Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 116254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 581(@200wpm)___ 465(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 581(@200wpm)___ 465(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
That ache in his chest demanded its due, that he feel every pang.
It was the only way he’d finally learn to stop repeating the same mistake.
— FIFTEEN —
“Hard to believe that in a few short hours, I’m gonna be closing this chapter of my life. No more living alone.”
Kai lifted his gaze from where he stood in Tad’s kitchen to watch as Tad peered around his living room. Cardboard moving boxes were everywhere. Today was the last day of his college apartment’s lease.
“Not too late to change your mind, babe.” Scott smiled wryly, down on his haunches a few feet away, closing up a box.
“What’d be the point?” Tad laughed, casting him a look. “As of late, the number of sleepovers at your place has been absurd.”
Scott’s lips quirked. “Absurd is certainly one way to describe them. Although, the adjective I’d personally go with is—”
Tad coughed loudly to drown him out, then laughed and pointed at him sternly, a flush darkening his cheeks. “No. Keep that shit to yourself. We’ve got company.”
Kai smiled a little, amused by their chemistry, then got back to packing up more kitchen stuff. He’d agreed a while back to help Scott move Tad out. So here he was, grabbing silverware from a drawer and shoving it into a box.
Scott snickered and rose to his feet. “Made you blush, shy boy.”
“Pfft. No, you didn’t.” Tad’s next laugh was quieter, his voice a little softer.
“Sure, I did,” Scott murmured playfully. “Come on, I’ll show you. Let’s go to the bathroom and take a look in the mirror.”
Tad grinned, shaking his head. “Not going anywhere with you.”
Scott made a rumbly sound and grasped Tad’s elbow. “Oh, trust me. This reflection, you won’t want to miss.” There were multiple meanings to his words. Kai could easily discern them.
Tad went quiet, the two now communicating with just their eyes. Scott bit his lip and slowly smiled wider.
Tad flushed even deeper, then cleared his throat. “Fine. Let’s go prove you wrong. Besides… I uh… you know… still have to pack up my toiletries… and stuff.”
“Boom. Two birds with one stone.” Scott swiped up an empty box, then started down the hallway with Tad in tow. “Master bathroom, I presume?”
“Um, yeah. Yup. I’d been waiting to, you know, pack up my shampoo and toothpaste and shit.”
“Of course, makes total sense,” Scott tossed over his shoulder. “Be right back, Kai. This’ll only take a sec.”
They ducked into Tad’s bedroom.
Kai smirked, not even remotely fooled. By that tone in Scott’s voice, ‘a sec’ would amount to a solid thirty minutes.
Sure enough, a heartbeat later, he heard kissing. Then a soft, muted moan. Then Scott’s low, rakish chuckle. “Uh huh. Look. What’d I tell you? Where’s your phone, Tad. Need to document this shit.”
Tad’s muffled grouse quickly turned into a laugh. “Dude. That’s not my back pocket. Get your hand outta my pan—” A sharp gasp, then a stifled, “Ungh fuck…”
Scott’s happy growl.
Another of Tad’s hushed, breathless laughs. “Dude. You are such a fuckin’— Ungh!— For crying out loud, at least close the frickin’ door.”
Said door banged shut as if it’d been greeted by a foot.
Kai shook his head and pulled out his phone. Definitely time for sound control. The walls in this apartment were way too thin.
Music emerged and filled the small kitchen galley. Kai finished with the cutlery, then moved on to empty the cupboards. A couple of plates, some bowls, two coffee mugs. He opened another cabinet, making good time, only to stop in his tracks when he spotted a George Mason Patriots water bottle. His chest tightened as he eyed its logo. Dark green letters with yellow accents—and an orange basketball.
Fuck. He rubbed his eyes and loosed a slow, tired breath. While in Tad’s presence for the last two hours, he’d been trying like hell not to think about Breck. And it’d been working.
Kind of.
A little.
But this unexpected reminder wasn’t helping his cause.
In truth, it felt a lot like salt poured into an open wound.
Muttering an oath, he grabbed the bottle and dropped it into the box, determined not to get dragged back into last night’s emotional abyss.
He laughed darkly at that. Because honestly, who was he kidding? He was still fucking there, trudging around in the dark. He’d never left.
He still hurt so bad. To the point that he’d deleted all Breck’s texts, not even wanting to read them. All it would do was bring back the memory of him with those half-naked girls.
Jaw tight, he boxed up the rest of the tumblers, then closed up the flaps and carried it into the living room. Several other boxes were already stacked on a dolly, waiting to be transported to the parking lot, then loaded into the trunks of both his and Scott’s cars. He set it atop the others and grabbed another empty one. Just a couple more areas in the kitchen and then that room would be done.