Just a Bit Wrong (Straight Guys 4)

“Yup,” James said. “Like shagging a twin. Gross. I mean, have you seen him naked?”

Grinning, Ryan gave James an obnoxiously loud kiss on the cheek. “I’m hot and you know it, babe.”

James rolled his eyes and made a disgusted face. He wasn’t pulling away, though.

Tristan wiggled his eyebrows. “Like shagging a twin? You guys ever heard of twincest?”

“You’re a terrible person,” Ryan said with a pinched look.

“Yep,” James agreed.

“He is,” Zach said with a laugh.

Tristan elbowed him in the ribs. Zach was supposed to be on his side!

“But he’s my terrible person,” Zach said, dropping a kiss on Tristan’s head.

Tristan hid his face in Zach’s shoulder. “You’re turning into a sap.”

“Aww,” Ryan and James cooed in unison.

“Look at him!” Ryan teased. “He’s blushing.”

“Fuck off,” Tristan muttered. “Am not.”

“Yep, blushing,” James said with a laugh. “He’s totally sweet on you, Zach.”

Tristan fidgeted. He was still far from comfortable talking about feelings in public.

“All right, that’s enough,” Zach said, a touch of steel appearing in his voice as he probably sensed Tristan’s embarrassment and discomfort. His arm around Tristan tightened. “Leave him alone.”

Tristan smiled, warmth spreading through his chest, wrapping and locking itself around his heart—still such a novel feeling but already very familiar. Zach was still an asshole and drove him crazy half of the time, but he got him. Zach knew when to tease, when to push, when to punish him for being a dick, when to give him space, and when to be stupidly overprotective. He got him.

Tristan waited until Ryan and James fucked off to the other end of the pool before looking at Zach. And for the first time he didn’t mumble when he said the words, “I love you. I do.”

The world didn’t end.

Zach just looked at him for a moment before groaning with a frustrated look on his face.

Frowning, Tristan slapped him on the chest. “What is that supposed to mean?” Tristan was hardly an expert, but he was pretty sure that wasn’t how people were supposed to react to love confessions.

“I can’t take it when you’re genuinely sweet and—” Zach shook his head with a laugh and leaned down to kiss him greedily. “Keep being my bitchy, grumpy little shit. Please. It’s bad enough already.”

Tristan smirked. “You do realize that now I’m going to be extra sweet just to drive you crazy, right?”

Zach sighed and kissed him again. “Brat,” he said against his lips.

Tristan grinned. “Always.”

The End