When he looked down, my gaze followed. His dick and mine sported matching denim tents.
He sighed. “You know that was a bad idea, right?”
“Nope.” I offered an innocent shrug. “I have idea dyslexia, remember? Good, bad, they get all mixed up.” It was probably true, if I really thought about it.
Ramsey muttered another curse. Since the party was clearly over, I swiveled around and rested my shoulders against the wall next to him. “So what happened back inside? Does someone need their ass kicked? Did you embarrass yourself and totally choke?”
“Nah.” Ramsey hesitated, then shrugged. “I don’t think I’m going to be able to force this, like, just dive in with some rando. I wasn’t feeling that guy. Wasn’t feeling any of them. Not enough to take anyone home.”
“And it pissed you off enough to storm out and rage-kiss me?”
He snorted. “Rage-kiss? That’s a new one.”
“I just made it up, but you defined it. It’s canon now.”
“I guess I did.” He quirked another small smile, then rubbed a hand over his face. “Fuck, that was bad form. I’m sorry. I just came at you out of nowhere.”
“It was a kiss, Rams.” And it’d been fucking awesome, but whatever. “It’s not third grade. It doesn’t mean you’re my boyfriend. We don’t have to make a thing about it. It’s possible for people to hook up and for it not to be a big deal, you know.”
“Well aware, but that usually works out better when it’s not someone on the same team as you and not your friend’s little brother whom you have to see every day.”
“I think you’re gonna have to drop the ‘little’ thing, considering that noise you made when my dick rubbed against yours.”
“Fine. Brother. My friend’s brother. And teammate.” He glanced at me. “And I reserve the right to reinvoke ‘little’ at any time.”
“I reserve the right to make you regret it.”
“Our status quo, basically?”
“Yep.” The banter eased some of the tension in my shoulders. I’d said what I did about the kiss not being a big deal because I didn’t want any awkwardness between us. But it was also true. Or could be. It would take two of us to make that happen, though. “So…” I slanted a sidelong look at him. “Your first kiss with another guy… How’s it stack up? Your dick seemed to give it a rave review.”
“It was all right.” Ramsey knocked his shoulder against mine and smirked. “Could’ve used more tongue. Or maybe less. I don’t know. I wasn’t paying much attention. Got distracted thinking about paint drying.”
“Please. I’ll go up against any Ashley, Alyssa, or Arnold any day.” I narrowed my eyes, catching an equivalent heated flash in his that almost had me lunging for him all over again.
“It was good, okay?” He averted his gaze, staring off into the distance. Okay, message received. No second servings of Ramsey for me. “I definitely enjoyed it, and it definitely shouldn’t happen again.”
He wasn’t wrong. Once more, the part of my brain I usually despised engaging in situations like these reminded me that it would be a long season—hell, career—if we were hooking up and shit went south.
“Fine. Just try to not to jerk off too many times tonight thinking about me. Wouldn’t want that golden arm to be sore for practice.” I shoved off the wall and ticked my head toward the front of the club.
“Somehow I think I’ll manage.” He trailed after me with a laugh.
Bad idea to think about Ramsey jerking off. “Share an Uber?”
Houston was sprawled on the couch, watching ESPN, when I got back to his place. I grabbed a water from the fridge and flopped onto the couch next to him.
He glanced down at an imaginary watch, then eyed me suspiciously. “You’re home early.”
I shrugged one shoulder lazily. “Club sucked.” I wished there had been sucking. Odds were a hundred percent I was gonna go to bed, relive the sensation of Ramsey’s mouth on mine, jack off, and still manage to have a wet dream about him. God, I was becoming pathetic.
“What’s that look on your face?”
I blinked. “What look?”
“Dunno.” He shrugged and looked back at the TV. “You getting along with everyone on the team?”
“Yeah. Nance doesn’t seem to like me very much, but whatever. He’ll get over it eventually.” Or he wouldn’t, but I was trying not to sweat it. I’d gotten along with everyone on the team at Silver Ridge U.
“I think that’s just how he is. He gets jealous easily. Don’t take his shit, though, just because you’re new.”
“It’s all good.” I eyed him sidelong. “You know you can come out with us anytime. The guys would love it. They’re still your friends.”
Houston blew out a long breath. “I know. But it’s not the same, and every time I’ve done it before, it just reminded me that’s no longer my life.”