Page 14 of Pucked-Up Roommate Deal

Three days later, I stared at the wall in the apartment feeling like hammered shit and wondering what the fuck to do.

Nash had flown to California on Sunday. He was at a hotel there, in a room reserved for two occupants. And I wanted to know who the fuck he was with. He was mine damn it. Unfortunately, no one could tell me that.

I’d stewed. Gone to practice. Got the shit kicked out of me at a scrimmage. Gone to class. Stewed some more. Then repeated it all.

This morning, Wednesday, I hadn’t bothered. And tonight, I’d fly to California and track Nash’s ass down. My phone clattered across the coffee table as I tossed it down after making a reservation. I didn’t even care enough to pick it up off the carpet.

I was staring at the cell, willing Nash to call, when I heard a key in the lock of the front door. I flew across the roombody-slamming Nash into the wall the second he crossed the threshold.

“Where the fuck have you been?” I demanded. “And the fuck have you been with?”

I didn’t wait for an answer. My hand fisted in his hair and I crushed my lips to his, demanded the answers I needed from his body and not his words.

Ten

Nash

I was exhausted, but adrenaline surged through me at Porter’s greeting. I turned, reversing our positions, and pressed him to the wall, taking over the hungry kiss, My tongue demanding entrance to his mouth, and taking everything I could give.

“You’re not leaving me,” Porter muttered, his hand grasping my shirt at my neck.

“No, I’m not,” I agreed, so relieved to be home and with him. I didn’t know what our future held with my responsibilities to my brother and the veiled threat from Porter’s dad, but I wasn’t giving up my man without a fight.

“Geez, dude, I’m right here. I know you told me you have a boyfriend but fuck’s sake.”

I leaned my forehead to Porter’s looking down into his turbulent eyes. “Porter meet my little brother, Knox. This is my boyfriend Porter. For now you’ll be using my room, on the right side of the hallway. Why don’t you go check it out while I talk to Porter, then we’ll take you for burgers in a little bit.”

Porter pulled back slightly to look over my shoulder, but his grip on me didn’t loosen. “Hi, Knox. Nice to meet you.”

Knox said something but I was focused on Porter. I hugged him tight to me, enjoying the bare skin of his torso against my hands, and loving the way he snuggled into me, though he was more powerful.

“I thought you left,” he muttered. “That being with me was too much and you ran.”

“No. Being with you willneverbe too much. I’m sorry I scared you. I ran out of here so fast to get to Knox that I forgot my phone. I don’t have your number memorized. I tried to get someone to come over here to explain, but my friends are out of town at a seminar. I’m so sorry,” I said again, feeling like I needed to say it a million times after upsetting him. “Knox’s foster family kicked him out because he turned eighteen, and they decided their responsibility to him was done. He was all alone in the city. Then it took forever to deal with bullshit with his school so he could get his diploma. He already had all the credits he needed for graduation, and he was just biding his time before the convocation.”

“So he’s smart like you.”

“Smarter. Has a full ride here next year—combo for scholastics and diving, believe it or not.” Closing my eyes, I buried my nose in his neck and breathed him in. “Fuck, I missed you so much. I was worried about you all alone here without me. But most of all, I just missed you.” I trailed my lips to his ear. “I want to drag you to the bedroom and show you how much, make youfeelhow much.”

Porter made a soft sound, pressing closer, his cock jabbing into my hip through his soft gray sweatpants that hung low on his hips. “You can show me later, sweetheart.”

I sniffed a laugh. “I know it’s early for dinner, but you feel like grabbing a late lunch. Knox gets hangry if he’s not fed on the regular.”

“So we’re parenting a teenager, huh?”

“Only for the summer until he moves into his dorm. If it’s too much, I can—”

“Don’t you dare suggest moving out,” Porter growled, grabbing the front of my shirt again and giving me a little shake. “If nothing else, this three days proved I need my roommate here. I missed you too much.”

“Roommate?”

“Boyfriend. Lover. Pain in my ass. Pick one,” he said.

“You like when I’m a pain in your ass, princess,” I teased, gathering him back against me.

“Shut up,” he whispered, glancing toward my bedroom. “So he’s about four years younger than you?”

“Yeah. He’s…um… I probably need to tell you about my father.”

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