Page 30 of Deceiving Grier

“Sometimes.” Sawyer’s shoulder shrugged under me. “I obviously don’t miss Carl, but my mom sometimes. Mia and Jack are so much younger than me, and I’ve been out of the house for a long time, so they barely know me. I learned a lot from my mother though, while I’d been growing up. I saw firsthand how easy it is to give up everything that was ever important to you and wind up trapped in a miserable life you never wanted. I’ll be damned before I ever let that happen to me.”

“That’s why you didn’t get serious with the massage therapist?” I asked teasingly.

“My loss was your gain, apparently.” I could hear the smile in Sawyer’s voice.

A part of me envied Sawyer. God, what would it be like for my life to be truly my own? To know that at the end of my last semester, I could live anywhere I wanted, choose my own career, my own future.

I loved my family, but I’d never really felt comfortable around them or a part of them. I’d always felt as though I was on the outside looking in. Sure, they knew I was gay, but I still didn’t feel as if I could really be myself. I still had to keep a part of me hidden away.

Though, I wasn’t convinced I’d be happy living Sawyer’s life either. That kind of freedom sounded just a little bit lonely to me.

Chapter Twelve

Sawyer

OnSaturday,Ispentthe bulk of the afternoon covering a fundraising event hosted by one of the fitness clubs on campus. They were trying to raise money for one of their members who had contracted Lyme disease over the summer.

This week, I was on the roster for the university newspaper covering news stories. Though, a fundraising event wasn’t the sort of hard-hitting news story I wanted to be covering, and it sure as hell wasn’t the type of story that would help me once I was in New York. Still, I did my job, got a few quotes and took some photos, and even made arrangements for one of the organizers to contact me with the total amount they raised once they had time to calculate them.

That’s why when I got home and heard voices coming from the dining room and smelled Chinese takeout, I thought just maybe karma had thrown me a bone.

I made my way into the dining room, where I found Grier and Jett with two men I hadn’t met before, setting out Chinese takeout containers on the table. While I may not have met the men, I had done enough research about Greyson Mackenzie and everyone connected with his Oceanwind Square properties that I recognized Alistair Simmons and Finn Roberts as soon as I saw them.

“Good, you’re home,” Grier said, when he saw me. He looked amazing, his hair slightly tousled, slim-fitting jeans hugging his legs and ass. His blue long-sleeved t-shirt made his green eyes lighter, and when he smiled at me, I had to fight the urge to drag him back to my room.

“This is Alistair, our roommate before you,” Grier said, nodding to the dark-haired man standing beside him. Alistair was tall and slender, his shaggy hair falling to his shoulders.

“And this is his boyfriend, Finn,” Grier added, nodding to the even taller man standing behind Alistair. He looked older than us, probably close to ten years. His hair was short, the color caught somewhere between light brown and blond, and with the scruff of beard covering his cheeks and chin, I’d have had to be dead not to notice how hothewas.

Not as hot as Grier, mind you, but still damn good-looking.

“Come, sit down,” Alistair said. “We’re just about to eat.”

My stomach growled, reminding me that all I’d eaten so far today was a muffin I’d picked up from the cafe when I stopped for coffee this morning.

“No, I don’t want to intrude,” I lied. Iabsolutelywanted to intrude. And I had so many questions for the men in front of me. I just needed to figure out a way to work those questions into the conversation casually, naturally over beef and broccoli.

“You’re never intruding,” Grier gave me a soft smile.

Jett came out of the kitchen with a stack of plates and a handful of utensils. We all sat down at the table and started dishing up the food. I’d sat in the chair next to Grier. He looked good today, with none of the tired lines and dark circles that he’d been sporting in the middle of the week. He must have gotten a decent night’s sleep. I hoped he had. He’d been burning the candle at both ends for far too long. He was going to make himself sick if he wasn’t careful.

“So, you go to Bayside too?” Alistair asked, dragging my attention away from Grier. I should have probably been grateful. It was costing me everything not to reach out and touch him. Maybe I could convince him to sneak into my room once Jett had gone to bed.

Hell, who was I kidding? It was Saturday night. Jett would probably take off to The Dunes as soon as Finn and Alistair had gone, no matter how late they stayed.

Anticipation shot straight to my dick, but I shoved the thoughts away before the evidence of my anticipation became obvious.

“Journalism,” I told Alistair, forcing myself to focus on the conversation. “You?”

“I’m working on my Masters of Fine Arts,” Alistair said.

“Alistair’s an incredibly talented artist,” Finn interjected. Alistair snorted, but Finn looked at him seriously. “You are.”

I did my best not to roll my eyes. I guess Alistair would have had to be talented for his sugar daddy and his sugar daddy’s friend to build him his very own art gallery.

“You didn’t bring the kid tonight,” Jett said.

“It’s his grandparents’ weekend,” Finn told him.

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