Page 2 of False Start

“Nothing,” he says and leans forward, unzipping his backpack and putting his math book in there before zipping it back. “I should probably get going. It’s a school night.”

“No, don’t go. Mom is making fried chicken for dinner.”

He laughs at that, and that beautiful, bright smile I’ll never tire of is left on his face when the sound stops. “You know my mom can cook too.”

“I do.” I jump off the bed and grab his hand. “We’ll go to your place for dinner tomorrow! Come on. I can smell the chicken already, and I’m starving.”

“You’re always starving,” he chides but lets me lead him out of my room and toward the kitchen. My mom doesn’t looksurprised at all to see us walk into the kitchen while she stands by the stove.

“Smelled dinner, huh?” she teases.

“You know it.” I kiss her cheek. “What can I do to speed up this process?”

She laughs at that, a full vibrant laugh and points to the cabinet. “Set the table.” She looks at Austin. “I’m assuming you’ll be setting a place for my favorite child too?”

Austin blushes at that, and my little sister, Carrie, walks into the kitchen at that moment. “You mean me, right, Mom?”

My sister is a sophomore in high school—sixteen and a total hellion, but she’s a good kid who actually gets along with our parents pretty well. “Sure, sweetie,” Mom says, kissing Carrie’s forehead and then winking at Austin, who just chuckles.

Carrie and Austin continue to joke around about being my mom’s favorite child as we set the table. My dad walks in, just in time from working at my uncle’s cattle ranch a couple of miles away. He looks tired, and his boots, which he takes off by the back door, are muddy, but he’s happy when he kisses my mom hello and then sits down at the table with us.

I love these nights at home with my family. I’m going to miss it when I go to college, but I have no doubt Austin and I will make our way back here at least once a week.

So I still can’t wait.

2

AUSTIN

Oh. No.

Not again.

I crack my eyes open, though I already know it’s not a dream I’m currently experiencing. I really do have my best friend’s arms wrapped around me, his morning wood poking into the small of my back. His bare, warm chest pressing against the skin of my back.

I fell asleep in his bed again. I’d planned to go home after dinner, but Vaughn talked me into a walk before the sun fully went down and then wanted to watch Netflix in his bed afterward.

I should have gone home. I know that, but the temptation was just too great. So I stripped out of my hoodie, shirt, and jeans—down to my boxer briefs—and watched shamelessly as Vaughn did the same.

We’ve been doing this for as long as I can remember. I’ve been waking up to Vaughn’s boner poking me for years now, but while his is a simple morning wood most guys experience, mine is not so innocent.

I can’t stop fantasizing about my best friend, and he has no idea. “Vaughn.” I wiggle in his arms, but he just tightens his hold on me, pushing his hard dick even harder against my back. And fuck my life—my own cock twitches hungrily between my legs.

What I wouldn’t give for him to actually mean it. But I know he’s dead to the world right now.

I try again. “Vaughn, I have to get up.”

“Sleeping,” he says, wiggling even more against me and holding me tighter. The guy is going to kill me. Seriously. I might stroke out if he doesn’t stop touching me. He’s an affectionate guy. Always has been. Loves to cuddle and snuggle, this big, oblivious moron.

Said with love, of course.

“You have to wake up. We have school.”

“Don’t wanna,” he mumbles against the back of my neck, sending needy shivers throughout my body. I’m going to need at least an extra ten minutes this morning to jerk off before school or I’ll be hard all day.

Shit, I probably will be anyway. And ten minutes is a great exaggeration because I’m already close to being there.

“Vaughn, come on. Let me go.”

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