Was his protest due to the accusation being false or because Noah had shared the truth? Alec tried hard to pretend the answer didn’t matter.
“Okay, so you’re not quite the manwhore,” Noah said to Dylan, and Alec’s shoulders eased. “During the week, I practically have to drag you out of that garage of yours. But on the weekend, all bets are off. You’re with a different woman every Friday and Saturday night, Dylan. You can’t even commit to one make of motorcycle, for chrissakes.”
Alec let out a huff, amused by the words, until Noah’s focus shifted again.
“And you…” he said to Alec, and Alec’s muscles tensed for battle. Noah stood and began to pace as he went on. “You are just getting out of a two-year relationship—a relationship you were mourning just weeks ago. And now you’ve gone and hooked up with Dylan?” Noah came to a stop in front of Alec. “Could you get any more idiotic?”
Probably not.
“Give me a minute,” Alec said drily. “I’m sure I’ll think of something.”
Dylan chuckled again, and Noah frowned at him. “This isn’t a laughing matter.”
Clearly struggling to restrain a smile, Dylan rubbed his chin and glanced at Alec, probably hoping for a bit of solidarity while dealing with a seriously worked-up Noah. But Alec was too busy getting lost in the green gaze and remembering the wild look on Dylan’s face as Alec pounded into him from behind.
He still couldn’t wrap his mind around the sight.
Several seconds ticked by, and Dylan’s eyes grew dark, dropping to Alec’s body. The drag of his gaze was like a physical touch, stealing Alec’s breath. And, for one insane moment, he thought Dylan was going to cross the room and haul Alec back to the bedroom.
Christ, he was still worn out and buzzed from this morning. Noah was right. Dylan’s libido clearly operated at full throttle.
Alec was trying to decide if that was a good thing—or bad—when Noah stepped into his line of vision, blocking Alec’s gaze.
“Stop the eye fucking, you two.” Noah turned to face Dylan. “Dylan, are you bisexual?”
The words knocked the breath from Alec, and Dylan looked thrown by the question.
His answer was slow in coming. “No.”
Noah planted a hand on his hip. “Are you interested in a relationship?”
This time there was no pause on Dylan’s part.
“Hell, no,” Dylan barked.
Alec’s chest grew tight, and Noah shot him a see-what-I-mean? look before turning back to Dylan. “Why don’t you go make coffee while I chat with Alec?”
“Gladly,” Dylan said.
Alec relaxed a fraction, feeling relieved. Knowing Noah, Alec didn’t want Dylan to hear what came next. Once Dylan was gone and the sound of puttering drifted in from the kitchen, Noah addressed Alec.
“I know you, Alec.” Noah took a step closer. “You think because you managed to wring all those noises from Dylan’s mouth that, somehow, he’s in to you.” Noah’s expression had morphed from ticked off to concerned.
Alec bit back the groan, preferring a wrathful Noah over the sympathetic one. And Alec certainly didn’t want to touch on the fact that his friend was right. After this morning’s round in bed, Alec had begun to imagine a future that included dating Dylan.
You knew this would happen.
Using both hands, Alec raked his hair from his face. “I really don’t want to talk about this right now.”
“Too bad.” He steadily met Alec’s gaze. “You know as well as anyone that a good proportion of men’s orgasms—whether they’re gay, straight, or chock-full of angles—are brought about by their right hand.”
When had this discussion turned to masturbation?
Noah stuck up his palm as if displaying Exhibit A in his case against Alec. “I don’t know about you, but I regularly get off to something that I have absolutely no attraction to.”
Alec almost winced at the words. Christ, no mystery where this topic was headed.
Noah went on. “Essentially we’re all just a bunch of walking hard-ons in search of the big O. And Dylan is no different. Dating is one thing, but you do not need to be jumping into bed with anyone just yet, much less Dylan. Not when you’re already carrying around enough baggage to rack up a five-hundred-dollar charge on Delta Airlines.”
Baggage? Alec opened his mouth to protest.
“No, seriously, Alec.” Noah’s face was grim. “You’re a mess. Not to mention a hopeless romantic. Before you shacked up with Tyler—a move I was against from the start, if you remember—you fell in love with every one-night-stand who managed to convince you to sleep with him.”
Having his past thrown at him so aggressively had Alec raising his hands in surrender. Having said past illustrate the very point Alec had tried to make to himself before sleeping with Dylan was painful. “Okay, okay. I get what you’re saying, all right?”