Page 72 of The Step Dare

As I gaze down at Brenner clinging tight to me, his head is tilted just enough for me to get a glimpse of that pretty mug. I always knew he was attractive. I love my charming, playful Brenner, but there’s something vulnerable about him now, without the walls he puts up.

The walls I understand because I have mine too, even if they’re for different reasons.

He shifts before planting a kiss just under my pec.

I’m wondering if he’s even awake yet or if kissing me gently has become so instinctual, his body’s going through the motions.

Whatever it was, it sends a wave of goose bumps pricking across my flesh.

I embrace the sensation before he stirs and glances up at me. As if he didn’t look hot enough without the help of those hypnotic brown eyes.

He groans.

“Morning,” I say.

He shakes his head, clinging tighter. “Let’s stay in bed today.”

I chuckle. “We can’t. We’re helping Atlas today.”

Last week, our friend asked if we’d swing by with some of the guys from Alpha Theta Mu to help with the winter social he’s managing through a local nonprofit. Atlas does a lot of volunteer work, something he kept hidden from us, his best friends, for years. But after he and Troy got together, he became more open about this side of himself, even letting us know whenever he needs help.

“Oh,” Brenner says. “That today?”

“You know damn well it is. We talked about it before we went to bed.”

“Yeah, I’m just tired. Baby wore this ass out last night.”

“You topped last night.”

“Still exercises those glutes with all that thrusting, and I feel like I have to fuck ten times harder than you to make up for all that time you missed out on.”

My hole twitches at the thought of how we’ve made up for lost time the past few weeks.

“At least we have a little more time to cuddle,” he says, and it’s like he summoned my alarm because it goes off on the nightstand, and we share a groan.

No time for cuddles after all.

We drag our asses out of bed, eat some cereal, then get ready. When we arrive at the middle school where the event is being held, I see Atlas and the Alpha Theta Mu guys hanging out by thegymnasium. While we wait for someone to unlock the gym, Atlas recaps the event.

It’s a social through Activate Kindness, serving kids with special needs. As Atlas is explaining everything we need to get done before eleven, when the event starts, I can’t help thinking again about how in all the time we’ve known him, he hid this side of himself. Didn’t want anyone to see that big-ass fucking heart of his. Although, I always knew it was there.

I figure because of the Piece of Shit, I have this radar that picks up on who’s a real asshole and who isn’t, and the moment I met Atlas, despite all the walls he put up, I knew he was a good guy.

Once a custodian arrives and unlocks the door, we head inside, taking on responsibilities in groups. Lance, Ash, Marty, and I set up the DJ booth, while the others tackle decorations and the refreshment table.

“Technically, we shouldn’t have taken any of this equipment from the house,” Marty says as he pulls a speaker off a cart he brought.

“As the president of Alpha Theta Mu,” Lance says, “I order you to shut the hell up.”

“You’re a president, not a dictator,” Marty tells him.

“Ash, you think I could convince the other guys to exile him from the house?”

“Don’t even joke about that,” Marty says. “Last time you joked, you wound up president.”

“Yeah, so I wouldn’t fuck with me if I were you,” Lance teases, and Ash and I can’t help but laugh.

As Lance sets up his laptop on the table, he practically sings, “So how are the lovebirds?”

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