Page 78 of Unspoken Rules

“No, are you offering?” I smirk at him.

“Cum is gross.”

“Oh please, like that stops you.”

“My cum is wonderful. Anyone else’s? No fucking thanks.”

I think of Cole.

Fuck Cole.

“You don’t know what you’re missing.”

“GAG.”

I chuckle. “If you’re going to stay in here, you need to stop insulting my bodily fluids, and also shut up.”

He settles in and we fall into a comfortable silence as the movie plays. When it’s done, we find another. We order pizza. When it gets here, we rock, paper, scissors to go get it. I lose and run down to grab it, then hurry back up because the house is dark and I’m a chicken. We eat greasy ass pizza in bed, watch scary movies, drink soda from the two liter bottles because neither of us wants to go down for cups.

It feels good.

This is what I wanted when I came back here. This is what I missed. What I crave.

It feels so good to have my friend back.

It’s close to twelve when Cole shows up. He pauses in front of the door, staring at us with a small smile on his face that Chris can’t see him because he’s lying on his side with his back to the door, but since I’m on my back, I see him. I don’t want to see him. Don’t want to wonder what the fuck he’s been doing all night. Or rather, who?

So I ignore him. Act like I don’t even know he’s there. It’s hard because I want to look. Want to do more than look. A lot fucking more.

But if today showed me anything, it’s that my friendship is worth so much more than whatever it was me and Cole were doing. And I’m not risking my best friend for anything. Not for a damn thing. Not after this.

The alarm on Chris’s phone wakes us both up at six am.

I groan and roll over.

Chris mutters something incoherent and shuts it off. It’s quiet, and I drift back to sleep.

Until it goes off again.

“Get out or shut it off,” I grumble.

“Fucking hate mornings.”

He shifts on the bed, gets up, and leaves the room. I fall back asleep and don’t wake up until eleven.

I bring my laptop with me downstairs and eat breakfast while I browse websites where I can list my freelance services. Not sure why I woke up on a mission today, but I did. Maybe because I feel good today. I had a great night with Chris. Things feel right. I’m in a good fucking mood.

If I can get some freelance jobs, I can get more money, more experience, build my portfolio and it’ll look better on my resumes for jobs.

I even texted Troy about the apprenticeship. He hasn’t answered me yet, but it’s probably because he’s tattooing.

Or he thinks I’m a complete idiot.

Which, the more I think about it, probably isn’t true because he’s done nothing but praise my work. Which felt weird at first, until I realized that I do not get the same reaction over praise from everyone.

Just Cole.

My phone goes off with a text.