Page 33 of Heart Taker

“Right.” Ethan leaned forward. “So, you’re going to pick up a hot guy to blow your?—”

“Ethan,” I warned.

“What? You came out to us. Can’t I say that?” He looked around the table. “My next question is, do you get laid with that beard?”

“It won’t be a problem,” I countered with a dirty grin.

“I want to come with you,” Ethan urged. “Please, please, let me be your wingman. Please.”

“You?” That comment came from Jett, one of the rowing crew, who gave Ethan an incredulous look. “Yeah, right. You look eighteen, never mind twenty-one.”

“Hey! I’m in my twenty-first year, fuck you very much. And I’m goddamn hot. I’ll have guys climbing all over me.”

“Okay, first of all, that’s way too much ego talking,” I replied with a chuckle. “Second, do youwantguys all over you?”

“Sure, I can handle it. I’m a master flirter. I’ve got your back.”

“Jesus, why does that scare me?” I muttered.

“You’re worried that all the sexy guys will want me and not you.” Ethan smirked.

“Fuck off.”

“I only call it as I see it.”

“Stop talking!” Jett called out.

Ethan placed a napkin over his right hand and held it up in Jett’s direction in a discreet, but meaningful way.

“Wait, are there gay bars in Sutton?” Ethan asked. “Is that where we’re going?”

“Not that I know of. Andwe’renot going anywhere. I usually go to Burlington.”

“Ooh. Give us the dirty deets. Come on, spill.”

I turned to Finn. “Please, make him stop.”

“Like I have control over Ethan’s mouth?” Finn rolled his eyes.

I glanced at Ethan. “You’re not coming with us, no matter where we go. If we go.”

“But it’ll be so much more fun if I’m there.”

“You’re being annoying.”

“And?”

This time, instead of a napkin, I grabbed a roll and lobbed it at Ethan’s head.

CHAPTER 11

SILAS

The rest of my night didn’t go as planned.

I got back home after midnight to change out of my suit and into my jeans and found my brother sitting on the bathroom floor, sweaty and pale, holding his stomach. He’d been sick most of the evening. It sounded like it was a reaction to something he ate, or maybe it was the new meds. I made a note to call his doctor, then I texted my teammates and told them we’d go out another time.

I heated up a bowl of bone broth since it was good for the stomach and offered it to Jo along with a bottle of Gatorade. Thankfully, Josiah managed to keep that down and he fell asleep an hour later. I cleaned up the bathroom, threw his PJs in the wash, and made myself a sandwich.

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