Better Together: Boys of Talbert Hall #3

by Ward, Quinn

He held the glass between two fingers. My breath caught in my throat as I imagined him holding my chin as he tipped the shot into my mouth. My dick was officially taking over all thought and leading me down a dangerous path.

  “Trust me, Daniel.”

  Fuck. Three simple words with such a raspy tone, and I had to choke back a whimper. Every second I spent in Colin’s presence made me regret not going out with Zach tonight. It would have killed me, but we could have picked up right where we left off in the spring. We were good-looking guys who’d never had a problem finding a woman willing to be the center of attention between us. And if any of them had ever realized how divided my focus had been, they’d never said anything.

  I wasn’t nearly drunk enough for a quarter of the shit going through my head. I snatched the shot out of Colin’s fingers. “To new friends and bad decisions.”

  Colin smirked, never breaking eye contact as we tipped back our shots. I had to give him credit; despite the hideous color, it was so damn tasty. I licked my lips, trying to place why the flavor was familiar. I looked up when Colin groaned. “You keep making those little noises and I’m going to do something completely inappropriate.”

  The temperature and the tension climbed as Colin took a step closer. His fingers brushed against mine as he took the shot glass out of my hands. I was mesmerized as he ran his finger around the inside of my glass and sucked the remnants of my shot into his mouth.

  “Fuuuuuck,” I groaned. His gaze lowered to my crotch. “You need to walk away, Colin.”

  He stepped between my legs, jutting his chin. “Or what? I know you see me as Chase’s kid brother, but if you’re brave enough, I can give you everything you need.”

  Not want. Need.

  And holy fuck did I need…

  5

  Colin

  I was on the express train to Hell and I knew it. Just because my brother had stumbled into his happily ever-after when he moved in with Jayden didn’t mean it was a smart move. In fact, it was possibly one of the dumbest things I’d done in my life and that was really saying something. And yet, I couldn’t deny Daniel. He was trying to pretend he wasn’t as affected as I was, but he was lying to himself.

  He wanted this.

  No, he needed someone to take care of him for a change. Both of them did, but I was certain Zach would fight tooth and nail. He despised anything that he thought made him look weak and seemed to go out of his way to prove his heterosexuality.

  At least, he thought he did, but I’d seen him look at me the same way Daniel was now; like he wanted to eat me alive. It was a horrible idea, but I was determined to figure out how to get him over whatever bullshit filled his head. The moment he gave into his baser desires, I had a feeling his entire life was going to change.

  The guys in the suite liked to give me a hard time because of how often I sat back and watched what was going on around me. They’d given me the nickname, The Professor, and swore I was using them for some sort of research project. They weren’t far off. While there would never be papers written about these men, I had always enjoyed watching people and trying to figure out what made them tick, and living with two kinky couples, a man who refused to put a label on his sexuality, one who was doing everything in his power to ignore his, and a roommate who had no clue what he’d been thrown into, was like crack to me.

  Zach and Daniel wanted one another but were too stubborn to admit it. It hadn’t taken a genius to figure out Zach was scared shitless to be true to himself, but I couldn’t figure out why Daniel held back. From what I’d heard from my brother and Jayden, the two of them had quite the adventurous sex life together last year. Together. And yet, they couldn’t bring themselves to take that step without a third in between them.

  And I was just stupid enough to be the guy who was willing to fall on that sword and be that third if need be. It wasn’t like I wouldn’t get anything out of it. Even if it meant eventually having to walk away, it would be worth the orgasms and satisfaction of helping them get over themselves.

  Some people like to talk about kids going off to college and fucking everything with a heartbeat. While that held a certain appeal, it wasn't my style. Part of what kept me from exploring my sexuality sooner, was the fact I enjoyed feeling an emotional bond to those around me. I didn't want meaningless sex for the sake of getting off. But with Zach and Daniel, there would be a connection, even if it was only platonic. Whether they realize that or not, they were two halves of a whole.

