Messy Love (Stumbling into Love 3)

“You don’t have to turn on music. It’s just sex.” I shrugged. That sounded calm and nonchalant, right? “Plus, I’m not sure even music could have drowned out the harder.” I needed to make a joke. I needed to chill out because it was just sex.

“So you did hear.” Danny crossed his arms.

I did the same. “You knew that from the start.”

“Yes, I did.” He plucked his coffee cup off the counter. “I’m gonna get dressed and head out. I’ll see you tonight.” He took a few steps away, then stopped. “Oh, you can leave the creamer out. I’ll make a to-go cup for work.”

Then Danny was gone, and damned if I didn’t watch him go.

Grumbling at myself for being so awkward, I made my coffee and returned to my room. I took a few sips while I gathered my clothes, and then went for a shower. I stayed in a little longer than I normally would have, and by the time I got out, Danny’s bedroom door was open, the light off, and I knew he was gone.

As I warmed up my coffee, I saw he’d left the creamer out. When I opened the fridge to put it back, I noticed a bag with a sticky note with my name on it. What the fuck?

I opened it, and there was a packed lunch inside, with an orange soda and a note, like a parent would leave for their kid for school. With a smile, I pulled it out.

Jonathan,

Have a great first day! You got this. I’m so proud of you! I’ll bring dinner home tonight to celebrate, but it won’t be until close to eight. Text me and let me know if that’s cool.

Also, I hope you know this is a joke.

D.

My cheeks ached, and it took me a minute to realize it was because my smile was so big.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Danny

The week rushed by, Jonathan and I falling into a routine together. Even though the first week he worked on Monday, his permanent schedule would be Tuesday through Saturday, eight to five, meaning baseball was a go.

We ate dinner together nearly every night, which began with me bringing home tacos from a food truck I loved. We didn’t have underwear movie nights yet, but I was hopeful.

We went down and signed up for the baseball team. Practices were at seven, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday for an hour, the first to take place next week. Everything was falling pretty perfectly into place.

It was Saturday now, and Jonathan was at work. I wanted to take him out to do something, but I wasn’t sure I could get him to venture into a club yet. Maybe, but I wasn’t counting on it.

Elijah and I were at Piedmont Park, relaxing on a blanket, his head on my stomach as we lay there. I’d always been an affectionate person, even more so with him. I was glad it didn’t bother Shaw, that he knew Elijah was crazy about him and him alone. It would have been hard to lose this part of our relationship. Elijah always thought he’d needed our friendship more, but the truth was, I needed it just as much.

“Why are you so quiet?” he asked.

“I was thinking that I’m glad we’re still so close. Before that I was trying to figure out somewhere to take Jonathan tonight. I want to get him out more. He needs it.”

Eli rolled onto his belly, letting his chin rest on my abs. “We would never lose us. And how’s that going with you and Jonathan? It was cool of you to ask him to move in, and even cooler that you’re trying to hang out with him.”

It sounded as if he thought I was hanging out with Jonathan for other reasons than because I liked him, though I knew Elijah didn’t mean it that way. “He’s fun. I know he seems a bit quiet, but it’s just because he’s figuring himself out. I enjoy spending time with him. As for the roommate thing, eh, maybe it was time for me to shake things up some for myself too.”

There was about a three-second stall before, “Holy shit, you want to hook up with Will’s brother!” His eyes went wide.

“What? No I don’t. I mean, okay, maybe that’s a lie because he’s fucking hot, but I’m not sitting here trying to plan a way to get in his pants. There’s something about him I just like, kind of how I strangely like you, but I’m not sure why.”

“Please. I’m fucking fabulous.” We both laughed. “Um…can I be real for a moment?”

“I expect nothing less.”

“I don’t know that it would be a good idea to fuck around with Will’s brother. He’s gone through a lot, and he’s Will’s brother, so if things got weird…”

“It would mess up the whole group. I get it. Plus, I wasn’t thinking about having sex with him. You’re the one who mentioned it.” While I actually agreed with Elijah that it wouldn’t be a good idea, and I really wasn’t planning on fucking Jonathan, his words still rubbed me the wrong way. Did he think I wasn’t sensitive to what Jonathan was going through? That I’d fuck things up somehow and hurt him? I might not have been looking for a serious relationship—I was young and enjoyed being single—but I didn’t play with guys’ emotions. The one time I’d been semi-interested in someone as more than a hookup, he’d screwed with my head, and I wasn’t about to do that to someone else.