Page 36 of Running With Lions

That’s all Sebastian is, right? Soccer, graduation, and Sam. These days, Sebastian wants his life to be made up of soccer, soccer, and more soccer. But he’s over it, the Sam part. Some exes are just a sentence in the story of life, not the defining chapter with all the drama and awesome climax.

“Maybe next time?” Sebastian offers.

“Yes! Next time, I’m so gonna get you laid,” Zach says. “That’s life goals, bro.”

Great.This is all Mason’s fault, like so many things in Sebastian’s life, and he’ll make Mason suffer for not helping him drag Zach around.

Zach yawns. Sebastian grimaces because,really? Zach has the nerve to be tired when it’s Sebastian who has Mount freakin’ Olympus hanging off his shoulders?

“Are we there yet?”

“Dude, are you shitting me, like—”

“Hey.”

Sebastian barely recognizes the groggy, soft voice before another arm loops around Zach’s back. He inclines forward, a difficult task considering how bulky Zach is. Emir’s sleep-mussed hair and weary gray eyes heighten his moody expression.

“What are you—?”

Emir grunts at Sebastian. “You looked like you were about to die.”

I am. Sebastian smiles.

Emir yawns, then makes a disgusted face. “He stinks.”

Sebastian, no longer carrying the weight of Godzilla on his own, laughs until the knot of frustration unravels in his belly. He doesn’t care if Zach balks because, for once, he’s not trying to save one of his teammates’ asses on his own. When he strains to gaze around Zach, Emir’s amused expression greets him.

“So,” Emir says as they lurch closer to Zach’s cabin, “do you do this often?”

Sebastian says, “No, but… I’m the only one who watches over them,” to his feet. He’s not embarrassed but sometimes saying the truth out loud makes it sound worse than it is.

“Huh.”

“And I could’ve done it by myself,” Sebastian says hastily, but that’s not being defensive. He just doesn’t want anyone calling him a victim.

“You think so?”

“Maybe?” Sebastian’s not sure. “I was almost there.”

Emirpffts, and it forces Sebastian to accept that, nope, he wasn’t all that close.

Behind Zach’s back, their hands brush occasionally, fingers almost linking as they try to realign him. Goosebumps spread from Sebastian’s neck to his chest. The touch of Emir’s soft hand has him dizzy, a problem he’s never had with other guys. It’s scary, because that puts Emir in the small category of Guys Sebastian’s Been Attracted To.

“Did we wake you?” The stranglehold his throat has around his words mortifies him.

He can’t tell if Emir is nodding or shaking his head until Emir says, “Still can’t sleep proper around here.”

Sebastian hums. The whole night, including this moment, is a train wreck.

And to add to it, Zach says, “Well, if it isn’t the great Emir Shah,” as if he’s just noticed Emir is under the wing of his arm. “So, what’s your story?”

“My what?” Emir cranes back.

By tugging Zach in his direction, Sebastian desperately tries to make sure they all don’t eat dirt.

“Your story, man,” Zach says, exasperated. “No oneknowsyou.”

“I like it that way.”

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