by Crow, Baylin
"What the hell was that?" he snapped.
Chuckling, I turned to observe his reaction. "A kiss."
His eyes narrowed. "That was not just a kiss, Rook. You ate my fucking face."
It had gotten out of hand. True. But it hadn't crossed my mind to stop.
"Your lips are soft, sort of, and you taste like mint. Besides, you were enjoying it. You're hard as fuck." Maybe I shouldn't have pointed out the massive tent in his boxer briefs.
"So are you." He lifted a questioning brow.
Okay, he was right. I wasn't in much better shape. "Totally natural. So?"
"So?" he asked incredulously.
"Well, how was it?" I redirected, refraining from adjusting my hard-on and bringing more attention to it.
He paused. "It was fine." My eyebrows scrunched together, and he rolled his eyes. "It was great, Rook. Earth shattering, no-touch orgasm inducing."
Pride swelled in my chest. "Did you seriously come?"
He scoffed. "No, dumbass."
"Damn.” I laughed. “I was really hoping for those bragging rights."
"Well, you're going to have to keep hoping."
"Don't think I can do it?" I challenged, though I wasn't sure why. I'd always been competitive, and as far as I was concerned, that was a dare.
"Don't even think about it." His eyes narrowed in warning. "You better keep your lips to yourself."
"Relax. I was kidding." I had no intention of kissing Noah again. "But for real? Do you regret it?"
Noah immediately shook his head. "No. But are you sure you’re straight? Because that kiss felt really gay."
A raspy laugh rattled in my chest. "You’ll forever be the only guy I kissed. Promise."
It was a one and done, even if for a minute I'd gotten lost to the feel of a hard chest instead of soft curves. I could feel the slight sting from Noah's light-colored stubble. That was a first.
His lips curled on the side. "Good to know."
I turned back to the news that had moved on to football crap I didn't care about. My cock was still hard and my thoughts scrambled. I kissed my best friend. So what if I enjoyed it?
"So, we can forget about this?" he asked.
I froze. Forget about it? Kissing Noah had felt like—well, I wasn't sure. But it was intense and tugged at my gut. An alarm I should proceed with caution. But I had no idea why. While I was sure the whole thing made sense because we were close, it also made no sense at all.
Finally, I nodded without looking at him. "Sure."
My cock was so hard it was nearly painful, and I briefly entertained the idea of taking a shower to jerk off. But I'd end up coming to the memory of what we'd just done. Which of course was a bad idea and more perplexing.
"Rook?" Noah whispered so quietly I almost didn't hear it.
I glanced at him. "What’s up?"
"Thanks."
"Nothing to thank me for, sugar lips," I said with a surprisingly steady voice. Believable even.
He groaned. "That nickname isn't sticking, so don't even try."
"Whatever you say, sugar—" The punch to my arm stirred a desperately needed round of laughter between us both. We'd be fine. We had to be. After we quieted, Noah's breathing was still shallow. He was just as far from sleep as I was.
* * *
NOAH
Kissing Rook had been unexpected. I damn sure hadn't been prepared for him to offer to be my first. More so, I shouldn't have agreed. He looked scared as shit, despite his words. Hell, I was scared. But only because I was afraid I'd screwed up my relationship with him. How were we just supposed to rewind? Even if he was able to, I wasn't sure I could.
I'd been in love with him for years, and he had no idea. I was a liar. An opportunist. The worst friend. Or at least it felt that way.
Rook, as if hearing my inner turmoil and reading me so well that sometimes I was convinced he knew me better than I knew myself, kicked me under the covers. "Hey, knock it off. I can practically hear those wheels spinning. We are fine. I get it. It was just a kiss, okay? No need to start questioning us. We're solid. Always will be."
Air I hadn’t been aware was trapped in my lungs rushed past my lips as I turned to face him. I scanned those unique dirty-whiskey eyes for any sign of deception. "You sure?"
He grinned. The smile I'd fallen in love with. "Yes, Noah. I'm sure."
