Torn Between Tides

Chapter Fifteen

Roman kept his promise this time, and texted Colt the next day after he was done with practice. The Alpha was on time as he waited outside the university for his mate. Roman was impressed by the man's punctuality as he said bye to his friends that had knowing smirks on their faces before jogging towards Colt's car.

This started becoming a daily routine. Colt would pick Roman up and they'd grab lunch or coffee. Some times Roman would stay till dinner, and other nights he would leave a bit early. Colt would occasionally drive Roman to his part time job as well, finding any excuse to spend more time together.

Cooking together became one of Roman's favorite things to do, and he slowly started inviting Colt to watch his swim practices as well.

Each time Colt was in the bleachers of the indoor swimming pool, he had to grip the edge of the seat to keep himself in check. It wasn't easy seeing his mate almost naked surrounded by other people, and he knew for sure that this was something he would not get used to. There was simply no way. But he had to suck it up.

It also didn't help that Colt would be painfully aroused after every practice session he sat through. So much so that he wanted to do nothing but to barge inside the locker room, bend Roman right over the bench and go to town. Roman wasn't helping these fantasies either, always winking or subtly adjusting his bulge and flexing his muscles whenever Colt caught his eye.

It was as if Roman knew exactly what Colt was thinking, and he was torturing him even more.

Maybe Colt had been right. Roman really was going to be the death of him.

"Where were you?"

"Jesus fuck!" Roman exclaimed, startled by his brother who was standing near the door. Roman had barely stepped foot inside the apartment, only to be given a heart attack by Ezra. "I was out, I told you."

"You've been out a lot lately," Extra noted. "Who were you with?"

"My friends?" Roman replied.

"Why do I feel like you're lying to me?" The man asked, making Roman give him a look as if saying 'are you crazy?'

"Seriously?" Roman scoffed. "I'm an adult and you're not my mom. I can be out for as long as I want with whomever I want."

"I'm not your mother but I'm the only family you have, just in case you're forgetting them," Ezra muttered, before sighing as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry. I'm being an ass, I know. I just...you know why."

"I know, Ez," Roman said, his voice and face softening. "You don't have to worry about me."

"I'm your brother, of course I'm always going to worry about you," Ezra paused. "I'll try not to be as overbearing, though."

"That's all I ask," Roman retorted with a small grin. "But, uh, you were right."

"About what?"

"I was lying," Roman admitted. He hated lying to his brother, but he knew that Ezra wouldn't understand where he was coming from. But maybe it was finally time. "I wasn't with my friends."

"Who were you with, then?" The older man questioned.

"I was with...uh, so I'm kind of seeing someone. Like, not officially or anything but...I don't really know how to explain it, honestly. We haven't done anything yet but there's this undeniable spark between us and—"

"Wait a second, you have a boyfriend?" Ezra interrupted, making Roman shake his head as he let out a huff.

"Nope. Not a boyfriend, definitely no. But...but I do like him," Roman mumbled, admitting the truth properly to both his brother and himself for the first time.