Fair Catch (Leighton U, #3)

by C.E. Ricci

Homicide is illegal, and the only person who’d help me hide the body now lives in New Jersey.

“So that automatically means you’re a dick to everyone else?” “In case you didn’t notice, I don’t fucking like people. You’re a human. That makes you people.” Frustrated and now a bit hangry, I make my way back to my room, calling over my shoulder, “And do us both a favor and only eat your own fucking food from now on.”

The sound of a faucet running a little too close to be coming all the way from the kitchen has my hair standing on end, and not in the pending-orgasm way. Dropping my cock like it’s a live grenade, I grab the shower curtain and pull it back enough to see the rest of the bathroom, praying that my intuition is wrong. That I’m just hearing things, and I’m still alone. But sure as shit, my worst fears are realized. Because there’s Hayes, dressed in a hoodie and jeans with his back to me. Only five feet away…brushing his goddamn teeth. “What the hell, Hayes?” I snap, squeezing the tip of my dick painfully hard in efforts to deflate it.

“Let me guess, you wanna enact a safe word when I touch on those?” “Oh, kinky Kason,” I muse, full-on smiling now as I waggle my eyebrows suggestively. “That’s a side of you I wasn’t expecting to know about.”

My stomach growls on cue as I open the fridge, and I add, “And more importantly, what do you wanna eat, because I’m hungry enough to gnaw my own leg off.” “Cannibalism is frowned upon in this household unless it’s on the television screen, Hazey.”

“Call me that again and we can find out if murder is also.” He snorts. “I’d like to see you try.”

I grimace before muttering, “Jesus Christ, guys are fucking idiots.” “Further proof that sexuality is so not a choice,” Kason adds.

“Make yourself at home,” I murmur, motioning toward the bed he’s already sitting on. “Can I get you a snack? Or maybe a beverage to quench your thirst?” My sarcasm pulls his attention up to my face. “Would you rather me just stand there awkwardly like a fucking dumbass?” It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him it’s no better than sitting there awkwardly like a dumbass, but I manage to catch myself.

He’d be surprised to know that his slightly neurotic, himbo ass has started to grow on me. A miniscule amount, but it’s growth regardless, and that’s a lot coming from me.

“Because, despite our rocky start, you’re kinda growing on me.” Frowning, he adds, “Like a fungus or something.”

But a slow smirk pulls at his lips as he raises the beer the rest of the way to his mouth and finishes it off. Then he proceeds to floor me further by opening his mouth and saying the filthiest, most seductive thing I’ve ever heard. “And who says you’d be the one doing the fucking, there, Kase?”

It’s weird, considering the entire point of him going out on dates is so I could get some alone time at the apartment. But I dunno…it’s like the more time I actually spend trying to actively tolerate the guy—either working on homework, hitting the nickel arcade for some friendly competition, or watching whatever horror movie we decide on—the more I seem to not mind him being around. Or maybe even like having him here. It’s fucking weird.

I’m struck silent as I stare at him. At the broadness of his shoulders, the taper of his waist. At the strong line of his jaw as tension ripples through it. The flare of anger in his vibrant, clover eyes. The freckles dotting his nose, spreading over his cheekbones. The piece of hair that’s dropped onto his forehead. At all the things I never noticed before, yet are in vivid technicolor now.

I feel him everywhere as we devour each other—which is the only way I can describe what’s happening, because there’s nothing soft, gentle, or sweet about this. It’s all the frustration, irritation, and annoyance I’d felt when he first moved in. It’s all the pain and loneliness he’s expressed to me. It’s all the tiny, seemingly insignificant moments we’ve shared up ‘til now. It’s everything we are.

know what I want. I want you to delete that app and never see any of those fuckers again,” he utters, the words coming out like a harsh command. “Not a single one of them is good enough for you, Kase.” I smile, fingers gripping his waist. “And you think you are?” “I wanna try to be.” His forehead collides with mine. “For you, I wanna try. And that alone is…” “Insane?” He nods, nose brushing mine when he does. “Yeah. Absolutely insane.”

When he pulls back, the heat in his sapphire eyes could melt the Arctic tundra as he crawls into my lap, thighs straddling mine. My cock aches behind my zipper, and despite my protests about wanting to get naked right away, there’s a big part of me pleading for Hayes to strip me bare and have his way with me anyway. Especially when his ass starts grinding down on my dick with every slow, seductive movement of his hips. “Oh, shit,” I mutter, my head falling back against the couch. “That feels so fucking good.” Hayes’ low hum has my stomach knotting some more as he leans forward, claiming my mouth again with fervent lips and a sinfully wicked tongue.

“You know you’re staring, right?” he asks, a shy little smirk forming. Damn. That’s sexy too. Shaking my head, I murmur, “Just taking in all the things I didn’t seem to appreciate before.”

“I am. But you forgot something.” Leaning in, his mouth lands on mine, kissing me far gentler than any time before this. It’s slow, sweet, and corny as hell, but damnit, it makes my stomach flutter with a swarm of stupid butterflies that have appeared out of thin air. The chemistry between us is as electric as it is sudden; a lightning strike I never expected to hit. Yet, now that it’s here, I can’t ignore it, and I most certainly can’t will it away. Truth be told, I don’t want to.

Kason breaks away first, breathing heavily and pressing his forehead to mine. “I’ll see you tomorrow after practice, then? And we’ll talk?” I nod, my nose brushing his with the movement before I move to step back. But once again, I don’t get far, and he pulls me in for another kiss. I have to force myself to pull away after a few seconds, or it’s possible a round two really will happen before either of us make it to our rooms.

Hayes’ teeth roll over his lower lip before he finally lifts his gaze to mine, and I think this is the most docile I’ve ever seen him. Gone is the dry-humored, snarky dick filled with banter that would make most people start swinging. The guy in front of me is nothing if not completely vulnerable.

“You should’ve seen his face when he realized we’d actually be able to live together, let alone play together again. I’ve never seen him happier. And to be the reason he smiles that way? It’s fucking powerful.”

“Tonight, when you took me out on the dance floor?” I murmur, my fingers skating over his jaw. “That’s when I knew I was completely gone. If I hadn’t realized I’d fallen in love with you before, I knew it then. Felt myself slipping past the point of no return every time you smiled at me.”