Chapter 4

Jake’s voice murmurs through him. “I never

meant to hurt you.”

Ned is fully aware this isn’t an apology for

fucking around—just for getting caught. “I have to go.”

“Wait.”

Ned listens to Jake breathe into the phone

and tells himself to hang up but he can’t. Finally, when it’s clear

Jake is waiting him out, Ned asks, “What?”

“I miss you,” Jake says again, in that

damnably soft voice of his. “I miss us.Don’t you?”

You’re playing with me here.Ned hates

the fact he’s too weak to put an end to this conversation. Like

a cat with a mouse, Jake. You want it all, a steady relationship

and a piece of ass on the side

“I miss trusting people,” Ned tells him. “I

miss believing a guy can like me, onlyme, and not need to

fuck someone else when I’m not around. I miss that, Jake.

And you know, that’s not something you can just kiss away and make

better.”

Jake has no reply. Ned didn’t think he would.

His ice cream is melting, damn it. “I really should go.”