That was the last time we shared a bed. I wasn't sure which of us made that call. It seemed to be a mutual understanding. No chance of stupid kisses and putting our lips where they didn't belong.
Even if I wanted to.
Rook reached for the remote and turned off the TV, plunging the room into darkness.
Four
Rook
Senior Year of College/Current Day
Drenched in sweat and muscles aching, my body sang, high on endorphins. The rough texture of the basketball against my palm and the sound of it thudding against the court gave me a high that nothing matched. Well, almost nothing.
Shoes squeaked against the glossy floor as I raced across the court, dodging the hands trying to steal the ball. The game against the Giants had been a battle of back and forth. My heart raced as I twisted to the side to avoid the greedy grabs and stopped on a dime, poised to shoot. The moment happened so fast, but time seemed to slow as I raised my arms and released the ball, letting it roll off my fingertips.
Long arms stretched into the air, trying to block the shot, but with a perfectly timed arc, the ball cut through the air followed by the best sound in the world. Swish.
Nothing but motherfucking net.
The buzzer went off, blaring loud and mixing with the cheers that echoed off the arena walls. I loved home games because the sound of so many fans losing their shit over the victory was the cherry on top of a fudge-covered sundae.
"Fuck yes!" Knight, my closest friend on the team, ran over and nearly knocked me on my ass as he gripped my shoulders and shook me. "That's what's up!"
Several of my teammates did the same, along with slaps to my back, ruffling my short black hair and smacking sweat-slicked palms. Winning a game by a perfectly executed shot could leave you battered and bruised by your own team.
I didn't care. I laughed with abandon, and the smile that stretched my lips was born of pure adrenaline and the infectious energy from the Harksford University fan base.
Coach knocked his arm into mine. "Damn boy, way to get it done."
"Yes sir." I chuckled before grabbing the bottom of my jersey to wipe the sweat dripping down my face. I glanced toward the stands like I always did after a game to capture Noah's reaction.
He stood taller than most of the crowd, which never ceased to surprise me, considering his appearance in middle school. Dressed in jeans and a white and blue Wolverines—our college mascot—hoodie that I was pretty sure he’d stolen from my closet, he clapped louder than the rest and flashed me a familiar grin that only boosted the high I was riding.
"You can stare at your boyfriend later. Let’s go." I tore my gaze from Noah, and Knight wheezed when I elbowed him in the stomach.
"He's not my boyfriend, asshat." Noah did have a boyfriend though. I'd known it was coming from the day my lips touched his, but the situation hadn't materialized until three months ago. Sure, he'd briefly dated a few assholes who shared a mutual feeling of dislike with me. But Brad, Noah's current boyfriend, was in a league of his own. The relationship had always rubbed me wrong. Keeping Noah a secret because Noah’s brother, Trevor, was Brad’s best friend was beyond fucked up. Noah had agreed to the stupid situation and that frustrated me. Even if it had been Brad’s idea. One he swore was temporary. I shook off the irritating thought.
Following the team, I jogged across the court toward the locker room.
The spacious room smelled awful—the musty scent of sweaty athletes that no amount of bleach could kill seemed to soak into the tiniest fibers.
Coach's postgame speech was quick and to the point, throwing another comment of praise my way, along
with other players who had made key shots and blocks. When it was over, I stripped out of my uniform and took a cold shower, appreciating the cool water against my heated skin. Knowing Noah would be waiting, I dressed quickly in warm clothes and slung my gym bag over my shoulder.
"Where’s the fire?" Knight asked, gray eyes peeking out beneath the fringe of chestnut brown hair that dripped water down the sharp angles of his pale face.
"No fire. Just ready to be done looking at your ugly mug."
Knight was fully aware of his effect on girls and never had trouble getting laid, so the smart remark was met with a snort.
"Coming over to celebrate with us?" he asked as he laced his tennis shoes.
"I don’t know man. I’ll let you know."
"Got to check in with the missus?" He stood, stretching his arms over his six-eight frame and cocked a dark brow.
I shook my head, refusing to take the bait.
Newb, nicknamed for the obvious reason that he was new to the team, frowned. "I didn’t know Rook had a girlfriend. Thought he didn’t do serious."
