34. Taylor

Taylor

X ed and Matt's townhouse sits in the Avenues, a neighborhood northeast of downtown Salt Lake City.

The building is old, historic, and made of brick with vines running up the front. Matty's parents own it, but they let him and Xed rent it out since the University of Utah is only five minutes from the place. There are no driveways, however, and parking on the street is limited, so we had to park the truck around the corner and walk the rest of the way.

By the time we arrive, everyone's already there. I can hear the music bumping when we push open the door, ‘Too Much' by Pepper blasting from Xed's speakers. It's two stories, with old carpeted stairs leading up to the second level from the entryway and creaky hardwood under my feet. I'm about to enter the living room behind the stairs when a high-pitched scream makes me cringe.

"Taaaaaylor-uh!"

God. Here we go .

Arya's body hits me as she jumps into my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist. Pressing big fake tits into my chest, she leans in to try and kiss me, like usual, but I turn my head so that she catches my cheek. And that's when I notice Huck in the kitchen, gazing at me with narrowed eyes while he leans against the counter next to Owen, Salem's very attractive, very gay friend.

I narrow my own eyes as I extract myself from Arya, prying her off of me before setting her down on the ground.

She tosses her bleach blonde hair over a shoulder and pouts up at me, blinking big green eyes. "I was happy to hear about your win today, but I can't believe you didn't invite me, Tay."

"Yeah, it was close friends only." I brush by her, following Christian into the kitchen, noticing how he eyes her tight mini-skirt. They'll probably be fucking before the night is over. It wouldn't be the first time.

Huck watches me approach, and even though he smiles widely, there's something under the surface that I can't figure out.

"Hi," he says, dropping his gaze to take in my Rings of Saturn tank top, which shows a green alien chilling on a doughnut.

"Taylor, hey." Owen reaches out a hand to shake mine, light brown hair waving over his ears. "Good to see you again. Do you know Huckslee?"

Glancing between them, I can't help but notice how good they look together. Owen's not exceptionally muscled, not as much as me, but still toned. Soft in all the right places. He's shorter than us and would definitely be easier for Huck to lift. His whiskey-colored eyes, dimpled chin, tanned skin, and loose button-up hit a spot of familiarity in the back of my head, and not because I've met him twice. I just realized he looks similar to almost every guy Huck has dated—exactly his type.

My stomach drops.

"Yeah, I know him." Licking my lips, I run my gaze over Huck with a dark grin. "Know him pretty well."

Owen's face falls slightly as Huck's eyes heat, but before we can say anything, a slight body shoves herself in front of me.

"Oh gosh, hi." Arya smiles up at Huck. "We arrived only a few seconds before Taytay, so I don't think we've met. You must be his stepbrother I've heard so much about."

Goddammit.

Owen's face brightens, and I want to cover my hand over Arya's mouth to shut her up.

Huck's brows rise in amusement as he takes her in. "Oh? And what exactly have you heard?"

She giggles, making me want to jab knives into my ears. "Just how amazing you are at football. It was pretty annoying how obsessed he was with your games."

"Arya, shut the fuck up," I mutter, placing my hands on her shoulders to move her aside. Christian snickers, throwing the beer in the fridge after grabbing one and popping off the cap.

"Well, I don't know about amazing," Huckslee says somewhat bitterly before meeting my gaze. "And how do you know Taytay ?"

He says it playfully, but I scowl as Arya rolls her eyes, brushing my arm.

"We used to date a few years ago. "

" Date is a strong word." Shoving my hands in my pockets, I glance up at Huck from under my lashes, wanting to press my chest to his and feel him against me. Something is off about him today, but I can't figure out what it is. I need to get him alone to ask what the hell is going on under those soft curls. "Where is everyone?"

He jerks his head toward the staircase. "Matt is giving Logan a tour of his game collection upstairs, and Xed's in the living room with Salem setting up the pong table."

"Huckslee and I were just talking about his life in Cali," Owen smiles, flashing perfectly straight teeth that I kinda wanna punch. "He offered to make me a drink with his bartending skills."

Huh?

"You were a bartender?" I frown, not liking that this stranger knows more about Huck than I do.

"For a few summers, yeah," he shrugs, lifting a red cup to his lips while he avoids my gaze and my jaw tightens.

