Chapter eight

Lexi has a guy.

He has the same lying tell as his sister. Whenever Kait lies, her nose always wrinkles like a fucking bunny. Lexi does it too, but differently. Cuter. I don’t know how but it is.

Why is he lying about being interested in a guy, and why do I care? I try to think back, realizing I can’t remember Lexi ever having a boyfriend. He must have. I spend half my life at Kait and Lexi’s because my roommate and Kait can’t stand each other. She rarely comes to my place.

I pick up my phone and hit the name at the top of my recent calls list.

“What’s up?” Kait says.

“Has Lexi ever had a boyfriend?”

There’s a pause. “You called to ask about my brother’s love life?”

“Yeah. I was thinking about what your parents said at lunch the other day, and I can’t remember him having a boyfriend.”

“Yeah, he hasn’t had a boyfriend since the summer before senior year of high school.”

“Does he hook up?”

“He doesn’t bring anybody home, but that’s all I’m telling you. It’s his business.” That’s fair. Fucking frustrating though. I guess I will just have to go to the source.

“What’s the cheer team doing after practice later?”

“That’s a quick change of subject.”

“Kait,” I whine. She hates my whining. Surefire way to get what I want. And quickly.

“I think Lexi wants to get dinner.”

“Cool, I’m coming too. I’ll meet you after cheer practice.”

“Ryder, what’s going on?”

“Can’t talk, got to go. ‘Kay, bye, love you.”

Owen, one of the other mechanics who works for Garrett, walks in as I hang up on a spluttering Kait. “Ooh, don’t tell me you got a man?”

“Not yet,” I say, not thinking as I start to clean up the remnants of my lunch. Owen stops in front of the microwave and slowly turns around to look at me.

“Not yet?” he asks. “Has the great Ryder Jackson, fuckboy extraordinaire, finally succumbed to monogamy? Was it the celibacy thing that did you in?”

I roll my eyes at him and throw my wrappers in the trash. I knew I shouldn’t have told anyone about my celibacy plans. “Why do people think women are dramatic when there are guys like you?”

“Don’t change the subject. Tell me about him.”

“There isn’t a guy, and I’m not talking to anyone.”

Lexi flashes through my mind.

I’m just losing sleep obsessing about my best friend’s brother and who he might be fucking.

Owen raises an eyebrow at me. “Hmm, if you say so, but I think something has changed. I know you have Kait, but I’m always here if you want to chat, okay?

“Thanks, man.” We fist bump, and then I head back out to finish working on the Chevy.

Working on cars is usually my happy place, but I can’t get out of my head today to enjoy it. I don’t know why I’m fixating on Lexi’s dating life. I just know it’s bothering me that he might have a guy he’s interested in, and I don’t know if this is the norm for him. We hang out at least once a week. We’re friends. Right? Friends who occasionally straddle each other and then can’t stop thinking about it.

“Ryder.” I look up at Garrett from under the hood of the car I’ve just been staring at for the last however long. Shit, I need to get my head on straight. I can’t let whatever this is mess up my work.

“What’s up, Garrett?” I ask, wiping my greasy hands on a rag.

“I got a call today from your dad. He wants to see you. I told him to fuck off, but I wanted to let you know. No secrets.”

I smile at him. “No secrets.” I throw the rag on the car and let out a sigh. “I’m not interested in seeing him either. I’m guessing he wants something. Money, to parade me around church like a show pony, but nothing can make up for the shit he said.”

Garrett takes two strides over to me and pulls me into a hug. “You deserved better parents.” He releases me, a sad smile behind his salt-and-pepper beard.

“I’m okay. I’ve got you.”

“Yeah, you fucking have,” he says gruffly. “Love you, kid. You need to talk about anything, you let me know.”

“I will.” I smile. He heads back into his office with a nod.

My dad wanting to see me after years of no contact doesn’t really surprise me. He’s a selfish bastard, so he’s probably after something. No way the man wants a relationship.

News of my dad calling temporarily distracts me from Lexi, but I’d rather be thinking about the sexy cheerleader than my abusive father.

Sexy?

Where did that come from?

I think maybe my dick really is taking over my brain.

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Three hours later, I’ve finished my shift at Garrett’s, showered and changed, and I’m on my way to the gym where the cheer team practices. The doors are open, so I sneak in and take a seat by the door.

I’ve seen hundreds of cheer performances over the last four years.

This time, my eyes don’t stray from Lexi. I watch the muscles in his forearms bulge as he holds another cheerleader above his head and then walks forward with her so they are in a V formation with other cheerleaders. My eyes snake down his body. He’s wearing a bottle-green tank that has risen slightly to show a tantalizing strip of skin across his midriff.

