Page 40 of Twisted Minds

“That’s not what that means . . .” Mark shakes his head at me. “Never mind,” I sigh.

“Mm, I suppose.” I don’t think Noah and Sawyer will become great friends from this. Unfortunately, my best friend has so much shit he has to do daily, he barely has time to breathe. Tonight will be good for him, though, and it would be nice if ourfriends could get along. It’s early, I know, but I want this to work so badly. I really, really like Mark. He’s just . . . God, I don’t even know how describe it. It’s like I just relax when I see him. Like everything that’s stressed me out all day just disappears. Then it’s just us, talking, teasing, playing games. Nothing else matters. Being around him lays my stress to bed. “So . . . what did you two do after the game last night?” Noah grins manically, looking at us.

“We just hung out.”

“Yeah well, we used tohang outalso. I’m looking for details.” Noah cocks his head. “Oh! Puck Daddy. Nice job scoring a power play last weekend.”

“You don’t score a power play, you score on . . . You know what? Never mind.”

“What’s up with your goalie?”

“What about my goalie?”

“He was giving me eyes last weekend too. I suggested a threesome with Michael last night—”

“Monty.”

“He wasn’t into it, though.” Noah lowers his voice. “Baby gay,” he whispers. “I was too eager for the gay training wheels to just fall off and to ride that man into the sunset.”

I look up at the ceiling. What have I gotten myself into? “What does that mean . . .” Mark shakes his head. Jesus, okay, never mind. “Do you want to or not?”

“I’m in!” Noah smiles. “When are we leaving?”

Mark stands, about as done with this as I am. “Now, if you can get ready. Sawyer’s going to meet us there.” Then hopefully Mark will come back with me tonight. I have plans—filthy plans—and like Noah said, we are very flexible. I have some tricks I want to teach Mark myself.

fifteen

Mark

“Do you think he’ll be okay?” It was very obvious as soon we all got in the car that Sawyer was there against his will and was very distracted. I get it, though. Noah is a lot, and it’s not exactly like my friend is ever on his best behavior.

After an hour of walking around the park and going on various rides, Noah didn’t feel good and wanted to go home. Not really feeling it either, Sawyer offered to take him. I know what this is about. Hunter feels weird about Noah, which is fair. Even I feel weird about Noah. We just click, though, and I’m happy we can be friends now. As weird as it may seem, we just know each other.

Walking through the park, Hunter laughs a little. “I think Noah’s going to eat Sawyer alive.” He winds our fingers together, and I have to grin. Wide. I feel it stretch the entirety of my face, but that’s what it feels like being near him. I feel like the biggest idiot in the world, but I don’t care. It’s just how I feel when Hunter is with me. It’s like everything is okay when he’s here.

Everything is not okay, though.

My phone buzzes for the third time tonight, but I’m not pulling it out of my pocket and ruining things. Derrick’s words from earlier still haunt me. I know Derrick’s a prick, but making me break up with Hunter in that way is cruel. I know that’s what he’s going for, but I just can’t imagine someone being that awful to another person.

There’s no way I’m doing it. I’ll let him believe it, but I am going to figure this out. Somehow I will, and with Sawyer in the mix, it’s like the puzzle pieces are connecting. My main issue has always been why. Why is he framing me and what reason did he have to burn down their restaurant? Sawyer is Hunter’s best friend, so something must have happened between all of them.

Asking Hunter is out of the question. He keeps everyone’s business private, which is commendable, and also fucking frustrating. And I can’t very well ask Sawyer about it.

Hunter presses a kiss to my shoulder, making me smile. Despite everything with Derrick earlier, I’m having a great time now. Hunter pulls out his phone, laughing. “What?” He shows me the picture—Noah smiling wide with Sawyer looking unimpressed in the driver’s seat.

“Ugh, they’re going to hook up, huh?”

“Probably not.” Hunter laughs. “Would you be jealous if they did?”

“God, no.” I gag. “Sawyer is in for the ride of his life, though, if they do.” After seeing that hockey player in Noah’s room I wouldn’t put it past him. Sure, Noah’s a lot, but dammit, he is charismatic as fuck.

“Noah’s that good?” That’s not what I’m getting at, or really even want to think or talk about. I know it’s weird. It’s weird to me too, but it’s like ever since we stopped messing around, things between us have just improved. It’s weird to even thinkabout us fucking around now. “It’s okay, you can tell me. I’m curious.”

I think for a moment because yeah, sex with Noah was great while it lasted, but . . . hollow, compared to this and how I feel now. It was hollow. “I mean yeah, the sex was whatever. It was good, but . . .” I think for a moment. “Looking back now, it all just seems so . . .” I try to think of how to say this. “Empty.”

“Empty?”

That night in the woods with Hunter brought me more feeling than any hookup I’d ever had. Not for the first time do I think about him, and what it would be like fucking with the feelings part sprinkled in. “And you no longer want empty?”

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