“You can have your blood and guts, I’ll stick to malware and firewalls.”
Ezra ruffles his hair. “Your work is just as important for crime prevention, buddy.”
He beams, flashing us the caricature of a proud face, then says, “Too true. Also, I would like to thank Quinn for being the only person in your academic circle I’ve met that hasn’t attempted to make me pass out with whatever gross shit she was just looking at on her phone.”
“I would never,” I laugh.
“And you are alone in that,” Ezra says proudly.
“So mean,” I lean into the couch cushion—into Jack—as I down the rest of my drink.
“So many unwanted images seared into my brain.” Stu shakes his head as if he’s trying to rattle them free.
“You should see the real thing sometime,” Jack teases. “An entirely different experience.”
“Yeah, hard pass,” he replies. “I’ll stick to clickity clacking on my little keyboard, thanks.”
“I guess that means you won’t be joining us on our trip to the body farm next month.” Ezra claps him on the back. “You’ll have to miss out on all the fun things we have planned.”
I suspect he’s just teasing him further, because the body farm isn’t open to visitors, even from other universities. I know because I’ve looked into it.
“Fun foryou. I’d be the guy puking, crying, and dying in the corner.”
“Lame.” Ezra slouches further into the couch. “I can't wait to get up close and personal with those ripe, decomposing bodies—maybe even take a deep breath and savor the blessed scent of science in action.”
Stu dry heaves and Jack and Ezra both laugh loudly, confirming my suspicions.
“We’ll be sure to bring smelling salts if you change your mind,” Jack offers.
Stu just flips him off.
I ammildlybuzzed from drinking whatever Jack just handed me so fast, and while I have been trying really hard not to laugh at his discomfort throughout this conversation, I find myself wanting to play along now too.
“I can’t believe you guys didn’t invite me,” I say with a frown. “I don’t wanna miss out on watching those cute lil’ maggots wriggle through half decayed flesh. I don’t think I’d ever feel as at home as I would while up to my elbows in rotting cadavers.”
Jack squeezes my shoulder, giggling as Stu gags again, takes a deep breath to steady himself, and downs his drink. “Fuck all of you. I thought we were going to be friends,” he says to me.
“I mean, you’retheirfriends.” I gesture between Jack and Ezra.
“Yeah but they’re assholes and they team up on me. Where ismyteammate?”
“Look elsewhere,” Jack says, banding a possessive arm around my chest and resting his cheek on the top of my head.
I decide I want to teasehimtoo.
“I’m sorry, Stu,” I say. “Bad first impression. What can I do to make it up to you?”
It’s like he reads my mind, because the look on his face is pure mischief when he responds. “Idoneed a date for my sister’s wedding next month.” He raises an eyebrow.
Jack goes completely still, and his body’s reactions tell me everything I need to know.
I understand now why his attitude toward me has been so different with them here—why he felt the need to stake his claim.
Stu seems like he might just be a big ol’ flirt.
And while I initially did want to tease Jack a little and Idothink Stu is harmless, I can’t bring myself to respond to him in any kind of way that might make Jack feel like I am interested in anyonebut him.
Because I am most assuredly not.
