Page 77 of Bonus Game
He was certainly more guarded than Kingston had been, but Allen wasn’t going to give up. “Why do you feel guilty? You mentioned it during your rant.”
“Oh.” Riley’s expression crumpled, the fight draining out of him as if someone had driven nails through his resolve and left him deflated. “I regret how I responded to the kiss. It was a dick move to let the kiss go on, and even more awful to kiss him back and then tell him I wasn’t interested while thanking him for feeling safe enough to come out to me.”
Allen could tell his blood pressure was rising thanks to the pounding in his head and behind his eyes. “Oh my god, Riley.”
“I know!”Riley hissed. “My mind was racing, and I just wanted to get out of there so I could talk myself into believing what had happened. I didn’t know how to feel about the kiss, and I thought it was a one-time thing because Sloan was experimenting, but the look he gave me when I thanked him made me realize I was wrong. Then I got mad because he was upset, and I couldn’t understand why he was okay about kissing me when we’ve been at each other’s throats since he got here. And this is all I could think about on the car ride over here after he told me not to come back to the apartment, hence the fucking guilt.”
That was…a lot. The entiredayhad been a lot, but Allen was still convinced that he could fix this.
Riley had reverted to muttering curses into Allen’s stomach, so he spread his thighs and quickly caged Riley between his legs, crushing the bulky man in what he hoped was a comforting hug.
“You need to talk to Kingston,” Allen told him, squeezing Riley tighter so he understood the gravity of his words. “He’s not as angry as you think he is, and the longer you avoid this, the worse it’s going to get.”
“He told me not to come home,” Riley wheezed. “If I go, it will be like fighting an angry badger. I’ll fucking die.”
Allen sighed and squeezed harder. “Don’t be dramatic. Kingston is a sweetheart, which you already know because you’ve seen how easy it is to hurt him.”
Riley didn’t talk back, and that was good because Allen’s thighs were starting to tremble.
“Jake is making stuffed peppers for us, so you’re going to eat and calm down,” Allen began, slowly easing the pressure of his unorthodox hug. “Then we’ll pack you a container with warm leftovers and kick you out. It’s not like you have to confront him in some grand way, but you guys need to agree on boundaries and wants.”
Riley’s eyes were green today, but that could be from the colour of the wallpaper. He fluttered his lashes like he was blinking away non-existent tears and gave Allen his best impression of a kicked puppy, but Allen refused to budge.
“Boundaries?” Riley groused. “What does that even mean?”
Allen shrugged, making sure to keep his expression blank. “Do you want to kiss Kingston again? Would you let him if he tried? Do you want to be friends or is being more than friends on the table? You have to be clear when you tell him, and don’t confuse him by saying one thing and then doing another. Anddon’t be scared to tell him you need time. Hell, he might need time, too.”
Allen saw the moment Riley finally became overwhelmed by what had happened. His eyes went glassy, this time filling with real tears, turning them a darker shade of green.
“Do I…want him?” he asked softly. “I don’t see how us being together would make sense.”
Allen could, but that was only because he could see past the bickering and petty behaviour. The way Riley and Kingston interacted wasn’t that different from how Riley and Jake interacted. The difference was that Kingston talked back more than Jake did—he talked more than Jake in general—but Riley thrived on being competitive with others.
Kingston could stand to be less harsh, and Riley could try being less stubborn, but Allen could see the chemistry they had. Besides, Riley had been whining because he wanted someone like Allen and Jake. It didn’t take a genius to realize that combining Allen’s sarcasm and foul attitude with Jake’s competitive streak created something close to Kingston Sloan.
“I don’t have an answer for you,” Allen said finally. “You’re both confused and scared, and that makes sense since you guys believed you were straight until today. But if he kissed you, and you kissed him back, there must be something you like about Kingston beyond his pretty face. There are tons of beautiful women in this city, but the only person you’re kissing is your rival.”
“Ugh, don’t fucking remind me?—”
“I also don’t think Kingston would be angry if you said you just want to be friends,” Allen said, stopping Riley before he could begin another rant. “He’s mouthy, but he’s not a bad guy. He’ll respect your boundaries.”
Riley’s hand had wandered to the waistband of Allen’s pyjamas, and he seemed unaware of the fact that he was trailinghis fingers along the lace of his underwear. Allen had put them on because he was supposed to be having sex with Jake later, but the opening of multiple closet doors had killed the mood.
“If you guys get stuck and you need help, drag Kingston over for a visit,” said Allen. “Jake and I will interpret for you if we have to. Plus, Kingston enjoyed himself last time, and I get the feeling he doesn’t have many friends.”
Allen knew he was right when Riley scowled, and his jaw tightened.
“No friends, and our teammates are still wary of him,” said Riley. “He didn’t make the best first impression, but they’re starting to warm up to him now.”
“I figured,” said Allen, and he patted Riley on the head to signal the end of the conversation. “Alright, do you understand your mission?”
Riley pushed himself upright with a wince, bending to rub his aching knees. “Eat food, relax, then grab hold of my balls and go back to my apartment to have a discussion with Sloan so we’re on the same page about how that kiss made us feel.”
Allen got off the bench and shuffled closer to Riley, tucking his face into his chest. “You’ll befine. But you might want to addtaking a showeron that list because you’re kind of gross.”
Riley’s chuckle vibrated against Allen’s ear. “Sure, but can I have my hoodie back?”
Allen hugged his arms to his chest, gripping the oversized sleeves tightly. “I’m warm and comfy though.”
