There was a sadness to him that Noah hadn’t noticed before. It immediately made him feel for the man. “Sorry to hear about your sister. I hope everything’s okay.”

He looked toward the window, making Noah realize that it probably wouldn’t be.

The waitress returned, and set their mugs and food in front of them. “What about you?” Wes asked, when she left.

“I actually live in Blackcreek. I’ve only been back about a month now, but I lived there for a few years when I was younger.”

Wes nodded, but didn’t ask where Blackcreek was, making Noah wonder if he knew.

They spent about thirty minutes eating and talking. It wasn’t about anything at all really, and he wondered if maybe picking someone up in a bar was even more of a rarity for Wes than it was for him. He liked the guy though. There was something about him that Noah connected to.

After getting their bill, Noah asked, “Are you lookin’ to leave with me?”

“As long as you know it’s just tonight. I have too much shit on my plate right now.”

“That’s all I want, too.” The problem was they obviously couldn’t go to Wes’s. Not with a sick sister, and her kid there. Hotels were always an option but, fuck he hated going there. It made him feel like his mother. Like he was sneaking away somewhere, to do something he shouldn’t.

Coop won’t be home tonight, he said so himself. It felt weird as hell to bring someone to Cooper’s house. It wasn’t something they’d talked about, but again, he wouldn’t be there. He made sure Noah knew to make himself at home. He paid rent to live there. “You want to follow me to my place? It’s a bit of a drive but…”

“Let’s go.” Wes stood and Noah did the same. Each took some money out of their pockets and tossed it to the table.

This was exactly what he needed. He’d fuck thoughts of Cooper out of his head, and maybe it would give Wes a little bit of peace, too.

The drive home felt quicker than it should. Noah was in a daze for part of it, but the second he closed the door behind them, he saw clear and knew what he wanted.

Sex. Release.

Noah’s lips came down hard on Wes’s. Their tongues battled for dominance, Wes obviously wanting it as much as Noah. The temperature in his body went up about a million degrees, his cock instantly going hard. This is what he loved about being with a man—the fight, the fact that he didn’t have to hold back and hoped like hell the other guy wouldn’t with him either.

Noah pulled away. “Take off your shirt.”

Wes didn’t need to be asked twice. He pulled the shirt over his head and dropped it to the floor. Noah only gave himself a few seconds to enjoy the view, before backing Wes up until he hit the wall. There was a clattering sound, something on the wall maybe, but he didn’t take the time to pay attention.

Noah crushed his body against Wes’s. Wes leaned forward but Noah pulled back, out of his reach. “What do you like?”

Wes smiled. “I’m verse, but tonight I want to be fucked. It doesn’t mean I won’t try and take control though.”

Just what he wanted to hear. He loved being in control, loved driving another man wild. Didn’t mean he didn’t like the battle for it, though.

Noah ripped his shirt over his head. Wes groaned, his eyes on the piercing in his nipples. Noah smiled. Like he’d told Cooper, men liked it.

Shit. Why did he have to go and think about Coop right now? The whole point was to get his friend out of his head.

He pressed his mouth to Wes’s again. The other man’s fingers went to the button on Noah’s pants, pushing it through the hole, then ran his hand through Noah’s hair. Noah let his lips trail down Wes’s throat. Pulled him away from the wall, stumbling toward his room.

That’s when he saw him. Cooper. Standing at the base of the stairs, in nothing but pair of jeans like Noah and Wes. His eyes were riveted on them, blazing with fire that Noah wished could possibly mean Cooper wanted him. He could pretend that wasn’t what he wanted, but he knew it would be a lie.

“Aw, fuck. You’re with someone?” Wes asked.

Noah couldn’t look away from Cooper when he answered. “No.” His heart thundered, his hands fisted yet he didn’t know why. Noah forced himself to break eye contact with Coop, and looked at Wes. He owed him an explanation for whatever the hell his weirdness was. “He’s my roommate.”

Then he looked at Cooper again. “I didn’t think you’d be home tonight.”

He stood there for what felt like hours, studying Noah, before turning and walking up the stairs. Noah let out a heavy breath, his erection long gone. Too many thoughts crowded his brain, questions about Cooper’s reaction, and then guilt for whatever confusion this caused Wes.