glommed onto him. Yet he longed for a warm body in his bed. Just one night of giving in and letting go. A connection would remind him that he was still human. He wavered. “Don't you ever let up?”
“Not when I'm right.”
Aric sighed and turned away. Though his attraction to Stu was growing by the second, he didn't want a friendship with a football jock. They had nothing in common that he could see, and even if they did, nothing would come of it. “Just leave me alone.”
He'd gone too long without blood—and without sex. Stu was too open, too friendly, and had no idea how dangerous it'd be to strike up a friendship with him.
Aric could suck Stu dry.
Chapter Three
Aric and Stu hadn't made it out of the parking lot before Stu made his decision. Aric needed his help. Help of what kind, he wasn't sure, but there was something in the way he held his shoulders rigid, his facial expression emotionless. The scent of his fear couldn't be disguised. Stu's finely honed sense of smell had picked it up. His intuition never failed him when he played football. He'd easily sprint across the field—leap above the cornerback if necessary—for the perfect catch, the ball sailing into his reliable hands.
His father had taught him to trust his instincts. For now, he would ignore his promise to his mother. It wasn't as if he were going to take an oath and walk alongside his brother. He suspected Aric had been followed by one of the undead. He'd sensed it. He would find out the truth, and if it was so, he would call on Corbin and step aside.
Stu was aware of the irritation behind those enigmatic hazel eyes. They glowed eerily under the streetlight, reminding him of a night owl, able to see beyond human sight. He shook off the image. Aric looked nothing like an owl. Not with that slender body and pretty face. He supposed Aric would take offense to the word “pretty,” but everything about him seemed almost delicate.
“Look. I'd rather go it alone,” Aric growled, his mouth set rigid and his jaw tense.
Delicate except for his negative attitude. Stu bit back a laugh, keeping his voice casual. “You don't want me to find out where you live?”
“Why won't you leave me alone ?”
“Since my football hit you, I'm responsible for you.” He knew that would get a rise out of Aric—as Aric had gotten a rise out of him. Stu had been more than surprised when he realized he'd gotten a hard-on after he'd grabbed Aric out of the way of the cyclist. It was holding that wiry, slim body in his arms that'd caused it. Crazy that a guy would affect him like that, but throughout the evening he'd become aware of a growing interest in this nerd.
Sure enough, Aric bit the hook. “That's asinine. Don't worry; I'm not going to sue you for damages.”
“Then shut up and let me walk you home.”
“You're impossible!”
“It's what makes me a great player.”
“Yeah, I'll bet you're a player.” Aric squinted and looked past Stu's shoulder, his body poised for flight.
Stu placed his hand on Aric's forearm. “I meant a football player.”
“I couldn't care less what you meant.”
And that was a lie. Aric did care, or maybe Stu was only hoping he did. Which puzzled him. He never thought of himself as gay—not like his brother—but he never felt overly attracted to girls. Or guys, for that matter. Well, maybe one or two, but he always kept a tight rein on his sexuality. He'd always been driven to be the best in football, and it left him no time for relationships. Or that's what he'd been telling himself all these years.
For appearance's sake, he dated girls—easygoing girls with no baggage and no interest in a serious relationship. Aric appeared weighted down with a hundred-pound pack of trouble. But why did that matter, anyway? Unless… Oh fuck ! Was he actually attracted to Aric? As in relationship attracted? No! It had to be his duty to his father's legacy that made him so curious about this nerd.
Stu
“Not when I'm right.”
Aric sighed and turned away. Though his attraction to Stu was growing by the second, he didn't want a friendship with a football jock. They had nothing in common that he could see, and even if they did, nothing would come of it. “Just leave me alone.”
He'd gone too long without blood—and without sex. Stu was too open, too friendly, and had no idea how dangerous it'd be to strike up a friendship with him.
Aric could suck Stu dry.
Chapter Three
Aric and Stu hadn't made it out of the parking lot before Stu made his decision. Aric needed his help. Help of what kind, he wasn't sure, but there was something in the way he held his shoulders rigid, his facial expression emotionless. The scent of his fear couldn't be disguised. Stu's finely honed sense of smell had picked it up. His intuition never failed him when he played football. He'd easily sprint across the field—leap above the cornerback if necessary—for the perfect catch, the ball sailing into his reliable hands.
His father had taught him to trust his instincts. For now, he would ignore his promise to his mother. It wasn't as if he were going to take an oath and walk alongside his brother. He suspected Aric had been followed by one of the undead. He'd sensed it. He would find out the truth, and if it was so, he would call on Corbin and step aside.
Stu was aware of the irritation behind those enigmatic hazel eyes. They glowed eerily under the streetlight, reminding him of a night owl, able to see beyond human sight. He shook off the image. Aric looked nothing like an owl. Not with that slender body and pretty face. He supposed Aric would take offense to the word “pretty,” but everything about him seemed almost delicate.
“Look. I'd rather go it alone,” Aric growled, his mouth set rigid and his jaw tense.
Delicate except for his negative attitude. Stu bit back a laugh, keeping his voice casual. “You don't want me to find out where you live?”
“Why won't you leave me alone ?”
“Since my football hit you, I'm responsible for you.” He knew that would get a rise out of Aric—as Aric had gotten a rise out of him. Stu had been more than surprised when he realized he'd gotten a hard-on after he'd grabbed Aric out of the way of the cyclist. It was holding that wiry, slim body in his arms that'd caused it. Crazy that a guy would affect him like that, but throughout the evening he'd become aware of a growing interest in this nerd.
Sure enough, Aric bit the hook. “That's asinine. Don't worry; I'm not going to sue you for damages.”
“Then shut up and let me walk you home.”
“You're impossible!”
“It's what makes me a great player.”
“Yeah, I'll bet you're a player.” Aric squinted and looked past Stu's shoulder, his body poised for flight.
Stu placed his hand on Aric's forearm. “I meant a football player.”
“I couldn't care less what you meant.”
And that was a lie. Aric did care, or maybe Stu was only hoping he did. Which puzzled him. He never thought of himself as gay—not like his brother—but he never felt overly attracted to girls. Or guys, for that matter. Well, maybe one or two, but he always kept a tight rein on his sexuality. He'd always been driven to be the best in football, and it left him no time for relationships. Or that's what he'd been telling himself all these years.
For appearance's sake, he dated girls—easygoing girls with no baggage and no interest in a serious relationship. Aric appeared weighted down with a hundred-pound pack of trouble. But why did that matter, anyway? Unless… Oh fuck ! Was he actually attracted to Aric? As in relationship attracted? No! It had to be his duty to his father's legacy that made him so curious about this nerd.
Stu
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