Page 74 of From the Ashes
“Pfft. I don’t fucking want him.” He crossed his arms over his chest, glaring out the window. “I don’t even want him now. He’s not even cute.”
Nix was fooling nobody, especially not me. He sounded like a petulant child, trying to trick everyone into thinking that he didn’t find Patrick insanely attractive. Truth be told. I found Patrick fun to look at as well. But it never went any further than that in my head. In fact, the moment I realized it was him that I was looking at and not just some faceless hunk, all interest sorta died away. The only person I ever wanted to sleep with was Phoenix.
“Don’t let his boyfriend Tyler hear you saying that. I won’t stand up for you in that fight.”
“I still can’t believe he’s gay.”
“He literally asked you to blow him, Nix.”
“Teenager hormones,” he scoffed, waving his hand dismissively.
“I guess you won’t mind if I invite him in then since he’snotgay and won’t steal me away from you.”
Nix tried to stop me, a look of disbelief on his face. But I was already pushing open the door. I waved to Patrick and a moment later the mower came to a stop. He pulled off his headphones and headed over, wiping the sweat from his brow.
“You want somecoffee?” I called.
“If it comes with ice, sure,” he nodded. “It’s hot as fuck out here.”
“I’ve got the AC running too. Come on in.” It wasn’t until Patrick and I stepped back inside that I gestured to Phoenix. “I think you two probably remember one another.”
Nix stood there with his arms crossed, glaring at Patrick. Meanwhile, it was Patrick that hunched his shoulders, acting shyer than I’d seen him in a long time. I couldn’t help chuckling to myself as I went about getting Patrick’s drink. Their little tiff was a nice distraction from the looming questions about our relationship that Nix wanted answers to. It was a nice change of pace tonotbe the most anxious one in the room for once.
“You know, you don’t have to do the lawn today if it’s too hot,” I said, handing him a cup that was mostly ice with a splash of coffee. “I really don’t care that much about the grass.”
Patrick lifted an eyebrow. “You literally pay me to take care of it though.”
“Only because I hate doing it.”
“Uh-huh.”
He just smiled, knowing that it may have started out that way, but the reason I kept him on was to support his business. He knew I didn’t have a lot of extra money, but supporting him seemed worth it, especially since he put up with me. “
“I don’t mind getting a little sun anyway,” he continued. He pulled at his shirt. “Although this thing is gonna have to go if it gets any warmer.”
“How about you leave your shirt on,” Nix growled, still glaring at him from the other end of the kitchen.
“Ignore him,” I said. “He’s just jealous.”
“I am not!”
“He thought you were hot before he saw it was you and now he thinks you’re gonna steal me away from him or something.”
Nix’s jaw fell open as he tried to form a retort. But Patrick and I just laughed.
“I’ve got my own man at home,” Patrick said. “And he’s more than I can handle sometimes. I don’t need another one. No offense.”
“None taken,” I nodded.
“So, you two are together now?”
That question wiped the smile right off my face. Suddenly I was anxious again, all of those feelings bubbling back to the surface once more.
“Yeah, we are,” Nix replied before I could answer. “So back off.”
Patrick just smiled, not threatened by Nix in the least. “I see you haven’t lost any of that fire you always had. That redhead stereotype is strong in you.”
“Yeah? What are you gonna do about it?”