Page 159 of Should Our Stars Collide

He doesn’t know how to act in a gay bar. Would they even let him in? Like, how do you prove your gayness?!

Okay. Okay, that’s fine. He can just wait in the car. Ash isn’t big on drinking. He’s gonna have one stupid piña colada, maybe two, flirt up a storm, then call it a night. The idea of him flirting with someone else, or someone flirting with him, sits in Kieran’s stomach like a rock, but he can handle that. A little flirting never hurt anybody. Right?

So he waits. Shouldn’t be long, anyway. An hour tops.

True to his prediction, Ash walks out forty minutes later, but not alone.

He’s got some twink glued to his arm—soft features, skinny, Kieran’s look-alike if Kieran moisturized with liquid gold and did yoga at sunrise. Ash’s hand is on his back, guiding him, and something about that vaguely innocent gesture has Kieran throwing the car door open and stomping over.

The two are laughing, but once Ash spots Kieran, the humor dies.

“Kieran?”

The twink gives him an appraising once-over. “That your boyfriend?” There’s no jealousy or accusation in the question, only judgment—towards Kieran, not Ash. As if he’s assessing Kieran for a potential threesome and decided on a big, fat: nope. Not worthy.

Kieran goes to answeryes,but Ash cuts in with a decisiveno.How.Dare. He.

Alright, then. Have it your way.

Kieran folds his arms over his chest, turning a heated glare at Ash.

“I can see you found another victim.”

“Victim?”

“Yeah. Victim.” He turns to the twink. “You better stay away. He gave me crabs!”

The twink pales like someone sucked the blood out of him. He stumbles backwards, yells, “Ew. Gross!” and all but runs away.

Kieran smirks, feeling accomplished. “That was easy.”

Ash watches his would-be hookup disappear into the distance like he’s not sure what just happened. Then he turns to Kieran with a very unimpressed look.

“Crabs? Really? You couldn’t think of anything else but freaking pubic bugs?”

Kieran bites his lip, trying not to laugh. “I’m sorry. I’ll keep it in mind for next time.”

“Next time.”

“Yeah. Next time you decide to fuck my look-alike instead of going for the real thing.”

Ash swallows, looking away. He doesn’t deny it.

Kieran forces his way into Ash’s space, giving him no choice but to look at him.

“If you think you can throw me away like a piece of trash and then find a different toy to play with, you’re dreaming. You’ll die of blue balls because I’ll be there every step of the way to cockblock you.” A pause. “Except when I’m sleeping.”

Ash doesn’t look upset or frustrated. He just looks…fucking sad. The audacity.

“You were never a toy, Kieran,” he whispers.

The sincerity has Kieran’s throat closing around nothing.

“Could’ve fooled me. That’s exactly how you made me feel.”

“You were never a toy,” he repeats, firmer now. “I was never planning on using you and throwing you away. I’m an asshole, but notthat much of an asshole.”

“Debatable.”