Just a Bit Obsessed (3 page)

“I don’t have a crush on him anymore,” Christian said. “It was a tiny crush anyway.”

Shawn rolled his eyes.

“No, I’m serious. Sure, I used to have a bit of a crush on him—who didn’t? But now that I actually talked to him and got to know him a bit, I’m over it. I’m serious.”

Shawn shot him a curious look before grinning. “Does he have a small dick or something?”

Christian chuckled and shoved him a little. “Oh shut it, I’m not that shallow! And nope, his dick is just as ridiculously perfect as he is. And that’s the problem I have with him. ”

“You don’t like that he has a perfect dick?”

Christian snorted. “Hardly.” He glanced at Alexander again, but couldn’t help but stare. The guy took the meaning of “tall, dark and handsome” to a whole new level, and his dark-blue eyes were nothing short of stunning. It was such a shame the guy was a weirdo—and a weirdo with a girlfriend. “There’s something off about him. He’s too perfect.”

“Too perfect?”

“Yeah. I don’t mean his looks. I mean his personality. Sure, he has a few quirks, but other than that, he’s so damn calm, reasonable, rational, and…and perfect. His face betrays nothing. It’s just not normal.”

“There are people like that. I told you he had a stick up his ass.”

“It’s not that,” Christian said, shaking his head. “It seems like a mask, you know? Every emotional reaction seems planned and carefully controlled. I don’t know… he’s weird. It gives me the creeps.”

Shawn gave Alexander a long, assessing look. “He doesn’t look like a creep.”

“That’s the point,” Christian said. “He
looks
like a fucking hero in some goddamn romance novel: handsome and hot, with a great car, a great apartment, and a great, beautiful girlfriend. He obviously has money, too. He’s a perfect, considerate boyfriend—I mean, he practically always comes to pick her up! And he ignores all the girls here that constantly try to get his attention. And I’m pretty sure he agreed to the threesome just to make his girlfriend happy. Because he’s such a perfect boyfriend.”

“Please stop saying the word ‘perfect.’ It’s giving me a headache.”

Christian laughed. “Sorry. But his perfectness annoys the hell out of me. It’s fake. I’m sure of it.”

“Why are you so sure?” Shawn said.

“Because his mask slipped a few times the other day,” Christian murmured, looking at Alexander. He shivered, remembering the glimpse of wildness that lurked beneath the calm surface. “He’s not at all what he appears to be, trust me. I’m good at reading people, you know that.”

“Whatever.” Shawn patted him on the shoulder. “I’m glad you’re over your little crush. Crushing on straight guys is never a good idea.”

Christian nodded, deciding not to tell Shawn he wasn’t entirely sure about the straight part. He couldn’t prove it, of course. Alexander could well be completely straight, and his own attraction to the guy might be clouding his judgment. And even if Alexander had really been a bit attracted to him, it would be hardly something surprising. Christian was neither blind nor naive. He knew he had a certain effect on people; even totally straight men often stared at him when he smiled. It was kind of amusing, and Christian wasn’t ashamed to use it when needed. Hey, it wasn’t his fault that most people liked him!

Though he was pretty sure Alexander Sheldon didn’t like him at all.

Christian looked at Alexander again. He still stood alone, glancing at his watch from time to time. He was clearly waiting for Mila.

“I’ll go say hi,” Christian said. “It would be rude not to, right?”

“Chris,” Shawn said, clear disapproval in his voice.

Christian grinned at his friend. “What? I’m bored! Go make out with Professor Rutledge while I’m gone.”

“Hush!” Shawn hissed, glancing around. He looked adorably flustered.

Shaking his head with a smile, Christian walked away. He would never understand how his friend ended up having an affair with the most hated, nastiest professor in their college, but whatever. He wasn’t one to judge.

“Hey, Chris!” some girl said.

“Hey,” he muttered with a smile and walked faster, hoping he looked busy enough so she wouldn’t try to talk to him. She looked like a nice girl, but he wasn’t sure he remembered her name. His memory was pretty crappy, to be honest, and he knew a lot of people.

“Hey, Christian!”

“Hi, Chris!”

“Hey!” he said, smiling some more and walking even faster. His eyes were on Alexander, so he could see the moment the guy noticed him. His face betrayed nothing, but something changed in Alexander’s posture; Christian couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

“Hey,” Christian said, coming to a halt very close to him. He could feel that Alexander didn’t appreciate his personal space being invaded, but his face remained calm. Of course it remained calm.

“Hello,” Alexander said, giving him a cool look.

“Waiting for Mila?”

Alexander nodded and didn’t say anything.

“It’s a small world, isn’t it?” Christian said, slinging his arm around the guy’s shoulders, as though they were old buddies.

Yes, that was it: he could feel Alexander’s body stiffen with tension.

His face blank, Alexander looked straight in front of him. “Don’t think so. You go to this college.” His voice was so cold that even the air between them seemed to become colder.

“I have a strange feeling you don’t like me,” Christian said, with a mock-hurt in his voice.

Alexander turned his head to him.

Christian licked his lips. Fuck. Those eyes were ridiculously blue. Almost violet.

“Don’t you know the meaning of personal space?” Alexander said, irritation lacing his voice.

“What personal space?” Christian said with a teasing smile. He let his hand move a little, brushing the back of Alexander’s neck, touching the warm skin there.

“Precisely,” Alexander said, the tension in his body growing. “What are you playing at?”

Christian adopted a look of innocence, his blunt nails digging into Alexander’s skin just below his nape. “I’ve no idea what you mean.”

Alexander gave him a
glare
, his calm mask slipping.

Christian felt a thrill run through his body. He looked at Alexander from under his eyelashes and smiled.

“You’re so gay,” Alexander said after a moment.

“Thanks,” Christian said, holding his gaze.

