Steam (Homecoming Hearts #4)(42)

Gabe smiled and even blushed a little. “That accent,” he said, shaking his head.

“You’re a regular James Bond,” Levi agreed.

It was Ashby’s turn to scoff. “More like Miss Moneypenny,” he said. He figured a joke might make Trent’s friends less intense. And they did all laugh. But Elion still had his arm around Ashby.

“Maybe Miss Moneypenny is his type,” he said gently. “TJ is helpless to a beautiful face. But…well, it’s unusual for him to introduce someone to his best friends. Practically unheard of.”

“Just think about it, Moneypenny,” Gabe added with a wink.

A knock at the door brought the conversation to a close. Ashby didn’t mind. He had a lot to think about.

He was introduced to the two bridesmaids. Blake’s younger sister Jodi, who was on a baseball scholarship at university, and Devon, who used to work with Elion. Technically, Jodi was Blake’s bridesmaid (or ‘groomsbitch’ as Jodi had dubbed them) but she didn’t fancy hanging with her brother. “You know what those guys are like when they get the band back together,” she said with an eyeroll.

They had returned with enough Champagne to keep all of them entertained until the early hours of the morning. They laughed and drank and listened to music while making Elion answer all sorts of invasive questions about his and Blake’s sex life. Jodi stuck her fingers in her ears and squealed at some of the more salacious details.

By the time Ashby headed back to his room, his stomach and face ached from so much laughing. But he had successfully distracted himself from overthinking everything the guys had said to him. Until now.

Could he really have a shot with Trent?

He eased the door open into their darkened room as quietly as he could. But he was immediately disappointed to see that Trent had made a bed on the sofa, just like he had said he would. He was also fast asleep. So much for a mutual drunken fumble like Ashby had fantasized many times about, inhibitions thrown to the wind.

Ashby shook his head. It was probably for the best. He was dreaming if he let those guys convince him there was anything romantic going on between them. Better not to raise his hopes up again.

It was a while before he got to sleep, knowing Trent was so close by.





18





Trent





Trent impressed himself by managing to deflect Joey’s probing questions for most of the night before the wedding. Sure, Joey had pulled out the puppy dog eyes several times and asked a few leading questions about Ashby. But Trent wasn’t Gabe. He didn’t have to give in to that sort of act to make sure he kept getting sex.

So he brushed Joey off as nicely as he could each time, usually by buying more drinks from the bar for them, Raiden and the groom-to-be, Blake. Being a fulltime dancer, Blake wasn’t used to so much booze and Trent was aware he was playing with fire the night before the big day. But at the time, it seemed better than indulging Joey and his all-knowing glances.

Trent already felt enough of a dick for not reciprocating Ashby’s feelings. He didn’t need Joey acting like they were on the verge of true love or some shit. Yeah, Trent really liked the guy. It was strange how much his thoughts were preoccupied by Ashby. But that was just because he wasn’t used to clicking with new friends.

Besides, even if he did feel like he could experiment with another guy, that guy couldn’t be Ashby. Trent would hate to abuse his trust like that. So what if he had indulged in one…or two private sessions with his cock and his hand with Ashby in mind. It was just a weird thing, it would pass.

When Trent woke up with a mild hangover the next morning he did feel a twinge of guilt that the other guys must be feeling ten times as bad. They didn’t have his stamina. But then he heard Ashby whimpering from the bed and it drew his full attention. “Heavy night?” Trent asked, sitting up and grinning over at Ashby curled up in bed.

“I can’t even blame the altitude this time,” Ashby cried, covering his face. He was cute when he got all dramatic.

Trent chuckled and threw off his blankets, heading for the phone. He realized belatedly that he was only wearing his boxer-briefs. But Ashby had seen most of it before in the sauna, and Trent had definitely seen more of Ashby at the pool. So he dismissed any inhibitions he might have had.

“Yeah,” he said once the operator picked up. “Could I order some room service?”

He felt Ashby watching him as he ordered half the menu. His pale pink mouth was hanging slightly open and he glanced away every time Trent looked in his direction. It was getting kind of tense, so the next time Trent caught his eye, he winked, hoping to turn the mood silly. As he hoped, Ashby grinned and rolled his eyes, like it was no big deal.

While they waited for their food, Trent jumped in the shower. He was going to be getting ready in Blake’s room with Joey and Raiden, so Ashby would have plenty of time to get ready once he was gone. Trent sat in a robe as they devoured pastries and fruit and pancakes, washing it all down with tea and coffee. Ashby seemed strangely touched that Trent remembered he didn’t drink coffee, but it was just manners.

Ashby chatted away about his night before, recounting several funny stories. It made Trent pleased to think of him getting along with his friends. From the sounds of it, those guys hadn’t given him the same grilling Joey had tried to give Trent. He was glad. He didn’t want Ashby feeling awkward.