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“Tell me about it.” Liam smirked. “But yeah, I’ll help you. I loved that class.”
“Oh, man. You’re the best.” Coury grabbed Liam in a bear hug, pulling him off the ground. Gravity raced through Liam, bolting him with electricity. The hairs on his nape prickled, the backs of his knees grew weirdly sensitive, and his dick hardened.
He squirmed free, and Coury bounced obliviously back to the couch.
Holy shit, that was close. Liam had never gotten so hard that fast. Engulfing him in those strong arms better not be something Coury did often. Or tutoring him would be . . . harder than he thought.
Beckett lined up his shot. “So . . . tonight.”
Liam folded his arms. “According to Pop, you, me, and Coury are going out.”
“He told you?” Beckett looked up as he struck; the cue careened to the side and it ended up a weak break.
Coury struggled not to laugh, which helped Liam’s confidence. “So it’s true?”
Beckett grabbed the rack to reset the balls, but Coury popped up. “Whoa, you can’t reset because you suck. You gotta play out.”
Coury gently pried the plastic triangle from his friend’s hand.
“Thanks,” Liam said.
Beckett cleared his throat. “Coury mentioned a party and I thought . . . I mean he invited both of us.”
“You suck at this, Becks,” Coury said. He paused until Liam put the fourteen ball in the side pocket. “There’s a party at—now let me get this right—Luke’s boyfriend Nico’s roommate Isaiah’s boyfriend Darren’s frat.” He ticked off fingers as he recited the progression. “And we’re invited.”
“You mean you’re invited.” Liam kept his eyes on his shot.
“Right, but I can bring friends.” Coury held up a finger to stop Beckett from interrupting. “Look, I heard about your roommate being an asshole. Darren is the head of his frat, the party’s for his boyfriend. It’s a safe place to go, hang out, have fun. No homophobic shit allowed. I mean, party for Darren’s boyfriend, right? And you know I ain’t letting anyone talk shit about us in front of me.”
“Exactly,” Beckett said. “It’ll be cool.”
Beckett cared enough to set this up with his best friend? Liam’s eyes stung. He swallowed hard. Now he understood why his brother randomly decided to come this weekend for no real reason.
“Can I agree with one condition?”
“Sure, let’s hear it, Squirt.” Beckett flinched. “Sorry, Liam. It’s gonna take time to break that habit.”
“It’s cool, Buttbreath.”
Coury laughed, and then laughed louder when Beckett glared at him. “I’m pretty sure Liam called you that when you were ten.”
“I said I was sorry.” For once, Liam thought his brother actually was. “What’s your condition?”
“I don’t want to end up alone in a corner staring at a piss-ridden potted plant.” Liam stared at Beckett, then at Coury. “That’s my one condition. You guys can’t ditch me.”
* * *
Liam stood against the wall, nursing a lukewarm beer.
“If you don’t hold a red cup at a frat party, every second brother will stop to tell you where the keg is.” Coury smiled cheekily.
“I’m either never letting this cup go, or I’m ditching it the next time a hot brother walks past.”
Coury laughed and surveyed the room. “Like that guy?”
Like you.
Liam checked out the large, tattooed guy Coury gestured to and straightened. “Not my usual type, but whoa.”
Coury grimaced and shook his head. “You’re out of luck. The gorgeous woman in the gold dress is his girlfriend.”
Liam glanced at the admittedly pretty woman. Didn’t do anything for him, but she had that model-like glow and a warm smile. Was Coury’s ex as stunning? What kinds of women did he find attractive? What kinds of men?
Focus, Liam.
“Like I had any chance regardless.”
Coury gave him a cursory sweep that had every one of Liam’s nerve endings on fire.
“You look—”
“Hey, C-man,” Beckett called across the room, waving Coury to him. “Come ’ere.”
Noooo. Liam wanted to know how Coury thought he looked.
Coury glanced from Beckett to Liam; he must have caught the disappointment on Liam’s face because he hesitated.
Coury had been true to his word. He hadn’t left Liam for any extended period of time, and Liam swallowed his curiosity and smiled. “Go on. I’ll be fine.”
Coury left, and Liam resigned himself to an awkward half-hour alone. He startled two minutes later at Coury’s return.
Coury grinned. He looked like a college sports magazine had spat him out of its hot-casual-style pages. Shouldn’t be allowed. “Beckett wanted to know if we were free tomorrow for something.” He rolled his eyes. “We’re not. No way I’m playing football in my condition.”
“He can be a bit dense when he drinks. Was he trying to impress one of the ladies?”
“Nope. He’s hanging out with some guy near the keg. Shockingly, there are more single gay men here than single women.”
Liam laughed. “And you taunt me with one of the few straight ones?” He fake-sipped his beer—like he’d been doing all night.
