Page 47 of Riot of Autumn

“Deal,” I gasp out, sounding way too breathy. My butt is nearly hanging off the edge of the couch, but I don’t give a damn. Nowhere else has ever been more comfortable than Ezra’s arms.

“Are you ready for our first date?” Ezra asks, continuing to distractingly knead my ass.

“Date? What are we going to do?”

“We’ve got some houses to TP.”

16

EZRA

Davis’s fishing boat rocks gently on the ocean, and I hold back a groan. Why did I agree to this outing? Davis, Archer, Rhys and I are all on Davis’s boat. Archer sent a message this morning complaining that he was missing his man-friends. After an obscene amount of text messages back and forth, Davis ended the conversation by telling us all that we were going fishing and to meet at his boat after I closed the office down for the day.

Being on a boat is something I’ve worked hard to be able to do. Therapy out the asshole had to be undertaken for me to do something so simple as sit on my friend’s boat. I worked at it in baby steps until, I’m proud to say, I can now bob around in the ocean while every one of us except for Davis does a piss-poor job at fishing. Occasionally, I’ve forced Davis out on his boat when he’s gotten too far into his own head. I know being out on the water calms him, but it’s never going to be my happy place. It would be nearly impossible with my past. The others understand and there’s never any dicking around on the water. That’s not something I can handle.

The boat has seats on both the starboard and port sides of the stern of the boat. Archer and Rhys are sitting in those spots, feet kicked up and fishing poles in the water. Davis and I have two camp chairs and we’re sitting in those. My line is in the water, but I’m not really paying attention. My mind is too busy spinning over everything that’s been going on with Ruby.

Fuck, she’s amazing. Not just on my couch at the clinic, but when we’d gone to TP Timothy and then Johnny’s house. She’d gone full stealth mode, and we’d left them a mess to clean up. I can’t remember the last time I’ve laughed so hard.

“Want to tell the class why you’re smiling like an idiot?” Archer swivels his chair to get a better look at me. His move triggers Davis and Rhys, who both do the same until they’re all staring at me.

“Doesn’t look like he’s smiling to me,” Davis grunts, turning back to his fishing pole.

“That’s because you two made him nervous with all your attention.” Archer scoffs, and I roll my eyes.

“He looks guilty,” Rhys says, lowering his sunglasses to squint at me.

“I’m not guilty.” I huff, feeling a little guilty about Ruby for some damn reason.

Not because of what we did. That was fucking incredible. I’m not exactly sure what’s making me feel that way. That I want to keep stuff private and not tell my friends what happened? That I think they’ll judge me for possibly fucking up one of my oldest friendships? Archer has no room to talk there. I’m ready to go all in with Ruby, but I don’t want to push her. That’s just the normal human relationship part of things. I don’t even want to think about bonding and her being myiomlánand all those magical complications.

Archer grins at me, rubbing his hands together. He’s salivating at the thought of uncovering a secret. Nosy bastard. “You’re definitely hiding something.”

“I’m not hiding anything.”

“Ha! But you haven’t told us something. I can smell it.” Archer wafts his hand under his nose and then makes a disgusted face. “Fuck. Smells like bait.”

Rhys snorts and shakes his head, but he’s still studying me. Davis doesn’t give a shit, staring out at the water like his laser focus will make the fish jump into the boat.

“Dude, you have to tell me. It’ll drive me crazy.”

“Just tell us what it is, so Archer shuts up. He’s scaring the fucking fish,” Davis rumbles. He takes off his cap and sweeps back his nearly chin length dark hair, before settling the hat back on his head.

The summer is finally starting to unclench its hold on Wild Haven and fall temperatures are bringing relief. Not enough for Davis to switch back to his favorite stocking cap yet, though.

“Ruby and I sort of had sex.”

Davis chuckles, and I frown at him. Why the hell is that funny? Archer and Rhys both groan and then stand up. Looking annoyed, the two of them pull out their wallets and then slap money into Davis’s outstretched palm.

“What the fuck? You were taking bets?”

“Since the ninth grade.” The corner of Davis’s mouth lifts in a small smile that’s practically a grin from him.

“Really, Davis, you stooped to their level.” I wave my hand at the others, glaring at Davis. “I expect this from them, but not you.” I give him my best disappointed face and it only has Davis chuckling that much harder.

“You once bet Archer you couldn’t get me to drink a glass of pepper bomb hot sauce.”

I snicker, and Archer leans over to give me a high-five. “I forgot about that.”

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