Well, this is different from how I expected the night to go. Did I say something? Do something to upset him? Or...is it because Owen is here looking at him like he's a grand prize?

"Come on, cari?o ," Christian grabs the back of my tank top, pulling me to the living room, "you're my pong partner. If you choose someone else, I'll scream."

Huck's eyes flash to mine briefly as I'm being hauled away, but then he turns back to face Owen while they continue their little chat, and jealousy burns deep, unfamiliar inside my gut.

I've never been the possessive type. Hell, all of my relationships have been open, which is why Christian has pretty much slept with every girl I've ever dated and vice versa. I enjoy sharing. But when it comes to Huckslee? He's mine. Always has been, always will be, and I'll be damned if he thinks he's going to run away again now that I finally have him.

I'll tie the fucker up if I have to.

Taking out my phone in the entryway, I pull up our Delaware group chat.

Me: What's up with you?

He responds within seconds.

Sucksme: Nothing? Also, when did you change my contact name?

Like, five seconds ago. Gritting my teeth, I thumb out my reply.

Me: Lie to me again.

He changes my name in the chat to ‘Taytay' before sending a gif of some white dude slow blinking at the camera, so I send him one back of Bugs Bunny grabbing Daffy Duck by the throat and caption it us rn .

Sucksme: Okay, but I'm Bugs.

Me: Not even close.

Sucksme: Jesus, what's got your undies in a bunch?

Me: You, motherfucker.

Something's up with you, and if you think you're gonna leave me for Owen, then I've got news for you.

Ain't happening.

Sucksme: Wtf? Taylor, what the hell are you talking about?

Me: Just saying. You're mine, Huck.

Sucksme: Meet me on the front porch right now.

Me: Can't.

Got a pong game to win, but enjoy your conversation with Owen.

Sucksme: Goddammit, Taylor. I need to talk to you.

Too late. Putting my phone away, I step into the living room, feeling a little like shit. Whatever he has to say isn't something I'll like; I just know it. I'll have to hear it eventually, but right now, I'll avoid it for as long as possible.

Xed and Matty's living room is significantly bigger than mine and Christian's, spacious enough to fit a sizeable U-shaped sectional and two recliners. Matt's parents haven't updated the place, so there's still some awful green wallpaper covering the walls, but the two of them made it look homey by hanging up all the road signs they used to steal in high school. Salem and Xed have the recliners pushed to the side, making room for a pong table in the middle.

"We're up first," Christian calls, bouncing on his feet just as Matt and Logan make their way back downstairs. Salem casts them a vicious glare, Arya saddling up to her with a smirk. Even Xed is gazing at Matt in some way that has my stomach in knots, and when Huck enters the room with Owen, the vibe in the air is far from what it should be at a friendly get-together. Apprehension and animosity abound.

As usual, my best friend is oblivious as he takes his stance and shoots, shouting triumphantly when he sinks his ball into one of Xed's cups.

"Lucky shot." Xed picks it up and drinks, eyes still flicking over to Matty, who's currently trying to talk Logan into streaming games with him online.

The way Matt's back shifts speaks volumes, like he knows his best friend is looking at him, but he's ignoring it.

What the fuck is going on right now?

Speaking of ignoring. I can feel Huck's attention on me when I step up to take my turn, and though it kept me focused during the qualifier earlier, it only serves to set me off right now. I miss my shot, the ping-pong ball bouncing off the table and rolling under a bookshelf. Matty picks it up before taking his turn with a clean one.

Our game goes on like this for a bit, each of us throwing the ball and me sipping on soda when I lose while the others look on in some weird suspension of awkwardness. The only two who don't notice are Christian and Owen, the latter talking Huck's ear off about shit in California that I don't really care to pay attention to. Logan tries to get closer to Salem, but she puts Arya in between them, keeping her eyes on her phone while he looks at her with the most enormous puppy dog eyes. Finally, I can't handle it anymore.

"Stop, hold the fuck up," I snap, cutting Owen off mid-sentence. Everyone looks over at me in surprise. "What the fuck is happening right now?!"

Xed's brows pinch together. "What do you mean?"