  “You want another?” I asked, turning back to the counter before I did something stupid, like kiss him until we were both breathless. I hadn’t been lying when I told him I was disappointed in the lack of liquor in the suite. So far, the college experience was falling flat of what I’d hoped for. After I conned someone into running to the store for me, I’d play bartender for the night and get everyone to loosen up. For now, I’d be cool if I hadn’t spooked him. I handed him the two pint glasses and pulled another out of the cabinet. “Fill those with ice.”

  “Yes, sir.” He gave me a mock salute.

  He couldn’t keep saying shit like that.

  But he didn’t know what he was doing.

  My parents thought I’d insisted on coming to Annandale for school to be close to Chase. That wasn’t totally off-base, but things would have been so much simpler if they hadn’t insisted on me sharing a suite with him. I stuck out like a sore thumb because I was, by far, the youngest guy in the building.

  The truth was, I wanted to be here because I knew this was where I would find what I needed. Them giving me Chase’s old laptop when he graduated was both a blessing and a curse. It was horrible because I’d learned things about my brother I never wanted to know, but his search history had led to a bit of self-discovery for me.

  I didn’t want the same things as him. In fact, I wanted the exact opposite. Sort of. I was pretty sure I wasn’t a Daddy. I didn’t want someone utterly reliant on me for everything, but it was hard to deny how I felt when I imagined having a man’s pleasure in my control.

  I paused, taking a few deep breaths as I reminded myself that he hadn’t meant anything by the quip. I had been a bit bossy. That was all.

  “So, what are you making next?” I jumped, regretting my frayed nerves when I crashed against his solid chest. I groaned when his fingers curled around my hip. And he was smooth. He didn’t make a big deal of it as his thumb slipped under the hem of my shirt. When he asked his next question, he was close enough I felt his warm breath ghosting over my skin. “Is this a problem?”

  “It’s a horrible idea,” I warned him.

  “You didn’t answer my question.” He pressed his chest against my back. “Tell me you’re not as turned on as I am.”

  I wouldn’t lie to him, but I also couldn’t make the next move. My body tensed when he pressed his erection against my ass. That was one way to dampen the mood. I’d had guys in the past tell me it made me a colossal asshole, but I had zero desire to be on the receiving end. When I was with a man, I was the one calling the shots.

  Daniel misread my distress and backed away, hands in the air. “Sorry. Fuck. I’d blame the alcohol, but we both know that’s a crock of shit.”

  I spun around, clamping my fingers around Daniel’s wrist. Telling him why I wouldn’t fool around with him wasn’t an option. My dick was pleading with me to spin around and shove him to his knees, but if and when we were together, it only felt right for there to be another person here. This wouldn’t work otherwise. If Daniel and I started getting close, I knew Zach enough to know that he would run. It would also destroy the tentative friendship we’d been building by working together, and that would make like shit at home and at the restaurant.

  “Wait,” I pleaded. It wasn’t his fault; I was the one who’d taunted him first. The first time I’d seen Daniel, I’d tripped over my feet and nearly dropped the boxes I’d been carrying to my room. I hadn’t realized abs like his existed without airbrushing, especially on someone who wasn’t ripped all over.
His body was slender, but without an ounce of fat. That night, I’d jerked off while imagining what the valleys in his torso tasted like when he came back from the gym. After watching the two of them together, I told myself I wouldn’t be a third wheel, but tonight I felt my resolve shattering. “You didn’t freak me out.”

  “Sure as fuck could have fooled me,” Daniel scoffed as he yanked his hand free. “Look, forget about it. I obviously misread your motivations.”

  “You didn’t.” I turned back to the bottles. It was easier if I didn’t look at him. “You’re hot, but I meant it when I said this would be a mistake.”

  I was no man’s stand-in. If and when Daniel gave himself to me, he’d know I was the one luring him over the edge. And no matter how much I fantasized about the different ways I could make him beg, his heart belonged to someone else.

  “Yeah, you’re probably right.” Daniel released an audible sigh. I expected him to flee, so I was surprised when he stepped up next to me. “So, how d'you learn to make drinks?”

