Page 33 of Necessary Time

“Please don’t get involved with Gray,” he whispered.

“I’m not interested in him.”

Hendrix nodded, still watching the water. “This is quite a view.”

“I don’t hate it,” I said.

“It’s really nice of Grayson to let you stay here rent-free.”

“I hear your tone, Henny.” The smile I’d held for him turned biting.

“I’m just saying.”

“Say less.” I turned away from him and went into the kitchen, wishing he wasn’t there so I could sneak a drink and not be judged about it. But I knew if I drank in front of Hendrix, he’d flip his lid.

Miles and Grayson returned from Grayson’s rooms, distracting Hendrix from whatever he was about to go on about and leaving me alone. I hung back from them, not really interested in anything they had to say.

When Grayson’s other friends came, I said hello and did my best to remember their names, but with every knock on the door, my heart sank lower to the floor when the guests weren’t Colin. I checked my phone for a message from him, finding none. I texted him a few question marks, then threw my phone onto my bed so I would stop checking it incessantly.

Hendrix made his way back over to me to make conversation, asking about my job search and what I wanted to do for work, and even asking about things with David. Miles obviously hadn’t gotten to him yet, or he hadn’t done a good enough job. I wasn’t sure which. I answered him as best I could, even though my heart wasn’t in any of it.

It was quarter after nine when I caved and decided to check my phone again. I excused myself from Grayson’s friends and slipped down the hall, leaving the bedroom door cracked open. I grabbed my phone from the bed and carried it across the room toward the window. It didn’t vibrate when I picked it up and I knew my alerts would be empty before I even bothered with the screen.

I heard a soft rap of knuckles against the door, and I turned, poised to offer some biting remark to Grayson or Hendrix, but everything caught in my throat when I realized the man in my doorway wasn’t either of them, but Colin.

“You’re here,” I said, sounding as childish as I felt in that moment.

“I’m here.”

“Did you want to come in?” I slid my phone into my pocket, heart hammering against my ribs.

Seeing Colin again was like a slap in the face, but in the best way possible. He was as handsome as I’d remembered, tall and lean with that mess of almost curly hair on top of his head. He had on another long-sleeved shirt, like the one he’d worn out earlier in the week, but instead of jeans, he had on black pants that didn’t do enough to keep me from imagining a thousand different and equally socially unacceptable scenarios. I felt lacking in my own clothes, my own body, my own damn age.

“In your room?” he asked, glancing over his shoulder.

“That was…I’ve been manning the door all night, inviting everyone inside, so I can avoid talking to my brother. I didn’t mean…”

“You look stressed, Wesley. Are you okay?”

“I am now,” I said, biting the inside of my cheek. “Now that you’re here.”

Colin stepped into my room and pushed the door closed behind him.

CHAPTERTEN

Colin

I hadn’t plannedon coming to Wesley’s party. I was so committed to the idea of staying home that I’d even put on pajamas. But then he’d sent that desperate little text message, nothing more than half a dozen question marks, and I could feel the hurt in every one of them.

Reluctantly, I got dressed.

Regretfully, I drove to his apartment.

I debated myself in the parking spot before getting so frustrated, I climbed out of my car just so I could stop being alone with myself.

After our date—no, it wasn’t a date—on Wednesday, I’d gone home and jacked off thinking about him. I had no right and no place, but we’d stood together in his bedroom and he’d been so close I could have sworn I felt his breath against the back of my neck. Much like I’d done the rest of my life, I tried to ignore it. I ran away from it. But unlike all the other times, I didn’t want to run away fromhim.

I knew that was dangerous, though.