We Found Love by Kade Boehme, Allison Cassatta Page A

seven.”
    Riley rolled to sitting, and he eased back against the headboard, dragging his feet up with him. He hugged his legs to his body, looked down at the food beside him, then back to Hunter. “Thanks for bringing me dinner. You don’t have to stay. Go hang with your friend.”
    Hunter’s head snapped up from looking down at his tray. “Seriously? You want me to leave?”
    No. Riley shrugged. “Does it matter what I want?”
    Hunter let out a noise that sounded like a mixture of a sigh and a growl. “Are you fucking kidding me?” He plopped his tray down on the bed beside him, spilling his glass of Kool-Aid, food bouncing out of the container. He stood and paced twice before pinning Riley with his gaze. Riley stared back, unflinching. “What is your problem? You’re being such a massive dick. I didn’t do anything other than, what, not coming to you when you clearly didn’t want to hang out with me? Were you testing me or something? Obviously I fucking failed.” Hunter hadn’t raised his voice much louder than speaking, but Riley could see the barely contained rage and frustration simmering beneath the surface.
    “Why would you wanna hang out with me when you had Mr. Fucking Ray of Sunshine?” Riley spat back. His voice cracked on the tail end, meaning tears were simmering somewhere inside him. They were slowly working their way up his throat. Oh, but he had zero intention of giving Hunter the satisfaction of seeing him cry. Again.
    “What’s this got to do with Bubba?”
    “Seriously?” Riley jerked forward on the bed, slinging his arm out toward the door as if Bubba were waiting on the other side. “You looked perfectly freakin’ happy all laughing and shit with him. You barely even acknowledged me.” Riley’s voice grew louder and louder the more hostile he became. But dammit, it felt really freaking good to raise his voice. “You want him? Am I not good enough?”
    Hunter took a surprised step back. “What are you—seriously? You’re kiddin’, right?” His voice was trembling with the need to shout. It pissed Riley off more that he wouldn’t just fucking let loose. “First, you need to calm your ass down. They’re gonna put you in that special room for bad little boys if you don’t lower your voice. Second, don’t ever think it’s cool to yell. At. Me.” He bit off each word at the end. “Thirdly, I don’t know what the fuck the problem was with me talking to him about fucking cars, you know, since I’m a mechanic. Similar interests and all, as friends. God.” Hunter ran his hands through his hair before rubbing the blond scruff on his face.
    “Wow, you’re a mechanic?” Riley was surprised to learn that, and the shock spilled into the sorrow forming his words. He tucked his chin, eyes trained on the scar on his wrist. He immediately covered it with his left hand, rubbing at the raised flesh, rubbing at the colorful ink. “I didn’t know that. But Bubba knows, huh? Anything else you shared with him and not me?”
    Hunter froze, incredulity written all over his handsome face. Why’d he have to look so good when he was frustrated? “You’re serious? That’s why you’re being such a dick?” Hunter’s tone was furious. “You’re being all shitty because you’re jealous ?” Riley averted his eyes, angry at himself for blushing, unwilling to dignify the accusation with a response. Even if it may be true. Was he? Jealous? He’d never been jealous over someone before. Surely that wasn’t what this was. Even if it was, no way was he admitting it.
    Hunter let out a laugh, but not a kind one, not teasing. He was still pissed. Well, Riley was too. Fucking Hunter Morgan. Laugh it up, asshole.
    “You’re jealous because I talked to another person? I know you don’t know me that well, but I figured you knew me better than thinking I was throwing you over for the newer model. After last night?”
    “That’s how it looked to me,” Riley said, tightening his arms around