Inevitable - Briar Prescott Page 0,2

to free itself.

“Bad night?” As far as conversation starters went, that was a particularly pathetic one. Bas would have laughed his ass off if he had witnessed Drew’s feeble attempt at flirting.

Flirting? Is that what I’m trying to do?

Drew took one more look at the man’s long-limbed form, slouched against the wall. Yes, he was definitely flirting. Or trying to, at least. He hadn’t felt that kind of pull in years.

Something about the other man made Drew feel decidedly out of his element. He usually had no trouble being charming and suave and getting what he wanted. Frankly, most times when he felt like spending the night with somebody, he didn’t have to really bother with flirting at all.

The guy just rolled his eyes as if the question had been too inane to warrant an answer. He finished his cigarette and stomped on it with the heel of his boot before straightening himself.

“Thanks for the conversation. It was really… something.”

The way the guy brushed against Drew as he passed could be nothing but intentional, and whatever the goal of that move was, it allowed Drew to get a whiff of the man. An intriguing mix of cigarette smoke and… summer. Drew swore he was losing it. That was the only reason for idiotic thoughts like those.

“Can I buy you a drink?” The words were out before he could think anything through.

The man turned around slowly and cocked his head to the side as he measured Drew slowly from top to bottom. Drew fought not to fidget. For the first time in forever, he desperately wanted to measure up to whatever qualifications and expectations this man in front of him had.

Drew knew he was good-looking. “Pretty as a Disney princess’s wet dream” was what Bas said when he wanted to tease.

Drew wasn’t cocky about his looks. It was more of an objective observation. But right then, standing there, waiting to find out if he was deemed adequate or not, he felt three feet tall.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, the man shrugged.

“Fine.”

Drew was still busy trying to catch up to what was happening when the guy—now standing at the opening of the street—gave him another one of his piercing gazes.

“Having second thoughts? Did you decide a measly dishwasher is too poor of a choice for your tastes?”

“Are you always this ornery?”

“Might be the shitty night I’m having.” The man cocked his head to the side. “Or might be that I’m just a moody bastard.”

“Yeah, I seem to draw them to my person,” Drew mumbled more to himself than to anybody else. It was the truth, though. In fact, he had a prime example of a mercurial asshole at home, sleeping across the hall from him.

“Lucky for you, you don’t have to deal with me for too long.” The comment was made offhandedly, but Drew couldn’t help but feel like there was something deeper there.

He didn’t have time to dig into it, though. Switching gears, the guy stepped closer once again and pressed their bodies together. His lanky form against Drew’s only added to the excitement already raging inside Drew.

“Ezra,” the man said. Drew raised his brows in question, hardly able to think with something so tempting in his personal space.

“My name. It’s Ezra,” the guy said with a slightly mocking lilt to his tone. Drew didn’t give a fuck that he was clearly being laughed at.

“Drew.” His voice was husky. There was no way he could play it cool and hide how much he wanted Ezra.

Ezra. He tested out the name in his mind. It suited the other man.

“We should get out of here.” Another curveball. Ezra dragged his palm over the front of Drew’s dress shirt, moving lower until he stopped just above the waistband.

Think. Where do you live? What’s the fucking address? Something. Anything.

Drew stopped himself. He couldn’t take Ezra to his apartment. What was he thinking? Well, that was easy. He wasn’t. For a crazy moment, he wished he could take Ezra to his own bed. He pushed the wish down. This was just for the night. Temporary. Fleeting. The last thing he wanted was for Bas to see Ezra walk out of his bedroom in the morning.

“My car’s just around the corner.”

“Let’s go, then.”

Drew opened the hotel room door and motioned Ezra to go in before him, inhaling as subtly as he could when the man passed him. The faint smell of cigarettes and the cold night air filled Drew’s lungs.

Want made sparks dance in his brain,