Chapter 41

Joey

“You can hardly tell,” Andi says as she contorts her face to get the perfect angle on her cat-eye eyeliner.

She’s mistaken the brush of my fingers over the hickey on my collarbone as frustration. I’m not frustrated. I’m antsy, the anticipation of spending another blissful night being sucked on and bitten by Anthony enough to make me beg off going to the bar and heading straight to his suite.

What the thoughts of Anthony don’t do is keep me from feeling like an asshole. I should have offered to stay in this final night and keep Andi company after the way my brother spoke to her this evening, but I don’t. When she suggested getting ready to head out, I all but sprang from the bed to grab my jeans.

“Really?” I cough and wave my hand in front of my face when Andi over-sprays her hair. “Breathing over here.”

“I need to make sure it’s going to hold up against all of the sweating.” She sets the hairspray down and commences to making sure nearly half of her breasts are showing in the v of her shirt.

“The clubs are pretty ventilated,” I remind her. “It’s not like we’re going to be shoved off of the dance floor because of the smell. This isn’t the Tiki Tavern.”

The club better be cold as hell. It’s damn near unbearable to even wear clothes right now. With all of the damn drama unfolding today, I never lathered sunblock on. My back and shoulders are on fire, even with the extra-strength painkillers I’ve taken and the twelve layers of aloe I’ve applied.

“I’m going to dance my ass off,” she tells my reflection in the mirror before smacking her bright red lips. “Then, after I find a guy to fuck, I’m going to bang his damn brains out until I can’t even remember Jon’s name. I need my hair to survive all of that.”

“Seems like a solid plan.”

It’s what she wants to hear, so I give it to her. She doesn’t need me to remind her of her failed attempts at getting over him by getting under someone else. Has she already forgotten the last disappointing attempt with that Thad guy?

“I need you to be my wingman.”

“I can do that,” I say.

“And if my guy has a friend with him, you need to commit and flirt like it’s your last night on Earth.”

My smile falls, the disappointment in her words clear on my face.

“I don’t think that’s fair to Anthony,” I warn.

“Tell him the plan before we head out. Let him know you only want his cock.” She rolls her eyes at the words before continuing. “And that you’re doing this for me.”

“I don’t know how many straight guy, gay guy combos are going to be walking around tonight.”

“Then turn one gay.”

Huffing a laugh at her dismissive attitude of other’s sexuality, I shake my head. “It’s not that easy.”

If she only knew.

“It is. Everyone likes to be flirted with. Just lay it on super thick. You don’t have to sleep with the guy; you just have to put forth a concerted effort.”

As if sleeping with anyone other than Anthony is even a consideration.

“I’m not going to ruin my relationship with Anthony just so you can get laid,” I explain, holding my hand up before she can snap at me. “But, I will help you bag a guy.”

I leave, one that’s just going to make you have morning-after regrets, to myself because, once again, it’s not what she wants to hear right now.

“Ready?” she asks after checking her breasts one last time in the mirror. “Pregame in Anthony’s room.”

I follow her out of the cabin and straight to the elevator. Twelve hours ago, I was walking in the opposite direction down this hallway. My skin itches with the memory and the anticipation of being in his presence once again. Man, do I have it bad for Anthony White.

The rushed hand jobs in the bathroom did absolutely nothing to sate my need for him, and if I were a betting man, I’d lay odds that Anthony is just as eager to get the club scene over with so we can be alone.

“Joey!” Dave hollers the second Anthony’s suite door is tugged open. “Have a drink man.”

A tumbler of dark liquid is shoved in my hand before I can even protest to the man who has clearly started his drinking already.

“Thanks.” I smile at his jovial mood. “Glad you’re feeling better.”

“Me too.” His arms sweep over my shoulder, and he tugs me against his chest. “I had an epiph- efif- I came to a life-altering realization today while I was hurling.”

“Yeah?” I ask tilting my head away from the liquor stench on his breath. “What kind of epiphany did you have?”

