Irresponsible Puckboy (Puckboys 2)

I take it serious time is over. “You’re ridiculous.”

“It’s why you love me.”

“I can say with no uncertainty that is not true. It might be your worst trait.”

He continues to jump, and the bedsprings protest under his weight. “You’re wrong. My worst trait is my penis.”

I cock my head at him.

“Which is damn near perfect. Just like the rest of me.”

“Careful, you’re sounding a hell of a lot like Ezra right now.”

Finally, he stops, but then he looks at me like I said the worst thing I could ever say. “Take that back.”

“Umm, no.”

Oskar springs off the bed and tackles me to the ground. We hit with a hard thud, and I grunt in pain. “Yeah, baby, I’m coming so hard.” He yells so loud I think they can hear him in Spain.

Then something presses against my thigh. “What the—are you actually hard?”

“Relax. It’s nothing to do with you and everything to do with the thought of them listening to us have sex.”

I shove him off me. “Are we done now?”

“Wait, we need recovery time. Ooh!” He stands and strips off all his clothes and then wraps a towel around his waist. “Be right back.”

“Where are you going?”

He opens the door and says loudly, “I’m thirsty from all that fucking.”

His footsteps retreat down the hall but stop abruptly.

“He left as soon as you started making sex noises,” Ezra says.

“And you couldn’t have come and told us?” Oskar exclaims.

“Nope. It was very entertaining. Over with a bit soon though, don’t you think?”

I drop my head back against the floor, tempted to check if there’s a flight home to Vegas later tonight.

Seven

DEX

When I said for them to do their couple stuff and that I’d hang out in between, I didn’t realize how much couple stuff there would be.

Ezra and Anton invite me on a whole bunch of things with them, but every time Oskar and Tripp leave to do something, Oskar makes it very clear he wants Tripp all to himself.

After a few days here, I’m beginning to feel a lot like a fifth wheel, and I’m starting to suspect this is worse than sitting around at home whining over a breakup.

Actually, no, it is worse.

Jessica pissed me off because of the things she said, but I don’t miss her. Tripp is literally right there, sitting across the table from me, and I miss him more than I ever have.

But he’s my best friend. And if my best friend is happy, that means more to me than some sulky feelings I’ll get over soon enough.

“What are we doing today?” I ask him, and of course Oskar takes that moment to pop up out of nowhere.

“We’re going up to that drop-off.”

“Can I come?” Maybe I can push Oskar off it?

The leer Oskar gives me makes it clear what he’s thinking. “You don’t want to see what we’ll be doing up there.”

He’s right about that. I really, really don’t. And not because of all the gay sex but because anytime Oskar gives Tripp any amount of affection, it makes me … on edge. Tripp doesn’t look like he enjoys it, and maybe that’s because he’s never been big on full-blown PDAs or because Oskar is so nonstop about it. Oskar isn’t acting all that differently toward me, but every time he touches Tripp, this little voice in my head insists he’s staking his claim.

On my Tripp.

I cross my arms and slump down in my seat. “You can kiss your … whatever he is. It’s not like I’ve never seen that before.” My words come out sulkier than they should.

“Come on, baby,” Oskar says, hauling Tripp to his feet. “Let’s go get dressed.”

Code for sex. I swear they go at it more than Ezra and Anton.

I leave before they can get started, determined not to let Tripp see my disappointment at having to spend another day without him. It’s fair. I get Tripp all the time, and he barely sees Oskar. This is the way it should be. It’s fine. Normal. Nothing to be upset over.

I flee the house so quickly, I almost run into the other happy couple outside.

“Where are you rushing off to?” Ezra asks.

“If I’d known this place was going to be a fuckfest, I would have at least brought noise-canceling headphones.”

Anton goes to say something, but Ezra elbows him and says, “We’re taking one of the boats out. Want to come?”

“It depends.”

“On?” Ezra asks.

“Can you drown me while we’re out there?”

“I’m sure it can be arranged. Just don’t struggle, okay? Then I’ll feel bad.”

“Wow.” So desperate to spend time with me, he’s considering murder. “If Anton hadn’t already said he didn’t share, I’d think you two were coming onto me.”

Ezra laughs, but Anton’s still watching me.

“Are you okay, Dex?”

Oh no. He had to go and ask that, didn’t he? I’m fine, totally fine, but the second he hits me with that question, my throat gets thick and my eyes start to get all wet. I try to push it all down and remind myself that I’m happy for Tripp. If he’s happy, I’m happy. That’s how we work.