"You know damn well what I mean!" Pointing between him and Matt, I squint accusingly. "Something is going on between you two. I know it." Matty's eyes bug out of his skull, jaw dropping while Xed's shoulder tense. He swings his gaze to Huck for some reason, but I move my finger over to Salem and Logan. "And you two! I'm fucking sick of this shit. It's been three months. Get your shit together!"

Salem glares at me with a hiss. "Mind your business, Taylor."

"No. Something's broken in this friend group right now, and we're going to fucking fix it."

Arya gapes at me as I grab Xed and Matty, shoving them onto the couch. Then I go after Salem, who already has her ass halfway to the stairs. Wrapping my arms around her from behind, I drag her snarling and screaming to the sectional, where I flop down with her on my lap.

"Come here," I grind out, crooking a finger at Logan while she fights tooth and nail to get free. He looks utterly shaken but obeys, shuffling over to take a tentative seat next to me, where I squish her down in between us.

Christian simply chuckles, leaning against the wall as he pulls Arya into his side, and Xed curses at me under his breath.

"You're a nosy bitch, Taylor," he growls, "you know that? "

"Well, if everyone in my life would talk shit out instead of pretending like it isn't happening, I wouldn't have to be," I shoot back, sliding my gaze to Huckslee as I say it. His eyes flash, but he stays silent while he lifts his drink to his lips. "As of right now, this is a friendship intervention. Christian, you want in on this?"

"All you, baby boy." He nestles his face into Arya's neck, earning a grimace from me when she giggles.

Salem goes fucking feral, kicking me while elbowing Logan, and just as she's about to sink her teeth into my arm, Matty's booming voice cuts through the music.

"ALRIGHT, THAT'S ENOUGH!"

The entire room goes silent. Seriously, if it weren't for the heavy bass blasting over the speakers, I've no doubt you could hear a pin drop.

Even Salem stops struggling as she whispers, "oh shit, he used his dad voice."

Jumping to his feet, Matt turns to me with a stern look. "Taylor, let Salem go. Now."

Xed gazes up at him with begrudging admiration as my hands release Salem's arms. She gets one good kick in my ribs when she slides off the couch, plopping down onto the opposite end with a flushed face and flared nostrils. I smirk as she glares. Logan rubs the back of his neck awkwardly, Huck shakes his head while muttering under his breath, and Owen seems to want to look away but can't.

"Apologize," Matty demands.

I push my bottom lip out when I swing my eyes his way. "Sorry, Daddy. I'll behave. "

A choking noise comes from Huck, and I laugh when I catch him coughing up the sip he just took.

"You're fucking unhinged," he sputters, slapping at his chest.

Xed sighs heavily as he gazes up at the ceiling, arms folded. "He's actually a lot tamer than he used to be now that he's sober. Consider yourself lucky."

"Are you saying all of your parties end up like this?" Owen asks, completely mystified.

There's a cacophony of answers from everyone, consisting of ‘usually,' ‘ pretty much ,' and ‘ this isn't even the worst of it .'

"Look, I do actually have a reason for inviting everyone over," Matt starts, running a hand over his short strands. "We got some news this morning that I wanted to share with everyone."

The anxiousness in his tone makes all of us wait uneasily.

"The results for the draft were made official this morning. I've been picked as a defensive lineman for the Cardinals."

I feel my heart drop all the way to the floor.

"Arizona?"

"Yeah." He places his hands on his hips, glancing at Xed sideways, whose jaw is feathering at the corners. "Come July, Hannah, Valerie, and I will be moving."

There's a moment when the air just leaves the room like a vacuum sucked out of our communal lung.

Christian steps forward, Arya momentarily forgotten as he stares at Matty incredulously. "Fucking Val? !"

"She's doing better," Matt sighs heavily, "she's been going to rehab. I think she's ready this time to be the mother Hannah needs. "

"But..." I bounce my gaze between him and his best friend. "What about Xed?"

They've been friends for almost as long as Christian and I have.

And that's when the realization hits me.

My head whips to Huck, who's watching me warily. "Did you get drafted?"

His lips thin until they turn white before he utters words that throw me for a loop. "Yeah. Baltimore Ravens."

I stare at him momentarily, my brain lagging as it processes what he just said. Owen walks over to Arya and whispers something in her ear before pulling her toward the kitchen, even though she protests against it. But I don't hear her. I don't hear or see anything other than a pair of sad, dark eyes gazing back at me.

