“Yes. And once they know you’re off the menu, they’ll be even more in the mood for a cock meat sandwich.”
I groaned. Tyler rolled his eyes. Miles shook his head, laughing, and Jason said, “Jesus Christ, man.”
That was enough to convince Miles to wingman for Connor, and he wanted us all to go. Jason said no, but Miles implored him, so he wouldn’t be the only taken guy. Jason said, “Who’s gonna watch the table? They’re all full now.”
“I’ll hold down the fort,” Ryder said.
The realization crept across Jason’s face. Ryder had no reason to flirt with girls. He said, “Yeah, okay,” with a slight blush. Maybe he forgot Ryder was gay too, which made me feel a little better for the night before. Not by much, considering I’d known the guy since I was twelve.
“You coming, Finnegan?” Miles asked. “Or are you gonna pussy out like you always do when there’s hot women around?”
Ryder looked at me and said, “Stay. Keep me company. One dude isn’t enough to protect all this space. And that group is already eyeing us up.”
I glanced at Miles, then at Ryder. Neither was paying attention to the other.
“Yeah, I’ll stay. You’ll have better luck without me anyway, boys.” Miles was right, I tend to freeze up around pretty women, and if I do speak, I sound like the most awkward loser ever.
Something passed over Miles’s face. He turned around, slung an arm around Connor, and left. Jason was the last to leave, shooting Ryder and me a “save me” look before resigning to his fate.
I didn’t glance at Ryder until he placed his arm on the backrest behind my head. “Thanks, but knowing you, I’d say I’m the one who did you the favor.” My cheeks burned. He wasn’t wrong, but he also didn’t have to call it out like that. Then he pushed me and laughed. “Just fucking with you, man. Calm down.”
“I am calm, Ryder.” I laughed. “No worries.”
“You always call me Ryder.” His eyes crinkled. “You can call me Ry if you want. Known you long enough.”
Did I always use his full name? His family used both. Had I never? I guess I really was cool in his eyes.
“Okay,Ry.” My smile was wide, and I met his eyes.
His was too. “But seriously, there isn’t anyone in your life? Not even a crush?”
“Nope. Still single as ever.”
He gripped my shoulder muscle just shy of painful. “That shit is so fucking weird to me, bro. If a guy like you can’t find anyone, what the hell am I gonna do?” Ryder leaned in a little.
I laughed hard. That was absurd.
“What are you talking about?” I laughed harder. “You have a better chance of hooking up than I do.”
“I rarely do hook-ups.” He looked at me like he had in the pool, lingering on my lips. “I could be balls deep in some sexy Miami guy in fifteen minutes if I wanted to. Not my style.”
I hadn’t noticed Ryder skipped a shave. The stubble made him look more approachable. Less formal. “Yeah? What is your style, then? Formal inquest at the fancy doctor meeting?”
It took a moment to register, but then Ryder fell back laughing, using my shoulder as an anchor to keep from going too far. His laughter cut off, and he glared at me. “Who told you about the Fancy Doctor Meetings? That’s a federal violation.”
“Uh…” He wasn’t serious, but his gaze was intense. I was staring at his lips when he smiled before breaking into another laugh.
Ryder sat back, releasing my shoulder. “My style is more white picket fence, husband, two point five kids. That whole shebang.”
I sat back and took a sip. “That’s the dream, right?”
The corner of Ryder’s lip curled. “Oh yeah? Husband and all?”
I blue-screened for a second, then cackled. I was enjoying myself more with him than I had yet on the trip. For a while before that, too. It was so easygoing with him. I guess when Ryder Beckett decides you’re cool, everything is.
“Shut the fuck up, man.” The laughter was dying, but not my smile.
Neither did his. We just grinned at each other like idiots for a beat. “Jokes aside, why didn’t you want to go over there?” His eyes flicked all over my face. “This isn’t the hotel pool. It’s more acceptable to hit on people.”
