Page 74 of Unforgivable

He finally wore himself out and coerced me into getting hot cocoa with him. And by coerced I mean he flashed me a pleading look with those bewitching eyes of his and I caved in a hot second. There was nothing I could have denied him when he looked at me like that. We took our drinks and began another meandering stroll, simply taking in the ambiance that time.

I had never experienced anything like this, even as a kid. Mom loved the holidays, but we usually cocooned ourselves in our house, watched Christmas movies, and just spent time together. My grandparents were never involved, but Uncle Jack would often come over once or twice during the break to hang out with us. Looking back, that probably should have clued me in that he was more than the devoted uncle seeing as how Blair was nowhere to be found when he'd come over. I don't know when she was told that I was Jack's son, or if she even figured it out on her own, but her hatred of mom kept her away for as long as I could remember. I was grateful for that since those Christmases with mom and Jack were some of the happiest times of my childhood.

I pulled out my phone, contemplating whether or not I should send him a text to say thank you for paying my tuition. It was a fuckingstupid idea. I hadn't texted or talked to him since I left his house that day, and it's not like he didn't owe me. He kept me a secret, left mom to raise me alone, abandoned me to Blair then refused to believe me when I told him what she did to me. Yet in the far, dark recesses of myself, there was still a small part of me that wanted Jack's love. My dad's love.

“Wow, what's with the face, Scrooge? Not enjoying all this?” Rhys chirped from beside me, pulling my attention back to him and the festival.

“Oh, nah, I love it. It's…definitely something.” His eyebrow shot up in disbelief, then he rolled his eyes at me, tossing our empty cups in the trash.

“Sure, because that look just screams Christmas spirit. Try to be more convincing when the Ghost of Christmas Future visits you tonight,” he teased, thinking he was so damn clever. Though he was. It was one of the many reasons I lov—liked him so much.

Jesus, I am goddamn hopeless for a guy who doesn't want me the same way. Maybe the ghost of Jacob Marley can just come and put me out of my misery instead. What a holly, jolly miracle that would be.

“You're such a nerd,” I said affectionately, pinching his side and making him squeal with laughter. Instantly, his hand slapped over his mouth and he backhanded me on the shoulder. I laughed at the adorable outrage plastered on his face and I longed to kiss it off him.

“Do not tickle me or I will not be responsible for any damage or bodily mutilation I cause!”

“Those be fightin’ words, Evans. You know I love a challenge,” I grinned mischievously at him. Those violet eyes popped wide and he took a large step away from me, but his heel slid off the curb and nearly sent him tumbling. “Shit, watch out!” I swore.

I grabbed his arm, yanking him back up. He crashed into me and my arms banded around him, keeping him close until he was steady on his feet. His breathing was short and choppy from the adrenaline, and his fingers dug into my arms. Suddenly, I felt as out of breath as he was. Awareness of his body pressed against mine swept my system, every synapse firing at the feel of him in my arms.

Rhys' gaze slid up to mine and it was like a blow to the chest. Those eyes of his had the power to unman me, to ruin me. I studied every inch of his pristine skin, admired the light freckles that looked so good on him. His lips were slightly chapped and abused, as though he'd been biting at them more often. God, what I'd give to bite that lip of his now,lick over it until he was panting for me. I swallowed down the urge, but Rhys honed in on my Adam's apple.

There was no mistaking the lust clouding his eyes, or the rapid beat of his heart that vibrated into my own skin. We were lost in the bubble we created together, impervious to the world passing around us. It was all white noise in my ears, nebulous and barely existing to me. All that I could see, all I cared about was Rhys.

“You okay, Sweetness?” The words were rough, forced through the tightness in my throat. His lips parted before his tongue peeked out to wet them, and my cock twitched with need. I knew he felt it when his eyes dilated again and he glanced at my jeans quickly. Yet he didn't pull away, he didn't even squirm. He was still nestled in my arms and I wanted to keep him there forever.

If I asked him to, would he stay here where he belonged? Could I keep him?

“Rhys!”

The unfamiliar voice startled us both, our arms dropping in tandem. The space between us tore at my insides, feeling all sorts of wrong. My irritation spiked at being rudely interrupted from…whatever the hell that was with us. But there had been something, damn it. I know he felt it too.

I took a moment to calm my aching cock, willing it to go down so all the innocent families around us didn't witness my shame. Rhys looked around for the annoying interloper, but wasn't having any luck. Once again Rhys' name was called out and I turned toward the sound.

Recognition hit me like a brick to the face. I had seen that cocky smile before. His hair was a little longer now and he was a bit more tan, but there was no mistaking him. He was the same guy Rhys had been drooling over on Instagram in the class I had crashed. He was the same guy in the photo on Gran's wall. He was the same guy who had kissed Rhys on a bench in this very Square.

Well, fuck.

“Connor? What are you doing here?” Rhys squeaked, his face devoid of color. He took a minuscule step closer to me, and possessiveness flared within me. I was itching to grab him and pull him into me again, show this Connor douche who Rhys truly belonged to now. The fact that he didn't technically belong to me was inconsequential.

I've licked his face before and we all know the rules. I licked it and it's mine.

“Holy shit, it's so good to see you! I was hoping I'd run into youhere. You never could resist the Christmas lighting festival, could you?” Connor said charmingly, hitting Rhys with a megawatt smile that made my fists clench dangerously. Seeing as how violence most likely wasn't the answer in this situation, I silently waited for Rhys to introduce me instead of catching an assault charge.Like the good idiot I am…

“Yeah, it's good to see you too! Uhh, you look…great. Really great. Um, so you're here seeing your folks?” Rhys answered, a slight tremble in his tone. I despised the way he seemed fluttery and nervous around this asshat. Did he still have feelings for him? And what the fuck was that about him looking great? Wasgoodnot nice enough? Ugh, this whole thing was turning my stomach and my blood felt like acid in my veins.

Connor just smiled and ran a hand through his perfectly styled hair. Like an asshole. Who ruins styled hair like that? Alsowhywas it not ruined? How does he somehow look even better now?God, I need hard liquor.

“You know it. Mom would probably stroke out if I didn't come home for Christmas since I didn't visit over the summer. She asks about you all the time, you know?” His eyes never left Rhys, like he was the only person around and I wasn't standing there right next to him. It took a disgusting amount of self-control not to inject myself into their conversation, but I didn't want to embarrass Rhys. He didn't need that from me.

“Yeah, I miss her. Tell her I said hi,” Rhys replied sweetly. “Oh, this is Cal by the way. He's staying with me and Gran for winter break. Cal, this is my old friend Connor I told you about.”

Fucking finally he introduced me. I mean, I get it. I'd be distracted by all that perfect hair too if I wasn't busy fantasizing about shaving it all off. He'd probably look good bald too though because life just fucking sucks that way.

“Hey man, nice to meet you,” I said gruffly, sticking my hand out toward him. He shook it as his gaze raked over me from top to bottom, as though gauging whether or not I was the competition. Of course, there would be no competition because I had no damn intention of letting him anywhere near Rhys again after tonight. He couldn't have my Sweetness.

“Yeah, you too,” Connor said noncommittally, turning back to Rhys. “So listen, I'd love to get together with you and catch up over the break. You can even come and hang out with me and the fam one day if you can! My parents would kill to see you. It'd be just like old times.”

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