“Friends with benefits,” I recited dutifully, though the words felt hollow.
“Exactly.” He nodded, turning to a mini-fridge tucked under his desk. “Cold pizza okay?”
“Perfect.”
I watched him move around the small space, admiring the fluid grace with which he carried himself. Even doing something as mundane as retrieving food, there was something otherworldly about him. Maybe it was knowing that he was a creature of myth and legend. Or maybe it was just that he was so beautiful I could hardly believe my eyes. Either way, I found him mesmerizing.
He handed me a paper plate with two slices of pepperoni pizza, then settled on the bed beside me. I realized I was still completely naked and reached for my underwear on the floor.
“Don’t bother on my account,” Nerion said, taking a bite of his pizza. “I like the view.”
I felt heat rise to my cheeks but left the underwear where it was. We ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes, the only sounds our chewing and the distant murmur of other students in the hallway outside.
“Is this normal?” I suddenly blurted out, grinning from ear to ear. “Eating pizza naked with a sore ass?”
Nerion laughed, nearly choking on his pizza. “Doesn’t seem weird to me,” he replied once his voice was back under control. “Actually, it seems like a pretty nice way to spend an afternoon.”
“Yeah,” I nodded. “I think I could get used to this.”
Nerion smiled. “Me too.” Then, as if realizing what he’d just said, he added quickly, “But I do need to get back to the painting studio tonight. And I bet you have homework to get done.”
Just like that, the moment was shattered. “Y-Yeah,” I nodded. “Right. Homework.”
Chapter 20
Nerion
“Ihave no idea what you’re supposed to do at these things,” I said, glancing up at Linden. We’d found a spot in the back corner of the stands surrounding the pool. “Do you cheer or is this like golf and you have to be silent?”
Linden shrugged. “I don’t know. Let’s just do what everyone else does, I guess.”
“Great,” I grumbled, crossing my arms over my chest. “You know how much Iloveto be just like everyone else.”
“Look, you’re the one that invited me here to watch your boyfriend swim. You can’t be grumpy about it.”
“First of all,” I balked while my heart did a strange little flip. “He’s not my boyfriend. We’re just fucking. And secondly, you’re the one that agreed to come.”
“Sure, Nerion,” Linden scoffed. “You’rejust friends.” He made little air quotes with his fingers before letting out a long sigh. “I’m just saying,” Linden continued, his voice dropping as more people filed into the stands around us, “you’ve never invited me to watch anyone else you were ‘just fucking’ before. And I’ve known you for what, three years now?”
I shot him a glare, but he just smiled back with that infuriating know-it-all expression. The worst part was that hehad a point. I’d never cared enough about any of my hookups to want them to meet my friends or to show up at their events. But Teddy was...different. And I really needed to get that under control.
“Whatever,” I muttered. “I just thought it would be nice to get out of the studio for once.”
“Mmhmm,” Linden hummed, unconvinced. “That’s why you’ve been checking your hair in every reflective surface we’ve passed.”
I elbowed him in the ribs, harder than was strictly necessary. “Shut up. The meet’s about to start.”
The announcer’s voice boomed over the speakers, introducing the competing schools. The crowd around us erupted in cheers when Widdershins was announced, and I found myself scanning the pool deck for a glimpse of golden hair. When I finally spotted Teddy standing with his team, my breath caught. Even from this distance, he looked magnificent in his speedo, his broad shoulders and tapered waist on full display.
“Oh, there he is,” Linden said, following my gaze. “Damn. Is that what he had under that Halloween costume? He’s hot.”
“I know,” I replied, unable to keep the pride from my voice. “And he’s really good swimmer too. Like, Olympic-level good if he’d just relax a little.”
“You know that much about swimming now? Interesting.”
“I’m practically half fish. I know a good swimmer when I see one.”
“Sure thing,” he said, but I knew he didn’t believe me.