Page 36 of Don't Say You're Sorry

I returned the favor on my knees, his fingers tangled in my hair as he fucked my throat.

“What do you think they’re doing?” I ask the boys, my knee bouncing as I turn to peek out the window overlooking the driveway.

“Getting food, knowing Easton,” Xavi answers.

As if on cue, my stomach clenches, reminding me I haven’t eaten since the half a bowl of Lucky Charms this morning. Notbecause I forgot to eat, but because I’ve been too anxious to. Being back in Hawthorne, in Easton’s house, surrounded by his things, his life, his friends, knowing I’ll see him again when he gets home…it’s making me jittery. Nervous. Excited. Fucking terrified.

“What kind of food?” I ask.

“Chinese,” Xavi and Nate say at the same time.

“Easton loves Chinese food,” Xavi adds. “There’s this little place he likes not far from campus. He goes there at least once a week and comes home with one of everything.”

One of everything.

My heart kicks around in my chest. When Easton and I were fifteen, we had the house to ourselves for the night while our parents went out on a date. I don’t remember where Axel was; probably at a party or on a date of his own. They left us some cash to get a pizza, but Easton wanted Chinese food. We couldn’t agree on what to get, so I threw my hands up and sarcastically suggested we get one of everything. He shrugged and went upstairs to grab some more cash from his room. That night, we sat on the rug in the living room with a ton of food and watched a movie. From then on, every time we ordered Chinese food, we got one of everything. We spent a shit load of money on it, but it was worth it to us.

Finally, I hear the front door opening and resist the urge to jump out of my seat and greet him like an abandoned puppy who missed its owner.

I finish my beer to stop myself from doing just that.

Easton appears in the open doorway wearing jeans and a tight black T-shirt, the muscles in his arms looking even more prominent as he looks between the three of us. His gaze lands on mine as he stalks into the room, rounding the sofa to stand behind us.

“You replacing me, Xav?” he jokes, reaching between me and Xavi to take the controller from my lap. “I thought this was our thing.”

I flinch slightly.Ouch. It used to beourthing.

Until it wasn’t anymore.

Xavi shrugs. “I finally found someone I can beat.”

“You beat him?” Easton asks, cocking his head at the TV. “Adam’s great at this game.”

Xavi snorts. “No, he’s not.”

“I was a little distracted,” I mutter, eyeing Easton.Just like you were at practice today.

He drops the controller on the sofa. “Did you eat?”

“No.”

Rolling his eyes, he gestures for me to follow him. Frankie comes downstairs, and we all head to the kitchen where Carter’s unpacking the food they brought home. Sure enough, it’s Chinese food. And there’s one of everything.

Later, I ask Easton, “Where’s your car?”

We’re back in the den where he and Xavi are sitting on the sofa between me and Nate, controllers in hand as they play their game.Their thing, as Easton called it.

“I left it at campus,” Easton replies, not taking his eyes off the TV. “Can you give me a ride to class tomorrow?”

“Me?”

A little smile.

“Yes, you, Adam.”

There’s no reason he can’t get a lift with Nate or Frankie, considering they’re going to the same place he is, but if he wants me to take him, I’m not about to question it.

“What about Carter?”