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But no, I was trying to avoid literally everyone. Because even if they didn’t know about my humiliating attempt to kiss Ewen at the bar, they’d still seen the rest. How much I drank. The tit hat. Dancing with that bachelor party.

The robot.

Thankfully, Taylor had only briefly commented on what a fun night it had been before moving on. As soon as he left my office, I sighed and scrubbed a hand down my face. I was tired. I hadn’t slept well. Too busy seething.

Grabbing my phone, I started scrolling through the texts I’d ignored all morning. Reece had sent a long update about our Humandatory campaign in the group chat to get me up to speed after missing last night’s game, and Nev had texted me several times asking how I was doing and if it really had been Ewen he’d heard through the phone yesterday.

Squirming, I hovered my thumbs over the keyboard, then decided to call him instead. I didn’t want to type it all out. I didn’t want a written record of what had happened. I’d inevitably go back to reread it, again and again, just to torture myself.

“Hey.” Nev answered after a few rings. “I’ve got about five minutes.”

“’Kay,” I said morosely, then decided there was no point delaying it. Keeping my voice low, I relayed the events of yesterday, ending with Ewen swallowing our cum before leaving no more than ten seconds later with a breezy goodbye while it was still trickling down his stomach.

Nev was silent for a long moment, before he finally spoke. “So he just… left? Straight after? But he spent the whole afternoon with you before that?”

“Yep.” I pursed my lips, hunching over in my chair and picking at the edge of the desk.

“Huh.”

“And then he showed up in my office earlier acting like none of it even happened,” I added sullenly, ignoring the little hint of guilt that flared when I silently acknowledged that I hadn’t actually given him an opportunity to say much.

I’d been too pissed. Too embarrassed.

Mostly pissed though.

“Huh,” Nev said again, his tone flat and grim this time. He sighed. “Sorry, Rafe. He’s just a fuckboy.”

I hunched over further, humiliation making my face burn. I was so fucking annoyed at myself, because I’d known that. I’d known Ewen was just a fuckboy. I’d lived next door to him for three years. I’d witnessed his fuckboy antics firsthand.

“Yeah,” I croaked.

Every time I thought about last night, I cringed. It wasn’t just his abrupt departure. I’d lain awake for hours after he left, replaying everything he’d said. Everything he’d got me to admit to, in that low, husky voice, while stroking my dick and pressing his muscular body against mine.

“Did you imagine me doing this, Rafe? While you were watching me?”

At the time, it had turned me on even more. Now, it felt like a trick. Like he’d just been playing me. Getting me all worked up and humiliatingly desperate for him so he could go home and chuckle to himself about his sad, horny neighbour.

Maybe even tell his buddies. Chris. And Vince.

“I’m sorry your first experience with a guy ended that way,” Nev said sadly, sounding almost tearful on my behalf. My spine snapped straight with indignation.

“It’s fine.” I didn’t want to make my friend sad, so I managed a rough laugh. “I mean, it confirmed that I’m definitely not straight, at least. So. I don’t know. I guess now I can…”

I trailed off and rubbed my face.

“Shit, I have to get back to work.” Nev sounded worried. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I told him quickly. “I’m just… pissed. And pissed that I’m pissed.”

I hated that Ewen could affect me this much. But he always had. He’d always gotten under my skin, ever since he moved in next door.

Now it was just a million times worse.

“I get it,” Nev said sympathetically. “Seriously, fuck him. I’m so mad. I want to egg his house.”

I snorted a weak laugh. “Me too, actually.”

“I really have to go, but let me know if you want me to come over after work to hang out. I can bring eggs. And a couple of balaclavas.”