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I’d even apologized to Fisher when we were alone in the living room watching TV together one afternoon. While we sat there, an awkward tension settled over us as a couple on TV began making out. I finally looked over at him and winced. “This is weird.”
He laughed and nodded. “Yep.”
Since I couldn’t look back at the TV without blushing, I decided that was the right time to bring up Vaughn’s behavior. “Hey, I just wanted to apologize for the way Vaughn’s been acting. I feel like I moved in and immediately became a thorn in your side.”
“You’re apologizing for Vaughn?”
I groaned. “No. Maybe. I don’t know. I just hate that he acts like such an idiot. He’s like someone’s uptight puritan father when it comes to us existing in the same space. I don’t want it to become an issue between you guys.”
He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “Vaughn’s going to be Vaughn, love it or hate it. I’ve known he’s an ass since the first day I met him and still I chose to become his best friend. You don’t have to apologize for him. He’s just being protective.”
I scoffed. “There’s nothing to protect me from! You and Booth are probably the least threatening guys on campus. You’ve been nothing but kind to me. He acts like you’re pulling your dick out when he’s not looking.”
Fisher raised his eyebrows and stared at me. He looked like he was going to say something and stopped himself. Instead, he shook his head and smirked at me. “Maybe he’s just used to guys pulling their dicks out around him.”
I grinned. “That’s good. I liked that.”
We’d watched TV together for a while longer, until I realized I was late meeting Natalie and had to run out. It’d been nice, hanging out with Fisher. He was funny and playful in a way that didn’t allow me to feel so tense all the time. Hanging out with Booth was like hanging out with a teddy bear. He was so sweet and I felt safest when it was just us together. They were both so nice to me, but it didn’t stop Vaughn from being Vaughn, just like Fisher said.
Their game that week was on Saturday morning at a college two hours away. I had the house to myself on Friday night and then I watched the game with Natalie in The Swamp, the massive hang out area under the cafeteria. The dozen or so couches were all full as we cheered on the team from afar. When I was just as excited to watch the second game as I’d been after the first, I knew I’d found a new guilty pleasure.
The excitement bled over into the rest of my day, even after I was back at the house alone. The guys had played so well and it was so cool to hear all three of them being called out on national television for how good they were. The entire campus was energized by another win. I could hear the parties on frat row like they were happening in our backyard.
When the guys got home that night, looking proud with their gym bags slung over their shoulders, it was that chaotic energy that made me forget myself. I rushed out of the living room and pumped my fists in the air. “You guys did so good!”
Booth was closest and he grunted as I bounced into his chest and hugged him. Before he could react, I moved to Vaughn and hugged him. Fisher was waiting for me when I got to him. He wrapped his arms around my lower back and hugged me back. His warm body pressed against mine from chest to thighs and I felt a different type of electricity.
Vaughn growled and pulled me out of Fisher’s arms. “Fuck off, Fisher. Jesus.”
“What’s that smell?” Booth sniffed the air and licked his lips. “Did you bake something?”
Still reeling from feeling Fisher’s body against mine, I nodded and pointed to the kitchen. “Cookies. As a congratulations for winning.”
Booth pulled me into another hug and lifted me off my feet. “I could get used to this.”
I laughed and stumbled back a step when he put me down and vanished on his way to the kitchen. Looking up at Vaughn, I did my best to ignore the way my body was reacting to them. “Natalie said you were amazing today. Good job.”
Booth reappeared with two cookies in his big hands and a smile on his face like a little kid. “They say our names! You’re perfect, Ella. How did you even do this?”
Fisher took one of the cookies and whistled. “Damn, Ella. If it tastes as good as it looks, I might have to marry you.”
I blushed and waved them off. “It was nothing. Anyway… I just wanted to say congrats and tell you guys thanks for making watching football fun. If you weren’t very good, I don’t think I’d like it. That’d just feel sad.”
Vaughn still hadn’t taken his eyes off of me. I braced for him to make a comment about me keeping my hands to myself, but he surprised me. “You were a great baker as a kid, too. That’s what you wanted to do back then, right?”
I softened towards him so much after those words. I looked up at him with a stupid grin on my face and nodded. “Yeah, I did. I can’t believe you remember that.”
Fisher and Booth were groaning behind him as they ate their cookies and Vaughn blinked a few times before looking away from me. When he looked back, there was a smirk on his face and a coldness that was much more of what I expected. “I have a good memory. Thanks for the cookies.”
Taking a deep breath, I slowly backed towards the stairs. I was feeling a lot of things and I wanted to get away from them. The feelings and the guys. “I’m glad you guys are home safe. I’m calling it a night.”
“Boo. Stay down here with us and watch us devour these cookies.” Fisher spoke around a big bite and lost a few crumbs in the process. “Damn.”
“We’re going out. Right?” Vaughn’s annoyance was just getting worse.
“Have fun!” I turned and sped up the stairs. I was breathing hard when I got to my room but the second I was closed inside my locked room, I couldn’t think about my breathing. I could just think about the way my body felt after hugging them. It still felt tingly and warm. My mind flashed with a giant danger sign.
I did my best to brush it off. I knew better. So much better.
