Page 10 of The Fly-Half

“Just come to find my new werewolf buddy,” Mason said, throwing his arm around my shoulder. He sounded far too fucking happy and I was going to have to get Ryan to deal with him later. Maybe I could suggest he make Mason beg, then get out of dodge before I had to hear it or before the pair of them figured out how I knew what Mason was into.

“God, you’re insufferable today,” I said.

“And you’re being a grumpy motherfucker for no reason,” Mason said. “Devon, why is Jonny being so grumpy today? Do you know?”

“Probably because you said he’s a werewolf when we all know Jonny’s a vampire fan,” Devon said teasingly, shooting me a wink. “I mean who’d pick being a wet dog over a vampire?”

Mason laughed. “So that’s why he’s so obsessed with getting us to watchInterview with the Vampirewith him.”

“Piss off,” I said, giving him a shove. Mason was really getting under my skin today and I didn’t know why.

“God, you are miserable today. Do you need a nap?” Mason asked and when I grunted at him, he just said, “Thought so.” He squeezed my shoulder almost apologetically and added quietly, “Have Ryan and I been keeping you up?”

“That’s one way to put it.”

Mason groaned, his face a picture of mortified embarrassment. “Fuck. Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Didn’t want to ruin your fun,” I muttered. “Didn’t think you’d want to know I could hear everything.”

“Everything?”

“Everything. At least when you’re in Ryan’s room. Yours is a little better. Bathroom is worse ’cos there’s a bit of an echo. Don’t worry, I’m gonna dig my earplugs out.”

“Appreciate it,” Mason said in a strangled voice, and I almost felt bad for him. Then I remembered what a pain in the ass he’d been all day and my sympathy vanished. “So,” Mason continued as he desperately tried to change the subject. “Devon, is it true you’ve been chatting to Peaches?”

CHAPTER FIVE

Devon

“Yes? Why?”I glanced between Mason and Jonny, trying to work out why my dating life was suddenly of so much interest. Mason looked delighted while Jonny had a face like thunder, and both of them confused me. Mason and I were friends but we weren’t that close, and Jonny seemed to have developed a real stick up his ass about my sex life, or lack of one.

Maybe the lack of sleep was getting to him.

He really needed to get some earplugs if Ryan and Mason were that loud, although hopefully pointing it out to Mason would make it better. I’d never seen him look so flustered.

“No reason,” Mason said. “Just that I think it’s cool. Ryan says Peaches is a lot of fun, and maybe now he’ll stop complaining to Ry about being single.”

“We’re just chatting,” I said, putting my foot on the brakes before Mason ran off with the idea of Peaches and me becoming a thing. Yeah, Peaches was fun and sweet, but we hadn’t done anything more than a bit of casual flirting. I’d thought about asking him out for a drink, maybe dinner, but I hadn’t gottenaround to it yet. I kept trying to tell myself that holding a torch for Jonny didn’t mean I couldn’t go out and have a bit of casual fun the same way I’d always done. But it felt harder than it had while I’d been living in France, where the distance had given my brain an out.

But now I got to see him at least six days a week, and it had made my pining a thousand times worse.

I knew it wasn’t cheating to talk to Peaches because Jonny would never love me the way I loved him and our relationship would never be anything more than platonic. But damn, why did it feel wrong every time Peaches messaged me?

I had to get over my fucking self.

Living my life for a man who’d never want me was fucked up, and I couldn’t give up my chance at a full and happy life on the off chance Jonny might wake up one day and change his mind.

I deserved to be loved.

Or at least, I deserved to have fun and good sex and laugh with someone whowantedme.

Love could come later.

“Yeah?” Mason smirked. “That’s good! Have some fun. The season’s stressful enough. You deserve a break.”

“Maybe,” I said. My eyes were fixed on Jonny, who still looked like he’d been slapped. I knew he wanted to protect me, but it was getting ridiculous. He couldn’t stop me from talking to guys because he was worried they might turn out like Alexandre, and if he didn’t relax soon, I was going to have to read him the riot act.

Or at least, try to.

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