He’d definitely had too much to drink.

They lay side by side, both of them looking up, their breaths mingling, for what felt like an eternity.

It was Nick who spoke first. “Thanks for letting me hang out with you guys tonight. I had fun.”

Yeah...Bryce had, too. They always had fun together, though. They’d been having fun together for weeks. “Nothing to thank me for. Glad you were here, and really, Christi is the one who crashed our night.”

“No...I see it. Why your mom wants the two of you together. It fits. I’m a little jealous, if I’m being honest. I’m trying to remember if Jill and I ever had that...if it wasn’t with her, there’s no one else I could have ever had it with.”

Those words found their way to Bryce’s chest. Nick was a good guy. He deserved to have whatever he wanted. “You’ll get it. Until then, you’re stuck with me. I’m not a woman, but I can be a good friend.”

It took Nick a few minutes to respond, making Bryce suddenly feel stupid. It wasn’t something he typically felt. Normally he didn’t give a shit what people thought.

“Yeah...yeah, you are a good friend.”

Bryce’s lungs deflated with the heavy breath he released. “It’s late.” He pushed off the ground and stood, then held his hand out for Nick. Nick paused a second, and then let Bryce help him up. His hand was strong, sweaty, the same size as Bryce’s.

He pulled back, glanced at the porch to see Christi had her eyes closed. He nodded her way. “I should get her inside. She doesn’t need to drive tonight.”

Nick nodded and then the two of them walked to their side-by-side porches.

Bryce kneeled and said, “Come here, sweetheart.” He lifted Christi into his arms and she wrapped hers around his neck.

Then...nothing. He just stood there watching Nick, who stood on his own porch watching them. Their eyes didn’t leave each other as the minutes ticked by, yet he had no idea why.

“Good night,” Bryce finally said.

“Good night.”

He waited until Nick went inside before Bryce went into his own place. He left the slider open since he couldn’t close it with Christi in his arms. He took her to the spare bedroom and laid her on the bed. It wasn’t until he got to the door that she spoke in a quiet, sleepy voice. “I like him a lot.”

Bryce crossed his arms. Damn it. He could tell she liked him. It made him feel raw. “Don’t hurt him. He wants something that will last.” He felt foolish for taking Nick out to get laid. It was obvious anonymous sex wasn’t his thing. He respected Nick for that even if he did give him a hard time.

“No...not like that.” Christi didn’t open her eyes as she continued. “As a friend. I’m not going to try and sleep with him. I get it now.”

Bryce had no idea what she meant by I get it now, but he had to admit, he was glad Christi didn’t want to get together with Nick. “You’re drunk. Get some sleep. I’ll see ya in the morning.” Bryce closed the door behind him, went to the slider and closed it as well.

After a shower, Bryce climbed into bed, but he couldn’t make his eyes close. Tonight had been...the most fun he’d had in a long time, and that was saying a lot. Bryce was pretty fond of a good time, and made sure to have it often—riding, going out, fucking—yet just hanging out at home tonight had been a million times better than that. He felt content...settled, in a way he never had. In a way he had never thought he wanted.

He rolled over, hoping that Nick enjoyed himself as much as Bryce had.

Still...his eyes didn’t close.

***

Nick couldn’t sleep. He lay in bed thinking about the two people next door. Did they still fuck each other? Did they do the whole friends with benefits thing people talked about? They were likely next door getting off while Nick lay here thinking about them like a pervert.

“I’m losing my fucking mind,” he mumbled to himself as he continued to lie there, looking up at the dark ceiling, for the rest of the night.

CHAPTER TEN

The next couple of weeks went on like the last few had. Nick kept busy at work and spent most of his spare time with Bryce. He made them food often, always cooking extra to take next door for Bryce. When he wasn’t home to cook, he’d still bring food back from the restaurant and Bryce would stock his fridge.

It was a few weeks after their barbeque with Christi that Nick’s cell rang, Bryce’s number on the screen. He knew Bryce was at the shop, so it surprised him that the man was calling in the middle of the day.