Better to Believe (Harrison Campus 4)

Liam side-eyed Coury. Although . . .

Coury caught him looking and lifted an eyebrow.

“Do frat guys always take their shirts off at parties?” Liam said.

“I imagine they’re proud of their hard work.”

“I imagine they want to get laid.”

Coury choked on a gulp of water and laughed. “Yeah, that too.”

Liam stared down at his empty cup, wishing it would miraculously fill with honey-colored liquid courage.

Coury peered into it, too. Their hair brushed and dizziness—unrelated to drink—fingered through Liam, slow and thorough.

“I’m not sure you can tell fortunes with leftover foam.”

Liam angled it better for Coury to see. “Can’t you tell? I’m in for a memorable night.”

Coury snorted and picked himself up. “I’m gonna grab another water. Guard our spot?”

Our spot. Liam liked the intimacy that suggested.

“In that case.” Liam lifted his cup. “Refill?”

Coury took the cup carefully with a calculating eye on Liam. He nodded. “Sure.”

He left, and Liam admired him as he went, the grace of his body, the flex of muscle, the confidence as he walked across the room.

Liam took his opportunity and shuffled closer to Coury’s cushiony set up. He felt the warmth he’d left behind on the satin material and briefly closed his eyes.

He could do this. He wanted to do this. Only . . . the pulsing music, the snickers and yells over the room, the strangers . . . maybe it wasn’t the right setting. Would there ever be a right setting? He was out of his comfort zone already. Might as well go all out and declare his feelings.

Liam’s body straightened when he glimpsed Coury threading his way back, a beer in one hand, a water bottle in the other. The room looked brighter suddenly. Felt warmer.

A woman with short dark hair, in tight jeans and tighter top, intercepted him. Coury smiled and gave her as much of a hug as he could without covering her in cheap beer.

She reached out and rubbed his shoulder. He said something and she glanced over her shoulder toward Liam. A shockingly pretty face had Liam’s stomach tightening.

This was someone Coury knew very well—or someone he wanted to know very well.

Heaviness made him sink into the cushions. Which was it? Liam tried to make out what they talked about, but they were too far away.

He was supposed to stay put and secure their spot, but . . . he was standing up. He was blinking in the tilting room. He was struggling to push past a pocket of frat brothers.

He brushed past Pretty Face. “Is that mine?” Liam took his beer from Coury’s hand. Only after it was gone did Coury’s eyes refocus on Liam.

“Hey.” He glanced back at their spot.

Liam smiled and sipped. “Who’s your friend?”

“This is Katie. We went to high school together. Katie, this is Liam.”

Her smile pushed Liam’s stomach into his feet. “This is the Liam I’ve heard so much about?” She reached out to hug him.

Totally off-kilter, Liam went with the moment.

“Coury said you’re a lifesaver for helping him with his class.”

“Um . . . he exaggerates. A lot.”

“Don’t listen to him,” Coury slung an arm around Liam. “He’s every bit as wonderful as I said, and then some.”

“I won’t keep you two.” She smiled happily. “Just tell me the oblique isn’t going to mess you up for the draft.”

Liam’s gaze followed Katie’s to Coury’s injured side.

“It shouldn’t. I’m on track to start opening day.”

“That’s awesome, Coury. Don’t do anything to mess that up.” She leaned in for another hug. “Nice to meet you, Liam. Hope to see you again.”

Liam watched as Katie slipped through the crowd and snuggled up to a tall, beefy guy who kissed her cheek.

The heat from Coury’s arm reminded him they were still linked. He turned and Coury’s amused grin soaked into him. “You get tired of sitting in that little space?”

“Something like that.” I must look like a fool. “I needed to stretch.”

“Me too.” He looked at their spot, the one Liam was supposed to guard, but it was now occupied by a guy and girl making out. “Let’s walk around and you can meet some of my other friends.”

Coury pulled his arm back, and Liam missed it immediately. He nodded. “Sounds good.”

* * *

Coury

Liam was an adorable lightweight.

Who knew three beers was all it would take to get him singing—literally—at the top of his lungs to the music? Liam enjoyed himself and smiled a lot, almost as much as Coury was.

After banging into Katie, Liam had dropped his guard, exposing more of the real him, and others had noticed. He was funny and smart and had such cute charm. Coury fought down the urge to tell his housemates to back off, Liam was his.

Liam stayed glued to Coury the rest of the night. He made a big deal of telling everyone he and Coury had known each other since he was “free.” He’d held up four fingers and Coury folded down his pinky with an amused smirk.