Page 24 of Icing the Play

“And fuck NAU.” I chuckled, tapped my shot on theirs, and downed it, the sweet cinnamon liquor burning down my throat. Any more of those and I’d end up like Cooper. No thanks.

“Wait, you’re moving tomorrow?” Danica tugged on Cooper’s arm, turning him around as he drank his shot.

“I am. Why?” He gave her a dumb stare.

She brushed her long fingernails over his chest and swayed her head, saying, “Well, I thought we’d go back to your place tonight and?—”

“I don’t know. I have to get up kinda early and pack.” He sighed through a breath.

“I’ll help you.” I poked JJ in the ribs with my elbow. “And I’m sure JJ will help, too.” I threw JJ a look.

“What? Oh yeah, sure.” JJ patted Cooper on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, buddy. We’ll get you moved.”

Danica pouted, pawing at Cooper’s shirt. “Where are you moving to?”

“I’m moving in with Myles and his friends.” Cooper’s gaze trailed over me from head to toe and stopped on my lips. “He’s a good friend, letting me move in with him.”

JJ wrinkled his nose. “If we had room in our place, we’d have let you move in.”

“I know.” Cooper swayed backward, righted himself, and drank more beer.

“All your friends are queer though, right?” Danica eyed me and then JJ.

“Yeah. And so am I.” He met her gaze straight on. “Do you have a problem with that?”

Staring at him, she dropped her mouth open and slowly shook her head. “No, God no. I’m okay with a bisexual man. In fact, it’s kind of hot.” With a coy smirk, she wrapped his arm around hers.

Okay, this was weird now. Why didn’t they go off somewhere and leave us alone? I leaned in close to JJ’s ear and whispered, “Let’s go somewhere else.”

JJ nodded. “Come on.” He hooked an arm around my waist and led me out of the kitchen.

“Hey, where are you going?” Cooper planted his hand on his hip, his gaze hardening.

I’d never seen him like this. But then, I’d barely seen him since high school. Glancing behind me, I said, “We’ll be around. Spend some time with your lady friend.” My chest pinched.

CHAPTER SIX

COOPER

Iwatched Myles walk off with JJ, my chest burning. That should be me. Instead, I was stuck with a chick who only wanted my dick because I was on the football team. She didn’t even know me. Pressing my lips together, I freed a soft growl. If Myles really liked JJ, I had to rein myself in. Or maybe I should just grab an Uber and go the fuck home.

“Come on, Cooper. Your friends are gone. I’m sure there’s an open bedroom somewhere in this house,” she whined.

My gaze caught on JJ, pushing Myles against the wall, both his arms on his chest. He came in and planted a lingering kiss on Myles’s mouth.

“Fuck.” Heat sparked behind my rib cage, and I clenched my jaw. I didn’t need to see any more tonight. Theyhadto be fucking each other. “Come on.” I snatched Danica’s arm and shoved my way to the stairs. The bedrooms had to be on the second floor, right?

“Oh, I like a guy who takes charge.” She giggled and tramped after me.

As I stomped up the stairs, the image of JJ kissing Myles scorched a hole through my heart. There was only one way toremove it, but I wished I’d had another guy to do it with. I was craving the feel of hard muscle under me and not softness.

We strode down a long hallway lit by a small lamp on a table at the end. Every door was closed. I stopped at the closest one and tried the knob.

“Hey, this room is taken,” a man yelled from the other side.

“Fuck.” I paced to the next one, my chest squeezing. I should have had a stronger shot. Maybe whiskey?

“Hey, Cooper. It looks like we’re too late. Maybe we can go back to your place and hook up?” She stood in the middle of the hallway, her fingernails touching her lips.