I didn’t, but it wasn’t because I was the manwhore playboy portrayed in whispered rumors throughout the campus. Between basketball, classes and Noah, there wasn’t enough time to devote to a relationship. Not that I’d even met a girl who had tempted me into making the effort.
"Keep up, newb." A sparkle of mirth flickered in Knight’s eyes, and I knew something stupid was about to spill from his reddened lips. "Rook has a girlfriend with blond hair, pretty blue eyes…and a big dick."
Newb's brows shot straight to his hairline. "What?"
Jamey, one of our teammates, butted in. "How do you know it’s big, Knight? You been scoping out Noah's cock?"
Irritation shot through me at the comment, and I glared at both of them.
Knight shrugged. "Must be since he has Rook on lock."
I shoved his shoulder. "Shut up. You know Noah's off limits to locker room talk."
His lips twisted into a smug grin. "Tell me you’re not going to check in with him first."
Since that was exactly what I planned to do, I couldn't argue. "Fuck you, dip shit."
Knight's laugh boomed off the walls. "Like I said. On lock."
The conversation was going nowhere.
"You're an idiot." After flipping off my friend, I shouldered through the door with echoes of laughter at my back. I found Noah leaning against the wall near the exit. "Hey. You ready?"
He kicked off the wall and brushed the golden strands that always darkened during the winter away from his forehead. "Yep. No surprise, but you owned that game."
"It was probably the hardest I've ever had to work though. Those were some big motherfuckers." The Giants were appropriately named.
He released a husky laugh as he pushed through the metal door. Icy wind assaulted my exposed skin as we crossed the dark parking lot toward my black Yukon, which I’d bought used after my car had ended up costing more in repairs than it was worth. I clicked the key fob to unlock the doors and then slid behind the wheel as Noah took the passenger seat. Cranking the heat on high, I shivered as I turned on the seat warmers. I cursed the chilled black leather interior.
"Fuck me, it's cold." Noah hissed as he rubbed his hands together. "It was in the seventies yesterday."
"Lives in Texas his whole life and still hasn't accepted we once had all four seasons in a single day," I muttered.
Noah barked a laugh. "You're the one who rants when it gets below thirty."
"Because that's fucking cold!" And happened so rarely, you couldn’t get used to it.
"See?” He arched a brow. “A big, ugly baby."
"Ugly? The fuck I am. In case you forgot, your dick—"
A well-timed tap on Noah's window saved me from saying what we'd agreed to forget about. Though that was laughable. There was nothing that could wipe away that memory.
I groaned when Knight gestured for me to roll down the window. Pressing the button, I only allowed him a few inches and scowled. "Miss me already?"
"Hell no. I missed Noah." Knight winked at him. "Hi, boo."
Noah grinned. "Hey, ba—"
I snapped my fingers in front of Noah, blocking his view before glancing at Knight. It was harmless flirting—that happened way too often—because Knight was straight. I still didn't like it. "What do you want?"
Knight narrowed his eyes. "You’re like a jealous girlfriend, you know that, right?" Giving me no time to respond, Knight flicked his attention back to Noah. "Party at my place to celebrate. The whole team is coming. Make sure he's there?"
"On it, captain." Noah half-saluted him, and Knight's lips twitched.
"Captain Knight," he mused before wiggling his dark brows. "Has a kinky ring to it. Kind of makes me wish I was gay."
Oh hell no. "Don't you have places to be? Girls to do?"
He offered an amused grin, backing away and holding up his hands. "I better see you two later."
After winking at Noah, a-fucking-gain, Knight strode toward the brand new red truck with a serious lift kit parked several spaces away.
"I need a shower before we go anywhere," Noah said, pulling the seatbelt over his broad chest and latching it.
"No plans with Brad tonight?" I asked with only a small hint of annoyance in my tone as I shifted into drive. I'd worked hard at masking how much I didn’t like their relationship, but Noah wasn't fooled.
