Irresponsible Puckboy (Puckboys #2)(11)

I’m going to get over him by not getting over him.

It’s completely logical and makes total sense.

“Who’s going on the trip?” Dex asks.

“It’s only Ezra, Anton, and Oskar this year. The others couldn’t make it, so there’s plenty of room.”

“Please take me away from all the shitty breakup thoughts. Please, please, please, please, please.”

“I’ll make a call.”





Five





DEX





Two weeks with the boys.

This is exactly what I need after a long season that ended in a spectacularly disappointing way. I know Ezra a lot better than Anton and Oskar, but they’ve always been cool, and with Tripp here, I wouldn’t give a shit if they were all strangers. We always manage to have a fun time wherever we are.

We drive down a long dirt driveway surrounded by thick tree coverage, and I’m hanging out the window, breathing in the smell of nature, which isn’t something we have a whole lot of in Las Vegas.

After another deep lungful, I drop back into my seat.

“Did you bring a leash for your dog, Tripp?” Ezra snarks from the passenger’s seat.

I ignore it. It’s not my fault it feels good to have the air on my face.

Tripp’s in the middle seat between me and Oskar, and I pat his thigh in my excitement.

“This is going to be great.”

The others don’t match my enthusiasm.

In fact, ever since I shoved my bag in the trunk, there’s been a vibe hanging over the group that I can’t put my finger on.

Like now. Tripp and Oskar exchange a weird look, and when I glance up front, Anton is watching me in the rearview mirror. Which wouldn’t be an issue if he wasn’t meant to be concentrating on, you know, the road.

“Ah. Tough crowd,” I say, trying to lighten the mood.

Ezra laughs, at least. “We can’t all be an overexcitable puppy like you. We’re pacing our excitement to last the full two weeks.”

“Maybe you need better stamina, big guy.”

Tripp snorts, and we trade amused looks. It goes a long way to settle the feelings of not being wanted here. Clearly, I’m being paranoid.

Anton slows as we reach the cabin and pulls into a covered parking bay. The place is huge. All stone and wood. Single story but taking up most of the clearing. In front of the house is a large fire pit area and then a fuckton of water between us and the distant mountains.

Anton whistles. “Welcome to Lake Tahoe.”

We climb out and stretch. It was about forty-five minutes from Reno airport to here, but Tripp, Oskar, and I aren’t exactly small, and even the back seat of a Jeep Grand Cherokee has its limits.

“Anton and I call the main bedroom,” Ezra says, grabbing his bag and slinging it over his shoulder.

“Why do you guys get to claim that?”

“Because, Plus-One, we’ll need the en suite for quick cleanup.”

I scowl at the nickname. I know they’re only joking, but I can’t shake the feeling I’m intruding. Ezra and Anton are being more or less the same, but Oskar has barely acknowledged me at all. He gives me this long look before turning to Tripp. He has the same sort of piercing blue eyes as Ezra, but where Ezra’s eyes always seem like they’re laughing, Oskar’s feel like they’re looking for trouble. His full-body tats add to that impression. His left arm is the only thing bare of ink.

“Come on.” Tripp hands me my bag. “Let’s go pick our rooms.”

The stone-and-wood theme continues inside to a living area with a massive fireplace, a timber kitchen, and hardwood floors.

Anton and Ezra take the first bedroom, Oskar ducks into the second, and I follow Tripp down to the third. He walks inside and does a double take when I follow.

“What are you doing?”

I dump my bag on the bed. “What do you mean?”

“Dude, there are five bedrooms. Get your own.”

I blink at him. “We’re not sharing?”

Tripp looks like he doesn’t know what to say. “Are you kidding?”

“I thought … Ezra and Anton are.”

“Yeah, because they’re planning on banging all night.” He takes my bag and hands it to me. “Dex, I love you, but I’m not going two weeks without jerking off. Find your own room.”

I almost, almost say we can do that shit together—it’s not like we’re subtle in our rooms at away games. I mean, we don’t talk about it, but that’s the rule on the road. You always pretend you don’t know when the dude in the bed next to you is rubbing one out. But the sharing a bed thing is probably where it crosses a line.

I act like it’s no big deal and take my bag before heading down to the next room, wondering if this is one of those things that should have been obvious.

It hadn’t occurred to me that we’d have separate rooms.

It’s not a big deal, though, because we won’t be spending much time in them anyway.

I get changed into some swim shorts and grab my towel because the lake is calling my name. The others must still be unpacking or whatever, because there’s no one else around as I head down to the short dock and jump in.

The water is heaven. I dive deep and swim across the murky bottom, killing time until Tripp comes out to join me. And even though the day has started out with awkwardness, I know it won’t take long for everyone to loosen up. There’s no way any gross lingering feelings can hang around out here.