Page 24 of Playing with My Heart

“Let’s hope they’re ready for the Yankees,” Parker quipped back, and the corner of his mouth twitched up—a real smile that time.

I’d felt this swell of something in my chest, like pride or maybe joy. Hell, I don’t know—it was warmth, pure and simple, knowing I’d managed to coax that smile out of him. But here’s the thing: as much as I love hanging with Akio, Jasper, and Garrett, what I feel for Parker—it’s just not the same. I’ve never craved their touch—never watched them like some cheesy rom-com lead pining after the one who got away. I’ve never felt the urge to brush away a strand of hair falling into their eyes or wondered if their lips were as soft as they appeared under the dim bar lights.

With Parker, though, it seemed to be all I think about. It was like there was some gravitational pull that I couldn’t fight, drawing me in, begging me to reach out and learn the texture of his skin, the curve of his fingers intertwined with mine. The thought alone sent a jolt through me, like electricity sparking down my spine.

And that was the problem, wasn’t it? Because nothing could happen. Parker was taken—he loved David, and I wasn’t the kind of guy to step on another man’s turf. I respected boundaries, no matter how much it might sting to do so.

So instead, I was stuck in a limbo where I’d rather spend my nights watching shitty sitcom reruns with him than prowling Whipped for my next fix. Jesus, when did I start choosing cuddles over casual sex?

I tried to shake the thoughts from my head, focusing on my reflection in the mirror as I changed out of the sleep pants and t-shirt I’d been lazing around in all day. My hands moved automatically, fixing my hair, tucking in my shirt, but my mind kept replaying every interaction with Parker—every shared glance, every accidental brush of our hands.

“Get it together, Brooks,” I muttered to myself, my tone edged with frustration. “He’s just a friend.”A friend who’s been taking up way too much of my mental real estate lately.

“Fuck,” I exhaled sharply, resting my palms against the cool bathroom counter. The tiles beneath my feet were solid and sure, grounding me. I lifted my gaze, meeting my own blue eyes in the mirror, searching for answers in the familiar reflection. “Can’t fall for someone who’s already in love,” I remind myself firmly.

But the heart’s a stubborn bastard, and mine seemed hell-bent on making a fool of me. It didn’t care about the rules or the complications. It just knew that when Parker laughed, it was the best sound in the world. When he was hurting, I wanted to be the one who put things to right. And when he smiled—well, his smile felt like coming home.

“Shit,” I cursed under my breath, a resigned sigh escaping me. I was so totally screwed.

The prospect of facing him the next day, of keeping my feelings under wraps, loomed over me like heavy storm clouds. But I’d do it—I had to. Because even if I couldn’t have Parker the way I wanted, I refused to lose him altogether.

“Friends,” I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper, as if by saying it out loud, I could make it true. “Just friends.” And with that fragile resolve, I pushed away from the counter and strode out the door, ready to face another day pretending that’s all I’d ever need him to be.

The crunch of gravel under my tires was a soothing rhythm as I pulled up to Akio and Morgan’s cabin. It sat nestled among towering pines, their needles whispering in the gentle breeze that blew across the clearing. The place was postcard-perfect, a testament to the quiet, happy life they’d built together just outside the city.

“Travis!” Akio greeted me with his trademark grin, enveloping me in a bear hug as soon as I stepped out of the car.

“Hey, man,” I replied, the familiar warmth of friendship easing some of the tension I hadn’t realized I’d been carrying in my shoulders.

Morgan joined us, his smile more reserved but no less genuine. “Good to see you,” he said, leading the way inside.

Their home was as warm and inviting as they were—full of rich woods and soft fabrics that made you want to curl up and stay awhile. We settled into the living room, catching up on the little things—the latest series we’d binged, the ever-entertaining antics of Jasper’s dog, and the new hutch Morgan was building.

“Speaking of relationships,” Akio ventured, a playful lilt to his voice, “you’ve been spending quite a bit of time with Parker, huh?”

I shifted uncomfortably on the plush couch, my heart rate inexplicably picking up. “We’re just friends and we work together,” I said, perhaps too quickly.

Akio raised an eyebrow, giving me that look that said he wasn’t buying it for a second. “All I said was that you two have been spending time together, but your reaction tells me there might be something more going on. So, what is it?”

“Nothing,” I said, trying to sound casual, but the word came out more like a defense than a statement.

“Trav.” Akio’s tone was gentle now, coaxing. “Talk to us.”

I let out a breath that felt like I’d been holding for days, weeks even. “It’s—complicated,” I started, avoiding both of their gazes. “Parker’s great, you know? And yeah, we’ve been hanging out a lot. He—he makes me laugh.”

“Travis,” Morgan prompted softly, waiting for the rest.

“Damn it,” I cursed under my breath, not sure if I was ready to put words to it all—to make it real. But it was Akio and Morgan. If I couldn’t be honest with them, then who? “Alright,” Istarted, plucking at a loose thread on the arm of the couch. “How did you two know for sure? That what you had was more than friendship?”

Morgan’s eyes softened as they met Akio’s, a silent conversation passing between them before he turned back to me. “I knew Akio was someone special the first day we met. He yelled at me for startling him.”

“Sounds like love at first sight,” I teased, but my heart wasn’t in it.

“Hardly.” Morgan laughed, but then his voice grew warm with the memory. “But beneath that frustration, there was this—passion, a fire in him that I’d never seen in anyone else. It made me want to get to know him better, to understand what fueled that intensity.”

Akio snorted, shaking his head fondly at the recollection. “And I knew Morgan was different because, even when we’d argue, no matter how annoyed we got with each other, he still held doors open for me. Even angry, his care and respect for me outweighed everything else. No one had ever put me first like that.” Their gazes locked, and for a moment, the world outside their loving bubble ceased to exist.

“Damn,” I murmured, watching them gaze at each other with such undisguised affection. It was enough to make any cynic believe in true love.

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