On Friday evening, Wesley and Lloyd squeezed down the movie aisle to their seats. Two teenagers in front of them were enthusiastically necking each other. Loudly.

“Really?” Lloyd shook his head. “The previews haven’t even started.”

Wesley settled the popcorn between his thighs and grabbed Lloyd’s hand, stopping him from turning up the grump on their horny neighbors. “They are so into it.” He steered Lloyd’s hand to the popcorn. “We don’t want to be those guys telling the lovebirds to shut it.”

A guy shushed them from behind.

Lloyd glared back, then leaned into Wesley, his hand bouncing the box against Wesley’s groin as he fished for a good handful of popcorn. “You make a good point.”

“An excellent one. Why don’t you take the popcorn”—before you pop me a boner—“and pass my Coke.”

Lloyd’s lips twitched as they made the swap. “Don’t drink it all at once.”

Wesley drank it all at once.

Then had to leave halfway through the movie to visit the bathroom.

He returned, pushing through the busy aisle, and plunked himself down.

Lloyd was still shaking his head at him.

“What did I miss?”

The guy in the row behind them, who’d earlier shushed them, cleared his throat pointedly.

Wesley scooched closer to Lloyd and gestured for him to summarize quietly.

Little puffs of breath skittered over the skin under his earlobe, and Wesley wriggled with a shiver, causing Lloyd’s lips to bump against the shell of his ear.

“They professed their love,” Lloyd told him.

Wesley turned his face and cupped his hands around Lloyd’s ear. “I missed the best bit?”

Lloyd shook his head. “That’s still coming.”

“You know what’s going to happen?”

“Some of what’s going to happen.”

Trailers! They give far too much of the story away. “Don’t tell me. I want to be surprised.”

* * *

New Year’s Eve rolled around in a wink.

At Glitter, a hive of people swung to rock ’n’ roll surrounded by sparkly streamers. A few guys from Williamson had returned early from Christmas break to celebrate. Randy, Diana, Violet, and to Lloyd’s chagrin, Gavin.

A couple of hours before midnight, Wesley bought Lloyd his second drink of the evening. Making his way through cheering throngs of students, he watched Suzy try to pull Lloyd to the dance floor. Whatever she said, she managed to make him consider it. A hesitation he hadn’t even given Wesley!

Wesley sat in the booth and sipped his drink, then tried Lloyd’s beer. He never understood beer drinking. It tasted like dirt and bubbly water.

“Here’s your poison,” Wesley said, sliding the beer across the table to Lloyd before slinging himself on the opposite seat.

Suzy grabbed Wesley’s Jack and Coke and gave it a good gulp. “Your boy won’t come out and dance.”

Lloyd wavered, glancing at the packed dance floor. “Not tonight.”

Wesley tapped Suzy’s flower tattoo, and she returned his drink. He gave it a good tasting and slid out of his seat. “Let’s show him what he’s missing.”

Suzy’s eyes sparkled. “I got the DJ to put on some Elvis.”

“Fuck, yeah.”

The first beats of Hound Dog pulsed through the room. Wesley slunk backward to the beat, curling his finger for Suzy to follow. A sharp thrill zinged through him at having Lloyd’s full attention.

Wesley reached for Suzy and they snapped into a dance worthy of clearing the dance floor. They might have been showing off. A little.

It was New Year’s Eve, after all.

They morphed into a dance routine they’d done a couple of years back. Wesley lifted Suzy into the Ferris wheel and, near the end of the song, added a ground flip. They finished, breathing hard and grinning like the dance geeks they were.

Quite a few watched them. MacDonald and Caleb. Even Gavin, whose jaw had noticeably dropped.

Lloyd, however, had stopped watching. He was holding his phone against his ear, nodding.

Wesley and Suzy dorked about, trying new step combinations. Wesley stopped when Lloyd approached, and Suzy scampered off to the bar.

“As much fun as it is watching you dance, I have to bail.”

Wesley’s stomach knotted in disappointment. “Getting too late for you, old man?”

Lloyd smiled. “No, Mom’s feeling sick. I have to take her some ibuprofen. I’ll stay with her until the new year.”

“Want me to come with you?”

“And have you catch it?”

Someone shoved into Lloyd and he stepped forward. Wesley steadied him with an appreciative squeeze to his guns. “I told you. These things are worth it to have you play nurse.”