Lexi has a fucking happy trail. My eyes can’t help but follow where I imagine it leads. Right to the bulge in his shorts.

Fuck.

I can’t even see his dick, and it has me entranced.

I wonder how girthy he is, if there’s a curve, does it look angry and red when erect, if there’s foreskin, does he produce a lot of precum?

I can’t even pretend my dick isn’t rock-hard right now.

If I come while watching Lexi cheer, I will definitely call it a cheergasm.

So, I guess I’m attracted to Lexi.

Maybe I should’ve realized when I straddled his lap. Or maybe when I lost my mind over the thought of him dating someone else. I might have been able to deny it before, but fuck, I can’t ignore it now. I rip my eyes off his body and try to focus on the rest of the performance. Perry and Luke fly through the air only to be expertly caught. Kait is at the front with Sammy and Liz, working a split lift. Kait has been talking for a few weeks about how it’s not something they usually do in college cheer, but it’s a fun addition for a nonstandard competition.

The upbeat music stops a split second before they are all in their final formation.

“Good,” Coach Phillips says with a loud clap. “We need to shave off a second and a half next practice, but that’s it for today. I want to see you all fifteen minutes early on Monday.” A chorus of groans fills the gym, making me smile. I’m guessing it’s an early practice. I look over at Lexi, who has a small smile playing on his lips.

I guess he doesn’t mind early mornings. The thought of spending an early morning with him bursts into my mind. Waking him up with my cock filling his ass.

Like he senses my stare, Lexi’s eyes meet my own. Surprise flitters across his face before it’s replaced with an easy smile. I stand as he makes his way over to me.

“We don’t usually see you here. What did you think?”

“You were amazing,” I say. Shit, he’s going to think I was only watching him. “You all were.” His smile tightens for a second.

Does he not want me to enjoy the performance?

I’m so confused.

I should just ask him. “Lexi—” I start before being cut off by what sounds like a herd of elephants.

Half the football team pours into the gym.

Actually, I have no fucking clue how many players are on a football team.

There are about ten players. Two of the pack break away and come over to us just as Gio, Perry, and Kait reach us.

Of course one of them is Tucker. The other one looks familiar, but I can’t remember where I’ve seen him before.

“Hey, did you have a good practice?” Tucker asks, looking at Gio.

“Yeah, thanks,” Gio responds with a flirty smile. Okay, I can get on board with those two being into each other. I will fully support Tucker liking anyone as long as it’s not Lexi.

“Hi, Kait,” Tucker’s friend says tentatively, and I remember where I saw him. He dropped her off at the shop a couple of weeks ago. I look at Kait, ready to make a joke, and she looks at me, eyes bugging.

“Hi, sorry. Ryder and I have plans. Bye, guys.” She grabs my arm and drags me away from several bemused-looking athletes and one sad one.

“What was that about?” I pull my arm free as soon as we clear the door. “I thought we were having dinner with Lexi?”

“Let me grab my stuff, and I’ll explain everything over food.”

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“Okay, spill,” I say the minute the server has taken our order. “What’s going on with you and the football player?”

“What’s going on with you and my brother?”

“Deflection. Nice try.” I smirk, leaning back in my seat. “Nothing is going on with us, but something sure as fuck is going on with you and the pretty boy.”

“He is pretty, isn’t he,” she says, a dopey, dreamy look briefly overtaking her face before she sighs and looks down at the table. “I think I’m falling for him, and I don’t know what the fuck to do about it. What if he doesn’t feel the same?”

I gently take the shredded napkin away from her before grabbing her hands. “Kait, that guy was looking at you with stars in his eyes. Just be honest with him. If he doesn’t feel the same, he’s an idiot, but you can move on.”

“You’re really right.”

“I often am.”

“You’re gonna make a great boyfriend one day,” she says with a sly smile. Every time I say or do something nice or sweet for Kait, she says I’ll make a great boyfriend. I usually just scoff and say how much that isn’t gonna happen because I like having my buffet of available men.

But not this time.

This time I pause because Lexi’s face flashes into my mind. This is really confusing the fuck out of me. Since when do I think about Lexi so much? I mean, yeah, he’s always been hot. I’ve always thought he was hot, but like, I’ve never been this fixated on him or bothered that we aren’t friends. I don’t know little details about his life, like why he’s never had a boyfriend. Does he hook up? It bothers me.

I notice Kait frowning. Probably because I haven’t said my usual line. But before we have a chance to say anything else, the server comes over with our meals, and I quickly deflect.

I’d planned on grilling her about Lexi, but I think I’d rather learn about him from him.

I guess that means I get to plan another fun day.