  I shrugged. “Our parents didn’t like the littler kids watching TV, so when I was babysitting, I’d wind up watching shit on my phone. Fell down a rabbit hole one night and got curious. Picked the lock on the cabinet at home and the rest is history.”

  “From the bits I’ve heard about your family, I’m surprised they kept alcohol in the house.” Daniel cringed once the words were out, as if he hadn’t meant to say that.

  I chuckled because a lot of people had weird assumptions about our family. And, I mean, they weren’t totally unfounded. My parents were…odd, to say the very least. It used to bother me when little assholes at school picked on us for being the weird kids, but I no longer gave a shit what people thought. “It’s not like we were raised in a religious cult or anything. Our parents definitely sheltered us, but that was more because they didn’t want us rotting our brains. And with Chase, we all knew he was different, and they worried about him being out on his own where they couldn’t protect him. They’d lose their fucking minds if they knew the half of it.”

  Now it was my turn to wince. I wasn’t sure how much Chase had shared with his roommates, and he’d probably die of embarrassment if he knew I’d snooped through his search history. It had been…enlightening. And I’d kick the shit out of anyone who made him feel bad about who he was. Chase was thriving now that he and Jayden were together. I was happy for him. Spending time with the two of them over the summer showed me that maybe I could find that for myself.

  “Don’t worry, I think I know what you mean,” Daniel reassured me. He laughed and shook his head. “Man, I’m not sure you understand what a weird group of guys you’ve gotten yourself mixed up with. But I get the impression you’re open-minded enough you’re not going to be scared away.”

  “Not a chance,” I promised him. After I finished mixing the last drinks of the night, I handed Daniel’s to him and put everything away. He started washing the glassware we’d dirtied, and I flashed him a quick smile of thanks. I followed him back to the sitting area and settled onto the couch opposite of him, draping my arm over the back. “So how weird are you guys? Do I need to worry about orgies on the weekends? Are you going to ask me to help hang a sex swing? Is Zach currently bound and gagged in your room as punishment? I mean, I would totally understand if he was. No offense, but he doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of you guys.”

  “Uh, no. He’s…out for the night.” His lip curled up in a snarl, as though he wasn’t happy about whatever—or whoever—Zach was doing tonight. He cleared his throat a few times and tucked his chin, but I still caught the faint blush in his cheeks.

  Interesting.

  He’d been quick to assure me Zach wasn’t tied up, but there was no hiding the thick erection the image had caused. If I was smarter, that would have been a huge red flag that I needed to haul ass to my room and forget anything about tonight had happened. He didn’t want me, he’d only made a move because I was a warm, willing body.

  No one had ever accused me of being smart. I scratched at the stubble on my jaw, staring at him long enough to make him squirm. Oh, how I’d love to know what he was thinking. I leaned in a bit closer, dropping my voice, even though I was pretty sure we were the only two in the suite tonight. “Tell me, Daniel…have you thought about stuffing something in Zach’s mouth? I’d bet you have.”

  Daniel swallowed hard, sucking in slow, deep breaths. He squirmed on the couch. I placed a hand on his thigh, allowing the tips of my fingers to trace along the inner seam of his jeans. I knew it was a mistake. I knew we should wait for Zach to be here, so he knew my interest was in both of them, but it was hard to remember that when his erection pressed against his zipper and the band of bluish gray in his eyes was being swallowed by his pupils. He wanted this.

  I leaned in closer. “Imagine all the fun we could have with him. Gagging him would keep him from lying to us, Daniel. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. He’d do anything you asked of him, but he’d protest the entire time.”

  “Zach’s not gay,” Daniel protested, his voice thick with need. “He freaked out when my hand brushed against his hip when we were—”

  I pursed my lips to stifle my laughter. I could only imagine where he was going with that sentence. “Just because he was surprised didn’t mean he wasn’t curious. What if he was freaking out because of how much he liked it? Maybe he needs us to pull him out of his shell and show him how much better it is to get head from a guy. Imagine how good he’s gonna feel when we introduce him to his prostate. He’ll be putty in our hands.”

