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CHAPTER FIVE

MYLES

I swallowed through the dryness in my throat, my heart pounding in my ears. This couldn’t be happening. My crush was queer. Now he’d be living in my house and thought I was better off with his friend?

“Myles, say something.” Cooper drew his brows together.

“Um…” Obviously, he didn’t like me as more than a friend.

No matter how many times he looked at my mouth or the boner he got when I told him about my superstition.

I breathed in deeply, shut my eyes for a beat, and then focused on him.

“Okay, it was a lot to take in, but I’m cool with it.

Ace and Zoma…” Oh fuck, they knew about my crush on him.

How awkward would this be? “They’ll be happy.

” I guzzled my beer down and crushed the can. “You ready for another?”

“Yeah, sure.” He drank the rest of his beer and handed me the empty can.

I padded to the kitchen and grabbed two more beers from the refrigerator. As I twisted around, he was there. I jumped. “Shit.” As my nerves frayed, I held the beer out for him.

“Thanks.” He placed his hand on the refrigerator by my head, boxing me in.

Leaning close, he said, “We’re okay, right?

” His gaze darted over my face, and he bit his lower lip.

“I mean, I have to admit, JJ was teasing me about spending time with you tonight. I guess he wanted to invite you out again.”

How the hell could I tell Cooper I’d rather be with him?

Fuck me. I fought to control my breath. He was so close.

Didn’t he have any idea what he was doing to me?

“Okay.” I freed a stuttered chuckle. “We’re already hanging out after the game tomorrow night.

I’ve got Ace, Zoma, Archer and his boyfriend Leo to go too.

” I ducked under his arm and walked into the main room.

“Oh, good.” He followed close behind. “I guess you and JJ are…a thing?”

I dropped into my spot on the couch. How could I tell him we didn’t hook up after he saw us going into JJ’s bedroom? Obviously, JJ had made it sound like more had happened. “I don’t know about that, eh?” I forced a snicker. “We’re just trying it out.”

Cooper fell in next to me, tucking a leg under his ass, his arm stretching over the back of the couch behind me. “But you like him, right?” His forehead creased. “He’s a good guy, right? You two get along?”

“Yeah, all those things.” Should I admit there was no spark?

I drank some beer and leaned away from him.

Why was he invading my space like this? “Listen, Coop, once the hockey season starts, there won’t be a lot of time for me to see JJ.

We’re just spending time together. I don’t think it’ll turn into anything serious.

” Especially with the powerful feelings I had for Cooper.

His brows fell. “You won’t hook up at the gay bar anymore, though, will you? Did you agree to that?”

“We didn’t talk about it and I don’t know.” Holy fuck. Did he think one date made us boyfriends? I eyed him. His reaction to this seemed odd. “Cooper, what’s going on with you?”

With a heavy sigh, he shifted away from me, sinking into the couch, and combed his fingers through his dark bangs. “I don’t know. Guess I don’t want to see anyone get hurt.” He gnawed his lower lip, twisting his beer can in his hands .

“No one is going to get hurt. We’re both being realistic about this, eh.” I drank some beer, letting the buzz of the alcohol calm my racing heart. We needed to end this strange conversation. “Hey, want me to teach you how to play NHL?” Then, when we played with the guys, he wouldn’t look stupid.

“Yeah, sure.” He sipped his beer and gave me a thin-lipped smile. “You never know, I might make a fine goalie.”

I scoffed a laugh. “I’d love to see that.” And Ace might play goalie for once just to show off for Cooper.

The next morning, I ate a banana in the kitchen, thinking about the weird conversation with Cooper. I had to tell Ace and Zoma about it. They were going to lose their minds.

Ace ambled out of the hallway to the bedrooms, all dressed in his workout gear. We were going to the gym this morning. Coach gave the team a day off from the rink.

“Morning, Ace.” I stuffed the banana into my mouth. “Is Zoma up yet?” I only wanted to say this once.

“Yeah, he’ll be right out. He wants to hit the gym with us.” He snickered. “I’m sure he’s going to show us up on the treadmill.” He opened a cabinet and pulled out a protein bar.

“Speak for yourself.” I watched him. How much longer before Zoma came out of his room? “Hey, I’ve got something to tell you about.”

“Yeah?” He dropped onto a stool at the counter on the kitchen island and lifted his brows, leaning in. “Is it about Cooper?”

Staring at him, I ate the last of my banana. How the fuck?—

“Good morning, boys.” Zoma waltzed out in a black, skin-tight athletic shirt and short shorts. “Anyone for a protein shake before we hit the gym? I’ll make it a light one. Don’t want to be sluggish.”

“I’ll take a little.” The banana would only go so far. But I didn’t want to eat too much and make my stomach upset. My gaze chased Zoma as he puttered around the kitchen.

