Page 3 of Our Time

I smile at our security guard, Wilson, and give him a giant wave. “Good morning, Wilson! How’re you?”

“Doing great. Calvin dropped me off some fresh coffee before he made his way upstairs.”

Seeing these two together really shouldn’t make me as happy as it does. Maybe I’m just a hopeless romantic destined to silently pine while everyone around me finds theirone. When Calvin and Wilson first started fucking, I was prepared for it to end in complete and utter disaster, especially because Calvin was so stubborn about his wishes to keep Wilson at arm’s length. Love had other ideas for the two.

“Lucky,” I say with a little snort. “Ever since Christopher moved out, I keep forgetting I have to make my own coffee so I’m suffering withthisfor the day,” I tell him, showing him my sad glass of iced coffee.

“You just need to find yourself a nice omega who’ll do that for you,” Wilson says with a chuckle. We both know he’s just making a joke but that doesn't stop my chest from clenching almost painfully. I touch the center of my chest, pretending to scratch an itch rather than trying to soothe the ache I feel there.

I don’t need an omega. If I’m being honest with myself, I don’t think I could even get myself todatesomeone who isn’t Ryder. My heart is so set on my best friend that the idea of being with anyone else leaves me feeling sick to my stomach.

Ryder has been my best friend since I was a teenager still trying to figure myself out. He was my first crush, first kiss, first--

“Hey, man, you know I was just joking around,” Wilson says when I don’t say anything. I snap out of my inner thoughts. There’s no need to make Wilson worry about me. I adjust my glasses and put on an easy smile.

“No worries, Wilson, I know you were kidding. Just got lost in thought for a moment,” I tell him, walking towards the door that leads upstairs. “You said Calvin was here? Does he have a scene today?”

“I think he mentioned pretty much everyone will be here today. Something about a giant group shoot?” Wilson tilts his head to the side. “Calvin’s been excited about this one. Apparently he brought the idea up to Jeremy and Bryce and they were onboard with it along with everyone else.”

“Got it. So I have my work cut out for me,” I say with a laugh. Wilson laughs back before leaning back in his seat and pulling out his phone. After that I make my way up the stairs to our floor, making sure the door locks behind me before wandering down the hall.

I pass Jeremy and Bryce’s office, giving them a wave as I pass. They call out, warning me that I’ll be getting a work out today and I snort. Surely the guys who are in the scene will be working way harder than I’ll be just holding a camera. I love working for Jeremy and Bryce. They make sure all of the stars are well taken care of, they make sure we all have benefits and are paid well, and that’s without thinking about how we’ve all somehow become a family here. Which might be a little weird for some people to think about; a bunch of porn stars who all love and care about each other, but that’s exactly what we are.

The door to the locker room bursts open and Ryder steps out. I stop, doing my best not to grin as wide as I feel. I adjust my glasses, clearing my throat. Ryder turns around, spotting me and bounding over. My chest, which ached only moments before, now flutters pleasantly.

“Ben!” Ryder tucks his hands around the back of my neck, pulling me into a tight hug. I breathe his sweet scent in that’s justbarelythere since he obviously put blockers on this morning. He’s always been too hasty with his application and notes always poke through. I smile as I let the barely there scent wash over me as I wrap my arms around his back just as tight.

“You act like you haven’t seen me in years,” I say with an amused snort, ignoring the warmth that’s building up inside of me at the feel of my best friend pressed up against me.

“You spent the whole weekend at your apartment. I missed you so much,” he says with a giant pout, finally pulling away. We walk side by side down the hall towards the studio.

“You had that doctor’s appointment and then it stormed and neither of us wanted to drive. You’re so dramatic.”

“Whatever,” he says, shaking his head. “All I heard was ‘blah, blah, blah, I actually hate you Ryder’.” My lips tick up into a tiny smile as I listen to him talk. I can’t help but stare, taking in all his features, cataloging them within my mind. He touches his earlobe which is covered in rings as he talks. His eyes are lined with dark eyeliner, his lip ring in place. He’s beautiful.

“By the way,” Ryder says, snapping me out of my staring. I take a sip of my too sweet iced coffee, hoping he doesn’t see my blush. “You need to make sure you don’t have plans in two weeks.”

“What did you plan all on your own and forgot to tell me about?”

Ryder looks away for a moment before turning back towards me. “Okay, so here’s the thing.”

“Oh, here we go.”

“Don’t ‘here we go’ me! I thought I told you about this already!”

“What is it?”

“My sister’s baby shower.”

“Man, I still can’t believe little Rosie is all grown up and having a baby,” I say with a soft smile. Ryder’s been my best friend for so long that I was over at his house as much as I was at my own. At this point, Rosie might as well be my baby sister as well.

“You’re telling me,” Ryder says back, bumping his hip into mine as we walk. I just barely keep myself from stumbling into the wall but Ryder wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me against himself and saving me from embarrassment. He’s been saving me from embarrassment for years, it’s kinda his thing at this point. “So that’s a yes, right? You’re coming with me?”

“Of course. Did you book tickets already?”

“Tickets for what?”

I look over at him, raising my brow. “The plane?”

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