I hated that I had that effect on people, just because I was tall and beefy.
Before people knew me, they often saw me as some sort of threat, even though I may as well have been a ditzy, flirty butterfly trapped in a big football player’s body.
“Well, this is awkward,” Logan said, “but I think I also accidentally opened one of your packages. I was expecting a book shipment, and… well, most of your packages so far this year have just been beef jerky and electrolyte drinks, so—”
I puffed out a laugh. “It’s fine. I don’t care that you opened my book.”
I was a little embarrassed that he’d seen what I’d ordered, though. Time Management for Dummies didn’t exactly make me look cool.
Logan came over and set it down on the table.
I didn’t want him running off again yet. I liked having him out here. And after a night like tonight, I desperately wanted company.
“I don’t want things to be awkward between us,” I told him before he could steal off to his room again. “We’re going to have to live together for a whole year, and it’s only been a couple of weeks so far.”
He reached a hand up to scratch the back of his neck. “But it already is awkward,” he said.
Christ, he was tugging at my heartstrings so much I thought they might snap. He looked so genuinely apologetic, his eyes almost pleadingly wide.
I nodded. “I mean, you did walk in on me covered in my own cum,” I said. It was just a matter of fact. “But I promise you, I’m not embarrassed. I’m proud of what I’ve got. And I still want to get to know you.”
He swallowed. “I’m not really good at getting to know people. I kind of suck at it, actually.”
I wanted to pull him into a tight fucking hug.
I wanted to have him close and tell him everything would be okay.
Honestly, I wanted to kiss him until both of our lips were ruddy and swollen, and then gently hold him against me as I made him come. But I wasn’t going to let my mind wander quite that far.
I shrugged. “So, let’s fix that,” I said. “Eat some of this Chinese with me? I have enough here for about a family of six, so I’m going to need some help. Have you even had dinner yet?”
He bit his lower lip, looking down at the array of hot food on the table. “Not yet.”
“That’s the look of a man who is ready to dive into some fried rice if I’ve ever seen it,” I told him. I patted the spot next to me on the couch. “C’mon. I don’t bite, unless I’m in bed. I promise.”
God damn, I had to quit it with the jokes around him.
Miraculously, I saw the corner of his mouth quirk up in a smile after my comment, though. Finally, he looked like he was feeling a little more disarmed as he came over and sat down next to me, grabbing a plate. “Coconut shrimp is my favorite,” he said, reaching for one.
“Mine too.”
It felt good to see him get more comfortable, even if it was just for the promise of hot food.
This was going to be my mission. If I couldn’t play football right, couldn’t stay organized enough to get good grades, and couldn’t even remember to close my damn door, at least I could try to do one thing: I could be a good housemate. And maybe, someday, I could make Logan realize I wasn’t just another aloof asshole of a jock.
And I was determined to ignore the fact that Logan was totally, completely, painfully my type.
It didn’t matter how badly I wanted to see more of that milky-smooth skin beneath his rumpled sweater. Or that he always smelled faintly delicious, like vanilla and coffee, probably from hours spent studying in some cafe. And it definitely didn’t matter that I could picture holding his smaller frame in my arms in bed, and that I knew he’d fit perfectly up against me as we slept.
I wasn’t even sure if Logan liked guys or not. He’d certainly seemed interested in checking out my muscles a few times before, but still, I knew I shouldn’t assume.
So I was going to ignore my constant horny impulses, focus on the feast in front of me, and do anything I could to make Logan feel comfortable around me.
3
Logan
“They would never do that, though,” I said, gesturing at the TV. “If it were a siege battle, sure, they might use catapult weapons like these. But in a place like this, with so much obstruction, they’d never use them. And don’t even get me started on the Emperor.”
I was surprised when Brody let out a high laugh, leaning back against the couch. “Are you always like this when you watch movies?”