The Play (Briar U, #3)(102)

I can’t help but deepen the kiss, and when I taste myself on her tongue I’m damn near raring to go again. I shiver.

“You okay?” she teases.

“Peachy,” I croak.

She snickers, then gives me a long appraisal before unlocking the door. We reenter the hall, and the bright fluorescent lighting blinds me for a moment.

“Are you coming over tonight?” she asks as we fall into step with each other.

“I can’t. I’m having drinks with Hollis. But I can come over now and hang out with you till I need to meet him?”

“Boooooo.”

“Don’t boo me.”

“Why not? You boo me all the time.”

“Because I’m a child, Semi. You’re far too mature for that nonsense. Have some respect for yourself.”

She bursts out laughing and I smile. I like making her laugh.

“I’d bail,” I say, “but Hollis stressed that it was important.”

Demi stops walking. “I’m sorry. Mike Hollis implied that something was important?”

“Implied? More like explicitly stated. He pulled me aside this morning and asked if we could talk tonight.”

“Why was he even home? It’s Monday.”

A frown touches my lips. “He called in sick to work, but he didn’t look sick to me.”

“I hope everything’s okay with him.”

“I’m sure it is. Hollis is indestructible. I bet he just wants to talk about something random, like what to get Rupi for her birthday.”

“Is it coming up?”

“Oh, you’re going to love this. The girl was born on…wait for it…February fourteenth.”

Demi gasps. “Valentine’s Day! Oh my God. Poor Mike. He’s going to have to go all out. Maybe even buy her a pony.”

I snort.

When we enter the lobby, I notice TJ standing a few feet away chatting with one of the TAs. A frown twists his mouth when he spots us. It seems like an extreme response for no reason, until I realize that his gaze is on my crotch.

I look down and swallow a curse. Demi must not have zipped me up all the way, because my fly slid right back down. I discreetly do it up, but that does nothing to erase the distrustful look on TJ’s face.





Later that night I slide into the booth across from Hollis, signaling the waitress as I settle in. Hollis didn’t order yet, despite the fact that he’s already been here for ten minutes. I was late driving over because there were four feet of ice on my windshield when I left Demi’s house. Nearly froze my balls off scraping it all away.

“Sorry, I was scraping ice,” I grumble.

“Fuckin’ ice. It should be banned.”

“I’ll be sure to let the climate know you feel that way, Michael.”

I smile in gratitude when the waitress returns with my lager. Hollis ordered a can of Boom Sauce, which I think he likes just because of the name. We tap our drinks in cheers.

“So what’s going on?” I ask my buddy. “Why did you drag me to Malone’s in the dead of butt-fuck winter when we live in the same house and could easily have talked there?”

Hollis plays with the rim of his beer can. “Needed to get out.” He shrugs. “How’s it going with you? You still seeing Demi? Did Coach approve the pig yet?”

He’s stalling, but I play along for the time being. Hollis is so dramatic that pushing him could potentially result in him storming out in a huff, and I’d really like to finish my beer.

“I’m fine. Did well in all my courses last semester. Still seeing Demi. And no, Coach hasn’t green-lit the pig yet.” I mull it over for a moment. “But I just realized—once he does, that means Pablo has to go.” Shit. I don’t know if I’m ready to say goodbye yet.

“Dude, it’s about time. Do you know how much that little dude stinks? Eggs aren’t meant to be out in the wild.”

I chuckle. “I don’t even notice the smell anymore, to be honest.”

“We should get a pet for the house,” Hollis says.

“Ha. Sure. Rupi would never let you have a pet. It’d mean less attention for her.”

“True. It’s hard enough only giving her attention on the weekends.” Hollis rubs his eyes, and I notice that he looks deeply exhausted. I knew the two-hour commute to New Hampshire was taking its toll on him, but it appears it’s gotten even worse. His eyes are actually puffy, as if he hasn’t slept properly in years.

“You heading back to your folks’ place tomorrow or calling in sick again?” I ask carefully.

“I’m heading back.” He takes a quick sip. “Honestly, I don’t want to sell insurance anymore, Davenport. I hate it up there. I hate living at home again, and I hate working with my dad. That dude’s crazy.”

“Mmm-hmmm, he’s crazy.”

“He is! And he tells the stupidest jokes all day long.”

I stare at Hollis. “I truly cannot conceive of the kind of torture you must be going through.”

“Right?”

Whoosh. Right over his head. “Why don’t you try to find work in Hastings?” I suggest.

“I have, but nobody is hiring. Or at least hiring for positions I’d actually want. There’s a job opening for a graveyard-shift clerk at the gas station, but what’s the point of that? I’d just sleep all day and work all night, and the pay is shit.”