by Felix Brooks
“I’m talking to Emmett,” she said, but didn’t resist.
“Emmett’s got a paper due on Monday. He’s busy.”
As they turned, Waseem looked over his shoulder at Emmett, who gave him a smile. His best friend had been saving him from overeager women since freshman year. Waseem was gay, so women generally didn’t give him the kind of grief they gave Emmett.
He headed to his room and considered firing up his laptop. It was well after midnight, though, so he decided to get up early instead. He had all day Sunday to finish his paper. That should be plenty of time.
Lying in bed, he couldn’t stop thinking about Amber. He had known her since freshman year—she was a sweet girl, and most guys would want to hit that hard. But he wasn’t in love with her, and hookups weren’t his thing.
So no matter how she flirted, he just couldn’t get into that. Being alone with his hand wasn’t an ideal choice, but the thought of being with Amber just to get off made him feel worse. Besides, she was clearly into him, and he didn’t want to hurt her.
He sat up and fluffed the pillow, pounding it with his fist before lying back down. He wanted intimacy but just couldn’t seem to feel that spark. Alone was better—no matter how much he hated it.
***
The commotion in the hallway interrupted Jake’s thoughts. It was Amber’s voice, louder than usual, which probably meant she’d been drinking.
He closed his genetics textbook. All those symbols and squiggly lines were making his vision swim anyway. He peered out the door to see Amber resting her head on Waseem’s shoulder, his arm around her as she shuffled along.
She looked tiny next to Waseem, but then so did most people. A wide receiver on the football team, he was tall with broad shoulders and biceps to die for.
“What am I doing wrong?” Amber moaned. “If you were straight, wouldn’t you want some of this?”
Jake stepped into the hallway and headed toward them. Amber came up and hugged him.
“Boy troubles?” he asked.
“Why won’t Emmett love me?”
“He’s not the one for you, hon. You’ve got to accept it and move on.”
It was the same refrain he had been telling himself since he met Emmett three years ago. Emmett Cross, charismatic star quarterback and all-around nice guy, was the only straight crush he’d never been able to shake.
Jake wasn’t normally one for lost causes. There was something about Emmett that wouldn’t let him go. Perfect body, strong, classic features, skin a rich, dusky brown. He melted every time he saw Emmett’s smile.
He could definitely relate to what Amber was going through.
“You’re a sweetheart,” he said to her. “Don’t pine after a guy who’s not interested. Find one who appreciates you.”
“I know you’re right.” She pulled back. “It’s just hard, you know? I think I love him.”
Jake nodded. He and Waseem walked her the rest of the way to her room and made sure she was okay. She wasn’t falling-down drunk, just sad drunk. And Jake was sad for her.
He invited Waseem into his room and got two sodas from the fridge, since Waseem didn’t drink. They sat a space apart on the bed and took a few sips before Jake asked, “You think Amber will be okay?”
“I don’t know why she’s torturing herself. Pretty girl like that would have no problem finding someone else. Emmett is hot, but…”
His voice trailed off as Jake swallowed hard, eyes misting. Amber’s sadness must have affected him more than he realized. He had let his guard down too far.
“Aw, man, not you, too.”
“Just a straight boy crush,” Jake said. “I’ll get over it.” He jutted out his chin and gave his friend a half smile. “Something about him is so…unattainable. That’s half the attraction.” Jake sank into his thoughts a moment, then said, “We should go out next Saturday. Find someone I actually can have.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
“I’m in.” Waseem saluted him with his soda.
“Good. Because you’re the best wingman I’ve got.”
“That’s because I know what you like—and because we’re so different.” Waseem smirked. “Guys get a certain look in their eyes when they’re scoping out a twink like you.”
“I’m not a twink.” Jake’s voice was sharp. He hated when people call him that. Okay, so he was blond-haired and blue-eyed, barely five-nine with a slim runner’s build. And yeah, people described him as cute or even pretty. But he wasn’t dumb, and Waseem knew it.
“Twink is not an insult, dude. It’s just shorthand for a certain type. Your type. Embrace it.”
Jake bit his cheek. Maybe a happy-go-lucky guy like Waseem couldn’t understand why that word bugged Jake so much. He knew his friend didn’t mean anything by it, so he took another swig of his drink and let it go.
His gaze roamed over Waseem’s powerful arms, a T-shirt clinging to his sculpted upper body. People said the two would make a cute couple, but they’d never had that vibe. Jake could appreciate how gorgeous the guy was—soulful dark eyes, curly hair, light brown skin the color of sandstone.
But Waseem was warm and outgoing, while Emmett was cool and confident. That must be what Jake went for, because he got hard just thinking about it.
Thinking about Emmett.
***
On Sunday, Emmett was at Waseem’s rehashing the game from the day before. Their team, the Pirates, had won by a field goal, but Emmett didn’t feel good about a score that close. The pro scouts didn’t usually pay much attention to football at North Carolina Coastal College, but he knew they were watching him.
He needed to step it up.
The fact that he wasn’t dating removed distractions from his life. He had classes, he had football, and that was it. His head was clear so he could focus on what mattered.
“Martinelli is off his game this season,” Emmett said, referring to one of their wide receivers, a senior with no professional prospects. “I’d like to push Adams harder, see what he can do.” Brent Adams was a junior with real potential.