“You and Suzy are having fun. Dance in the year and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Wesley draped himself closer and kissed his cheek. “Pity there’ll be no reenacting our audition at midnight.”

Lloyd’s eyes darkened as Wesley pulled back, and if Wesley didn’t know better, he’d call it a lustful gaze. But hadn’t Lloyd made it clear Wesley wasn’t his type?

Maybe his beer goggles were on.

Lloyd’s gaze flickered beyond Wesley’s shoulder and his jaw tightened. “Can I ever catch a break?”

Wesley glanced behind. Gavin was threading his way over, gaze settled on Lloyd.

With a frustrated laugh, Wesley shoved Lloyd toward the exit. “Go. I’ll stop him from ending your year on a grumpy note.”

* * *

“Sure, we can meet this morning instead.” Lloyd grinned and hung up the phone.

“What lucky person will be seeing you this morning?” Wesley asked from his favorite spot at the edge of Lloyd’s door.

“Do you always eavesdrop on my conversations?”

“Ten percent of the time I ask Suzy to do it.”

Lloyd shoved the phone into his pocket and grabbed his wallet. “Are you here at eleven?”

“Yep. My shift starts at twelve. Who was on the phone? Jamie?”

“Uh . . . yeah,” Lloyd murmured. He braced his hands on Wesley and turned him out of his bedroom.

“What? You’re pushing me out of your room? You’re crushing my feelings.”

Lloyd scribbled a note on his door whiteboard. “I have to. If I return to my room one more time to find you draped on my bed . . . A man only has so much willpower.”

“A Capricorn losing his patience?” A little shiver shot through Wesley. “What would that look like?”

Lloyd twitched. “I may be late to work. Do you think you could field any resident queries until I return?”

“Really?” Wesley asked, rolling his shoulders back. “You’d want me? Yelling at residents? Hell yeah!” A curl of panic followed. “But what if I can’t make my voice grumpy enough? What if the fire alarm goes off?”

Lloyd paused. “I was only talking ten minutes. I’ll hoof it and make it two.”

“Phew. That was a close one. Randy would’ve laid siege to Williamson.”

Lloyd laughed, striding through to the stairwell. Wesley called after him, “Oh, and don’t make any plans tonight.”

The door shut, and Wesley snagged Caleb and MacDonald and camped in the lounge to plan the final details of the night.

* * *

At seven o’clock, Wesley approached Lloyd’s room, playing with the zipper of his baggy windbreaker.

He needed to lure Lloyd out of the dorm.

When Caleb messaged him that everything was ready, Wesley made his move. He grabbed hold of the top of Lloyd’s doorframe and drummed it. “There you are.”

Lloyd tapped twice on his laptop and swiveled. His gaze snapped to Wesley’s shaven legs—and lingered.

Thank the Lord. He was human after all.

Lloyd’s face contorted, undecided what emotion to settle on. He swallowed and went with disbelief. “Did you shave your entire legs?”

Wesley winked.

“Smooth legs is a new look on you,” Lloyd said, clearing his throat and swallowing again. “A good look but a new one.”

Wesley sent him a wicked smile. “Ten more minutes and your head will implode.”

“What?”

“Hmm?”

Lloyd shook off his confusion, lifting his gaze to Wesley’s face. “My mind is swimming with numbers. Are you coming in to prop your feet on my pillow? Or do you prefer to flaunt those thighs?”

“Though I do love to flaunt, I want you to come with me. Outside. It’s nice out.”

“Is it?” Lloyd peered out the window into the dark, drizzly night.

“Er, atmospheric out. Besides, you shouldn’t be hunched over a computer on your evening off.”

“It’s an evening off my RA duties. I still have other things to do. Give me ten minutes.”

“No. You’re not working a minute longer.”

Lloyd cracked an amused grin and returned to clicking stuff on his laptop. “You think you can tell me what to do?”

“I think I can tell you what not to do.”

“Wesley. I have data that needs interpreting. Deal with it for eight more minutes.”

“Fine,” Wesley bit out, narrowing his eyes.

“Good.”

He folded his arms with a huff. “It’s such a fresh evening. If I were stuck to my law readings, I’d want you to drag me from them to appreciate the fine outdoors.”

Lloyd let out a bark of laughter. “If I ever see you stuck to law readings, I promise I’ll drag you anywhere you want.”

Wesley sniffed. “I guess I’ll go on my own.”

