Chapter four

“Ryder Jackson!”

I look up and see a very angry linebacker heading toward me. Tucker Evans is a god among men at FVU. I don’t understand football, much to my dad’s chagrin, but I know Tucker is great at what he does while being openly gay. He has the whole country eating out of his already insured hands.

What I don’t understand is why he’s stomping across the quad toward me, looking like I just keyed his rare car.

“What’s up, man?” I say, standing from the bench where I’m eating lunch alone. Kait had to speak to her cheerleading coach about weight training or something. I suppose I could have joined Lexi, who is sitting at a table with his friends from cheer, but those guys always watch me really intently. Like they know what I’m about to say and are waiting for me to prove them right.

It’s unnerving.

“What’s up, man? Really? That’s what you’re going with?” he says, eyes spitting fire, stepping into my space. I’m not a tiny guy, but I have nothing on him. He has to be six foot three, and he’s built like a…well, like a linebacker. He’s got muscles on top of muscles but looks like he fucking loves cuddles.

“How about you back up a scootch and use your words to tell me why you, someone I have never spoken to before, is angry at me, a total stranger.”

This seems to give him pause.

“You’re not a total stranger. I see you in EGO, the gay bar over on Amherst, all the time.” He looks at me like I’m the fucking idiot for not realizing that.

“Dude, I don’t know what you pay attention to when you’re having a night out.” I throw my hands in the air in exasperation. “Fine, we’re not total strangers, but we’ve still never spoken to each other before now, so what’s your damage?”

“What’s my damage?” he asks, looking at me like I’ve grown two heads.

“Don’t start with me, okay? I spent six hours last night watching Freddie Prinze Jr. movies.” I never noticed before last night how much Lexi reminds me of Freddie Prinz Jr. in his teen heartthrob days. Lexi is a bit rounder in the face.

“Fun. Wanna know what I did last night?” His voice becomes steel. “I spent it breaking up with my boyfriend.”

“I’m really sorry, man. That sucks, but you still haven’t gotten to the reason you seemed pissed at me.”

“You’re the fucking reason we broke up,” he yells, pushing me with his big meaty paws, making me stumble back. At this point, I notice our little argument hasn’t gone unnoticed, and we have quite a few eyes on us, including Lexi, who is currently making his way toward us with a frown.

Fuck.

I do not want him involved in whatever this fucking mess is.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Lexi says, reaching my side and scowling at Tucker. I like when he gives other people his angry face.

“He slept with my boyfriend.” The air pulses with the anger coming from Tucker.

“You did?” Lexi says quietly. I meet his gaze, and there’s a flash of something I can’t read. I know I’m a fuckboy, but it hurts that he would assume I’d be a willing, knowing participant in cheating.

“Do you really think I would do that?” I ask him. “On purpose?”

“No, of course not,” he replies, looking slightly ashamed for doubting me. “Sorry.”

“This is great and all, but he’s lying. He slept with my boyfriend,” Tucker whisper-yells. I guess he’s also noticed that people are looking at us.

“No, I didn’t.”

“Yes, you did.”

“I fucking didn’t.”

“You fucking did.”

“Why are you acting like children?” Lexi explodes at the both of us.

“I was just matching his energy.” I smirk at Tucker.

“Ryder, knock it off. Don’t poke the bear.” I give Tucker a once-over.

“Definitely not a bear. Not hairy enough,” I say

“Ryder,” Lexi says warningly. I could make some snappy retort, but any words die on my tongue as I realize the deep timbre of Lexi’s voice just went straight to my dick. Which confuses my brain. What the fuck is that all about?

Ignorant of my thoughts, Lexi carries on, “Who is your boyfriend? Then Ryder can tell you if he slept with him or not.”

“Henry Pine.”

“I should probably mention I don’t always get my hookups’ names. It’s actually kind of rare.” If Lexi gets a headache from how hard he just rolled his eyes, I will not be sympathetic.