  There was no point in hiding my arousal. I leaned back, reaching into my sweats to adjust my cock. Daniel grunted, biting down on his lip. Yeah, he needed this.

  “You’re thinking about it, aren’t you?” I ran the flat of my tongue along the side of his neck. Fuck, if the slightly salty tang of his skin tasted that good, I couldn’t wait for him to fill my mouth. “We’ll have to ease him into it, but I’ll bet you a hundred dollars he’ll be begging for more by the time we’re done with him.”

  “But he’s never…” I watched Daniel as he tried to come up with a protest. There was none, and the longer he thought about it, the more he squirmed. He clamped his hand around my fingers. “I don’t want this to fuck up my friendship with him. He doesn’t know how I feel because he’d hate me.”

  “You’re wrong,” I argued. “Remember, I’m the one who sits around watching instead of jumping into the chaos around here. He wants you and that scares him.”

  “He can’t,” Daniel protested. “We’ve lived together for two years. I’d know by now.”

  “He does,” I insisted before leaning in to press a chaste kiss at the corner of Daniel’s jaw. He shivered, and I smiled with my lips still pressed against his skin. “You have to remember, I see him when you're not around. He's different outside the suite. Less guarded. It's almost like he has nothing to lose.”

  “And what about you?” Daniel asked. I had to give him credit for that. A lot of guys would have taken the open door and crashed through it, not giving a damn about anyone as long as they got what they needed. But that wasn't the type of guy he was. Daniel kept everything close to his chest, but he struck me as someone who cared deeply. Maybe that was part of why this shit with Zach was so hard on him.

  “What about me?” I wasn't about to insult him by admitting I fully expected to be cast aside at some point, much less that I'd be okay with that as long as it brought the two of them together.

  “What do you want?” Daniel scooted back on the couch, trying to put a bit of space between us. “I’m good with it if this is nothing more than a way for you to have a bit of kinky fun, but I can't be wondering where your head is at while I’m worrying about whether I’m screwing things up with Zach.”

  “God, it’s no wonder Zach’s half in love with you already,” I mused. I leaned in, kissing his forehead. “You're so sweet. I bet you're one of those guys who always thinks about everyone else ahead of your own needs.”
>
  “Not always. If I was the saint you’re trying to make me out to be, I wouldn't have agreed to do half of the things I did with Zach last spring,” he admitted. His cheeks turned a pretty shade of red and he pressed his thighs together, drawing my attention to the impossibly hard erection between his legs.

  “One of these days, you're going to tell me all about that,” I warned him.

  “No way.” His cheeks flushed brighter. He glanced past me as if trying to figure out how to escape.

  “You absolutely are,” I insisted. I combed my fingers through the back of his hair, leaning in close enough I knew he'd feel my breath against his skin. “Do you know why?”

  Daniel shook his head furiously. When I chuckled, he sucked in a sharp breath, drawing in on himself. If it wasn’t for his ragged breaths and the cock trying to escape his jeans, I might have worried I’d pushed him too far.

  “Because no matter what you say, you're dying to find out what I can do to you,” I observed, sliding my hand higher on his thigh, tugging his legs apart. It would be too damn easy for me to flick open the button on his jeans and give him a bit of relief. But tonight, I wanted him to go to bed desperate and trying to figure out why he wouldn’t touch himself. “And if part of getting what you want means giving me the dirty, dirty details of not only what the two of you did but what you wished you could do, you’ll do it.”

  “Is this some sort of game do you?” Daniel challenged. I couldn't help the chuckle that slipped past my lips.

  “Give me half a chance and you'll find out just how did serious I am.” By this point, my fingers were less than an inch away from the hard outline of his dick. He lifted his hips off the cushion, urging me closer. Instead, I pulled my hand away.

  “What about Zach?” he asked breathlessly.

  “What about him?” I buried my face in the crook of Daniel’s neck.

  “Do you want him, too?” Daniel was fucking adorable when he scrunched his nose. If I wasn’t mistaken, and I didn’t think I was, Daniel wasn’t sure how to feel about having to share my attention.