Lloyd stood. “This data I’m crunching is for you. Something I hope you’ll find interesting.” He grabbed his coat and slipped it on. “It’s not that I don’t like”—he peered out at the milky rain—“romantic evening walks.”

Romantic. A much more apt adjective than “atmospheric” to describe the soft rain and full moon.

As they started walking toward the staircase, Wesley winked. “Now tell me all about this interesting data.”

Lloyd sighed. “You’re going to zone out, aren’t you?”

“Already have.”

* * *

They burst out of Williamson into the dreary evening. Lloyd kept staring at Wesley’s legs. “Aren’t you cold?”

Freezing. But it was only for a minute. “I’m fine.”

“The goosebumps on your thighs suggest otherwise. What are you wearing under that jacket?”

Wesley swallowed a smirk and led Lloyd to Me Gusta Robusta. The lights inside had been switched off as promised. Excitement had him fumbling with his keys. “I have a niggly feeling I forgot to switch off the filter coffee machine. Can we check real quick?”

“You’re as bad as Randy.”

“Worse.” Wesley slipped the key into the lock and pulled Lloyd inside with him.

Lights popped on, followed by a chorus of “Surprise!” as a Grease-inspired party roared to life.

Wesley laughed at the jaw-slackened shock that gripped Lloyd’s face. Lloyd’s eyes swept the café interior that Caleb, MacDonald, and Suzy had spent all evening covering with checkered tablecloths and a fuck-ton of vinyl records.

MacDonald sat on a stool at the bar wearing tight black pants and a Sandy-style wig. Caleb leaned at the counter, his hair gelled back, dressed in a leather T-bird jacket.

Suzy stood on the counter behind them in a pink jacket, trying to untangle an even pinker strand of her wig from one of the hundreds of streamers Wesley had strung up.

Theo and Jamie wore red track-and-field T-shirts and hilarious white shorts. Theo was grinning over at Wesley like he was in on a secret.

Everyone, save one guest, had arrived.

Lloyd pulled Wesley against him, crushing him into a hug. The heat of Lloyd’s body against his sent a thousand jolts through him. He was close to singing when Lloyd spoke into his ear. “Delightfully unexpected.”

“Just the type of surprise we were going for.”

Lloyd’s breath tickled over the shell of his ear. “I did tell you my birthday was on the eighth, right?”

Wesley pulled back, grinning. “Again. We were going for the element of surprise.” He unzipped his windbreaker and caught his brother’s attention. “Hazelnut! Throw me my shoes and lipstick.”

Wesley tossed his jacket over a hook behind the door, revealing the full extent of his costume. A collared, short-sleeve shirt and mid-thigh black skirt, cinched at the waist with a belt.

Lloyd gulped and muttered under his breath.

Wesley smirked as he sank into bright red heels. He used the reflection in the door to add a swipe of lipstick to his Rizzo costume. He turned to Lloyd. “Does this make you want to”—Wesley glanced down at Lloyd’s crotch—“flog?”

“Boy, oh boy.”

“Boy on boy? I’ll take that as a yes.” Wesley swiped Caleb’s sunglasses as he strutted past and slipped them on. “Now what do you think?”

“You’re crazy.”

“Oh! I almost forgot. Your costume is wedged down my skirt.”

“I rest my case.”

Wesley slipped a hand into the skirt’s hidden pocket in the ass, pulling out a nametag. “My windbreaker doesn’t have pockets. It was the only place to put it.”

Lloyd made a point of casting a glance around the decorated room. “The only place?”

Poking out his tongue, Wesley peeled off the foil and stuck the tag to Lloyd’s forehead. “Nicely warmed for your naked head.”

Wesley tugged him behind the counter and Lloyd stooped, checking himself out in the reflective side of the coffee machine. His cheek dimpled. “Principal McGee?”

“You do want to be a principal when you grow up. Now. Present time!” Wesley fished under the counter where he’d stowed Lloyd’s gift. He caught Lloyd’s twinkling eyes and lost himself staring for a moment. Then he cleared his throat and handed over the blue-wrapped gift. “Happy pre-birthday, Lloyd.”

Lloyd took it and said softly, “No one has ever thrown me a surprise party before.” He swallowed, tenderness filming his eyes. “Thank you. I love it.”

Wesley felt like butterflies might burst out of his chest. The feeling was overwhelming, and he didn’t know what to say. He was standing too close, yet not close enough.

