Mark cursed under his breath. "I hate that I'm so fucking addicted to you. Do you think I enjoy this?"
Trey produced a lopsided grinned. "You must. You keep coming back for more."
"You can't deny that you want me."
"I enjoy sex with you, sure, but you open up an entire set of complications I'm not ready to deal with. I know what it feels like to be in love with someone who isn't in love with you. I've lived that way for years."
"Who said I was in love with you?" Mark said.
"I think it was you."
"Are you telling me that if you had the chance to have sex with Brian, even though you knew he didn't love you in return, you wouldn't have taken it?"
"God, yes," Trey gasped. "I would have taken anything that man wanted to give."
"I feel the same way about you. You don't have to love me. Let me come over and I'll love you."
"But then you'll have hope that things will work out between us and they won't."
"Even though Brian never had sex with you all those years, didn't you still have hope?"
Trey sighed in frustration and rolled onto his side and stared at the TV screen. "Yes, but-"
"But? No but, Trey."
Trey chuckled. "Exactly. No, butt."
"Own me," he whispered. "Just in the bedroom. I promise I won't be a bother to you, if you just own me in the bedroom."
"I can't right now, Mark. I need some time to get my head on straight. Why don't you call Jacob? He'd love to keep you."
"I don't want Jacob. I want you. Don't you want me? Am I undesirable? I don't understand."
"You know I'm attracted to you."
"Then fuck me."
What would it hurt to lose himself in mindless sex? He'd been doing it his entire life without a second thought. What had changed?
Reagan. Reagan had changed everything, and though something inside him would love to go back to the way he'd been before he met her, he knew that would never be enough for him now.
"I can't, Mark. Okay? I just can't. It really isn't you. Find someone who deserves your love and attention. It isn't me."
The intercom near the front door buzzed. Trey scowled. "Who could that be at this hour?" He climbed from the sofa, pressed the button, and spoke into the speaker. "Who is it?"
"Ethan."
Trey's heart skipped a beat. "I have company," he said to Mark. "I have to go."
"Who's Ethan?"
Again with the jealous tone.
"He's Reagan's roommate. Don't call me back. I won't answer."
"Thanks for talking to me. I miss you."
"Bye." Trey hung up.
His intercom buzzed again. He rubbed a hand over his face and then pressed the button to speak to Ethan again. "Don't you think you've caused enough problems for me for one day?"
"Reagan and I talked. She thinks she can handle-" The repetitive yapping of a small dog emitted from the intercom speaker.
"You're standing in my way, big fella," the wizened voice of Mrs. O'Neal, who lived down the hall from Trey, came through the speaker. "Quiet, Shortie." The yapping changed to a series of low growls.
"Excuse me," Ethan said to the woman. Into the intercom, he said, "Look, Trey, I don't think we want to discuss this over the intercom. Can I come up?"
"Is Reagan with you?" Trey said.
"No. It's just me."
Trey wasn't sure why he felt such disappointment. Actually, that wasn't true. He still had feelings for the woman. He couldn't turn that off by walking out the door. He did want to hear what Ethan had to say. Maybe things could work out with Reagan. Ethan knew her better than anyone. Maybe he could help Trey figure out how to proceed from here, because even though he'd said he wanted to break up with her, he didn't. Not at all. He wanted her back. Maybe he could get by with artificial stimulation. Would she wear a strap-on for him? Or maybe … He didn't know. He had to do something, though. His conversation with Mark had made him realize he needed that woman in his life. He loved her. "Fine."
Trey pushed the button to let Ethan into the building. He shoved his cell phone into his pocket and glanced around the apartment. He wasn't sure what Ethan could possibly want to talk to him about. He was probably pretty mad that Trey had made Reagan cry. Maybe he was coming upstairs to rearrange his face. He had that temper issue when he thought he was protecting the innocent. And Reagan was definitely the innocent one in this situation.
Maybe Trey shouldn't have let him into the building after all.