Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87921 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87921 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
On Jackson’s suggestion to go out tonight, we head to Pump. I chose the bar because it’s where my friends said they were heading. I figure it’s a good opportunity for them to get to know Daddy Jackson, and that’s something I want. He’s not like the other guys, who I’ve always wanted to keep separate from the rest of my life. He’s someone I want to bring into it.
He invites his buddy Frankie to join us, and we all meet up.
It’s nice catching up. Bugging the shit out of Travis with some of my jokes about men checking Gary out. Teasing Cody and Hayden about DPing me. I’ve missed some of this since Gary and Hayden started seeing their men, and especially now that I’m spending so much time with my own guy.
Frankie seems to fit right in with the guys as he leans back against the wall, telling stories about his and Jackson’s job. His hands are in the pockets of his jeans, and he looks hot as hell in the beanie he sports. As he talks it up with the guys, I can tell by where his gaze settles when it occasionally drifts around the room that he’s got a thing for twinks.
When Gary and I run out of drinks, we head to the bar where Gary has his tab.
Gary wears a form-fitting tank, showing off the guns he’s built up from hitting the gym extra hard with his boyfriend.
I squeeze his biceps. “I’m just so impressed with these! Oh, you big strong man. Take your needy bottom and own his ass.”
“Shut up!” He rolls his eyes. “Do you think the tank top looks dumb?”
“You look hot as fuck, and I’m surprised Travis let you out the door in that. I’d even bottom for you right now.”
Not true at all, but he’ll appreciate the compliment.
While the bartender fixes our drinks, someone bumps into Gary.
“Oh, sorry,” Gary says, turning to the guy, but as soon as we see who it is, I’m sure Gary wishes he could suck those words back into his mouth.
It’s Evan, the asshole who stole Gary’s man last year. Blond, twenty-three, and rail-thin, he’s wearing jeans that show off that adorable butt of his and a light blue T-shirt with a print of a bull riding a unicorn’s ass. Evan’s the epitome of everything a twink should be, which of course, makes him competition. This is how I imagine Charlie-boy would feel if I added another beta fish to his tank. And as if he didn’t already have enough working against him, he made the massive mistake of screwing my best friend over.
I don’t feel bad that Peter cheated on him the way he did with Gary. Serves Evan right, but damn, I wish I’d been the one to debut that fab shirt.
“Careful,” I tell Evan. “You wouldn’t want to step on another guy’s toes. Oh, wait. Maybe you would.”
Gary shakes his head like he’s not in the mood for this fight. Maybe he’s gotten over this, but I haven’t.
Evan opens his mouth to say something, but Gary raises his hand. “Evan, you don’t have to defend what you did. That feels like a whole other life to me.” As soon as he says that, his expression shifts quickly. He looks confused. “Dude, are you okay?”
I guess I’d been so jelly over Evan’s shirt that I hadn’t noticed his face is bright red, his eyes watering.
Evan wipes at his eyes with the backs of his hands. “Fine.” His chin trembles before the tears start up until soon he’s sobbing.
Gary and I glance at each other. What the fuck’s going on?
“Oh, are we supposed to feel bad for you after you stole Gary’s man?” I ask.
“I…didn’t…steal…anyone,” Evan says between sobs. He uses the hem of his shirt to wipe under his eyes.
“I get you’re going through something right now,” I say. “But you definitely stole Gary’s man. Just so there’s no confusion. He might think that’s so yesterday, but I’m not cool with you fucking my best friend over.”
Evan’s expression turns from defeated to suspicious as he looks to my Gare-bear. “Whatever. We both know what was really going on with you and Peter back then. Or I should say, what was going on with your wandering dick.”
“Please,” I interject. “It would clearly be his wandering ass.”
“Not helping, Derek,” Gary says. “Evan, what the fuck are you talking about?”
“Do you really want me to say it in front of your friend?”
“Yeah. Because I don’t have anything to hide.”
Evan shrugs. “Fine. You told Peter you wanted to be in an open relationship, which was the only reason I even considered doing anything with him to begin with. So you both went off, kept your little flings on the DL so you didn’t get a reputation around town. Meanwhile, you were off fucking every guy you could find because you obviously didn’t want Peter anymore. And as soon as Peter realized he had stronger feelings for me, when he decided to break it off with you, you got all butt-hurt and started those mean rumors about Peter betraying you. You’re just lucky Peter’s a nice guy and didn’t go telling everyone the truth about how you were the one who didn’t want him anymore.”