“That’s the word!” He’s boisterous and more animated than I’d expect from a guy who has spent the better part of the day sick as a dog. “I decided I’m gay!”

Silence fills the room. Andi is no longer glaring at Jon. Cooper is no longer grooming in the floor length mirror across the room, and Anthony is no longer glaring. Okay… Anthony is still glaring, but he’s shifted his attention from me to the arm Dave has around me after his confession.

“Gay, huh?” I tease.

“Yep.” He pops the last consonant on the word and nods his head enthusiastically. “Ready to get my dick sucked by a dude.”

“There’s more to homosexuality than blowjobs,” Jon says not really paying much attention to his ridiculous friend. He’s too busy shooting bullets at Andi who is standing near the door, nearly naked and amused by all of this.

“I’m sure Joey here can show me the ropes,” Dave says only slightly coherent from his slurs.

Anthony growls, but it’s lost to everyone but me. With a pat on Dave’s stomach, I pull away.

“Sorry, handsome. I don’t date rich guys. They’re selfish and generally refuse to bottom.”

“No one’s fucking me in the ass,” Dave asserts after taking another long guzzle on his whiskey.

“Not very gay then, are you?” Jon says dryly.

“How much has he had to drink?” I ask my brother.

Shrugging he says, “No more than usual.”

“He’s been sick all day, and he’s rehydrating with Jameson?” Dave doesn’t put up a fight when I pull the glass out of his hand and plunk it down on the coffee table. “You guys have to be better friends.”

“He’s a grown man,” Cooper says from across the room.

“He has poor judgment sober,” Andi reminds them. “You really going to allow him out of the room? Who plans on watching him?”

“You and Joey can,” Jon says as he stands from the arm of the couch.

“Nope,” I say as Andi crosses her arms over her chest.

“We have plans,” Andi tells my brother. “It doesn’t include babysitting Dave.”

“I don’t need a babysitter,” Dave mumbles as Copper leads him to Anthony’s bed and coaxes him to lie down.

“Plans?” Jon huffs. “Yeah right.”

“We do,” Andi insists. “And you guys need to stay out of our way. Joey and I are looking for some dirty fun tonight.”

A grunt from Anthony pulls my eyes to him. I try my best to give him a “you don’t have to worry about me” head shake but he’s too busy narrowing his eyes and formulating a plan to keep me with him, Andi’s needs be damned.

“Same guy as last night?” Jon hisses in my direction. I can’t tell if it’s a jab or if he’s planning to stick close so he can beat the hickey giver’s ass later.

“Maybe?” I shrug, a small smile playing on my lips. “Maybe someone new.”

Anthony shifts, and even though I love that he’s jealous with my empty words, I don’t want him pissed enough to blurt something out that’s just going to make this night worse.

“Probably the same guy. He seriously gave it to me exactly like I like it last night.”

“Gross,” Dave mutters from under Anthony’s blankets.

“Not a very gay thing for you to say,” I tell Dave trying to relieve some of the tension in the room.

Andi and Jon haven’t stopped glaring at them, but at least Anthony’s demeanor has changed with my declaration.

“Way to act mature, Joey,” Jon says without pulling his eyes from Andi.

“Are you standing there saying you’ve never done back to backs? Hell, after fucking two chicks in one night, you really have no fucking room to talk,” Andi nearly screams at my brother.

Taking four steps in her direction, it’s clear to anyone in the room whose side I’m on, and I never wanted it to come to this.

“Get off my dick Andrea,” Jon snaps.

“Oh shit. The first name,” Cooper says with no humor at all.

Tears begin to well in her eyes, and she pulls away from me when I reach for her arm.

“But that’s the fucking problem isn’t it?” Jon hisses, not leaving well enough alone. “You’re pissed that those other chicks got to fuck me last night and you’ve never even had the luxury of my cock.”

“Dick move, man,” Cooper says as I grab Andi’s arm and urge her out of the room.