"Baltimore?" My voice sounds foreign, like it doesn't belong to me. "As in Maryland?"

As in the other side of the fucking country?

Matty continues. "My parents will let Xed stay here, so it's not like he's getting kicked out. Though he'll probably need to find a roommate."

"I can move in," Salem murmurs with watery eyes, all her anger gone. I feel Logan's shoulders slump from where he sits against me.

Xed swallows, still looking at the ceiling. "I don't want to put you out, Salem."

"You're not. I'm tired of being back at my parents anyway."

I'm still reeling. It feels like the floor has been ripped out from under me, careening my body through space. The room falls silent for a moment while we all just process this .

"Congratulations," I rasp, clearing my throat, "to both of you. This is supposed to be a good thing, yeah? You guys worked hard for this."

And yet, it feels like the farthest thing from it.

Matty smiles broadly, his eyes lighting up as he thanks me. It's obvious how excited he is to play for the NFL, even if it looks like Xed's heart is breaking.

As Huckslee continues to search my face silently, I feel like mine is, too.

Christian pulls Matt in for a hug, and Salem joins in as well, though her attention is on Xed and me.

After pulling away, Christian picks up a ball from the pong table. "Come on, you sad fucks, let's get this party started. We're supposed to be celebrating."

"Yeah. Celebrating." Xed rubs his eyes as he stands, muttering under his breath. "I need another drink."

Amen to that. Except I fucking can't.

He moves toward the kitchen while Matty launches into his plans for Arizona excitedly, not even giving his best friend a passing glance. Huck follows, pulling Xed aside in the entryway to whisper something in his ear, whatever that's about, so I mumble to Christian that I need to take a piss before hurriedly climbing the steps to the upstairs bathroom.

Once locked inside, I pull a pack of smokes out of my pocket and light one, standing in front of the mirror as I puff on it, staring at myself.

Fuck. Three months. That's all I have until Matty and Hannah leave. And Huckslee…

My chest feels like it's been kicked in.

I just got him back. After four years of pining from a distance, longer if you include high school, I finally get a chance to have him, and yet it's ending before it can truly begin.

Today was supposed to be a good day. A day of victory. And yet, I feel so lost.

A soft knock at the door pulls me out of my reverie, followed by a deep, familiar voice on the other side. "Taylor."

Hearing him say my name sends a pleasurable shiver down my spine. Opening the door, I pull Huck inside before closing it again, pressing him gently into the wood before backing up to the sink, afraid to touch him any more than that. He gazes at me with low brows, expression guarded.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I ask quietly around the cigarette, crossing my arms to shield myself from impact.

"I didn't find out until this morning, and I didn't want to distract you from the qualifier. I was going to tell you tonight. On the porch."

Smoke swirls around my face as I exhale, blowing it away from him toward the cracked window. There's a question on my tongue that I know I need to ask, but the answer terrifies me. Still. It needs to be asked.

"Is this it, then?"

He blinks. "It?"

Nodding, I pinch the cigarette between my fingers and gesture between our bodies. "Yeah, it. Us. Is this the end of the line for Taylor and Huckslee?"

"Do you want it to be?" His throat flexes as he swallows, a pained expression morphing his features, and I pause for a minute.

"You tell me. "

He closes the distance between us slowly, coming close enough for me to feel the heat of his skin. "Did you mean what you texted earlier? Saying I'm yours?"

Studying his face, my gaze bounces between those beautiful, starry eyes and full, pink lips. "Yes. That doesn't change anything."

"It changes everything."

He dips his head as if to kiss me, but I bring my hand up between our mouths, earning a flash of hurt to bolt across his features.

"You've been drinking, Huck. Alcoholic, remember?"

A slow smile pulls at his cheeks, amusement dancing in his pupils. "I've only been drinking Diet Coke."

And then his mouth is on mine, a surprised gasp leaving my throat.

My hands come up to fist his shirt, pulling him against me as his fingers tangle in my hair. Our tongues glide and sweep together, the taste of the soda on his lips secondary to his own sweet, addicting flavor. A desperate moan vibrates his chest, and I drown in it, letting it drag me under where I'd gladly be crushed by the weight of it. His palms cup my face as the kiss turns slow and lazy, our mouths molding together while I run my fingers over his chest, ribs, and back.

