Strings Attached

Clearly, Ross knew me well. I couldn’t help it, though. I didn’t like to take things from other people. In my experience, they let you think they’d be there for you, and once you relaxed, once you thought you had support, they’d bail. My dad was like that, and my mom’s family had been like that with her too.

“You deserve to treat yourself, my friend.”

I sighed and stepped out of the way so he could come in. “I did that last night.” I waggled my eyebrows.

“Oooh, that sounds interesting. I did too. More than once, actually. After dinner with my dad, I hit up a party and ended up having a threesome with these two sorority girls.” He plopped down on my love seat and put his feet up on the coffee table. Ross could make himself comfortable anywhere.

“Damn,” I replied, going down beside him. I didn’t have another chair or couch. “I met an older man at a gay bar. Went to his hotel with him and…”

“Holy shit, look at that smile. You look like you’re able to have an orgasm just thinking about him.”

I rolled my eyes, but I loved this—that Ross and I could talk this way even though he was straight. “How do you know what I look like when I’m going to come?”

“I don’t, but you whimpered and your toes curled.” He pointed to my feet, which were also on the table, and yep, they were curled.

“I didn’t whimper, but I probably should have. God, you don’t even know. He was so sexy, and he fucked like a god—twice. He blew me too. That was literally the best sex of my life. The kind of sex you compare all other encounters to.” With a sigh, I added, “I’m gonna miss random hookup sex.” The small amount I had.

Ross frowned. “Why can’t you have random hookup sex anymore?”

“Because I’m a professional now. I’m going to be a teacher. That’s all I need—some story to go around because I had sex with a student’s dad or some shit.”

“Like them older, do you?” Ross teased.

I thought about H and last night. If all older guys fucked like him, then yes, yes, I did. I just wished I’d taken his ass too.

“Also,” Ross continued, “I know how important this is to you. I know you want to do a good job, and I know you have family stuff you’re dealing with—not that I know what it is since you don’t share and I’ve never met anyone in your family, but—”

“I’ve never met your dad either.”

“You could have last night, but your punk ass wouldn’t go to dinner with us.” Oh yeah. I’d forgotten about that. “Anyway, my point is, just because you’re starting your career doesn’t mean you can’t have fun anymore, ya know? You’re so determined to be responsible, which is great, but responsible people are allowed to have random sex too. Or go to a party. Or screw up. That’s all I’m saying.”

He wasn’t just talking about getting laid either. We’d had this discussion before. The two weren’t mutually exclusive. I got what he was saying, but I didn’t want to screw up. I didn’t want to do anything to risk what I’d worked so hard for. I didn’t want to struggle the way my mom did. I was a fucking mess. “Wow, you’re good at pep talks. Who would have known?”

Ross rolled his eyes. “Right. Because I didn’t see what you did just now. Changing the subject will only get you so far.”

I playfully fluttered my lashes at him. “But it worked this time, didn’t it?”

“Yes, it worked this time, but just because I like you. When we’re roommates, we’re probably going to annoy each other a lot more, and I won’t let that shit go.”

“Just another drawback to living with you, I see. There are so many. I might have to change my mind.”

“Yeah, right, Wescott. You can’t fucking wait to live with me. Now, you have to repay me by going to dinner with Dad and me after graduation—his treat. He really should meet my roommate and the best friend I’ve been talking about for over a year.”

Shit. I should have known. “I don’t like people to pay for me.” And his dad would likely go somewhere I couldn’t afford.

“It’s okay to take a gift. That’s all it is—a graduation congratulations. That’s how Dad is. He likes to do nice things for people. He likes to reward hard work, and you are the hardest worker I’ve ever known…other than my dad, actually. The two of you have that in common.”

I highly doubted I had anything in common with his wealthy dad, who’d accomplished all the things he had.

“You’re going, Zander, or I’ll legit bug you to death. I’ll be the most annoying person you’ve ever met.”