Secret Moves(34)

He felt a twisting in his gut at his words. Kris would be gone soon. Why did that upset him?

"I just don't know what to make of this," Dylan said, shaking his head.

Neither do I, Dyl. Neither do I, Trey thought to himself as he took a sip of water to hide his confusion.

"So, what now?" Adam asked. "I suppose that when all of us are together with the girls, including Kris, we just don't say anything? Act like it's no big deal?"

Trey shrugged. "Yeah. Why should it be any different?"

Dylan smirked and stared at him with watchful eyes. "It's different because I didn't know where to look when you kissed each other goodbye this morning. You say you're not together, but you acted like you were."

"Wait, wait," Adam piped in. "They kissed each other goodbye? How?"

"Lovey-dovey, mushy, tender kiss goodbye," Dylan replied.

Trey gasped. "Hey, it wasn't like that," he protested.

"Wasn't it?" Dylan asked, his eyes narrowed in challenge. "That was what it looked like to me."

Adam laughed out loud. "The great Trey Andrews falling for a chick. I've been waiting for the day you eat each and every single word you've said about how you've become immune to love."

Trey sagged in his chair and groaned. "You guys are just annoying the shit out of me."

Dylan chuckled. "We're obviously pushing a big button here, dude. Come on, it's us. Out with it!"

Trey sighed, rubbing his hands on his face. "Look, I'm seriously attracted to Kris. I'm not denying that. But how do I know this is not just a passing fancy? There had been women in the past that I've been really attracted to, and you both know that after a couple of weeks or so my interest went downhill fast. I just don't want to take this any further than a casual fling if I'm just going to disappoint her afterwards." Or if she's just going to disappoint me.

"So what do you plan to do?" Dylan asked.

"Just enjoy her company. If it leads to something more serious down the track, then so be it. But I don't want to purposely get us to a serious stage. Besides, at this point in time, it's just my dick dictating my actions. It wants Kris bad."

"So all that lovey-dovey kiss goodbye didn't mean anything?" Dylan pressed.

"I blame the afterglow of a great night of sex."

"What if in the next few days you realise that—shock, horror—you want something more than casual? What would you do then?"

Trey fell silent as he thought about Dylan's question. Was he ready to become vulnerable again with a woman? Was he now open to a relationship, or at least the possibility of it?

He allowed himself to look back at the short time he'd had with Kris and the reality surprised him. There was a great deal of passion between them, but there was also just as much tenderness. Could he fall in love without being aware that he was in the process of it?

Whoa. That was a scary thought. But it dawned on him that he might not have any choice but to go with the flow. He'd gone this far with Kris without even noticing it.

"How do you fight it if you don't want to fall for someone?" he asked out loud.

"In my experience, I don't think you can," Dylan answered quietly.

"Well, then, that's the answer. If I can't fight it then I won't. Mind you, it remains to be seen where exactly Kris and I are heading," he said with an unconcerned lift of his shoulders, wanting to make light of the situation. "Anyway, let's put the spotlight back on you, Dyl. Since today is your last day of living alone in bliss, how about we go out tonight and do a pub crawl?"

Dylan laughed. "You better save that for my buck's night, bro. I'm going to Ari's to help her move some important stuff that she wanted to transport herself; so, unfortunately, I'll be busy tonight."

"Oh, you guys need any help?"

"I'm not sure. The girls said it's all under control."

"I'll go help, anyway," Trey offered.

"Me too," Adam said.

"Hey, that would be great, guys. Thanks," Dylan said with a grateful grin.

Trey smiled at Dylan's expression. His best friend of over fifteen years seemed really excited about living with Ari. Just a few months ago, Dylan was the type of guy who'd run the other way if he saw a relationship coming. Funny how things could change just like that.

If Dylan had experienced a transformation, could it happen to him too? Would he want it to happen?





*******



Trey was about to press the buzzer to Ari's apartment when he spotted a woman busily stuffing items into the apartment block's recycling bins. Even though the person had her back turned, he could tell it was Kris. He'd know her anywhere.

Quietly, he approached, not wanting to alert her to his presence. When he was close enough he poked her lower back with his forefingers.