“Sounds like a good call,” Waseem said.
A knock on the open door turned Emmett’s head. It was Jake, blond hair damp from the shower. He was wearing a polo shirt and khaki shorts—Emmett knew it was a cliché about gay guys dressing neat, but in Jake’s case, it was true.
His clothes looked good on his slim build. Emmett spent so much time with big, muscular guys that Jake was a refreshing change. Buff, but more like a runner or a swimmer.
“Hey, um, y’all want to grab some dinner?” Jake mainly looked at Waseem as he said it, but then he caught Emmett’s eye. There was something nervous in that glance—a half smile, a blush in his cheek. Even after three years, the guy seemed intimidated by Emmett, and he didn’t know why.
It drove him a little crazy.
Sometimes when people looked at Emmett, all they saw was a big, muscular Black dude, and that scared them. Jake wasn’t like that, though. If he and Emmett had a couple of drinks together, he relaxed, and things were normal between them. But then, the next time Emmett saw him, the nerves came back, no matter how Emmett tried to put him at ease.
They decided to skip the cafeteria and went to a little Italian place just off campus, the kind with tablecloths and heavy silverware. The prices were good, and the marinara sauce was killer. They blissed out on the homemade pasta.
It was a slow night. The lights were low and Tony Bennett was playing. The waitress, a blonde in her forties, was elegant and friendly.
Jake had eased up a bit. He and Waseem were talking about their plans to go to a club the next Saturday night. Emmett’s stomach tightened. He felt kind of left out, even though he knew that wasn’t their intention.
“I guess you don’t go clubbing much,” Jake said.
Emmett’s throat went dry. “Yeah, I was in a long-distance relationship for so long…just never formed the habit, I guess.”
Jake raised his brows. “After being tied down all that time, I’m surprised you
haven’t been chasing every woman on campus. Turning down Amber?”
“She, uh…” Emmett couldn’t find the words. “Amber’s not my type.”
Jake shook his head. Emmett knew what he was thinking. How could a beautiful girl like Amber not be every straight guy’s type?
The spark just wasn’t there, and Emmett couldn’t get into one-offs.
He sipped his beer and changed the subject. He and Waseem talked football for a while, and Jake’s eyes started to glaze over. Emmett gave him a smile. “We boring you?”
“Not boring, I just…don’t really understand half of what you’re saying.” His expression was bright now, radiant even. Something about the way he gazed at Emmett made him warm all over. Jake was a good-looking guy, and Emmett couldn’t help noticing how full and pink his lips were. Emmett hated to think of him wasting all that on a stranger at the bar with Waseem.
“Maybe I could join y’all Saturday night,” Emmett said, then squinted. Where did that came from? He didn’t remember having that thought, but now that it was out, he realized it was what he wanted. Straight guys went to gay bars with their friends sometimes. It was no big. “We can talk about something other than football.”
Jake’s eyes went wide, but Waseem just laughed. “Dude, what are you going to do once we pick up a couple of dates?”
“I can take a cab home. Or maybe I’ll ask Brent Adams if he wants to go.”
Waseem shrugged. “If you want.” But Jake still had that wide-eyed, fixed stare, and Emmett had no idea why.
“I’m not gay,” Emmett said. It was sharper and more defensive than he had meant it to be, and Jake flinched.
“I know,” Jake said.
Now Emmett felt like shit. Jake was a nice guy, and Emmett was only giving him reasons to be more nervous around him. And now, Emmett realized, he was feeling nervous around Jake.
What was that about? He was Emmett Cross, star quarterback, the best the college had ever seen. He had no reason to be nervous around anyone. But when this cute little white boy blushed, he forgot everything else. No one had affected him like that before, and he didn’t know what to make of it.
He put the thought out of his mind. Instead, he contemplated Saturday night. It’d be fun to dance, even if it was with dudes, and he’d have a chance to keep an eye on the guys who hit on Jake—make sure they weren’t assholes. Waseem was a big guy who could take care of himself, but for some reason Emmett felt protective about Jake. As good-looking as Jake was, Emmett wouldn’t be surprised if creeps came out of the woodwork trying to get a piece of that.
Jake deserved better. Someone who appreciated him for more than what was on the outside. Emmett’s stomach tied in knots at the thought of watching him with some random stranger, but at least Emmett could keep him safe.
He liked the idea of that.
***
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About the Authors
Felix Brooks
In a former life, Felix Brooks worked a corporate job in the South. When the voices in his head wouldn’t stay quiet any longer, he moved to San Francisco to pursue his dream of becoming a writer. In his free time, he likes to spend time with his pets.
To learn more about his books, visit his Amazon author page.
Andrea Dalling
Andrea Dalling lives in the sexy Southeast, where the summers are hot and the romance hotter. She loves to torture her characters but eventually rewards them with a happily-ever-after. Married to her college sweetheart, she is an ally and an advocate for LGBT rights. When she’s not writing, she enjoys gardening at her Raleigh home and scuba diving in the clear blue waters of the Caribbean Sea.
Website: http://andreadalling.com/
Fan List: http://eepurl.com/00WxP
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrea.dalling.romance
Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrea_dalling
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