Page 90 of Bonus Game
“Don’t touch the underwear, they’re mine.”
“I’m not looking at the underwear, you fucking panty-snatcher! I’m looking at the bruises. You’re covered in them.”
Riley glanced away from his phone to the open bathroom where Allen and Kingston were bickering. It wasn’t the comment about the bruises that had gained his attention since he was well acquainted with the state of Kingston’s body, but the panty comment?
“Oh.” Jake sat up and shuffled his position until they were sitting shoulder to shoulder on the edge of the bed. “I think Kingston found Allen’s underwear drawer.”
Recalling how Jake and Allen met, Riley could safely assume that Allen had a lace panty collection thanks to Jake’s new obsession, but he couldn’t fathom how Kingston had come into contact with them.
What a nosy bastard.
“You’re frowning,” said Jake. He uncharacteristically poked Riley’s cheek, offering a barely-there smile. “We can leave you and Kingston alone once they’re out of the bathroom if this is too much. I would never want to pressure you into anything.”
Jake enjoyed physical touch, but he rarely initiated it. So, when he took Riley’s hand and interlocked their fingers while tightening his grip, Riley felt something inside his chest tighten painfully before releasing.
Kingston’s theory about Riley’s feelings toward Jake hadn’t been wrong; it just wasn’t an option he’d considered before. Love was a tricky emotion, and the emotions he had for Jake were many. How was he supposed to know that admiration and adoration could be interpreted in more ways than one?
When Jake had a girlfriend, Riley thought his jealousy was because he couldn’t hang out with his friend all the time. When Jake hugged him or held his hand when he needed comfort, Riley thought the butterflies were from the happiness he felt for earning Jake’s trust.
When Jake had kissed him and stolen his breath away—well, that he couldn’t explain.
Would things have been different if Riley had understood his feelings toward the kiss in that moment? Would he and Jake be together? Would hewant that?
Yes. Maybe. No.
No, because having all of Jake’s attention like that would mean that he wouldn’t have spared Allen a glance the night they ran into him. Jake was nothing if not loyal and focused on his people, so Allen wouldn’t have drawn his eye with Riley in the same room.
And even with his new understanding of his feelings for Jake surfacing, Riley knew for damn sure that they weren’t a perfect match. Jake needed Allen. Jake didn’t makesensewithout Allen—and no amount of longing or affection would convince Riley otherwise.
“I should have known you weren’t joking all those times you promised to marry me,” Riley said softly, holding Jake’s hand tighter. “You never joke about bold statements. You’re always too damn serious, but I’m glad I laughed off the proposals.”
Jake’s head lowered, tilting at just the right angle for perfect eye contact. “You’re glad you laughed at me when you rejected me?”
Riley flushed, forgetting how literal Jake could be.
“No! You know that’s not it, jackass!” Riley swung an arm around Jake’s neck and pulled him in, bumping their foreheads together. “I’m just happy that you and Allen are together, you know? I’ve said this before, but you guys are soulmates. Is it dumb for me to be glad that nothing got in the way of you finding each other?”
He watched Jake process the words, click them into place inside his mind until he understood their meaning.
“I wasn’t the only one looking at Allen the night we met. You called him pretty,” said Jake.
Riley dropped his arm and leaned back, but Jake followed him, prolonging the contact.
“And when you brought Kingston over the first time—when he slipped into our dynamic so naturally—I wasn’t the only one thinking about kissing him.”
Jake could be intense; Riley knew this. When he wanted someone, he didn’t play games or hide his feelings; he forced himself into their space relentlessly. He wastoo much,too fast, which was why he had a difficult time keeping girlfriends, or friends in general.
Riley had grown up around Jake, and he thought he was immune to his overbearing intensity, but that was until it wasdirected at him. He felt like he couldn’t breathe when Jakegrasped his jaw in the same firm touch he had used to hold his hand, anchoring Riley to him with steady strength.
“Slowly, Riles. There’s no rush. Focus on Kingston, first.”
Riley couldn’t focus onanythingwhen Jake was looking at him like he wanted him, but thankfully, thinking of Kingston was second nature at this point.
“Are you going to kiss him, Mouse?”
Allen’s pleasant laughter was far too close, and Riley jerked his head out of Jake’s grasp, whirling to set eyes on the man.
Allen waved, wearing a smug smile that made it clear he knew exactly what kind of reaction he was getting for his teasing. For some reason, he was only dressed in one of Jake’s oversized T-shirts, the hem hanging loose and long enough to brush his knees as he shifted his weight.
