Chapter ten

Listening to Kait and the rest of our class clack away on their keyboards, taking notes, is stressing me out. I just can’t concentrate on lectures today.

I need to talk to Lexi.

I can’t get him off my mind lately, and it’s so fucking confusing. Barely anything has happened.

Actually, that’s a lie. The afternoon we spent together happened. Spending that time alone with Lexi was fucking amazing. There was definitely flirting from both of us.

I think.

I know I was flirting, but maybe I’m only seeing what I want to with Lexi. That is another fucking hard question. Why do I want him to be flirting with me? Maybe it’s just the lack of sex? As soon as I think that, my mind rejects it. The celibacy thing may have opened my eyes to Lexi, but it’s not the reason I can’t stop thinking about him. That is all Lexi. The professor must say something because laptops start slamming shut all over the room. You’d think people would be a bit more delicate with their computers.

“Did you pay any attention to the lecture?” Kait asks as she tucks her laptop into her backpack.

“Nope,” I say, emphasizing the P. “I just can’t concentrate today.”

“Yeah, what’s up with that?” I shrug, and she rolls her eyes. What am I supposed to do? Tell her I can’t get her brother off my mind. No way. “Okay, I’ll send you my notes.”

“You’re the best.” I kiss her on the cheek as we walk out of the lecture hall. “What movie are we watching tonight?”

“I was thinking we’d watch Save The Last Dance. What’s wrong with that?” I didn’t mean to pull a face, but we’ve watched that movie three times this year.

“Nothing. But everything is right with The Faculty,” I say, a moment of inspiration hitting me. Lexi always hides during it because even though he doesn’t like horror, he will watch one if it’s made in the nineties. Even though The Faculty is barely horror, it scares him enough that he will crawl to the next available person and find a pillow to hide under.

I just have to figure out how to get Lexi to sit on the sofa with me so I can get those cuddles. I will happily be his human pillow.

Okay, yeah, I should really talk to him if I’m trying to manipulate situations where I get snuggles from a guy. I’m going to do it anyway, of course.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

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“Whose fucking car is that?” I say as we pull up outside Kait’s house. She looks up from her phone.

“Oh, that looks like Tucker’s car,” she says, surprised.

“Tucker? Tucker Evans?”

“Yeah.” She undoes her seat belt and starts to get out.

“Why is Tucker Evan’s car outside your house?” I bark out.

She shrugs. “He’s been talking to the guy cheerleaders. Maybe he’s hooking up with Lexi or something?”

White-hot rage rolls over me so suddenly it takes me by surprise. Tucker isn’t laying one finger on Lexi.

“No. Absolutely not.” Kait looks at me quizzically. “Tucker just got out of a relationship that ended really badly. He’s looking at Lexi to be some rebound, and that’s not good enough.

“I agree,” Kait says seriously. “Lexi deserves more than that. He should have someone funny, kind, caring. Somebody who will appreciate him and maybe look after him a little bit.”

I can’t help but smile. “Yeah, but he also needs someone adventurous. Somebody to help him push his boundaries and to take him on trips to the beach. Someone who understands his love of movies and will make him eat breakfast. Someone who supports his love of cheerleading and will support him.”

Kait has a funny look on her face. Like she just worked out string theory or some shit.

“You don’t see it,” she sighs.

My brow crinkles in confusion. “See what?”

“It’s nothing. Don’t worry.” She smiles. “But yeah, you’re right. Lexi deserves all those things. Let’s go see what’s going on. Plus, these movies aren’t gonna watch themselves.”

“You sound like your dad.”

We get out of the car and make our way into the house. I hear laughter coming from the kitchen.

Fucking Tucker.

I want to be the one who Lexi makes laugh.

Shit. I’m jealous.

I have never felt jealousy over a guy before, and I don’t like it. Before, if I saw a guy I wanted to fuck and he went off with someone else, I would just shrug and move on to the next pretty guy.

“Hi,” I say as we walk into the room. Lexi turns from the kitchen counter and smiles at us. He has such a pretty smile. Why has it taken me so long to realize this?

It’s shy and incredibly sexy. Just like him.

I think I have a crush on Lexi. How can I have a crush? When did this happen? Ugh, it doesn’t matter. I need to stick to the plan, which is tricking Lexi into giving me cuddles. I can do that. I don’t even care that I’m being shitty.

“So, what will we be watching?” Tucker asks, popping a chip into his mouth as Gio steals the bag. I narrow my eyes at him. I don’t want Lexi to know what movie we’ll be watching until we’re already sitting.

“The Faculty,” Kait responds with a smile.

Traitor.

Lexi smacks my shoulder. “Ryder, you know that movie scares me.”

“You’ll be fine. It doesn’t really scare you. It just makes you jump a little. Plus, Josh Hartnett is in it.” And I will sit right next to him, shoulder at the ready for him to hide into.

“Yeah, he is gorgeous.” Lexi sighs.

“I often get told I look like him.” I watch as Lexi’s cheeks slowly turn red. He looks delicious. I want to know if he blushes everywhere.

“It was Pa who said that about you,” Kait says with a smirk. Why is she my best friend again?

“It still counts,” I say defiantly. I turn to Lexi. “Do you think I look like Josh Hartnett?”

I watch as he swallows. “Yeah, I can see it.”

