Page 31 of Inevitable

Ezra whirled around. He’d been trying to locate his gloves, patting down his pockets while simultaneously trying not to slip on the icy patches on the street. That was the only reason Ezra could think of that would explain how he hadn’t noticed Bas was casually leaning against the wall, one foot propped against it. He was wearing a black winter jacket, a gray beanie, and jeans. Ezra’s gaze moved over him, taking him in. Lingering.

The problem with living with Bas and Drew was that it was becoming impossible not to acknowledge the fact that they were both so damn nice. And interesting. And smart. And talented. Any one of those qualities alone would have been easy to resist, but combine them all into one and then double them, and it was becoming a real problem for Ezra.

Ezra’s eyes moved over Bas. He couldn’t help it. He really liked what he was seeing. Liked it a bit too much, if he was being honest with himself.

Bas smirked and waggled his brows as Ezra chuckled and looked down at his feet.

“Sorry,” he muttered.

Bas pushed himself off the wall and ambled closer. “Why? I don’t mind you looking.”

“It doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable?”

“Why should it? I appreciate the attention just as much as the next guy.”

Bas threw his arm over Ezra’s shoulder and started dragging him forward.

“Where are we going?” Ezra laughed as he tried to keep up with Bas.

“To celebrate,” Bas replied. “I’ve gotten more work done in the last week than in forever. It almost feels like the good old days when I was composing for fun. And it’s actually good stuff. Anyway, Drew is going to meet us. We’re going to a bar.” He waggled his brows.

“Day drinking?” Ezra asked with a smirk.

Bas shrugged. “It’s half past four. We’re in the clear.”

“Sounds like a plan, I guess.”

They ended up in a little pub close to campus. Drew walked in fifteen minutes later, looking the polar opposite of Bas in his dark gray suit. Equally as hot, though.

Some days it was really difficult for Ezra to remember why he had started with the whole ban on sleeping with Drew. Fuck, who was he kidding? It was difficult to remember most days. But then he saw the smile on Bas’s face as he looked at Drew, and that brought reality back in fast enough.

“Hi.” Drew squeezed Bas’s shoulder as he passed him. It was impossible not to notice how Bas leaned into the touch. The naked hunger on his face as he looked at Drew was palpable.

The two of them smiled at each other, and it was so intimate that Ezra felt like he was intruding. But then Drew turned toward Ezra and leaned over. He pressed his lips on Ezra’s cheek, and Ezra had to close his eyes to deal with the sudden onslaught of emotions. The tender touch of Drew’s lips made Ezra feel too much. Made him want things he couldn’t have.

A selfish flash of desire to have Drew to himself reared its ugly head inside him. It was immediately followed by guilt because he didn’t want Drew all to himself. Not anymore. Not after what Bas had told him.

He wanted Drew with Bas. In a short time, Bas had become Ezra’s friend. A good one. Ezra would have never gotten between Bas and the man he was in love with.

But Ezra wanted… something. He wasn’t sure what. He’d always been fine with being on his own. It was easier that way. He even preferred it. But having lived with Drew and Bas for the last few weeks, it was like he was exposed to all those possibilities, and his skeptical heart had perked up a bit and said, What if this was something we could have? What if there’d be dinners and movie nights and somebody waiting for me at home every night? Somebody who’d miss me and love me? Would it really be that bad?

“Ez?” Bas’s voice broke through Ezra’s thoughts, and he whipped his head toward Bas and Drew, who were sitting opposite from him now, sides pressed together.

They were both looking at him with quirked brows. Ezra shook his head and tried to smile. “Sorry. I spaced out for a bit there.”

Drew smiled, but Bas had a thoughtful look in his eyes as he studied Ezra.

“What do you want to drink?” Drew asked.

“A beer is fine, but I can get it myself.”

Drew was out of his seat in a blink, and he pressed his palm on Ezra’s shoulder. “Relax. I’ve got it.”

Ezra watched Drew move toward the bar. That pesky attraction was only getting worse. Nobody had taken care of Ezra in years. Maybe longer, considering his father had spent most of Ezra’s childhood in prison, and his older brothers were trying to one-up each other in their contest for the position of their dad’s cellmate. Most of the time, Ezra had been left to his own devices, so he’d become pretty self-sufficient over the years.

This here felt good. Too good. Dangerous, really. It was like a trap, luring him in with sweet promises.

Ezra tried to look away, but there was no use. His gaze was fixed on Drew, who was now leaning against the bar, talking to the bartender. The woman seemed all too eager to keep Drew chatting with her. She was smiling a bit too widely and leaning forward a bit too much for Ezra’s liking, so he forced himself to turn his gaze away.