Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 88212 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88212 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
I rinse the conditioner out of my hair, turn off the shower, and dry off. I’m shaving at my bathroom sink, a towel wrapped around my waist, when the door to my bedroom flies open, Andy and Teddy tripping over each other to get inside.
“Make yourself at home,” I tease. “What if I was naked?”
“Please, like we haven’t seen you naked,” Andy jokes.
Yeah, but that was before I had a boyfriend. I have a feeling my guy wouldn’t like that, and in a way I never expected, I find that incredibly hot. There’s something sexy as fuck about a possessive boyfriend.
“Can I help you?” I ask, wiping the extra shaving cream off my face with a washcloth.
“Dude, we heard you’re going on a date with Miles Tanner.” Teddy makes a face like, you okay, bro?
“Did you lose a bet?” Aiden comes in too.
What is this? Circle time in my room?
“Sorry. I tried to hold them back.” Leo comes in, followed by Damien.
“He’s lying,” Teddy calls Leo out, who does at least look embarrassed. “He likes to pretend he’s not as interested in what’s going on, but he’s the one who told us.”
“Thou shalt not rat out your president.” Leo snickers, but I’m watching Damien. While the rest of the guys are confused about my spending time with Miles and now my date, Damien is the only one who’s butthurt about it. He really seems to hate Miles, which annoys me. None of these guys really know him or have given him a chance.
I grab a pair of boxer trunks, then change my mind, plucking my favorite blue jock from the drawer and tugging it on beneath my towel.
“It’s like that, huh?” Andy snickers.
“Oh yes. It’s like that.” I pump my brows. “First, did you all forget he bid on me? And even if he hadn’t, yes, I would go on a date with him. One does that with their boyfriend.” I toss the word out, waiting for a response. They’ll find out sooner or later. I’d rather it happened now, when it’s just us and Miles isn’t around, because that’s another thing—though being alone at his place is much nicer, I do want to be able to bring him around here without any drama.
“Shut the hell up.” Teddy laughs as if I’m joking.
“Pretty sure he’s serious,” Aiden replies.
“Freshman gets it.” I wink at him.
“Why the fuck are you dating him?” Damien asks in unison with Leo’s, “Dax Armstrong has a boyfriend? This is an interesting turn of events.”
My gaze meets Damien’s. “Yes, which I figure you appreciate since clearly, you don’t want me dating your stepbro.”
He flips me off. “I don’t give a fuck what Brady does.”
Hmm. Why don’t I believe him? Maybe because I’ve seen too many stepbros in denial. “Whatever you say. Anyway, I need you to be chill about Miles. He’s not who you think he is.”
“He literally set Sigma Alpha’s house on fire last year.”
No, he didn’t. He took the fall for a friend. That’s the kind of guy he is.
It’ll kill me to keep holding that in. I’m so tired of Miles being judged for something he didn’t do—something that even if he had done, was an accident.
“Leave it alone, Damien.”
“I’m not trying to be a dick.”
“But you are. Seriously. I like him. You’re my brothers. We’re supposed to have each other’s backs.” I tug on a pair of jeans, then head into the closet for a shirt.
The room is surprisingly quiet, and when I come back out, completely dressed, Leo says, “He’s right. If Dax says Miles is a good guy, we should trust him. We should at least try and be supportive of our ATM brother.”
This is so Leo. He’s the levelheaded, diplomatic one of the bunch.
“Thank you, Leo. Listen, I’m not saying you all have to love him, or even like him, just…be civil.”
“The way he was civil to my brother when he practically fought him last year?” Aiden asks, and damn it, he has a point.
“Okay, maybe Aiden doesn’t have to be civil to him, but the rest of you do,” I joke, and everyone except Damien laughs. Hopefully he’ll come around eventually.
“I’m teasing you,” Aiden says. “It’s not like any of us are perfect.”
“Thanks, man. I appreciate it.” I bump fists with him. “Now can someone tell me I look really fucking hot for my date, because I’m starting to feel like my looks aren’t being appreciated.”
That earns me another round of laughter and some compliments, which I soak up.
I run my fingers through my hair a few times so it looks sexily mussed, then right on time, the doorbell rings. Leo, Andy, and Teddy all look at each other, then bolt for the door, clearly wanting to be the one to answer and likely fuck with Miles. I hurry and get my socks and shoes on, entering the living room as Teddy asks, “What are your intentions with our fratbro?”