Tucker pulls out his phone and shoves the screen into my face, where the image of a guy I hooked up with a few weeks ago smiles back at me.

“Yeah, we hooked up. But I asked him if he was dating anyone, and he said he’d just ended a situationship.”

“What in the fuck is a situationship?” Tucker growls out

“It’s like friends with benefits, except you’re not really friends.” Tucker’s face falls, and you can see the fight leave him.

“I’m really sorry, man. I don’t know if this helps, but we didn’t do ass stuff. Just a blowjob.”

“For fuck’s sake, Ryder, how is that supposed to help?” I’ve seen Lexi angry hundreds of times, so why am I only now noticing how hot it is?

“Did he give or receive?” Tucker asks warily.

“Don’t answer that. It won’t help,” Lexi says.

“He gave.”

Tucker slumps onto the bench next to my forgotten lunch. “Lexi is right. That didn’t help.”

“I’m sorry, man. Clearly, this ex of yours is a shithead. I hope he gets an infected ingrown pubic hair and always misses the first five minutes of every movie he watches,” Lexi says.

Tucker gives a small chuckle, running his hand down his face.

“Lexi, where do you come up with those?” I snort.

“Perry is always saying them.” He smiles sheepishly at me. He runs his hand through his chocolate-brown hair and sits on the bench next to Tucker, his smile turning sad. “I’m really sorry, man. Your ex is a shithead, and you deserve a fuck-ton better than someone like him.”

“Thanks, man. I just…this really fucking sucks, you know.” Tucker sighs and looks up at me. “I was hoping to punch you and for it to make me feel better.”

“That would just get you kicked off the football team and probably out of college,” Lexi says quickly.

“I’m not going to do it. He’s too pretty to punch.” Tucker winks at Lexi.

That fucker.

I understand he’s hurt, and I hate that I was unknowingly a part of that, but there is no way he is going to use Lexi as a fucking rebound.

“Appreciate it,” I say with an eye roll. “Um, Lexi, I need a word.”

Tucker looks at his phone, which has started to vibrate. “I should get going. I need to find my backpack and get to class.” He rushes off before either of us has the chance to say goodbye.

“That was weird,” Lexi says, looking at his retreating form.

“I know. Who loses their backpack?”

He shakes his head, chuckles, and stands. “I was thinking more that the way he just suddenly left was weird.”

Oh. “Yeah, that too.”

“I should go finish my lunch,” he says, frowning at something over my shoulder. I follow his gaze and see all his cheerleader friends quickly turn away from us.

Why is everyone acting so fucking weird today?

“Sure, I need to head to class.” I can probably eat my lunch as my history professor drones on.

“Are you okay?” Lexi asks, his blue eyes looking at me intently. He’s always been like this. Quietly looking out for me if Kait isn’t around.

“I’ll be fine. I just feel bad for the guy.”

“You can pick the film at the next movie night,” he blurts out.

“Thanks, man,” I say, smiling at him. “I’m going to hold you to that.”

“Feel free.” He chuckles. “Catch you later.” I watch Lexi return to his friends, who immediately lean in and start talking to him. No doubt they want to know all the tea from what just went down.

Fucking Henry. It’s the second time this month a hookup has gotten me into shit. I pack up my lunch and head to my history class. Pulling it back out while the teacher starts talking, my thoughts drift back to my hookup drama.

Tucker is a decent human with shit to lose. What if the next guy I have sex with has a secret boyfriend, and I get my ass kicked. Or worse. I love sex. It’s fucking amazing, but it’s not worth the risk of getting hurt. And, apparently, I can’t tell the crazy ones from the not crazy.

There is only one thing to do.

No more hookups.

I don’t want a boyfriend either. That seems like such a headache, especially because people clearly cheat all the damn time.

Hard pass.

Obviously, I’ll need to practice celibacy.

Just a few months without sex.

I can do that.

I think.