When we part for air, Huck leans his forehead against mine, taking a shaky breath. "I've been dying to kiss you for weeks."

"Who's fault is that?" Swallowing hard, I nuzzle our noses together. The hardness of his chest feels so good against mine, our bodies aligning perfectly. He pulls back slightly, still in my arms, and opens his mouth to speak but pauses as his nostrils flare.

"Do you," he coughs, frowning around the bathroom, "do you smell something?"

"Huh?"

Chancing a sniff, I grimace as a burning smell assaults my senses before it dawns on me that the cigarette is no longer in my hands.

"Oh, fuck!" Smoke billows around a small burn hole in the rug at our feet, and I jump away from Huck to stomp on the butt I must have dropped when he kissed me, tugging on my hair as I gaze down at the ruined bath mat.

He doubles over in laughter at the sight. "Your fuckin' face right now."

"It's your fault, asshole," I pout, pulling him back into my arms, "you distracted me. Don't tell Xed."

"You drive me crazy when you do that," he groans, nipping at my bottom lip. "Your secrets are safe with me, baby."

Ugh. My damn heart.

Tracing a line of kisses down his throat, I pause when my mouth rests against the junction between his neck and shoulder. "Maryland?"

He's silent for a moment. "Yeah. Four-year contract, minimum. I declared in January, so it's too late to back out."

"That's very far away."

"I know." His fingers find my chin as he tips my face up, dark eyes searching mine. "You said you meant it, calling me yours. And you're mine, too. But whatever this is between us, I understand that it's new. I can't ask you to wait for me or enter into something long-distance–"

I cut him off, holding up a hand. "Whoa, whoa, wait, back up. Why does it sound like you're..." What the hell am I supposed to say? Breaking up with me? "Why does it sound like you're ending this?"

"We don't even know what this is, Taylor," he sighs, dropping his forehead to mine again, "or if this will even work. If we'll be good together. So far, our track record sucks."

"So you are ending it," I state flatly, feeling like my heart just split open.

Huck pauses, pressing his warm cheek to mine, blood pulsing so hard I can feel it through his body. There's such a long, heavy silence that I don't think he'll speak, but then:

"I don't want to." A desperate whisper across the shell of my ear, sending goosebumps over my flesh.

"Then don't." I drag his mouth to mine, stealing a slow kiss. "Don't let this end before it even starts."

"Maybe it's better if we do," he murmurs against my lips. "Maybe it'll hurt less this way."

Deep down, I worry he's probably right. The longer you hold onto hope, the worse it is when it shatters. But I spent all our high school years hating myself for wanting Huckslee and the last four hating myself for losing him. I can't live like that anymore.

"No." Pulling back, I meet his gaze. "No, I don't believe that. Huck, we went through hell to get where we are, and I'm not letting it slip away again."

A sad smile crosses his face. "We only just stopped fighting a week ago, Tay. Five days into a relationship is not long enough to ask someone to wait four years for you. "

"Relationship?" I grin crookedly up at him, stomach flipping, and he rolls his eyes.

"Of course, that's the only part you catch on to."

"Baby, I've already waited four years for you." My palm slides against his as I run my tongue along his throat. "And we've got three months until you leave for training camp. If you're worried about us ‘being good' together, consider this the start of our ninety-day trial period."

He groans, vocal cords vibrating against my lips. "No fair. How long until that tattoo heals so I can lick it?"

"Bout another week," I chuckle, sucking on his Adam's apple. "Look, I'm not gonna force you into anything you don't want. If, when July ends, you decide that we don't work, then...I'll let you go. Even if it hurts me."

Even if it kills me.

Huckslee's arms tighten around me as his teeth nip at my earlobe, quickening my breath. "You make it hard to think straight when you're touching me like that."

"Yeah, my thoughts are far from straight," I snort, slipping my palms under his shirt to run them over his abs.

"Shut up." Laughing into my hair, his fingers grip my hips, rubbing our steadily hardening cocks together. A breathy moan pushes past my lips, and he captures it with his mouth, stubble burning in the best way.

"Say yes," I murmur in between kisses, swiping a thumb over his pebbled nipple. "Say yes, Huckslee."

