Page 44 of Wild Fire

JJ smirks, and I know he has me.

“Fuck you,” I bite as I flip the pancake angrily.

“Well, there’s your problem, right there.” He snickers.

I grunt. “It’s not like that.”

JJ chuckles. “You are a horrible liar, AJ.”

I growl in repose, knowing he’s right. I am a terrible liar. Because I never fucking lie, period.

“You’ll feel better if you get it off your chest instead of taking it out on the eggs,” he says as I angrily crack a couple eggs into a bowl for the omelet base.

“At least I’m crushing eggs, not hearts,” I snap as I move to flip the overeasy eggs on the back burner that are still cooking.

JJ scowls at me.

“When’s the last time you got laid, AJ?”

“Doesn’t matter,” I bite, my voice sharper than it should be. I let out a low sigh. “Sorry,” I mutter. “I didn’t mean to snap at you, I just—”

I look back and forth, making sure no one’s up or eavesdropping in on us, because sometimes I swear these guys are worse than a group of teenage girls when it comes to gossip.

JJ doesn’t say anything. He grabs another piece of bacon and gives me a knowing look, telling me to continue.

“It’s just… complicated, okay?”

“Why?” JJ asks. “Is he married?” He smirks, being a smart ass.

“No,” I gripe as I flip the eggs, glaring at him. If he’s bothered, he doesn’t show it, then again JJ has the most solid resting dick face I’ve ever seen. Seriously, it’s unnerving sometimes.

“Is he a criminal?”

“What? No, I—”

“Is he straight?”

“No—” I huff as he waves me off.

“Then the only one complicating it is you. Trust me, I should know.”

Before I can tell him to fuck off with the therapy shit, I hear footsteps and groan because the peace and quiet isn’t long for the world, now.

“You, AJ, are your own worst enemy. You know that.”

“Am not,” I grunt as I flip the eggs, and they sizzle loudly.

JJ moves to open his mouth, but whatever he wants to say dies in the air as the familiar sounds of hoots and hollers and chants of yes fill the air, and the footsteps become a stampede as JJ and I are interrupted by a starving crew in our midst.

Chapter Fourteen

Nate

“I don’t know, Lacey,” I mutter.

“Come on,” Lacey pouts. “Please…”

It sucks that I can’t claim a stomach ache or even diarrhea to get out of things because my roommate would know I was lying, and that would only make things worse.