If it wasn’t for Josh, my boyfriend from eleventh grade through our freshman year at college, I might have come to the conclusion that sex with someone else isn’t for me. Even then, it still took me weeks to start wanting him back, and when hedecided to stay in France permanently after his summer exchange, that just proved I’m a piece of work.
Ditched by my parentsandthe guy who convinced me to come out to them? Three people is a pattern, and I’m the common link between all of them.
“Yo, Nick?” Jeremy waves his palm in front of my face, pulling me out of my daze.
I shake my head. “Sorry, I spaced out.”
Jeremy chuckles, punching my shoulder. “Hey, I was just saying that you don’thaveto bone down with him if you don’t want to.”
“We’re both graduating in April, and you know I don’t do casual,” I say.
Not like Dean does. Lucky bastard.
“You can have him if you want,” I continue. I don’t know why a jealous knot bundles up in my stomach. If I think about it, I don’t think I’m able to like Dean physically, at least not yet, and pawning him off on Jeremy is a logical step.
Dean’s my friend, and friends wingman each other?—
“Thanks, but I’m swearing off sex,” Jeremy says. “I gotta stay focused on myself.”
I scoff. “Knowing you? You’re gonna die.”
That isn’t even much of an exaggeration. Other than being bi, Jeremy’s as close to a typical athlete as you can get, his propensity for intimacy included.
“We can’t all be like you,” he deadpans. “This’ll be good for me.”
Not knowing how to reply, and not really wanting to continue talking about his sex life, I simply shrug.
But then he points at me. “Still, you should give Dean a chance. Like, as friends. Or more.”
“Asfriends,” I insist.
“I’m not gonna tell you what to do, but he isn’t some random guy. If you want to bone, think about giving it a try.”
Sighing, I consider snapping back at Jeremy and telling him todrop it, but he has a point. I know Dean, and not from an app. It’s been a few weeks, which is how long it took me to get comfortable with Josh. Maybe I’m in my head too much.
“Fine,” I say firmly. “If he makes a move on me, I’ll see where it goes.”
The worst thing I could do is say no.
CHAPTER EIGHT
DEAN
As soon as my door clicks shut behind me, I let myself break into a devious, douchey grin, one I reserve only for when I’m alone.
I amso in.
Not to get ahead of myself, but the signs are all there. Nick got all cute and flustered with me after I came out, and hell if I’m not reading into his reaction a little too much.Sure, we didn’t do more than bro flirting, but he invited me to hang outtoday. That's gotta mean something.
Hopefully that he wants to get in my pants.
I flop down onto my creaky couch and pull out my phone. After updating Claire about the plans tonight, I skim through my emails and stop mid-scroll when my eyes catch on one I missed.
One that came in a couple of hours ago. That’s in Chinese.
Subject: Job Offer: Position ID 889103-01
With my heart in my throat, I jam my finger on the screen to open the email.
