Just a Bit Wrong (Straight Guys 4)

“Thanks,” Tristan said.

“That wasn’t a compliment.”

Tristan turned his head and smiled. “I know.”

For a moment, Zach’s eyes lingered on him before Zach looked away.

As they left the building, a cold March wind whistled through the air, biting Tristan’s face.

“Zip up your jacket,” Zach said.

Tristan zipped up his jacket. He wasn’t obeying Zach. It was just really cold. “Are you this charming with all your patients, or am I just lucky?” he said.

A faint smile twisted Zach’s lips. “With all my patients, but you bring out the worst in me.”

Oddly, that pleased Tristan.

“Did you drive here?” Zach said. When Tristan shook his head, he said, “Good. I’ll drive you back to your place.” He opened the door of his car and got in the driver’s seat.

“So what are we doing today?” Tristan said, getting into the passenger’s seat. “Nothing again? Do I get another lecture?”

“Actually, we might finally start the rehabilitation program if the swelling is completely gone. It looked better yesterday.”

“About time,” Tristan muttered.

They drove in silence for a while.

“Tell me about your girlfriend,” Tristan said at last, bored of silence.

“Why?”

Tristan glanced at him. “Why not?”

“I’ve already told you more than I should have. I normally like to keep my personal life apart from my professional one. Mixing them is never a good idea.”

“You should tell that to your friend.”

Zach frowned. “You mean Jared?”

“Do you know another doctor shagging his patient?”

Zach let out a low chuckle. “If you mean Gabriel, they’re just friends. Very close friends, but that’s it. I know it’s an easy mistake to make—I thought they were an item too when I met them a couple of years ago. But they’re just friends.”

“Oh yeah,” Tristan said, not without sarcasm. “Last week, I saw Gabe sucking Jared’s dick in his car. It looked real friendly.”

That silenced Zach.

At last, he said, “So it’s not just some bullshit you made up to force Jared to fire me.”

“Nope.” Tristan flickered his eyes to Zach. His face was hard to read. “So, what do you think of it?”

“It’s none of my business. It’s none of your business, either.”

Tristan gave a non-committal shrug.

“Tristan.”

“What?”

“It’s none of your business. And don’t even think about blackmailing Jared again.”

Tristan sighed. “You’re no fun. Fine.” He added quickly, “I’m not obeying you. I just realize it wasn’t the smartest thing to do.”

“It wasn’t,” Zach said.

“What about you?” Tristan asked after a while. “Ever fucked a patient?”

Zach didn’t say anything, his gaze firmly on the road ahead.

His eyes widening, Tristan grinned. “You have! You so have! Ha! You aren’t so perfect after all.”

“It was years ago,” Zach said curtly. “I was young and inexperienced and she needed comfort. I didn’t know how to draw the line—a common mistake many physios make. I never repeated the same mistake again.”

“Wait, is that why you’re so dictatorial and insensitive with your patients now? Because you want them to hate you?”

“I’m not insensitive,” Zach said.

“At least you don’t deny the dictatorial part.”

The corner of Zach’s mouth curled up. “Habit. I have five younger siblings.”

“Poor things,” Tristan murmured. “So what happened to the woman?”

“What woman?”

“The one you slept with. Your patient.”

“None of your business.”

“Oh, come on!”

“We both agreed it was a mistake,” Zach said. “And it was. It was a long time ago. I barely remember her.”

Tristan studied him with interest. “Tell me about your girlfriend, then.”

“No. I already told you that.”

“But why not?”

“Because it’s none of your business.”

Tristan exhaled loudly. The worst part was, he knew Zach was riling him up on purpose. Tristan knew it because he did the same thing with Lydia just for the fun of it. Zach’s face was stern, but there was definitely a hint of amusement lurking in his eyes.

“You’re so enjoying this,” Tristan said.

“Yep. You’re amusing when you pout. Such a diva.”

“I don’t pout.”

“Sure.”

Tristan crossed his arms over his chest and said nothing.

When Zach finally parked the car in front of Tristan’s house, they looked at each other.

“Still pouting?” Zach said.

Tristan nodded with a serene smile.

Chuckling, Zach shook his head. “I’ve seen some post-match interviews with you before. You’re so different from your public persona.”

Tristan rolled his eyes. “I know I’m not gonna like it, but let’s hear it.”

Zach’s lips twitched. “In every interview you’re always so charming, easy-going, and smiley. You’re likable. So damn likable that my bullshit radar went off every time I saw you say all the right things and wrap people around your little finger.”

“It’s called charisma,” Tristan said haughtily.

Zach snorted a laugh. “I don’t think so. People are just fooled by your pretty face and a pair of pretty blue eyes.”

Tristan batted his eyelashes. “Aw, you think I’m pretty?”

He received a flat look from Zach. “As a physiotherapist and personal trainer, I’ve learned a long time ago to look at a human body objectively. And objectively, you’re the prettiest guy I’ve ever seen.”