How To Evict a Hot Jock in Three Weeks - Anyta Sunday Page 0,51

breathing became difficult. “The goat cheese is thoughtful of you. I love it. But why are we at your brother’s place?”

Logan reluctantly slid his fingers off Alexander, and Alexander spooned ravioli into his own bowl. “Perhaps you want to try it?” Alexander picked up his glass and sipped. “What do you think of this place?”

Logan studied Alexander, who was taking in the apartment’s oriental flair. “It’s cozy. Colorful. Warm. Way too many stairs.”

“It’s small,” Alexander said. “Colors clash. You’re correct about the stairs. But it’s growing on me. I suspect over the course of the next year, I’ll grow to love it.”

“The course of a year? What are you—” Logan froze. “You bet your house.”

His stomach dropped.

“Your beloved, perfect house,” Logan said. “The house that took you two years to find, with high ceilings and so much space you don’t feel claustrophobic. The house your favorite artist used to live in before he became famous. The house seeped in artistic history that made it feel alive.”

“You were listening.”

“I’ve always been listening.” Logan watched Alexander toy with his pasta. “It was perfect. This place is not.”

“Well.” Alexander’s eyes lifted to Logan. “I’ve always said perfection is in the eye of the beholder, and I’ve never meant it more than I mean it now.”

Logan’s heart hammered. A maelstrom of emotion bashed about in his chest. “You lost what you love because of me.”

Again, no answer.

And then, “I did it for me, too. I’m picky. I find things I dislike and use them to push people away. I don’t want to be that person.”

“For what it’s worth, I’ve never seen you as that person—except at the supermarket, searching for the perfect mushroom.”

Alexander laughed. “My bet with Nico was to not push you away.”

Logan winced. “Wow, I really tested you.”

“You certainly did.”

Logan smiled and leaned in. “A little pickiness is okay, you know? I mean, take a friend for example. You should only hang out if you like them.”

Alexander pointed his fork at him. “I’d like you more if you ate my ravioli.”

Logan laughed, and ate.

After dinner, they watched a rom-com from two separate chairs. When it was over, it was well past eleven. Definitely time for Logan to leave.

“Can I sleep with you?” Alexander jerked his head in disbelief; Logan raised his hands. “We can stay up all night and shoot the shit. Like a fun, PG-rated sleepover. Friends do that all the time.”

In the light from the TV, Alexander’s eyes sparked, and he stood quickly. “Our evening is done for today.”

“What if you paint me? I could drape myself on that table.”

“The door is over there.”

“Luci’s couch is so bad on my back. Take pity on a friend.”

Alexander opened the door. “Off you go.”

Logan smiled to himself as he slipped on his shoes. Alexander hovered, casting warmth at his side. Their breaths mingled, and the moment stretched, teetering on the cusp of something more.

“Goodnight, Logan.”

“Goodnight, Alexander.” He backed over the threshold. “I’ll see you at the showcase.”

Alexander nodded, closing the door after him. “Good luck at your audition.”

“Can you imagine if you and Alexander, and me and Nico worked out?”

Luci was keeping his jumpy ass company outside the audition waiting room. God, there were so many other hopefuls in there.

He had all his lines polished. He knew this part—hell, he’d lived it.

It wasn’t his lines that had Logan’s insides screwed tight. Other words haunted him and turned him into a restless beast.

Luci was hugging a clipboard. “Aren’t you supposed to be done for the day?”

“I’m done as soon as I drop this list off to your brother.” She gave him an all-knowing look. “Stop evading.”

“We broke up. The question is pointless.”

“You broke up for now. Anyone can see you two are made for each other. So what do you think? All of us together all the time, not growing apart like other friends do.”

“Okay, hold on,” Logan said, feigning shock. “I did not sign up with you for life.”

“Logan!”

He chuckled. “Just kidding. Come ’ere.” He hauled her into his arms. The clipboard poked him in the chest but he didn’t ease his hold. He’d be a lucky guy to have Luci in his life forever.

He’d be the luckiest guy in the world to have Alexander. He murmured against her hair. “I have to show him how much I care, Luce.”

“Do your audition and then lay out how you feel. Put everything on the line.”

“You’re right, you’re . . .” Logan frowned. He stared at the roomful of auditioning actors, at the clock