“You’re one to talk, Chad. I heard you begging Bear to take his shirt off earlier,” I said, as I slanted a smirk at him.
He wasn’t fazed. “I can appreciate my boys looking like chiseled gods without it being weird, May. You can’t, and your ogling is teetering on the point of scandalous.” I scoffed, but Larson wasn’t finished. “Besides, I harass Bear because it’s fun. See how he’s the only man here who has left his shirt on in this sweltering heat? Poor boyis shy, and his scowl is so funny under all that fur.”
As if on cue, Bear faced us, his bushy brows and beard downturned in what I guessed was a frown.
Trey, Noah, Chad, and Bear came over that morning to help me move my things into my new apartment room I now shared with Penny. It was mid-September. While it should’ve been a nice day, a heat wave hit. So, we were moving boxes, my bed and whatever supplies Chelsea packed me, in ninety-degree heat.
Larson was the first to lose his top, showing off light skin molded into a canvas of lean muscle. Williams was next and gorgeous, with brown skin taut against athletic strength.
But as pretty as the other half-naked men were, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Trey. I was lost in my wonderland of muscle daydream when—
“Careful there, May, or I’ll have to charge extra for the view.”
My mouth snapped shut, and Trey’s crooked smile revealed a dimple.
I tipped my nose up at him. “Oh, did you think I was looking at you? I was actually looking at Williams.”
“Do not bring me into it, Mason,” Williams huffed over a stack of boxes in his arms.
Trey turned his smile on him. “I can’t blame her. You are looking extra fine today.”
Noah dropped the boxes inside mine and Penny’s room as he swiped the sweat off his brow. Then he smooched the air in Trey’s direction, partnered with a wink.
“You boys are too funny,” Penny gushed as she unloaded a box in the kitchen.
Feeling a little useless, seeing as I wasn’t exactly strong enough to carry much of anything yet... I put myself to work on unloading the boxes of clothing into my closet.
With a box in hand, Williams followed me into thebedroom.
“How does it feel to officially be at college, little Mason?” he asked, setting the box on my bed, and opening it with a box cutter.
“Surreal,” I sighed.
“It’s fun to have you here. Not to sound sappy but having you here with us—like—heals a part of my soul.” His mouth clicked shut.
I turned to look at the shirtless mountain of a football player. He pinched his lips tight, like he too couldn’t believe he said something so corny.
“Huh?” I finally asked.
He rolled his eyes. “I’m not Bear. Talking about feelings isn’t my strong suit. I was just trying—I don’t know what I was trying to say.”
“No, don’t give up now! It was just getting good,” I pressed.
He heaved a long, annoyed breath. Obviously pained to keep trying to explain himself. “Liam was my hero. He was there for me when I had no one, even though I was younger. I knew I would follow him after high school into college. It was supposed to be us three here. Trey, Liam, and me. Now that you’re here, it just feels…right, I guess. Complete.”
He covered his face with one of his enormous hands.
Sobered by the serious tension of his words, I said, “Thank you, Noah. I’m happy I’m here too.”
I placed my hand on his forearm, giving it a quick, coaxing squeeze. A comfortable silence carried, but the sound of a motorcycle engine rolling in shattered it.
Williams’s head fell back as he groaned.
Daniel Aguilar had arrived.
I smiled. “Daniel is really nice. You should try getting to know him.” Though I had only spoken to the quiet boy twice.
The first time was at the game, when Penny introduced us. The second was when Penny and I FaceTimed one night so she could help me apply for financial aid. He was on the phone with her and even then, he only said, “Hi,” and a final, “Bye,” to me as we hung up the call.