Lloyd pressed the present against his chest. With a nervous gulp, Wesley said, “Go on then. Open it.”

Lloyd picked at the sticky tape.

“It’s for the wall next to your bed,” Wesley said. “Or if you ever take the Persuasive Openers poster down.”

Lloyd’s dark, amused gaze hit Wesley right in the gut. Lust flickered through Wesley, making his pulse jump.

Lloyd peeled off the wrapping to a framed picture of him dressed as Rizzo. A gut-tickling laugh pounded out of Lloyd, and Wesley’s cock responded. He turned toward the coffee machine and set it up for making a round of coffees.

Lloyd’s gaze didn’t leave him for a second. “It is a fun look on you.”

“Feast your eyes. Because this is the only time you’ll see me in heels. How anyone dances in these sole-stabbing slippers is beyond me.”

Lloyd eyed his legs. “What about the skirt?”

Caleb snuck to Wesley’s side, pulling at the lapels of his leather jacket. “Not that I want to interrupt, but some of us need hazelnut coffee.”

Wesley stopped grinding coffee and glared at him.

Caleb backed up a step. “Whoa, the lady looks ready to pounce.” He pointed toward Lloyd. “That way. Do it that way.”

Wesley flipped him off with a smile.

A shrill yelp came from Suzy as she lost her balance and toppled off the counter. Lloyd stepped in and caught her in his arms damsel style. She clasped her Frenchy wig before it slipped off, rambling gibberish about Lloyd and his improving reflexes.

Once Suzy was upright, Wesley snagged her into helping serve coffees—in milkshake glasses, of course.

Wesley called out for everyone to gather around. One guest was missing, but maybe he’d had second thoughts about showing up. “Let the poker begin.”

Warily, Lloyd said, “You are aware our college frowns upon the game.”

“In exchange for money.” Wesley hooked an arm around his and urged him around the counter, each wobbly step biting the back of his heels. “I read the rules.”

Lloyd’s step stuttered. “You read the rules?”

“Okay, so I asked Gavin about them.”

A tight frown etched Lloyd’s brow. “Gavin?”

Wesley squeezed his arm. “I could hardly ask you and keep this a surprise.”

An almost placated grunt met his reply.

“Also, regarding Gavin . . .”

Lloyd instantly stiffened, which meant Wesley needed to don a shameless smile.

Wesley looked across the room as the café door opened. Lloyd followed Wesley’s gaze, then fixed Wesley with a look of horror. “Gavin? You invited Gavin?”

Wesley drew him toward the table. “He’s a big part of your life. Like the annoying brother you never had.”

Caleb overheard that tidbit and opened his mouth in mock outrage. “How would you know anything about having an annoying brother?”

Lloyd greeted his guests and squirreled himself into conversation while Wesley greeted Gavin.

Gavin pinched a fake cigarette, smoke wafting out the end of it. “I’m not sure coming was such a good idea.”

Wesley gestured him to take a seat at the table. “Try to be nice. It’ll be fun.”

Suzy grabbed Gavin’s arm and pulled him to her side. Wesley seated himself on the opposite side next to Lloyd.

“Poker then,” Lloyd said, eyeing MacDonald as she planted a deck of cards on the table. “What are we playing for?”

Caleb upturned a bag of lollipops and doled them out. “Candy.”

Lloyd eyed the candy and pinned Wesley with a questioning gaze.

Wesley gave a disappointed headshake. “Not enough closet space.”

* * *

Caleb had just finished dealing their hole cards when Gavin balked. He planted his phone on the table and shot Lloyd a disgruntled look. “Lloyd. I am serious.”

Lloyd peeked at his cards and drawled, “We’re playing for non-hallucinogenic candy. I think we’ll be fine.”

“Not the game. You never replied to my email about acquiring licenses to play your song list next week.”

“You’re getting riled up because I haven’t emailed?”

Gavin gestured with his cigarette. Smoke tendrils curled over the table. “There’s so much to take care of. I’m losing track. I searched your name in my email and it popped up. Unanswered.”

Lloyd waved the smoke away.

Wesley settled in to watch them go at it.

“What were you doing searching my name?” Lloyd asked.

“I assumed you’d forgotten to do something, and since I knew I’d be in your company, I thought it prudent to check.”

“He got the licenses,” Wesley chimed in.

