Library

Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

Riley

I pulled up to Eric’s house at eight twenty on the nose. With the hurricane in my stomach still swirling, and the sweat starting to bead on my trim chest beneath the hot fabric of my shirt, I knew it was now or never. Just as I opened my phone to text him, I heard the door close.

I glanced up through my windshield to see Eric standing there in a pair of leather pants, with a hot pink shirt. With the sleeves rolled up to his elbow, nice and tight. His clothes were perfectly fitted to his form, showcasing his natural shape.

In my headlights, his skin looked pale, his eyes bright like sapphires, dark hair falling in his eyes like some cross between John Stamos in his Uncle Jesse era and Ian Somerhalder in his Vampire Diaries era.

He was so fucking hot, and my cock more than agreed.

I barely noticed when he opened the door on his own, silently chastising myself that I should have just shut my mouth and met him on the porch, walked him to the car.

“I was going to text you,” I said, like a dumbass.

“You’re early,” he said, licking his lips.

“You were waiting,” I said, as I realized at that moment he’d been more than ready. I’d barely been in his driveway long enough to text, and he was out, locked up, and in my car.

He was waiting for me.

Like a date.

“I like to be on time, sue me.” He shrugged, dismissing my comment. His tone was flirtatious, causing a smile to form on my lips as I waited until he’d put his seatbelt on before backing up.

The sounds of Miguel’s Sure Thing graced the speakers, the smooth beats somewhat relaxing.

“No smutty audiobooks on our ride today?” Eric taunted.

Though the way he spoke, his voice was better than any audio narrator I’d ever heard.

“Oh, I’m done with that one,” I said.

Eric relaxed in his seat, and I could feel his eyes on me. Like he was sizing me up or something, as the singer swooned on about being the reporter and the news.

“Too bad, I was hoping maybe I would get to see you all flustered by dirty words again,” he said, leaning his arm along the window frame. “You, uh, you’re kinda cute when you’re all flustered.”

His compliment went straight to my cock, then back up to my brain, making my cheeks redden along the way.

Did he just call me cute?

Then his tone softened as he shifted in his seat.

“Um, thanks, I think,” I said, letting out a chuckle. I could feel his gaze on me, hot like fire.

“You know, you don’t have to, like, be embarrassed about that shit. What you like is, what you like, you know? You don’t have to feel weird about it. I just wanted to say that.”

Truth was, I loved to read romance, but I’d never considered the things I read in my books as preferences or anything. Not that I had many people to test the waters with, anyway.

But something about Eric’s words made me feel like maybe it was okay to be open about my preferences.

My desires.

Desires that might include him starring in my own personal show.

Maybe reading to me and then...

My cock stiffened at the thought, and I let out a sigh as I admitted to him, “I’m just not used to sharing my preferences or my taste in literature with other people.” I swallowed harshly. “Especially other men..”

Yeah, men who I imagine taking the place of said fictional characters.

“You know there’s, like, a wild ass community of people who are into smutty books, right?” he said seriously.

“Yeah, but how many guys do you know actually listen to gay romance?”

Eric’s eyes sparkled for a moment as he smiled. “I think you’d be surprised.”

His tone made me feel at ease, which was truly dangerous. Being around Eric, it was just so easy to be myself.

To talk, to play.

So, I didn’t think twice before word vomiting out, “Are you? Into gay romance novels, I mean?”

Eric laughed, and I loved the sound.

That first night I’d seen him in the bar, playing pool, I’d assumed he was just a cocky asshole who didn’t like to lose. Who thought he was all that and a bag of chips.

But in the days since then, I’d come to learn that while he most certainly did not like to lose, he wasn’t some cocky asshole that was full of himself. If anything, I thought his cocky attitude was a front for covering up the person he really was, and that was something I could relate to. I wore a mask too.

Eric was funny, and easy to talk to. He was attractive, and mysterious, and I really liked being around him. I liked who I was around him.

Unapologetic.

Free.

Could this... could this serendipitous thing be something more?

More than just friends or a plus one type situation?

I dared to wonder what that would be like.

A lot of fucking fun, probably.

Eric shifted in his seat, propping his knee up as he got comfortable.

“Um, not quite novels, but I’m well versed in smut, you could say,” he said, his voice dropping an octave to sound even better than my audio narrator.

Maybe he should be narrating audiobooks...

Well versed in smut.

The words alone made my cock twitch and my heart jump.

I was so out of my league.

“Well, good,” I said, swallowing harshly. “Because I’m fairly certain I’m going to need your help tonight.”

“For the bachelor party, you mean?” he asked.

I nodded. “It’s kind of this unspoken thing between my brother and the other party members. They all think...” I started.

“They all think what?” Eric asked curiously.

The words were on the tip of my tongue. I knew what I wanted to say, but somehow saying it out loud made it a thousand times worse.

I looked at Eric, at his pristine blue eyes that coaxed me like a lamb to slaughter.

No embarrassment, no judgment.

“ I know they think I’m going to make it lame. Like I don’t know what’s sexy, or what, you know, most guys are into.”

Eric raised an eyebrow, in surprise. “How so?”

I looked at him as I huffed a sigh of annoyance.

Might as well just get it off my chest before I see everyone tonight.

“Because everyone thinks I’m some goody two shoes who can’t let loose and have fucking fun.” I sighed, as the words continued, flowing free of their own accord.

“And because I’m gay, like, they think I can’t pick out good strippers or something. Hell if I know.”

Eric laughed, and the sound was deep and sexy. It was infectious, and I couldn’t help but laugh too.

Being with Eric was like that. Somehow, he found a way to infiltrate my fortresses and remind me who I was underneath it all.

Who I’d forgotten I was.

“But you’re not, are you?” he asked inquisitively. “You’re not the person everyone thinks you are.”

“I mean, I’m gay, but I’m not blind,” I bit out.

Eric chuckled once more.

My brother wouldn’t come out and say such things, and I knew the other members of the party were not as organized, and no one was jumping at the bit to volunteer as tribute to plan a night of debauchery, but I could read between the lines.

I was fully intent on giving my brother the best bachelor party I could, because he deserved it. Even it meant I had to stomach a night of tits and ass that did not appeal to me.

It had to be perfect, and I knew between him, our friends, and Eric, I’d manage to make it the best.

“Is that why you invited me, Riley? To help you pick out strippers?” Eric chuckled.

The conversation was steering off the beaten path while I focused on the GPS telling me to turn onto Rodal Road, which meant we’d be at Cheerleaders in no time.

“I mean, can you blame me for wanting to bring along some personal eye candy?” I teased him.

Though his voice changed from playful, almost to sad.

“No, guess I can’t.”

A strange sort of tension fell between us, but I had no time to dwell on such things. I parked the car, just as my phone was ringing. It was my brother.

I opened the car door, sprinting around to get Eric’s. His gaze met mine as I nodded with a smile, telling my brother we were there.

And when I finished up with him on the phone, I offered Eric my arm. I watched as he contemplated taking it, almost as if he were afraid.

“Are you ready to meet the rest of the party and have some fun?” I asked, my nerves starting to settle.

Eric flashed me a smile that made my stomach flip. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Comments

0 Comments
Best Newest

Contents
Settings
  • T
  • T
  • T
  • T
Font

Welcome to FullEpub

Create or log into your account to access terrific novels and protect your data

Don’t Have an account?
Click above to create an account.

lf you continue, you are agreeing to the
Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy.