Four Letter Word (Love Logic #2) - K.M. Neuhold Page 0,18

box I don’t belong in. I hardly know Riot, but being around him is the first time I’ve fully felt like myself in my whole life.

He grins, just a hint of smugness shining through as if he can sense my train of thought. “That all depends.”

“On what?”

“On whether I have a good reason to stay.” His voice dips low with playful teasing, setting off butterflies in my stomach.

“Damn, your flirting game is on point,” I chuckle, taking another big gulp of my cooling coffee.

He gives a one shoulder shrug, still grinning at me, the light shining in his eyes almost intoxicating. I can’t imagine it’s easy to be in a bad mood around Riot, and that’s something I’ve been sorely lacking for too long. “I like to flirt.”

“I’ve always been terrible at it,” I confess.

“You can’t be too bad with the way your friend from the bar stares after you like a puppy,” he teases.

“Who? Hudson?” I ask incredulously. He must mean someone else because there’s no way Hudson watches me like a puppy.

“Is that his name? The hot, preppy dude?”

“There is no way Hudson watches me like a puppy,” I scoff. “Anyway, I didn’t exactly seduce him. He was bored and horny one night, and I was the closest thing he could fuck. After that he realized I was convenient from time to time, that’s all.”

Riot is shaking his head before I’m even finished speaking. “Nope.”

“Nope?” I repeat. “Nope? What do you mean nope?”

“You’re wrong.”

“I think I would know,” I point out.

“Whatever you say, but I think you’re wrong.”

“Are your bartender senses tingling?” I tease.

“Scoff all you want, I’m good at reading people.”

“You may be good at reading people, but I know Hudson,” I counter.

He shrugs and gives up arguing, but the knowing smile that lingers on his lips manages to be both hot and irritating at the same time.

“Do you have plans for the rest of the day?” Riot asks once we’re finished with our coffee, the conversation now firmly veered away from Hudson and onto safer topics like movies and music.

“Oh yes, I have extremely exciting plans to do my laundry and binge watch Kitchen Nightmares.”

“That does sound exciting. You know, I’m great at folding laundry.”

“You want to come back to my apartment with me and watch me do laundry?” I ask with a laugh.

“If you’re up for it, I’d also love to hardcore makeout with you,” he adds, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

“Well, um, yeah, why not,” I agree, a happy, fluttery feeling taking up residence in my chest. Don’t get too excited; this can’t last, I remind myself as I do my best to rein in my emotions. “But just to warn you, Leo is staying with me at the moment. He’s crashing on my couch. So, he’ll be there too.”

“Doesn’t bother me. I’ll scope out your chances with him too,” he offers with a wink, and I roll my eyes.

“I have no chance with Leo. He’s a flirt, like you, but he has never looked at me that way.”

“We’ll see about that.” Riot smirks, setting down his cup and standing up from the table. “Let’s go. This should be fun.”

Riot says he walked to the coffee shop, so we take my car back to my place.

I can smell something baking before I even open the apartment door. I smile at the memory of Leo experimenting with different baked goods in middle school and high school, making us piles of sugary sweets to eat any time the three of us had sleepovers.

My nerves dance as I slip my key into the lock and open the door. What if Riot and Leo can’t stand each other? I can’t deal with being in the middle of another feud.

“Damn, that smells incredible,” Riot says, sniffing the air like a bloodhound as we step inside.

“Leo must be baking something.”

“He bakes?” His voice dips low, sounding almost reverent, and I chuckle.

“He bakes,” I confirm. “Come on, I’ll introduce you.”

Sure enough, we find Leo in my small kitchen, surrounded by dirty dishes, pulling a pan of brownies out of the oven. He clearly hasn’t gotten bored of the make Bishop blush game, because he’s shirtless, a pair of low-slung track pants barely clinging to his hips, showing off the curve of his ass in the most mouthwatering way.

“Damn,” Riot breathes quietly from behind me.

“No kidding,” I mutter back.

Leo sets the pan down and turns to us. His smile falters for a second when he realizes I’m not alone, and he eyes Riot