It Gets Complicated (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 6: Shirtless Surprise

Deep breaths. Okay, maybe not deep breaths. Morning breath isn't attractive. No, hungover morning breath is not at all pleasant. Of course, I'd get up and at least use some mouth wash or something, but there were these arms. Okay, now I'm hyperventilating. I forgot why my breath even mattered until I finally opened my eyes and saw that beautiful face only inches from my own.

No amount of squirming or struggling was going to get me free from his iron grip. My lord how much did he work out? Certainly it wasn't healthy to be in the gym this much. Or maybe I'm just lazy...we'll go with the latter.

"Ryan," I groaned as I tried to wiggle free. In response, he grunted and held me even tighter. Well, at least now I won't have to worry about morning breath, seeming how I couldn't breath at all. With one last struggle, the air was pushed out of me. That woke him up.

"What is that-"

"It's your own damn fault!" I called as I ran to the bathroom. For mouthwash, I will always be grateful.

"So, you have bad morning breath?" He asked from the door to the bathroom. I glared over at him and his shirtless glory. Staring is not okay...it's not...it's...yeah, I stared. "Something wrong?" I spit out the mouthwash in the sink and washed my face before wetting my hair to at least attempt and manage it, mostly trying to distract myself from him. Of course, that was when he came up behind me to do who knows what, probably just to make me uncomfortable.

"You should put some clothes on," I exhaled. In the mirror, I saw him arch an eyebrow with that ridiculous smirk on his face.

"Why's that?" He whispered in my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. "I thought I didn't scare you." I turned around, his closeness causing me to lean back against the sink as he leaned forward. "Hey, Jay?" My eyes darted from his own down to his mouth and back. There was something out of place in those warm brown eyes. There was something...dark.

"Football." I muttered with my eyes squeezed shut.

"What?" He froze where he was, eyes wide.

"You heard me," I bit my bottom lip. Amidst the other things we had discussed prior to the party, a sort of safe word had come up. It was simply a way to say that one of us felt uncomfortable in a situation and needed things to calm down. Of course, it had to be something we rarely ever said, so I chose football. Yeah, I'm a hater, who cares.

"I'm sorry," he pulled away, leaning back against the opposite wall. I took a few deep breaths before regaining my composure. It wasn't necessarily that I was uncomfortable, trust me I was, he was just making me flustered. I prefer for my judgement to be clear 99% of the time. The 1% being when I'm under the influence.

"Can you please put a shirt on?" I asked with a small smile, still having to force myself to not stare at him. Wait, why was I not staring? He was my boyfriend right? So what was my problem with him wanting to make out with me in the bathroom while half naked? Yep, my priorities needed some rearranging. "I'm sorry, I'm just-or I mean it's just-"

"Moving too fast," he finished my sentence. "I understand. I mean, I know four years doesn't seem like much, but...there's a lot that I just forget that you haven't experienced in life." He took a step forward and kissed me on the cheek before returning to his bedroom for a shirt. My breath was gone, my cheeks were flushed, and my heart was pounding. Who says that kind of thing? Who actually says that kind of stuff? I mean, what?

I glanced in the mirror and was once again confused. What on earth did he see in me? I guess at some point I put on some of his clothes, which included a shirt that hung off my small frame and sweatpants that literally swallowed me. My hair was better than it had been earlier, but it was still a mess and I just...I wasn't a jaw dropper like he was. Is that a thing? I need help.

"Jay, do you want some breakfast?" Ryan called from the living area.

"You never ask if I want breakfast!" A voice complained.

"You never ask if any of us want breakfast!" A second joined in before several voices started bickering. I walked out into the living area to find four more shirtless men. Matthew, Kyle, Derek, and Richard were all laying around the apartment. Two were on couches, one on the floor, and for some reason Kyle was on the small kitchen counter. "Jay, tell him to make us breakfast too!"

I stood there, my face flushing red as all attention was turned to me at the far end of the room. If there was anything that Ryan and his friends all had in common it was the fact that they all made me feel insecure about my body. Five handsome men, all that spend more than their fair share of time in the gym, were shirtless and staring at me. Needless to say, after that morning I have yet to freeze in front of a man. I moved through the room to the kitchen, avoiding making eye contact.

"Do all of your friends have an aversion to clothes?" I asked Ryan. The others heard and the five of them burst into a eruptious laughter that lightened things up. Soon enough, Ryan was making breakfast while the other four asked me a million questions.

"Alright boys, Jay has to get home." Ryan cut in. He already had my clothes in his hands and my bag sitting on the counter. I didn't argue, knowing my mother would be wondering where I was if I didn't return soon. "Like a pack of damn wolves." Ryan muttered once we were in the car.

"They're nice enough, though," I smiled. "I like them." My hand fell over his in between the seats.

"I really enjoyed last night." He glanced at me at a stop sign. I blushed, remembering how I'd fallen asleep in his bed with him. Sure I'd slept with guys on the couch or the floor, but never in their bed and especially not in their apartment. "Really?" He asked. I had just said the last part out loud.

"Did I just say that out loud? I didn't mean to say that. Shit. Well, I mean, yeah. I trust you, so I figure-" looking into his adoring eyes was enough to shut me up from my rambling. Then he said it.

"I love you."