Page 2

“Thanks,” he says, unwrapping a granola bar which he eats in two bites, and I sit here quietly, eating my candy bar, watching him. His eyes are glazed but he doesn’t seem drunk. Maybe tired. Whatever he went through tonight is etched on his face.

“Can I ask what happened?” I look at the purple bruise cradling his eye, and my fingers itch to reach out and touch it. But because I’m a normal, sane person, I do not do that.

“A fight.”

“I can see that.” I smile.

He shakes his head. “Some dickhead.” I let the silence settle between us as I watch him destroy the bag of chips I gave him. “My friend got arrested. He was my ride. He told me I could stay at his dorm, but then I realized he never gave me his key in the chaos. Too much shit happening at once.”

“You go to school here?” I’ve never seen him before, and I know I would have remembered if I had.

“Yeah, I just don’t live on campus. I live like twenty minutes away. Normally I take the bus. Today’s been a shitshow.”

“Your friend got arrested?” He nods. “For what?”

“Technically starting the fight. He’ll be fine, I’ll get him out in the morning.”

“Why didn’t you get arrested too?” I ask.

“I was trying to break it up.” He points to the shiner. “Got in the way and caught an elbow. Broke my fucking phone too.”

“Ouch.”

“Yeah.” He finishes up, gathering his trash and my candy wrapper, and I thank him, watching him take them to the bin. “Then the machine ate my money.”

“Yeah, um, snacks and shit are like two dollars.” He laughs, scrubbing his hands over his face.

“I’ll just stay here until morning and see if I can take the bus home. I need to call my friend’s sister and have her pick him up from the station.

A thought pops into my head, and I don’t know where it comes from before I can stop it. “My room’s right down the hall. You can crash inside there. It might be better than a dirty hall.” Once classes start this place will be a madhouse, and this guy looks like he needs sleep.

“Really? I could be an axe murderer.”

“Well, good thing for you I don’t struggle much. No upper body strength. It may even bore you if you tried to kill me. Easy prey. You look like a man who likes a challenge.” I stand up, soaking in his honeyed laugh. I like it.

“It’s your lucky night. I left the axe at home.”

“Good. Great. Let’s get some sleep and you can use my phone in the morning to get your friend out of jail.”

I reach a hand out to him, and he looks at it for a moment before taking it and squeezing it in a handshake. “My name’s Hunter.”

A smile slides onto my lips. “Mark.”

I like my space. I don’t hang out with many people, and Noah is the only guy I’ve ever invited back here, but thankfully I’m a clean enough person, so my room isn’t a mess. Not that I’m trying to impress him. I’m not.

Inside my room I feel a little awkward. This guy is insanely hot—clearly someone who prioritizes their physical strength and health. The definition in his arms alone makes me drool. I never thought I’d be into the jock thing, but fuck me, it’s doing it for me.

Okay, I have to get it together. “You can take my bed. I don’t mind the floor.”

“No, you don’t have to do that. I’ll crash in the chair.”

“My computer chair?” I look at my gaming chair, and while it is insanely comfortable for hours of gaming, it’s in no way built for sleeping in. “No way. It’s fine. It’s just one night.”

Hunter looks at the bed then the hard tiled floor. “I mean, it’s a big bed. We could both sleep in it.”

“Are you trying to seduce me?” I tease. His face blooms in the cutest crimson shade.

“I’m . . . I’m just saying. It’s uh, it’s big. I mean the bed is big. It’s uh, big enough for us both. I’m just saying it’s big enough, and I’m not a homophobic prick who thinks sleeping next to a man means they’re coming on to me or they want to fuck me.”

“Whoa, okay, wow. Slow down. I was teasing. I’m gay, so relax.

But I won’t jump on you while we’re sleeping either.

Not even into you like that.” Okay, slight lie.

I’m not trying to start anything with him, but I wouldn’t say no.

Maybe I slipped in the shower and hit my head and just don’t remember.

It’s the only way to explain this sudden-onset brain damage. “It was just a joke, okay?”

Hunter’s broad shoulders relax. “I’m gay too.”

Okay, a hookup is not off the table then. . .

Definitely hit my head in the shower. What’s wrong with me?

Get your shit together! This is the last thing this guy needs right now.

The last thing I need too. Sleep. Yes. We both need sleep.

On this bed. Not with each other. “Great, well, now that we’ve both come out to each other can we get some fucking sleep?

” I’m slowly losing my patience. “Inside or out? Guest dibs.”

“Inside is fine.”

“In case there’s a burglar? Nice. I’ll do my best to protect you, but your biceps are about as big as my head. You may have better luck.” Hunter just rolls into bed, but I swear I see a tiny smile.

He presses his back against the wall, and I try not to feel offended by the amount of space he puts between us, but when I get into bed his eyes widen. “You’re not putting a shirt on?”

“I usually sleep naked so consider yourself lucky.”

“Oh yes, so lucky the hot guy next to me isn’t going to be naked.” Hunter smiles and it’s a brilliant thing to see. It’s the first time I’ve seen any spark of life in those eyes tonight.

“Idiot,” I huff, turning over to shut the light off.

“Thank you. Seriously, I appreciate this a lot.” The words come out in a heavy rasp that makes my stomach dip. Whatever Hunter’s fighting through isn’t for me to pry into.

“I hope tomorrow’s better. I hope your friend gets out without too much trouble.”

“Me too. It’s his first time getting arrested, and they were both drunk. I think the officers just want them to cool off.” Hunter moves in the dark, and I can feel the heat coming off his body and the sweet scent of whatever body wash or spray he’s wearing. I ignore it all. “Night, Mark.”

Still, I can’t help the little smile on my lips from hearing him say my name. “Night.”