The bathroom fills with the sounds of our soft grunts and heavy pants as we move together, hands petting each other, tongues entangling. He cups me over my jeans, squeezing my length, and I thrust against him, chasing the friction .

When I reach down to grab his ass for better leverage, he growls deeply, sucking my bottom lip in between his teeth. "Okay, okay. You win, baby. Just don't stop grinding on me like that. You're so fucking sexy."

Biting down hard on his shoulder, I lick away the sting. "Yeah? Sexier than Owen?"

"What?" Fingers grip my hair as Huck yanks my head back by the strands, forcing my gaze to his. "Seriously, Taylor?"

Swallowing hard, my brain short-circuits at his sudden roughness, the sharp prickle on my scalp making my cock jerk with pleasure. "H-he's nice looking. Smaller than me, easier to throw around."

That gets his brows rising high. "Do you want me to throw you around?"

"Maybe," I shrug, chewing my lip while I drop my gaze. "Sometimes."

His hands slide down the backs of my legs before he lifts me up, whipping around abruptly to slam my back against the door. The new position lines our cocks up perfectly, my ankles hooking together behind his waist as I roll my hips against him like a needy bastard.

"I can handle you just fine," he whispers, running his tongue against my cheek. "Don't be jealous, baby. I like how strong you are. You've never had a problem fighting back."

"I was usually the one starting all the fights," I chuckle, pulling off his beanie to run my fingers through his curls. "These drive me wild, you know."

He hums, lips twisting. "Yeah, I noticed you have a thing for blondes. "

"If you're talking about Arya, I never actually dated her." With a scowl, my head falls back against the door. "Salem wanted to watch me bang another chick. Obviously, I wasn't gonna say no, but Arya's annoying as hell."

"So why did you fuck her?"

A sheepish grin pulls at my cheeks. "If I say because she was willing, does that make me sound like your typical manwhore douchebag?"

"You're unbelievable." He shakes his head before planting a string of kisses on my lips, jaw, and face.

"Can't help it, I'm a horny fuck." To emphasize my point, I grind my aching cock against him again, impressed by the fact that he still has me pinned between his body and the door.

Lifting a brow, he smirks. "And yet, according to Christian, you haven't gotten laid since January."

"So fuck me."

The words tumble out before I can stop them, lust and need clouding my mind, but god, I want it. I've thought of nothing else since that night when we had phone sex. Which is crazy, by the way, because who even does that any more?

Huck goes still for a moment, throat flexing around a swallow. He sets me down before bracing an arm against the door beside my head. "I'm not fucking you for the first time in a bathroom, Taylor."

"Please? I'll be quiet." Hooking a finger beneath the waistband of his jeans, I rub his shaft softly. "I promise."

Groaning, his mouth captures mine. "I've heard you come, remember? Quiet for you is impossible. I'd have to gag you with something. "

That idea has me grinning wide, but Huckslee grabs my jaw firmly, holding my gaze with dark intensity. "I am not fucking you in here."

"You're no fun."

"No?" Lifting a brow again, he pops open the button on my jeans in one swift move, hand plunging under the hem of my briefs to wrap around my length. "How about now?"

"Mm, yeah," I moan, thrusting into his hand. "Way more fun."

"That's what I thought."

Dropping to his knees, Huck shoves my pants down just past my ass, setting my cock free. It almost slaps him against the cheek, heavy and weeping, his tongue darting out to swirl around the swollen crown. My fingers twine in his curls as he teases me, licking from the base up to my tip and back down. When he gently sucks on my sac as he strokes me, my eyes nearly roll into the back of my head.

And then those gorgeous lips wrap around me as he takes it all the way to the back of his throat, gaze never leaving mine. It's the most erotic thing I've ever experienced, having Huckslee kneeling at my feet, taking me so good that I have to bite the hem of my tank top to keep silent.

"You suck my cock so good." I cradle his face, watching my length slide in and out of his soft mouth, dripping with spit. "It's like your throat was made for it."

I'm not small by any means, and the fact that he can fit my entire dick in his mouth without gagging is such a fucking turn-on. I've never had that before. He was molded just for me.

Mine .

He smiles around me, dark eyes glittering, so beautiful that I have to pull out and bend down to kiss him. As I'm about to dive in again, there's a quick knock on the bathroom door, and we both freeze.

