Never one to let the chance for a well-aimed dig slip by, Noah said, “Tyler has a lot of exes, including you.” He popped another Gouda-topped cracker into this mouth. “Which one?”
Alec bit back the name, considering his options. The look on Tyler’s face made his feelings clear. He didn’t want the stunt man involved. Alec had two choices. He could out Tyler, and watch his ex suffer Noah’s relentless hounding, or he could truly put the past behind him and support his ex. All middle school feelings aside, the time had come to move past the residual resentment and anger.
“No one special,” Alec said, avoiding Noah’s eyes. The need to lie made the words feel pressured. “Just a guy Tyler dated in med school who is now some big wig at Stanford. He went on to host a morning talk show on a small local cable channel.” Shit, now what? His mind spun, searching for something that would make the made-up ex sound unappealing to Noah. “He’s…uh, super smart and probably knows more about the rates of sexually transmitted diseases in this county than anyone else.”
Noah stared at Alec for a moment before responding. “Are you on drugs? We need sex appeal,” Noah went on. “Not a STD expert.” Noah shook his head in defeat. “Never mind. I’ll find someone myself.”
Relieved, Alec quietly blew out a breath. His stomach grumbled, and he tried hard not to think of the Chinese food waiting at home and Dylan, naked, in the shower…
Distracted, Alec reached out to slice a piece of cheese— “Hey!”
Noah gripped Alec’s wrist, and Alec almost dropped the knife.
“For chrissakes, Alec,” Noah said, staring down at the faint bruises on Alec’s skin.
Fuck.
Time ticked by in painful increments. Alec waited a moment before releasing the knife and pulling his arm from Noah’s grasp. Face burning, he tugged his sleeve down to cover the marks while the two men stared at him.
Noah looked shocked, but Tyler was studying him as if seeing Alec in a new light.
Tyler had been serious when he’d claimed Alec didn’t have a sex swing. Their sexual relationship had been satisfying, but nothing like the headboard-banging, mind-melting ride with Dylan.
Alec knew Dylan had only been kidding in his earlier text—ninety percent sure anyway. But their sex life had left Alec feeling high for days. Dylan couldn’t seem to decide which he liked more, being the top or the bottom. So far he’d exerted a considerable amount of energy testing the two positions while trying to make up his mind, with Alec happily encouraging the comparison process.
“Are you and Dylan a thing now?” Noah asked.
The answer rolled easily off Alec’s tongue. “That’s none of your business.”
Two seconds later, Noah turned to Tyler. “Will you grab the second package of crackers on the counter in the kitchen?”
No one commented on Noah’s request for more birdseed. After a last glance in Alec’s direction, Tyler silently headed into the kitchen.
Noah turned to Alec. “Has Dylan decided he’s bisexual?”
The question shot through Alec’s brain and ricocheted around his skull, and he glanced at the kitchen doorway. For reasons he couldn’t explain, especially to himself, he didn’t want Tyler to know the truth just yet. Mostly because he wouldn’t survive another person giving him shit about his choices. Noah’s doubts were bad enough, and Alec’s were tenuously held at bay by the sexual fog Dylan induced.
But Alec had made a decision.
“I’m not just the hand, Noah,” Alec said.
As soon as he’d spoken the words, Alec sat up higher in his seat. Noah’s original claim that Dylan had only slept with Alec out of convenience still burned in ways Alec hadn’t recovered from.
Noah looked confused, so Alec went on. “I’m not just the most accessible means for Dylan to get off,” Alec said. “He is attracted to me.”
Alec felt that simple truth in Dylan’s every glance. He didn’t have to touch Alec or say anything suggestive because every time Dylan looked at him there was no doubt the man felt the same pull. It was The Look from that first night at Danny’s Suds and Sports. The attraction had most definitely been mutual then. Dylan had just needed a little time to sort the realization out.
“Yes, I suppose you’re right,” Noah said. But before Alec could celebrate his victory, Noah’s voice dropped an octave. “But I’m not sure that protects you much, Alec.”
Shit. Noah always went for the jugular.
Alec fought the need to close his eyes and ignored the misgivings howling in his brain.
He shoved his hair back from his face. “Look, I hear what you’re saying,” Alec said. The more of Dylan he unraveled, the bigger the remaining puzzle pieces grew. “I won’t argue with you about the risks. But—”
Tyler reentered the living room and set the second package of crackers on the coffee table. Alec went on, despite his ex’s presence.
“Right now I’m choosing to be with Dylan.” Alec steadily met Noah’s gaze, refusing to look away first. “And I don’t need any more lectures from you.”