“So you think I’m gorgeous?” His cheeks are now flaming, and my cock is definitely taking an interest.

I’m not even going to pretend I don’t have a crush on Lexi Hart.

“I’m going to go get changed,” he says, and I watch as he speeds out of the room. Do I affect him because he’s into me or just generally embarrassed?

I turn back around, and three pairs of eyes stare at me.

“What’s up?”

“You have to know,” Gio says, looking at me like I’m an idiot.

“I have literally no idea what you’re talking about. I’m gonna go pick a snack.” I turn around to busy myself with opening popcorn packets and candy wrappers.

Kait sighs behind me. “I’m gonna get the movies lined up.”

“Yeah, cool. I might as well come with you,” Gio says, following her from the room and leaving Tucker and me in the kitchen. Alone.

Oh, this is fun.

I haven’t heard from his ex-boyfriend since the night we hooked up in the club. I don’t swap numbers with people I sleep with. I have seen him around. He took one look at me and high-tailed it in the opposite direction. Spinless little shit.

I know he’s looking at me. I can feel his gaze. I don’t know if he’s expecting me to say something? I have no idea what I would say to him.

Maybe I'd like him if he wasn’t trying to steal Lexi from me.

Whoa.

Lexi isn’t mine to steal. I might want him to be. I think. I have no clue, but I know I want snuggles and that hanging around in here, not talking to Tucker, won’t help.

“Do you need any help?” Tucker asks. I look at him out of the corner of my eye, brows raised.

“Oh yes, because opening junk food packets is so strenuous,” I say in a sickly-sweet voice.

“Whatever, man. I was just trying to be nice.” He looks kinda sad. “I like Lexi.”

I feel like I’ve stopped breathing.

I knew it.

“No. Shit. No, not like that,” he rushes out, eyes bugging. “I like Lexi as a friend. Only as a friend.”

That makes me bristle. “Why don’t you want to date him? Lexi is fucking amazing.”

“Are you seriously trying to convince me to date Lexi?” He looks at me like I’ve lost my damned mind.

I think I might have.

“No, I’m just saying, Lexi is the best.”

“Yeah, he’s great, and I want to keep him as a friend.” He stares at me, waiting for me to say something.

“Okay? So stay his friend?” This is a weird fucking conversation.

Tucker looks up to the ceiling and mumbles something. He looks back at me intently. “I like Lexi, so if he were to get a boyfriend who doesn’t like me, that boyfriend might ask him to stop hanging out with me. You get what I’m saying?”

I just nod at him silently, and he leaves the room.

Does he think I have a chance with Lexi? I run a hand through my hair. I can’t think about that now. I have a plan.

Operation Snuggle Lexi.

I grab a couple of bowls of junk food and head to the living room. Kait, Gio, and Tucker are on the sofa, leaving the loveseat free.

Thank fuck.

Gio gives me a wink as I sit. Am I being too obvious?

All thoughts fly out of my brain as Lexi comes in and stops, looking at us all sitting in our seats. My eyes are drawn to his throat as his Adam’s apple bobs. I pat the seat next to me and raise an eyebrow. Lexi makes his way over, flopping into the seat, and I put my arm around him.

I lean in, whispering, “I learned from last time. This will keep us way more comfortable.”

“Yeah, thanks,” he says, squirming slightly.

“Ryder, do you want a fluffy blanket?” Kait asks as she throws me one anyway. I cover the both of us and settle in. Kait puts the movie on, and we quickly get engrossed in it. When the first scary thing happens, Lexi turns, putting his face into my shoulder.

The heat of his body pressed against mine does things to me.

He feels so good. So right. Like snuggled into me is where he was always meant to be.

“You okay?” I whisper into his ear. He just nods his head. That’s good enough for me. I move so he can snuggle in further. He does. Practically sitting on my lap, right where I want him to be.

I can’t help but hope that we get more of this in the future.

“What are you doing?” Lexi whispers, looking up at me.

“What do you mean?” I ask, confused.

“Your hand.” I look, seeing that I’m rubbing circles on the skin where his shoulder meets his neck.

Who knows how long I’ve been doing it. I just like my hands on him. There are goosebumps where I touched him.

I lean into him. “Does it feel good?”

He rolls his eyes. “Of course it feels good. Feels nice.”

“Nice? We can do better.” I press my lips lightly behind his ear. Not quite a kiss, but definitely a promise.

He moves slightly, grabbing a cushion from behind him and placing it over his lap.

I can’t help but smile.

I made him hard.

Fuck, I can’t help but squirm a little. Lexi stiffens under my arm. A sneak peek at his stony face shows he’s not happy.

Shit.

I’ve taken this too far.

Anxiety builds in me as we sit for another twenty minutes, finishing the movie. My knee bounces with nerves the whole time. I need to get him alone and talk to him. I can fix this. I know I can.

As the credits start to roll, Lexi jumps out of his seat.

“I think I’m gonna head to bed,” he says, looking at everyone but me. “It’s been a pretty full day. You guys can stay and watch. I’ll leave you to it.”

And then he runs from the room.

Kait, Tucker, and Gio give me matching what the fuck looks.

This is all my fault for trying to manipulate him. I should have just spoken to him. Like a normal fucker. I should have just said, “Hey, I think you’re hot. I can’t get you out of my head. Why don’t we hang out?”

I’m such an idiot.

I’ve ruined everything.