"Taylor? It's Logan. Have you seen Huck? I can't find him anywhere."

Panic flickers in Huck's eyes, but I put a finger to my lips, silently telling him to stay quiet while I grab the back of his head and slowly push my cock back into his mouth.

"Uh." My voice cracks when I hit his throat, his nose flush with my stomach. "H-have you checked the bathroom?"

I hold him there, watching as the panic in his eyes changes to burning heat.

Logan sighs on the other side of the door. "Yeah, he's not in the downstairs bathroom. I hope he didn't leave."

Huck's face starts to redden as he chokes on my dick, and I answer his best friend thickly. "Do you think he needs some air?"

"I've checked outside already, but I guess I'll check again."

Tears well in the corners of Huck's eyes from lack of oxygen, making his irises sparkle like a starry night sky, too fucking sexy for his own good. His hands come up to play with my balls, gently squeezing, nearly making me come on the spot.

"Christian's wondering if you're okay, by the way," Logan continues, oblivious to what's happening inches from him. "Pizza's here, and everyone's waiting on you two to play a party game. "

"J-just having a smoke," I grunt, starting to shake from how fucking good Huck's throat feels as he swallows. "I'm...about t-to...finish."

Holy shit. I'm coming.

I cry out as I spill into Huck's mouth, and he slaps a hand over my lips. His tongue swirls around my cock, lapping up every last drop, sucking me through the orgasm as I bite my cheek hard enough to bleed.

"Okay, if you see Huck before I do, tell him I'm looking for him." Logan pauses. "Also, I wanted to thank you for trying. You know, with Salem. I really appreciate it."

"Yeah," I breathe as Huck rises off the floor, lips pressed tightly together, holding in a mouthful of my cum. "Welcome."

I know what he's going to do just by the look in his eyes, and as he grabs my jaw, I open for him, stifling a moan when he spits my release onto my tongue. It's salty and slightly bitter, but fuck if I don't swallow it down greedily while Huckslee kisses me stupid. There's no answer from the hall, only fading footsteps, and I whimper as I suck on his tongue, desperate for more.

He hums approvingly against my lips, tucking me back into my briefs as he pulls up my jeans. "I love how much of a cumslut you're turning out to be."

" Fuck, you've got a filthy mouth." My fingers fly to his button, wanting to return the favor. "Keep talking like that. It gets me off."

He stops me when I try to pull out his hard dick, and my eyes fly to his face as I push out my bottom lip.

"Don't do that," he laughs, nipping at it. "We've been gone so long that it's sus. You can get your hands on me later."

It's on the tip of my tongue to tell him that I give two flying fucks if it's suspicious or not, but I know that he's not ready for Logan to know about us yet. We talked about this over the phone a few days ago. And even though I disapprove of all the hiding that he and Logan seem to do from each other, it's not my friendship. Not my business. Though let's be honest, I'm sure I'll make it my business eventually, one way or another.

I'm not entirely sure I'm ready for Xed and Matty to know, either. Me being into a guy is one thing, but my stepbrother, that I constantly bullied in high school? Yeah...that conversation with Christian was already awkward enough.

Sighing heavily, I fix my jeans. "Fine. But I'll go first. Wait like five minutes and then follow."

"Kay." He pulls me in for another slow kiss, wrapping me in his arms to hold me tight. When he pulls away, his eyes search mine deeply. "Taylor, I...you know I care about you. Right?"

My throat closes as my heart swells. "Yeah. I care about you, too."

That three-letter phrase pops into my head, but I can't bring myself to say it. I want to. Hell, I already told him I was in love with him, and he did the same. Those words, though. They mean something. Something permanent. I've only ever said them to four people in my life, all of whom are in this house currently waiting for us to come downstairs.

And Huckslee...he isn't even sure that we'll work out. Me? I already decided the moment Salem called to say he was coming home; Huck is endgame for me. He's all I want. I don't care that we've only started this thing a week ago; he could ask me to wait forever, and I would. But one-sided feelings does not a relationship make .

So I kiss his throat. Run my fingers through his hair. Open the door with a deviant grin and leave him in the bathroom as I enter the hall.

Wishing, hoping, pleading for his heart to feel for me like mine does for him.