"Captain Knight," he mused before wiggling his dark brows. "Has a kinky ring to it. Kind of makes me wish I was gay."
Oh hell no. "Don't you have places to be? Girls to do?"
He offered an amused grin, backing away and holding up his hands. "I better see you two later."
After winking at Noah, a-fucking-gain, Knight strode toward the brand new red truck with a serious lift kit parked several spaces away.
"I need a shower before we go anywhere," Noah said, pulling the seatbelt over his broad chest and latching it.
"No plans with Brad tonight?" I asked with only a small hint of annoyance in my tone as I shifted into drive. I'd worked hard at masking how much I didn’t like their relationship, but Noah wasn't fooled.
There were many things I didn’t like about Brad. One of those being the constant and inappropriate thoughts I had about them together. Did Noah moan for him like he had when he’d been beneath me? Did his cock get hard enough to—
My jaw clenched. I had no business thinking that way. What had happened between us was in the past, and it needed to stay there. It was unfortunate that it crossed my mind way more than it should. I shouldn’t compare every kiss that had followed to the one we shared, but I did. And nothing ever measured up. A fact I ignored as best as I could.
Noah never even showed the slightest interest in me anyway. Not in that way. Which was great, because I wasn’t gay.
I hadn’t realized I’d been staring at Noah when he bit his thick lower lip, worrying it back and forth. My eyebrows pinched together, and I hesitated to leave the parking space. "Something wrong?"
He sighed. "We can talk about it later. Knight's right. We should go out and celebrate your win."
I shifted the SUV back to park. "We aren’t going anywhere until you tell me what's going on."
Noah scrubbed his hand over his face. "Can we talk about this later?"
My eyes narrowed. This had Brad issues written all over it. "What did he do?"
Noah was well aware what I meant, just as I knew Brad had officially made my shit list—more so now—without even being filled in on the details yet.
"It's over. I broke things off." Noah spoke under his breath, but I heard him as though he’d shouted the words. Relief and concern battled for dominance as I considered what might have happened.
I stared at him, but he dodged my gaze. "I repeat, what did he do?"
He whipped around facing me. "He cheated, okay?"
I stilled as red clouded my vision.
"That motherfucker," I gritted as I ground my molars and contemplated various torture methods, debating which might cause the most agony.
"Yeah." Noah agreed, and the word lacked the disappointment I’d expected. Instead, he simply shrugged.
"Noah…" I paused. While I was glad Brad was out of the picture because he wasn't good enough for Noah, I couldn't understand why anyone would cheat on him. As far as I was concerned, Noah was perfect. "I'm sorry that happened."
He batted away the apology with a flick of his hand. "I’m fine. Actually, the only thing I felt when I found out was mild irritation…and wounded pride, I suppose. Apparently, for the three months we dated, he was sleeping with the guy for two. Probably more, but Andy, the guy Brad’s seeing, said things were serious between them. It’s for the best. I mean Brad was an asshole, but I was going to end it anyway. Last week Andy beat me to it by texting me—"
"Last week? What the hell, Noah?" My gaze jerked to his. "Why didn’t you tell me?"
Noah glared. "So I could listen to you tell me I told you so? No thanks."
I had told him it was a bad idea. "Well, I did, but that’s not the point."
He rolled his eyes. "Anyway, so yeah, the guy messaged and included some pictures I could have done without. I texted Brad after and ended it. He didn't deny it or anything. He did, however, tell me he should have broken up with me first. But since my brother is his best friend…he thought I’d go running to him about it."
“That’s a fucking pathetic excuse.” Not that there was a good one. Noah nodded in agreement. "So, what’s up with this guy? Was he trying to rub it in your face or something?"
Noah scoffed. “I didn’t ask. They deserve each other either way. I mean, he obviously knew about me.”
I stared out into the emptying parking lot, tapping on the steering wheel as I thought it over. He was right. They did deserve each other. “So, you broke up with him by text, huh?”
"It’s not like he deserved more." His tone was bored.
He’d misunderstood me. Brad deserved fuck all. But I wished Noah had the satisfaction of confronting Brad, letting him see how unaffected Noah appeared to be about what he’d done.
I studied him, looking for a hint that Noah was more hurt than he let on and found none. Apparently, I was more upset than my best friend.
Still, I was pissed and a low growl escaped my throat. "The hell he didn’t. A broken nose would have been justified."
"So sweet and violent." Noah tossed me a wry grin.
"Anything for you." I allowed a slip of a smile. "But I mean it." I wasn’t sure what I'd do if I crossed paths with Brad, but my imagination had plenty of ideas.
"Let’s go home and eat. I’m starving and I need a shower." Noah cut off the dangerous direction my thoughts had taken with a yawn. "And we should go to the party. I’m off work tomorrow and could use a breather. So could you."
“That, I can do.” I picked up my phone and texted Knight.
Me: See you tonight.
Me: Don’t hit on Noah, jackass.
Five
Noah
Music boomed from the top-of-the-line stereo system and noise from the crowd rose and fell inside the sprawling mini-mansion Knight called home. Rook and I were the only people who stood on the massive, pale-stone back patio that overlooked the vast property.
Night had settled over the suburb that bordered our college town. Outside the city limits the homes were built farther apart. Knight's house sat on enough acres that the neighbor's house was nothing more than a smudge in the distance. Or at least it was during the day.
The trees were sparse in the field, leaving the yellow winter grass glinting in the light of the full moon and star-studded sky.
I couldn't blame Knight for choosing to stay at his parents’ house instead of on campus. The house gleamed with Mediterranean opulence.
Add in the underground pool, surrounded with large rocks and professionally maintained foliage.
Toss in the equally impressive guest house where Knight lived, and I wasn't sure I'd want to move out either.
Rook and I leaned against oversized pillars, facing each other, soaking up the heat radiating from the huge fireplace crackling with flaming cut logs and filling the air with the scent of burnt oak.
Even bundled in hoodies, beanies covering our ears, and the heat licking at our sides, the frigid wind cut through the warmth. My nose was damn near numb.
Why were we outside freezing our asses off? Because Rook had insisted we talk in private.