Light peeked under his door. Marcus was still up, then. Typical. No doubt he waited to grill him. Smile plastered to his face, Jack turned the knob and walked in.
Textbook open, Marcus sat with his back to the wall in a pair of boxers and a T-shirt. “Tell me we’ve got this bet in the bag?”
Marcus sounded hopeful and nervous.
“That’s the first thing out of your grill?”
“I really hope that’s a yes.”
Jack faced his closet and unbuttoned his shirt. He wouldn’t have Marcus feeling unnecessarily worried about the bet. Maybe Ed wouldn’t be his date—but he’d find someone. “Yes.”
Marcus pumped his fists. “Thank fuck! You woo the hell outta this man. No breaking up before the formal, got it?”
Jack laughed. “There sure won’t be any breaking up. What are you still doing up, anyway?”
“Studying for my phil test. We have a game on Thursday, so I’m trying to get ahead. Plus I have to prepare a couple of speeches for the election forum debate coming up. You’ll go over them for me, right?”
“Like you even have to ask.”
“Now tell me what happened with this Ed guy. All the details.”
Jack snorted. “Really? When did you become interested in two guys getting it on?”
Marcus cranked him the bird.
“Ed is too perfect to be real. He’s so fucking hot I had to hide a hard-on most of the night—”
A pillow hit him in the side of the head. “Not quite so many details.”
“He’s also kind and sweet and thoughtful, and that’s all wrapped up in strong, firm muscles and a wicked grin.”
Kicking off his shoes, he noticed a cup on Marcus’s normally tidy desk. “Did you get coffee?”
For a second his brother had a deer-in-the-headlights look. Then Marcus turned toward the cup and picked it up, shrugging. “Yeah. I… um… needed some caffeine because of the studying.”
“Where’d you go?” Normally he wouldn’t care, but Marcus’s hesitation made him curious. “Clearly not Starbucks.”
“You know I’m not a Starbucks fan.” He took a drink and picked up his book.
Jack raised an eyebrow. “So where did you go?”
“Um… the coffee shop just off campus. Back to your night. Tell me more about Ed. Where does he go to school?”
“Mervin County Community College.” As the words left his mouth, he knew it was a mistake. Marcus snorted.
“He goes to M C cubed? Are you kidding me? Community college? Jack….”
Jack glared at Marcus, resisting the urge to yell back. He grabbed his kit and made for the common bathroom. “Good night, Marcus.”
He knew his brother was kidding, but it still bugged him. More than it should? No, Marcus was wrong. Ed worked hard and was doing it all on his own. Something he and Marcus didn’t have to do.
“Whoa.” Marcus was at his heel before he got four steps toward the bathroom. “Sorry, bad joke.”
Jack threw him a hard look. “Ed’s paying his way through school. Imagine where we’d be going if we had to pay for school ourselves. Wouldn’t be Harrison, that’s for sure.”
“I know,” Marcus said, keeping his head down. “I’m not used to people who don’t…. Anyway, sorry.”
Jack held up his hand and sighed. “I get it. But if you ever meet him, you’ll see. He’s really smart.”
“I still get to meet him?”
Not anytime soon. First Jack had to win this bet. Then he’d come clean with Marcus about what really happened his first night out with Ed. “I don’t know, you really pissed me off.”
“Please?” Marcus gave him the sad puppy face he used to tease him with when they were younger.
Jack shook his head. “That’s the lamest sorry face I’ve ever seen.”
“I really am sorry.”
Marcus held up his hand. Jack grabbed it, letting himself be pulled into a hug.
He pushed back, smirking. “Now where did you get that coffee?”
Chapter Six
Jack’s phone buzzed and he swatted the sound away. Too early in the damn morning. Another buzz. He drowsily pulled himself from sleep. Across the room, Marcus mumbled in his sleep.
Jack checked his phone, body surging to life at Ed’s name on the screen.
Ed: Morning!
Ed: Oh crap, it’s probably still too early for you.
Jack couldn’t type back quick enough. Ed writing to him this early in the morning, that had to mean something, surely.
Jack: Nah, I’m totally awake. Why?
Ed: Just finished a job. Am close to Harrison….
Jack was already scrambling out of bed, messaging one-handed while he emptied his drawers for a clean shirt.
Jack: Send me your location. I’m in desperate need of caffeine. Bet you could use some too.
Ed sent a grinning dog and his location. Eighteen minutes later, Jack walked into the local Starbucks. He scanned the almost empty store and caught Ed’s broad shoulders at the counter.
Jack strode over and clapped the guy on the shoulder, giving it a lingering squeeze. “I have an eerie sense of déjà vu.”
Ed’s warm shoulder shook as he chuckled. “I haven’t mowed you down yet.”
“No, no, that you haven’t.” Their gazes snagged, and Ed definitely swallowed. Probably too early—in the day and their friendship—to tease.
Jack rocked back on his heels, dug his wallet out of his pocket, and ordered.
When they both had their drinks, they sank into armchairs in the corner of the room.
Ed’s gaze kept dipping to his chest, and Jack’s lips tipped up behind his mocha. “How was your morning job?”
“I was extremely motivated to get the job done quickly.”
Jack’s grin widened, and an ill-timed sip ended up rolling down his chin. He swiped it off. “Do you often have jobs close to Harrison?”
“Not as much as I’d like.” Ed rubbed his palm over the arm of the chair. “I mean, a lot of the time I have to drive out farther.”
“Well, any time you’re nearby….” He raised his cup.
Ed glanced at his chest again. “I like the look.”
Jack followed the sweep of Ed’s hand and—fuck. His shirt was inside out. “Right. Of course.”
Ed leaned forward in his seat, amusement lighting his eyes as he took in the rest of him. Shivers skittered through Jack and he held his breath. “I totally woke you, didn’t I?”
“Busted.”
The deep laugh Ed gave made it all worth it. “So you’re a high-ranking anchor in your fraternity?”
Jack snorted at the muff. From the way Ed stared at him, it was hard to tell if he’d done it on purpose or really had the term mixed up.
“We prefer to pronounce it ‘archon,’ but either way, I’m one of the fraternity leaders, yes.”
“Do you like it?”
“Which? Being in the fraternity or being an officer?”