AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Feels like a hundred years ago. A different Jay.” Almost to himself, he said, “Not sure how I feel about the new version.”
That statement caught Chris by surprise, but Jay had also been drinking wine, which wasn’t his usual poison.
“I can tell you what I think about the new Jay, but you won’t like it.”
Jay leaned closer and placed his hand on Chris’s back, making him tense. “It’s brave of you to have an opinion, what with you being the main maker of this new version. But go on, let’s hear it.”
Chris shook his head, still sober enough to avoid stumbling into that obvious trap. “Forget it.”
“Oh, go on. Hit me with that mouth of yours.”
“So you can hit me with your fist?”
“Jesus, I don’t go around hitting you, and you deserved that slap earlier. Now speak.”
Chris forced his brain to focus, his thoughts a puzzle he needed to piece together. “You are mean and bitter,” were the first words that left his mouth. “You never speak of having a real career, and you don’t go out on dates. You’re either fixing cars or trying to make me miserable, and I don’t think either of those is enough to make you happy. You’re probably the least happy person I know.”
Jay’s face remained still, but the stiffness in his shoulders indicated that Chris’s words had stirred something.He’s going to hit me.
The fresh nachos arrived, but neither reached for them, their eyes locked like magnets. Finally, Jay blinked and looked away. “Eat while they’re still hot.”
Chris hesitantly ate. When the waitress passed by, Jay ordered them another round of drinks.
It was going to be a long night.
7
Chris woke up to a nasty headache. A hammer pounded against his skull, determined to break free. A bed. He was lying in a bed, but it wasn’thisbed. This room clearly belonged to a man based on the t-shirts lying around and the sneakers on the floor. Underneath the warm blanket, he only wore underwear.
This is bad.
He tried to move and immediately froze. A weight pressed against his upper arm. He carefully looked down, seeing a man’s arm around him. A scrap of memory appeared, of drinking with Jay at the bar—so much drinking. But this wasn’t Jay’s arm wrapped around him; it was too pale and delicate, but still belonged to a man.
I hooked up with a stranger and went to his apartment. Unless this was someone Jay had set him up with for money. Would he have done such a thing with Chris being so wasted, and not to mention, maskless? Chris shivered.
I should never have let my guard down with him. Stupid. I’m so fucking stupid.
This was the worst thing that could have happened, and now he would need to quietly sneak out of bed, find his clothes, and then slip out to face the consequences of his actions. Melissa would kill him, which was only fair.
The man behind him shifted closer, his warm breaths on Chris’s nape.Despite the relenting headache, he tried to quietly slide from underneath his arm.
The man cleared his throat, and Chris froze.
“You’re up?”
The voice didn’t register at first, but once it did, Chris turned around. “Ethan?”
With his eyes half closed, Ethan said, “You sound surprised. You thought I was somebody else?”
Chris nodded as relief washed over him, allowing his heart to slow down its drumming. Even now, he couldn’t remember getting here.
“You look upset,” Ethan said and turned on his back. “Come here.”
Chris slid closer and rested his head on Ethan’s bare chest. They hadn’t been intimate with one another since the night at the cabin, yet it didn’t feel awkward.
“You don’t remember coming here?”
Chris cleared his throat, not liking the sour taste in his mouth. “I just remember drinking with Jay.”