There were many things I didn’t like about Brad. One of those being the constant and inappropriate thoughts I had about them together. Did Noah moan for him like he had when he’d been beneath me? Did his cock get hard enough to—
My jaw clenched. I had no business thinking that way. What had happened between us was in the past, and it needed to stay there. It was unfortunate that it crossed my mind way more than it should. I shouldn’t compare every kiss that had followed to the one we shared, but I did. And nothing ever measured up. A fact I ignored as best as I could.
Noah never even showed the slightest interest in me anyway. Not in that way. Which was great, because I wasn’t gay.
I hadn’t realized I’d been staring at Noah when he bit his thick lower lip, worrying it back and forth. My eyebrows pinched together, and I hesitated to leave the parking space. "Something wrong?"
He sighed. "We can talk about it later. Knight's right. We should go out and celebrate your win."
I shifted the SUV back to park. "We aren’t going anywhere until you tell me what's going on."
Noah scrubbed his hand over his face. "Can we talk about this later?"
My eyes narrowed. This had Brad issues written all over it. "What did he do?"
Noah was well aware what I meant, just as I knew Brad had officially made my shit list—more so now—without even being filled in on the details yet.
"It's over. I broke things off." Noah spoke under his breath, but I heard him as though he’d shouted the words. Relief and concern battled for dominance as I considered what might have happened.
I stared at him, but he dodged my gaze. "I repeat, what did he do?"
He whipped around facing me. "He cheated, okay?"
I stilled as red clouded my vision.
"That motherfucker," I gritted as I ground my molars and contemplated various torture methods, debating which might cause the most agony.
"Yeah." Noah agreed, and the word lacked the disappointment I’d expected. Instead, he simply shrugged.
"Noah…" I paused. While I was glad Brad was out of the picture because he wasn't good enough for Noah, I couldn't understand why anyone would cheat on him. As far as I was concerned, Noah was perfect. "I'm sorry that happened."
He batted away the apology with a flick of his hand. "I’m fine. Actually, the only thing I felt when I found out was mild irritation…and wounded pride, I suppose. Apparently, for the three months we dated, he was sleeping with the guy for two. Probably more, but Andy, the guy Brad’s seeing, said things were serious between them. It’s for the best. I mean Brad was an ass
hole, but I was going to end it anyway. Last week Andy beat me to it by texting me—"
"Last week? What the hell, Noah?" My gaze jerked to his. "Why didn’t you tell me?"
Noah glared. "So I could listen to you tell me I told you so? No thanks."
I had told him it was a bad idea. "Well, I did, but that’s not the point."
He rolled his eyes. "Anyway, so yeah, the guy messaged and included some pictures I could have done without. I texted Brad after and ended it. He didn't deny it or anything. He did, however, tell me he should have broken up with me first. But since my brother is his best friend…he thought I’d go running to him about it."
“That’s a fucking pathetic excuse.” Not that there was a good one. Noah nodded in agreement. "So, what’s up with this guy? Was he trying to rub it in your face or something?"
Noah scoffed. “I didn’t ask. They deserve each other either way. I mean, he obviously knew about me.”
I stared out into the emptying parking lot, tapping on the steering wheel as I thought it over. He was right. They did deserve each other. “So, you broke up with him by text, huh?”
"It’s not like he deserved more." His tone was bored.
He’d misunderstood me. Brad deserved fuck all. But I wished Noah had the satisfaction of confronting Brad, letting him see how unaffected Noah appeared to be about what he’d done.
I studied him, looking for a hint that Noah was more hurt than he let on and found none. Apparently, I was more upset than my best friend.
Still, I was pissed and a low growl escaped my throat. "The hell he didn’t. A broken nose would have been justified."
"So sweet and violent." Noah tossed me a wry grin.
"Anything for you." I allowed a slip of a smile. "But I mean it." I wasn’t sure what I'd do if I crossed paths with Brad, but my imagination had plenty of ideas.
"Let’s go home and eat. I’m starving and I need a shower." Noah cut off the dangerous direction my thoughts had taken with a yawn. "And we should go to the party. I’m off work tomorrow and could use a breather. So could you."