Alexander laughed shortly, shaking his head. “Stop doing this. It doesn’t work on me.”

“Huh?”

“This. Flirting. Messing with my head. Whatever you’re doing.”

Christian laughed. “You think I’m flirting with you? Someone has a big head, methinks.”

Alexander put his hands into the pockets of his pants. “I wasn’t born yesterday. You’re bi, and you give me all these—all these looks. Sorry, I’m not interested.”

“Yup, definitely a big head.” Christian smiled. “Sorry to disappoint you, but I ‘flirt’ with everyone. It’s just how I roll. Not all of us are grumpy cold bores. You haven’t seen me really flirt.”

Alexander shot him a skeptical look.

Christian nodded, mock-serious. “I know: it’s hard to accept you’re not special.”

“And I guess you grope everyone too?”

“What can I say, I’m a touchy-feely guy.” Christian’s fingers stroked Alexander’s neck. “And this? This is not groping.”

“Then what is this?” Alexander practically gritted the words out.

Christian leaned in until their lips were inches away. “This is me messing with you,” he whispered. He almost brushed his lips against Alexander’s. Almost. He felt Alexander’s body tense like a string ready to snap.

Christian stepped back, a little breathless, and winked at him. “Tell Mila I said hi.”

Chapter 4

Stretched out on the bed, Alexander watched Mila brush her hair before bed. She was wearing only her panties, so he eyed her curves appreciatively.

“Honey,” she said suddenly. “I met Christian this afternoon and invited him again.”

Alexander’s eyes snapped to her face. “What?”

Mila fidgeted, shifting from one foot to the other and giving him a wary look. “Well, I figured you wouldn’t mind. The experiment went well, right? And he’s a nice guy.”

Alexander had to make a conscious effort to unclench his jaw before he could speak.

“That wasn’t the deal,” he said. “I thought we agreed it would be a one-time thing.”

Mila flushed and looked at her feet. “Sorry.”

“Sorry? I was very clear. You shouldn’t have done that without asking me first.”

Mila’s eyes filled with tears, and Alexander gritted his teeth, annoyed with her. He hated tears and he hated scenes.

He sighed. “When is he going to come?”

The doorbell rang.

Mila gave him a sheepish smile. “Now?”

Great. Just fantastic.

Alexander leaned back against the pillow while Mila went to open the door. He glanced at himself—he was wearing only his boxers—and considered putting something on, but what was the point?

He folded his arms behind his head and stared at the doorway, his muscles tense and alert.

Finally, Mila backed into the room, her lips glued to Christian’s as she undressed him.

Something unpleasant coiled in the pit of Alexander’s stomach as he watched Mila push Christian’s shorts off his narrow hips, squeezing his firm, round ass.

Still kissing Mila, Christian opened his eyes, and looked at Alexander.

Alexander stared back at him.

Christian maneuvered her to the bed. Mila fell gracelessly onto the mattress, a little out of breath, and Christian stretched out on her other side. He leaned down and licked her trembling bottom lip, still looking at Alexander, as if saying,
See how she’s trembling?

Alexander watched Christian’s pink tongue swipe across Mila’s lips and felt the ugly feeling in his stomach spread to his chest.

As Christian leaned down to kiss her again, Alexander moved swiftly and covered Mila’s lips with his.

Christian’s wet lips grazed his cheek. “You didn’t say hi,” he said, in a barely audible whisper, just for his ears. “You’re so rude.”

Alexander stopped kissing her and looked at Christian. The tip of Christian’s tongue poked out as he wet his lips. His face was just a few inches away.

“My turn.” Christian leaned down and kissed Mila again. Unwilling to be a third wheel, Alexander started kissing the side of her face. Closing his eyes, he sucked and nibbled, moving down her cheek, to her chin, to—

Alexander sucked on the plump lips and delved deep with his tongue. There was a moan and then—

Alexander opened his eyes and found himself kissing Christian.

He jerked away.

They stared at each other, breathing hard.

“Oh, I know it was an accident, but this was so hot!” Mila said. It felt as though her voice was coming from very far away. “Come on, guys, do it again! For me?”

“I don’t mind, sweetheart, but I think your boyfriend does,” Christian said with a sly grin. His eyes gleamed as he held Alexander’s gaze. “I think he’s scared.”

Christian’s lips were full and shiny. Alexander averted his gaze. “I’m not scared. I just don’t want it.” He wiped his lips with the back of his hand, pulled Mila close and kissed her.

He felt Christian lean close to his ear and whisper,

“Liar.”

The word jolted him and kept nagging at the back of his mind as he touched Mila to get her off. It was still on Alexander’s mind as he fucked her, carefully
not
watching Christian as she gave the guy a blowjob.

By the time Christian left and Mila was asleep, Alexander was still thinking about it. Liar.

Liar.

He got out of the bed, threw a blanket over his shoulders and went out onto the balcony. A cold November wind hit his bare skin, stinging his bare face and hands and sending chills up his spine.

Liar.

A memory, old but not forgotten.

Liar.
His mother’s broken, hysterical voice. Then his father’s excuses and promises that it was the last time, that it would never happen again. His father had lied, of course. Every single time.

Alexander had been five the first time it happened. He woke up to the sounds of yelling and sobbing coming from their parents’ bedroom. Confused and scared, he crept out of bed, padded down the dark hallway and inched open the door as silently as possible.

“I’m sorry—I’m sorry,” Edward Sheldon kept saying. “It just happened! I don’t know why—I was drunk and didn’t know what I was doing—”

“You were sober enough to get it up and stick it in his ass!” his mother yelled, her lovely face red and voice hoarse from crying. “Faggot!” She threw a vase at his father and missed. It shattered against the wall, making Alexander flinch and stare at the broken pieces on the floor. “Faggot! Cocksucker!”