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“Like the rest of you weren’t thinking it.” Jamie defended himself.
Why does it feel like they know without saying they know?
“Bro, you are the human version of a headache,” Kruger told him, also pulling his feet from the pool. His hand appeared in front of my face. My muscles really were shredded, so I clasped it and let him help me haul my noodle-y ass out of the water.
Ryan picked up my towel, which I’d dropped on the tile, and tossed it toward me. I caught it midair and rubbed it over my face. The water was cold, but standing out of it seemed even more shocking to the system. The air brushing against my wet skin made me shiver. Tugging the goggles off my head, I rubbed the towel over my hair, trying to generate some warmth.
“Go change. Then we’ll hit Shirley’s to carb load before the heavy lifting starts,” Ryan said.
“We really appreciate you guys helping us,” I told him.
“Like I said, you always show up for us,” Wes repeated.
My duffle was over on the bleachers. I hadn’t even bothered to put it in my locker, so I headed toward it, patting down my arms and chest with the towel as I went.
Just as I was slinging the strap over my shoulder, the doors to the natatorium opened then shuddered a bit as they closed. I didn’t think much of it, figuring it was just one of the bros.
Until Kruger’s aggravated voice echoed up to the rafters. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
“Is Matthew here?”
For a heartbeat, everything inside me was paralyzed. There was only one person that called me by my full name.
So I can have more of you on my tongue.
I spun so fast my bare feet squealed over the tile, the heinous sound making me cringe.
Arsen’s dark stare snapped to mine immediately, and even though my heartbeat turned erratic, everything else inside me settled. How utterly disarming was he to cause such a reaction with just his attention?
Where were you when I couldn’t sleep?
The thought alarmed me so much that I took a step back, my hand closing around the towel to squeeze. You cannot depend on Arsen.
His eyes narrowed as though me stepping back were somehow a challenge, and he started forward, eyes locked on me like I’d become his prey. I stared just as intently as him, though, devouring every single detail I could of the midnight-haired DJ.
Today, he was dressed in a pair of slim-fit grey chinos with a red and white plaid design. The pants were accented by a red, black, and white vertical stripe down the outside of each leg. A silver chain hooked on one of his front belt loops and draped all the way behind him to, I assumed, his back pocket.
On his feet were a pair of white Louis Vuitton trainers with red patent leather accents stamped with the brand logo. His black long-sleeved shirt was pushed up around his elbows, revealing all the bracelets crowding his wrist and, in white block letters, said NO REQUESTS across the chest.
God, he looked good. So together. Such a fucking turn-on for this guy who felt like he was endlessly falling apart.
He can’t fix you, Prism. Don’t pretend that he can.
Kruger slid in front of him, putting a hand to his chest to push him back. “Prism can’t come to the phone right now.”
Arsen looked down to Kruger’s restraining hand, then back up at my best friend. “Good thing I’m not making a phone call.” His ring-covered fingers reached up to push Kruger’s hand away, attention already focused back on me. “Matthew.”
I swallowed and continued to stare.
“Bro, sometimes I forget he has a first name,” Jamie said somewhere in the distance.
“Maybe he would rather us use it,” said one of the girls. Which one, I didn’t know.
“Prism, should we call you Matthew?”
“No.” Arsen nearly snarled. “Don’t even think about it.”
“I don’t think I like your tone.” Ryan’s hard voice cut in.
