Page 54 of Strut

“So, do I dress warm or light?” Alec strolled into the lounge wearing nothing but a towel and froze. “Oh, shit. Rhys... hi,” he croaked, shooting me a why-the-fuck-didn’t-you-warn-me glare.

I spread my hands in a sorry-but-it-just-happened-and-please-don’t-kill-me appeal.

Rhys snorted and then gave a wicked smile. “Well, well. You never mentioned Alec was with you, Hunter... in your apartment... mostly naked... and looking delicious, I might add. I hope I haven’t interrupted anything.” By which he meant he really, really hoped he had, the fucker.

“Alec’s there?” Beckett’s face appeared over Rhys’s shoulder and his eyes went wide. “Hey, Alec. Long time, no see. And yeah.” He smirked and kissed Rhys’s head. “You do look delicious. How’s New York treating you?”

“Oh. My. God.” Alec whacked me on the arm, turning fifty shades of scarlet. “You should’ve warned me.”

Rhys cut me a look that said I’d be regretting this moment for years to come.

Alec squatted beside my chair to hide his towel and answered, “I’m doing fine, thanks to you guys.”

“He’s doing better than fine,” I chipped in. “Berlini is looking at him for a campaign and maybe their new face, and he just had a promising go-see with Men-tion for a possible ad campaign next year.”

Rhys couldn’t have looked more delighted. “That’s amazing, Alec.”

“It’s not just me.” Alec was quick to brush it off. “They’re both looking at other guys as well. It could amount to nothing.”

I instinctively cupped Alec’s cheek and turned him to face me. “When you’re called for labels like those, it means something, Alec. Take the compliment.”

He pressed a soft kiss to my lips. “Thanks.”

“Oh. My. God.” Rhys looked gleefully between us. “So, this,giving things a go,between you two is really serious, then?”

Alec’s eyes shot to mine, and his flush stained a deeper crimson.

“Don’t do this, Rhys,” I groaned. His silence and that smug grin said it all. I wasn’t getting out of this. “Okay, yes, we’re serious, as far as two weeks together can be serious. Not that it’s any of your business.” I glanced sideways at Alec, wondering if I’d said too much but he was beaming.

“Thank you, again.” He kissed my cheek and fire spread up my neck.

“Holy fuck.” Rhys’s mouth dropped open. “Is that a blush, Hunter? Damn, it’s hard to tell with all that scruff.” He leaned in. “Shit, itsois. Do you see that, Beck?”

“Oh, yeah.” Beck practically beamed. “You’re history, man. May as well throw in the towel now.”

“Shut up,” I griped. “As I said, it’s none of your business,eitherof you.”

“Of course it’s my business.” Rhys’s eyes danced. “I’m your best friend. And if Alec is still there two weeks after you cried on my shoulder because you thought he might not give you a chance, it’s about as serious as it can get for a guy who used to define a long-term relationship as a second date.”

I scowled at my friend. “I did not—”

“You cried on his shoulder?” Alec wore a wide grin. “Aw, that is so sweet.”

I shot Rhys a killing glare and growled, “I wouldn’t go so far as to say that.”

Rhys smiled sweetly. “Oh really? I’d go alotfurther.”

I itched to wipe the smug smirk off my best friend’s face, but I was merely getting my comeuppance after giving him a hard time when he started dating Beck.

My best chance was to end the conversation fast. “Right, well, as nice as this little catch-up has been, Alec and I have a date planned and you two need to go do whatever it is that you do, which I want to know nothing about.”

Beck grinned like a loon and Rhys clapped his hands. “Oh. My. God. Anactualdate? After so long, I’m surprised you can even spell the word, Hunter. Wait until I tell Kip. Where is he taking you, Alec?”

I shot Alec a threatening look. “Don’t ans—”

“It’s a surprise.” Alec pressed a kiss to my head and Rhys looked close to losing his shit completely. “He’s been planning itallweek. Pretty cute, right? But to be honest, Hunter is actually a lot more romantic than you might think. He even bought me flowers.” Alec winked and I wondered who I could get to help me hide the body.

Instead, I elbowed him playfully and he shot me a smirk.

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