Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Hunter

I t would be really great if he could just relax. I mean, I know this isn’t the best situation, but it’s far from the worst. I fix us two mugs of hot chocolate, and damn, I wish we had some milk to make it even better.

But this works.

He takes in a deep breath as he stares at the steaming liquid in his mug. “I just want to be home.” His eyes lift. “It’s not really you. It’s just... I miss home.”

I purse my lips and blow on the hot chocolate in my mug, my eyes remaining on him. “I know.”

“And it’s a little you,” he just has to add, and I snort a laugh and take a tentative sip from the mug. I immediately hiss because yeah, it’s still way too hot, and now my tongue is numb.

“What is your problem with me? The jock thing? And I already told you I don’t think you’re weak, just because you’re built differently than me. So what is it, really?”

“You never know when to shut up.” He sits up a little straighter on his barstool. “You’re loud and obnoxious. It’s clear you have a real problem with me being gay?— ”

“Wait,” I interrupt him quickly, nearly spilling my drink and trying to put it down and focus on him. “What do you mean? Why would I have a problem with you being gay? I told you I don’t see you as weak, and I don’t have a problem with you being...” Shit. How can he think that?

“You joke about it all the time.”

I’m totally taken aback now. I frown, trying to recall when I’ve ever joked about him being gay. Being gay isn’t a joke. I wouldn’t do that. “When?”

“Always asking me when I’m going to get a boyfriend. Always asking where my boyfriend is. It’s like you’re obsessed.”

A startled laugh actually jumps out of my mouth that I couldn’t have held in if I’d tried.

“What’s so funny?” He crosses his arms in an adorable little huff. Because he is fucking adorable.

“You think my attempt at subtly flirting with you is because I have a problem with you being gay.”

He drops his arms now, his brows crinkling, and he couldn’t look cuter if he tried. “Flirting? W-what?”

His cheeks are an adorable shade of red now as he tries to work out what I just said, and I’m pretty sure Zane is going to kick my ass. But I can’t let him think I’m some bigoted asshole. “Flirting. Because you’re fucking adorable, and sometimes, I just can’t help myself.”

His jaw is touching the floor. He’s totally shocked, and here I thought I was being way too obvious. “You’re...” He stops talking and shakes his head. “No. You’re not gay. I’ve seen you sucking face with a few women.” He shudders. “I’ve seen way too much.”

I cringe at that because I didn’t know he’d seen that before. And I can be a little slutty. “I do like women.” I swear his face falls, and damn it, there goes that little bit of hope sparking deep in my chest. “But I also like men.”

“You’re bisexual?” He looks stunned, and I want to reach across the counter and close his mouth for him, but somehow, I don’t think it’s a good idea to touch him .

“Yes.”

“Since when?”

I chuckle. “Since forever.”

He’s thinking awfully hard over there now. “Does Zane know?”

I nod. “I don’t keep it a secret. I’m not ashamed and shouldn’t be.” I hold my head a little higher because yeah, there was a time I thought I’d have to hide it, but that just wasn’t going to fucking happen. I’m out and proud.

“Why didn’t he tell me? Or you?”

I snort. “Should I have introduced myself that way? And Zane...” How do I say that my best friend in the world warned me far away from his adorable younger brother from the second we met? “He’s um... protective.”

Again with the scrunched up nose and wrinkled brow. “I can’t believe I didn’t know this.”

“Would it matter?” My heart is pounding so hard in my chest, I place my hand over it carefully as I watch him.

His wide eyes meet mine, and his pink tongue darts out to lick his full bottom lip. “I, um... You were flirting with me?” His voice goes up a little now. “Why?”

I chuckle and then push his hot cocoa a little closer to him, so I’m not tempted to answer. “Probably best if we leave that one alone.”

He looks at the cocoa and wraps his hand around the mug. “Oh.” There’s a slight smile on his mouth now before he takes a coy little drink, his eyes twinkling.

Yeah, I’m totally fucked, now that he knows, because it’s just us here for God knows how long.