before,” Alex says.
“Well, watch out because Theo sleepwalks,” Elijah warns. “And he’ll eat your food, and he gets bored if you study too long and will end up bugging you until you give him attention.”
“Hey,” Theo protests. “I’m a good roommate.”
“You were a great roommate,” Elijah agrees. “But all those other things are also still true,” he adds with a cheeky smile.
“What are you guys going to do about sex?” Pax asks, and Elijah chokes on the sip of water he was drinking.
“Who said they were going to have sex?”
I snort a laugh into my drink. “I think he meant with different people,” I help.
“Oh.”
“Unfortunately, I doubt I’ll have much time for sex once this semester starts, and I can put on headphones and study if Theo has someone over,” Alex answers.
“I doubt I’ll have much time either. We can be horny together,” Theo says, his face going red as soon as the words leave his mouth. “I mean, not together.”
Alex chuckles. “I know what you meant.”
“Thanks for helping. I know hauling furniture isn’t anyone’s idea of a good Saturday, but I really appreciate it,” Theo says once we’re all finished eating and getting ready to leave.
“You’re Pax’s little brother, which makes you family,” Bishop assures him, pulling him in for a tight hug.
I follow suit, grabbing him for a hug once Bishop releases him. “I don’t think you knew what you were getting yourself into moving out here, but you’re stuck with us now,” I tease, clapping him on the back.
“Thanks, that means a lot.”
Leo and Riot each give him a hug too, and then we all head out. When we get down to the car, Bishop crawls into the back seat, and Leo follows him while I get in the driver seat and Riot takes shotgun. In the rearview mirror, I see Bishop yawn, scooting over to rest his head on Leo’s shoulder.
“I want to go home and get my Gordon Ramsay fix,” he declares.
“How does someone who can’t even boil water end up with such an obsession with Kitchen Nightmares and Hell’s Kitchen?” I ask.
“You do not want to hear his answer to that,” Leo jokes.
“Well now I’m curious.”
“It’s just a little fantasy that involves a spanking and the phrase yes, chef,” Bishop answers with a hint of amusement in his voice.
I jerk my head back to see if he’s fucking with me or not, and Riot reaches over to steady the wheel, so I don’t accidentally careen us into traffic. “Damn, Bish, I didn’t know you had a kinky side.”
“I wouldn’t necessarily say I have a kinky side, but I wouldn’t object if I came home to find any of you wearing nothing but a chef’s hat.”
“Hear me out on this,” Riot pitches. “A mildly kinky Hell’s Kitchen type role play scenario where one of us is the chef and the other three are contestants trying to impress the chef.”
“Oh my god, think about all the elaborate role play scenarios we can come up with for four of us,” Leo muses.
Four of us...does that mean he anticipates coming around to forgiving me? I glance in the rearview mirror one more time and find him looking at me with something that doesn’t look like hate. My heart gives a small flutter of hope.
Chapter 25
Leo
After helping get Theo moved into his new apartment on Saturday, the thought of Bishop and me moving has been on my mind for the past few days. I know he wants time to think about it, and I want to give him as much time as he needs. But I also really want a closet to hang my clothes up in again.
I’m headed back to my office after lunch when my phone vibrates in my pocket.
I pull it out and see a text from Hudson. I roll my eyes and consider ignoring it all together. Yes, I’m starting to soften to him a little bit, but I’m still not sure I’m in a place where I’m ready to talk to him about aside from Riot or Bishop. Unless that’s what he’s texting me about? I hesitate for a second, and before I can click to read the message, my phone starts to vibrate again—with a call this time.
My heart surges into my throat. I can’t think of a single reason Hudson would call me, aside from a thousand horrifying scenarios that suddenly battle to the forefront of my imagination. I stop in my tracks, halfway back to my office, and answer the call.
“What’s