Lloyd batted all the smoke as though miming a bitch-slap against Gavin. “I can think of dozens of ways to say happy pre-birthday. Would it have hurt to start with one?”

Gavin nodded once, sharply. “Happy pre-birthday, Lloyd.”

“Was that hard?”

Gavin blew on his cigarette with too much force and smoke spluttered from the end. “Not as hard as it seems to be to reply to an email.”

“Gavin,” Lloyd said between clenched teeth.

Everyone’s attention trained in on the two RAs now. Maybe Wesley shouldn’t have invited Gavin?

He gave Lloyd an apologetic pat on the knee.

“I’m saying,” Gavin said. “It explains why your floor has the tendency to be, well, a little looser than the rest of Williamson.”

“They follow the rules.”

“Yes.” Gavin’s gaze skipped to Wesley and back. “But do you?”

Wesley squeezed a red lollipop, sighing. “I wish I’d broken a few more rules tonight.” He unwrapped the lollipop, sidled around the table to Gavin, and popped it into his mouth before he could blow any more smoke. He patted the top of Gavin’s head with fond frustration. “It’s strawberry. The flavor of occasional fuck-ups. Suck it and move on.”

After that, they played a few games. Wesley was always the first player out, while Theo and MacDonald battled it out for the win.

Lloyd seemed relieved when Wesley lost all his lollipops—until Suzy gave him hers to play one last game.

Caleb dealt and they did a round of tossing lollipops onto a pile. Jamie dropped out before the flop. After another round of betting, Wesley was surprised to find he was still in.

Who knew the game could be exciting! He jiggled his leg, impatient to see the turn card.

Lloyd glanced at him, shaking his head. “Don’t ever play for money.”

Theo threw in a lollipop, a tight stare glued on MacDonald, who did the same.

Jamie rubbed his boyfriend’s back and said to Lloyd, “I’m fascinated to know more about this data you’ve been crunching.”

Lloyd gave Wesley a sneaky peek out of his eye, which made Wesley start paying attention.

“It’s too small a study to be significantly relevant, but my partial study seems to suggest there are some matches better than others.”

“Matches?” Wesley asked, gaze ping-ponging between professor and student.

Lloyd leaned back. “Star-sign compatibility. I’ve been doing a statistical analysis of it based on birth dates and marriages.”

Wesley whooped out a laugh and slapped Lloyd’s thigh. “You should have told me!”

“I tried.”

“You called it data crunching. It’s like how you feel when I go at it with ice. You just can’t hear it.” Wesley scooted his chair nearer to Lloyd. “Gems and Caps. Give me the statistical lowdown.” Wesley groaned, reading the bad news in Lloyd’s flickering expression. “We really do suck together?”

“Yes, to reduce complex stats to its most basic point.”

“How did you ever think I’d like to hear that?”

“I said you’d find it interesting. Not that you’d like it.”

Wesley’s gut gave a sad little twist.

Lloyd threw a lollipop onto the pile, and Caleb flipped the turn card. “But we’re not the worst pairing.”

Gee, that made him feel so much better. He cranked out a hollow laugh. “I told you we’d never work together.”

“There are outliers. Some Cap-Gem couples made it work.”

“What about Pisces and Virgo?” Caleb asked, with a none-too-subtle glance at MacDonald.

Lloyd had done his research. He kept the table entertained as Wesley glared at the cards.

The conversation turned, and Gavin was asking if Theo and Jamie would come to Williamson’s Fifties Bash next week.

“We’d love to recycle these costumes,” Jamie started, and Theo excitedly continued for them.

“But we can’t. We’re going to see a lawyer.”

“Wow,” Wesley said. “I’ve never heard anyone so excited by the prospect.”

Theo’s grin got loopy. “She specializes in surrogacy.”

He beamed at Jamie, who curled a palm around his neck and kissed him sweetly. “I love you.”

The table bubbled with excited questions and best wishes.

Wesley realized he was rubbing Lloyd’s forearm under the table. He pulled away with an unfamiliar flush creeping up his neck.

Lloyd leaned against Wesley, breath tickling his jaw. He hoped his gulp wasn’t audible. “Your turn.”

Wesley checked his cards again, lips twisting. “Could I . . .” He reached for one of Lloyd’s cards. A queen. He’d taken an earlier peek.

Arched eyebrows and unimpressed stares latched onto him. “Fine. I’m out.”