Just a Bit Wicked (Straight Guys 7)

Vlad stared at her. “I’m here as a friend,” he said at last.

She laughed. “Right.”

“He did say we could be friends,” Vlad said, reining in his temper. It wouldn’t do to be rude to Sebastian’s sister. “I want to be his friend.” Want was probably too strong a word, but he wasn’t lying.

Julia scoffed. “Please. You can’t be friends with Sebastian.”

Vlad gritted his teeth. “And why the hell not?”

“Because Sebastian’s friend wouldn’t look at him like he’s starved and Sebastian is a three-course meal.”

“I didn’t look at him that way,” Vlad said stiffly.

Julia gave him an unimpressed look. “I was actually in the room with you two. You looked at him like you wanted to push him on the table and fuck him right there.” She made a face. “Gross.”

Vlad shoved his hands into his pockets, fighting back a blush. “That was before.”

Liar.

Julia stared at him. “Why are you here?”

“I told you—I want to be his friend.”

“Why are you here?” she said again, as if he hadn’t said anything.

Vlad pressed his lips together. “I don’t get why you’re interrogating me like I’m his bad ex or something. Sebastian and I had a casual thing.”

“Right,” she said, her expression hardening. “Have a good day. You will not be seeing my brother.” She turned away and put a hand on the door handle.

“Julia,” Vlad croaked. “I need to see him.”

She turned back slowly and studied him for a long moment.

“Please,” he said. “I miss him.”

Her face softened. “If you hurt him—”

“I won’t,” Vlad said. “I’m telling the truth: I’m here as a friend.”

She sighed, muttered something under her breath, and disappeared into the house, leaving him staring at the door.

He waited.

The wait seemed endless.

When he started thinking Sebastian wouldn’t be coming out, the door finally opened again. Vlad felt his mouth go dry.

Sebastian’s dark eyes stared at Vlad with an unreadable expression. Sebastian was wearing a thick, oversized green pullover and old, threadbare jeans. His hair wasn’t styled. It had gotten longer, falling to his shoulders in soft waves. Vlad wanted to bury his fingers in those raven strands, pull him close, and kiss him until he could satisfy the bottomless hunger in the pit of his stomach.

“Hey,” Sebastian said, breaking the silence. There was something wary and uncertain about the way he looked at Vlad.

“Hi,” Vlad said hoarsely. Friends. He was here as a friend. He’d better remember that.

They stared at each other.

“How have you been?” Vlad said.

“Good, thanks,” Sebastian said, running a hand through his hair. “Hermione had two boy kittens.”

It took Vlad a moment to remember what Sebastian was talking about. Right. Sebastian’s cat.

He chuckled. “Don’t tell me you really called them Rose and Hugo.”

“I called them Gryff and Slyth,” Sebastian said, smiling and looking very proud of himself. He was ridiculous.

Vlad wanted to kiss him. He hoped he didn’t look as fond as he felt.

They stared at each other some more, neither speaking.

Vlad said, “You haven’t even texted me.”

Sebastian’s smile disappeared. “You haven’t texted me, either.”

“If we are to be friends, we should do better,” Vlad said.

Sebastian dropped his gaze. “We should.”

Squashing down his disappointment, Vlad retrieved an envelope from his pocket. “This is for you. Merry Christmas.”

Sebastian’s eyes lit up with curiosity and pleasure. “What is it?”

“Two tickets for Chelsea-Manchester City game tomorrow,” Vlad said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I thought we could go together. Hang out. If you want.”

Sebastian beamed at him. “Wow, really? Of course I do! Thank you!” He leaned in and pecked Vlad’s cheek.

They both kind of froze.

“Right,” Sebastian said, stepping away and clasping his hands behind his back.

It took Vlad a moment to regain his control over his brain. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow, then.”

“Great,” Sebastian said, grabbing the door handle behind him. “Thanks, see you tomorrow.” He all but fled back into the house.

Vlad touched his cheek before letting his hand fall and balling it into a fist.

Friends. Just friends.

Right.

Chapter 27

It wasn’t a date. It wasn’t a date. It wasn’t a date.

Maybe if Sebastian repeated that often enough, the butterflies in his stomach would finally go away.

It wasn’t a date. They were hanging out as friends. He and Vlad were friends. That was the only thing they could be. He shouldn’t—mustn’t—make it weird.

The last month had been weird enough as it was. He had been plagued with what ifs, feeling off balance and frustrated with himself. Even spending Christmas with his family hadn’t fixed him. Thankfully, his parents seemed oblivious.

But Julia hadn’t been as easily fooled. She had noticed his mood immediately upon his arrival, cornered him in his room and forced him to spill.

He had told her everything.

After Sebastian finished speaking, his sister didn’t roll her eyes or say, “I told you so.” Instead, she looked at him a little sadly and said,

“Do you remember that Christmas we spent at Aunt Virginia’s?”