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“Why tell me?”
“Honestly? No idea. And like you, I’m not ashamed, I just don’t want to field a bunch of questions I don’t have the answers to myself. That or have my teammates make it their mission to find me someone I might like. I know they’d mean well, but I don’t want to be anyone’s charity case.”
“Fair enough,” Liam says, and he actually lets the subject drop. Just like that. It makes me appreciate him in spite of his prickly demeanor.
“Shit.” I run my hand through my hair. “That was heavier than I intended to get on a Saturday morning. I guess this means our truce still holds?”
“Yeah.” I swear he almost smiles, which makes me crack one in return. “It still holds.”
Chapter four
Liam
Ikeep a wary eye on Cruz from where I’m reclined on my bed as he grabs a towel and heads to the adjoining bathroom, replaying the exchange we just shared.
It was…good. Much better than what I was bracing for when I left the room this morning to cool off.
Didn’t see that coming.
I woke up with a chip on my shoulder, which is pretty standard by now, although this morning I had my new roommate to thank for that. The nerve of that guy, being a total douche in the hall and then collapsing in my bed like he owned the place.
Chuckling to myself as the shower turns on, I recall the fury that overcame me in that moment. It kept me up most of the night, running through all the reasons I’d need to plead for a new roommate.
His total lack of spatial awareness. His inability to handle his liquor. His apparent disdain toward gay people.
The first thought that ran through my mind when I woke up was to be petty. I was going to bang around, turn the lights on, accidently toss shit at his bed. I wanted to give the asshole a taste of his own medicine.
Then I caught a glimpse of the big oaf sleeping, and—there’s no other description for it—my skin warmed. Almost like a full-body blush, though most of the heat was concentrated in my chest.
His face looked so… peaceful. It's a sensation I’m no longer capable of, and it stopped me cold. Half of me was envious while the other wanted to ruin it for him out of spite. I was prepared to do just that when I got an eyeful of his bare chest peeking out from under the blanket.
It’s a goddamn work of art.
All I could do was watch the rhythmic rise and fall of his smooth skin as he slumbered without a care in the world. I stared for far longer than I should've, and to my dismay, the fight melted right out of me.
Despite my tragic history with jocks, I keep finding myself gravitating toward them. That’s why I had to get out of the room. I had to put some distance between us and remember I was—rightfully—pissed. I managed to regain some of that anger when I wasn’t looking at him, but once I was back in the room, and he made a genuine effort not to take the bait I was throwing at him, I realized he might not be as bad as I first thought.
And hot. So, so hot, with that light brown hair, piercing blue eyes, and body I want to climb like a tree.
I bet that body looks pretty good right now, all wet and soapy and… Focus Liam.
He may be gorgeous, but he’s still my roommate, so I need to get a grip. Still, I can’t help thinking it’s a damn tragedy he’s ACE, not just for me, but for anyone with eyes.
I’m stunned he confessed that after our rocky start. It’s been a long time since someone confided in me, and the fact that he chose me after I threatened bodily harm if he kept me up… I don’t want to get ahead of myself—let my guard down only to be disappointed—but so far it seems like he might be a decent guy.
I’m not a hundred percent convinced, though. I’m not the best judge of character. I’ve thought the best about others in the past only to learn that underneath their friendly exterior is a black soul. I won’t let myself be tricked again, but I’m willing to keep an open mind.
So, unless he proves me wrong, I won’t take his confession lightly.
I’ve been on the other end of that scenario, the one where people don’t respect your privacy and hold your sexuality against you, and I won’t do that to someone else. Not unless provoked anyway, so I’ll keep his secret and be mindful of his comfort zone.
That said, I’m still a gay man, and he’s still gorgeous, so to say I’m unaffected by his all-American looks and golden retriever personality would be a flat out lie. However, I’m pretty good at keeping hot guys in the friend zone, and even if I’d be keeping him there out of respect for his sexuality instead of self-preservation, I can do it.
The water shuts off, and I find myself imagining Cruz standing in the shower, water droplets succumbing to gravity and trickling down that smooth, lickable chest…
Again with the fantasies? This doesn’t bode well for the next nine months.
My sex drive is fairly average for my age–I think–but I rarely get to satisfy it, and with temptation only a few feet away I doubt that’ll change. I’ll have to give myself some relief or go crazy.