“So? What is it?” Ace chomped on a bite of his bar.

Zoma spooned yogurt into the blender. “What’s going on?” He stopped and peered at me.

I took a deep breath. “Last night, Cooper admitted to me he’s bisexual.”

Sputtering on his bar, Ace covered his mouth and barked out a laugh. “Oh shit. What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know. Nothing? I’m dating JJ.” I pulled at my t-shirt over my chest, an ache winding through my heart. “Cooper doesn’t seem interested in me.”

“I saw something different last night. He glued his eyes to your ass every time you got up from the table.” Zoma chuckled and added milk to the blender, then some frozen strawberries.

“No, he didn’t.” Warmth floated through my cheeks. They were fucking with me. Just like I knew they would. I shifted my stance, my gaze catching on the blender as he started it, the whirring sound filling the space. It looked delicious.

When the blender stopped, Ace said, “Yeah, Myles, he was.” He rolled his lips. “How bisexual is he? Has he already had a boyfriend or has he just been hooking up with guys?”

I hung my head, staring at the tile counter. “He said he’s been hooking up with guys when the opportunity presented itself. So, it doesn’t sound like he’s been serious with a guy.” A pinkish smoothie slid into my vision. “Thanks, Zoma.”

“How do you feel about JJ?” Zoma set a small glass of smoothie in front of Ace, dropped onto the stool next to him and then planted his elbows on the counter. “You don’t seem very excited about him.” He sipped his drink.

“We’re still testing things out, eh.” I tensed the side of my mouth. I’d been waiting for a spark, but it hadn’t shown up yet. I drank the smoothie, the cool tart and sweetness gliding down my throat. Not much sugar. Perfect. I held the glass up to Zoma. “Thanks, man. This is good. ”

“You’re welcome. Thank you both for taking a figure skater to the gym.” He wagged his brows at me and sipped more of his drink.

“Are you two fucking yet?” Ace gulped down some of his drink, then pinched his nose. “Ow, fuck, brain freeze.”

“Why do you have to eat everything so fast?” Zoma rubbed his back between his shoulders.

“You saw how many siblings I have.” He smirked at Zoma. “If you weren’t fast, you got no food.”

“Judging by the amount of food your poor mother cooks every day, I have a hard time believing that.” Zoma tsked and focused on me. “Answer the question, Myles. We’re both dying to know.”

I wrinkled my nose. “No, we’re not fucking. We’ve barely kissed. I suppose we made out a little, but it feels weird to me.” I was going to hear it now.

“Were there at least happy endings?” Ace stared at me.

“Uh, no.” I rubbed my temple. How could I explain this? “We did a lot of talking in his room after our date.” I shrugged. “The date was nice, but I don’t know if I’m feeling it.” And it was important because we’d been friends first. Right?

Zoma gaped. “You went to his room after your date and talked ?” He swirled his smoothie on the counter. “How do two gay men who are into each other manage to sit in a room with a bed after a date without at least jerking off?”

Taking a deep inhale, I said, “It happens.”

“Not to me, it doesn’t.” Zoma glanced at Ace. “I mean, before I met Ace.”

“You’re damn right before me.” Ace scoffed, rolled his eyes, and then locked his gaze on mine.

“You don’t like JJ.” Narrowing his eyes, he pointed his smoothie glass at me and said, “You don’t have any feelings for JJ because you like Cooper.

Now that Cooper came out to you, that’s never going to change and…

Oh, fuck.” Ace’s eyes grew wide. “He’s moving in here on Sunday. I almost forgot. ”

Zoma covered his mouth with his fingers. “What are you going to do?”

Wrinkling my brows, I said, “I don’t know.” I harrumphed. “If Cooper likes me, why would he push his friend on me like he does?” They were wrong. Okay, maybe Cooper found me attractive, but it didn’t mean he wanted to date me.

“Myles, maybe JJ claimed you first.” Ace drank the rest of his smoothie.

I sipped my drink. “What do you mean, claimed?” I hadn’t heard from JJ all summer, and it was Cooper who’d gotten us talking again.

“Maybe JJ told Cooper he already liked you last year and so Cooper felt obligated to step aside.” Ace shrugged. “I don’t know what kind of dude code they have on the football team. Those guys are kind of weird.”

“Only goalies are weird, Ace.” With a soft snort, Zoma ruffled his messy hair.

“Not yet. I’m still fighting the good fight, babe.” Ace kissed Zoma’s cheek and stood. “Why don’t you see how tonight goes? Isn’t there some after-the-game party you’re going to?” Ace brought his empty glass to the sink, rinsed it and set it in the dishwasher.

“Yeah.” I downed my drink, now warm enough to not give me too much of a headache.