you, Jer?” I ask.
Lowen smacks my arm. “None of your business. Rude.”
“It’s okay,” Jerryn says. “I’m not a virgin, but I’ve never had anyone give me a review either.” He looks at Indy. “How do you know?”
Indy shrugs. “I guess it’s confidence.”
“Or arrogance,” Kit adds.
“Or how clingy they are afterwards,” I add. “If they keep texting and wanting a repeat, that’s a pretty good sign.”
Jerryn nods, biting his bottom lip. I have to admit I’ve always been a little curious about him. He’s always with Bane and I’ve never seen him leave the bar with someone. He told us his workload was too much for relationships, and hell, I believed him, but he never seemed to be into hookups either.
“I’m not a casual sex kind of guy,” he says. “I figured that was obvious.”
“And there’s nothing wrong with that,” Lowen says. “I’m the same.”
“I know. I’m not embarrassed or anything. When the right guy comes along, I’ll know it.”
I glance at Bane who’s tearing up his napkin and avoiding eye contact. Hmm.
“There’s no rush, man,” Indy says. “We’re in our career building phase now. Love will come when it does. I guess.”
“On that note…” I lift my half empty beer. “Thirty minutes to two. Let’s close this night out in style, huh?”
“What do you suggest?” Indy asks.
A crazy idea hits me. “Bar dance!”