“Tip and Jordan told me that they weren’t together at the party.”
Rory shrugged.
“Tip told me you invited him to the party.”
“Yeah.We always tell each other if we hear about something.”
“He said he thought it was going to be wild.Hardcore.He said he heard this guy had a dungeon.”
Rory burst out laughing, winced, and touched his head.“Uh, yeah, I don’t know where he heard that, but that definitely would have gone straight to his dick.”
“Does Tip like rough sex?”
“Tip likes the idea of being…wild, I guess.He thinks he’s hot shit.”
“But you didn’t tell him that’s what the party would be like?”
“No.”
“How did you hear about the party?”
“God, I don’t know.”Rory thought about it.“I was at a party a couple of weekends ago.Someone was talking about it.This guy—the one who owns that house—his name is Sunny, I think.He doesn’t live here, but when he’s in town, there’s always something going on.Somebody knew he was going to be here for Memorial Day.”
“Somebody?”I asked.
“I don’t remember.”
“Are you and Tip sexually involved?”
This time, he didn’t burst out laughing, but his grin was bright and sudden, and those dangerous dimples flashed out again.“Jordan told you that.”
“Are you?”
“He’s such a jealous little bitch.He thinks Tip is sleeping with everyone.”
“I’m not asking about everyone right now.I’m asking about you.”
Some of the glint came off the smile.“No.We don’t hook up.We never have.We’re more like brothers.We like going to the same parties.We like going after the same guys.”He hooked his thumb in his waistband, baring an inch of paler skin.“Did he hit on you?Because if he did, I, like, totally have to do it too.”
The sound of traffic on the street filtered into the silence between us.
“What happened to you?”he asked in a different tone, and he jerked his chin toward me, like I might not know what he was talking about.
“I fell off my bike.”
The playfulness had dropped away from him.He was looking me in the eye now, his expression intent.That downturned mouth made him look very serious.“You’re gay, right?I mean, I know you are.”A hint of color dusted his cheeks.“People talk, and, you know, I’ve seen you.”
I nodded.
“Is it hard?Hooking up, I mean.With the scars.”More color rushed into his face.“I’m not trying to be a piece of shit.I mean, like, Tip.I keep thinking about what it’s going to be like for him.”He seemed to struggle with the next words before he said, “I think it’s really going to fuck him up.”
It will, I thought.
But I said, “It bothers some guys.Other guys…” I shrugged.“He’s young, he’s fit.Trust me, he’ll find somebody to fuck.”
Rory was still staring at me.His voice was surprisingly low when he said, “I think it’s hot.”
The little apartment smelled like stale laundry and trash that needed to be taken out and an unwashed guy.
