Chapter 5

Myles replayed Rhys's last word in his head over and over. He wanted him to leave Rhyn alone. Rhys said he needed to process everything, and having Myles hovering over him would make him more irritated than everything.

Rhyn hadn't reached out. Myles hadn't expected a text message or a phone call since he didn't have Myles's number, but he wasn't hard to find on social media. Since that night at the triplet's house, Myles had been patient. Finding out he'd slept with his friend's brother had shocked him, but after a few days he'd gotten past it. Now he wanted to talk to the man he'd been with.

But Rhyn wasn't cooperating. Any other person he had slept with would have called him the next day. He would have asked if they were okay and would have invited them out for lunch or dinner. He would have been the perfect lover for any of them. Except this time, Rhyn wasn't giving him the chance.

Myles had done plenty of research. It wasn't uncommon for a man to have a fever after his first time having sex with another man. It was easy to get an infection if after care wasn't done and the body wasn't clean. It was the same concept for a woman having to urinate after sex to keep from getting a urinary tract infection. Myles had developed a series of aftercare he liked to show his partners, but Rhyn had been gone when he'd gotten up.

He knew the other person had a small fever when he'd seen him at his house. His cheeks had been rosy red and he hadn't been hungry. He had sat quietly with his brothers nursing ginger ale to ease his unhappy stomach.

What had unnerved Myles the most had been the way he'd looked at him. He had been nervous on the verge of a panic attack. Only his brother sitting beside him had calmed him. His actions had let Myles know he was still trying to process everything. He had questions he couldn't ask because he hadn't wanted his brothers to know what had happened.

Myles could have helped him through it had he just asked. He may have made a mistake but he could make sure his partner was okay. Rhyn had taken that away from him, opting to hide away at home.

Rhys had asked him to leave his brother alone. Rhyn wasn't inclined to talk to him. He wanted to be left alone, but Myles couldn't do that. He at least wanted to apologize. He'd done something deplorable and wanted to make it right.

He knew Rhys wouldn't tell him where his brother was so he'd relied on other sources. He'd asked one of his friends in the business department if he knew of anyone named Rhyn Easley. He hadn't, but within a week Myles knew what department Rhyn was in and his class schedule. He was basically a stalker.

He walked into the library and glanced around. As fall break neared, many students were scrambling to get their midterm papers and projects into their professors. The library was packed full with students working on various projects. Some were in groups but many were alone. There were pockets of chatter buzzing about, but it was otherwise quiet.

Myles glanced around the first floor. Not finding his target, he went upstairs. It was less populated on the second floor and quieter than the first floor. People who liked to study alone usually sat up here.

He was about to give up when he spotted a familiar face. His head was down, but Myles would be able to tell an Easley triplet anywhere now. Rhyn was listening to music as he alternated between reading and writing. He was working on a paper or project like everyone else.

Myles awalked over and dropped his bag to an empty chair. Rhyn jumped as he sat down and looked up. He frowned then looked back down. Myles didn't take any fault from it. He had interrupted his studies.

He sat quietly, reading his own study materials. Every so often, he'd glance up and look Rhyn over. He was memorizing a face that was familiar yet different. All three brothers had the same oval shaped face, but each one was slightly different. Rhys had a sharper jawline from years of athletics. Rhyd was a little bit chubbier because he spent his days inside. He wasn't fat, but he didn't always work out. Rhyn was a nice mix of both of them. He had a decent jawline with round, plump cheeks. His lips were thicker and bow shaped, plus there was the mole that accentuated them.

An hour passedbefore Myles received any reaction from Rhyn. He'd found several things to look at while he'd waited. People had come over to talk to him a couple of times. He'd seen Rhyn glance over at him but he hadn't said anything.

Rhyn sighed and looked up. His face was tired, his grey eyes drooping slightly.

"What do you want?" he asked. His voice was a harsh whisper. They were in the study zone and couldn't talk above that register.

"I can't sit down with a friend?" Myles retorted.

"We're not friends."

"We can be." Rhyn scolwed at him, face darkening. Myles reached forward and covered his hand. "What's wrong with that?"

The other man looked at his hand, shock written all over his face. Slowly, he pulled his hand back and tucked it in his lap. His face was a light shade of pink as he stared at the table. Myles thought he was pretty cute, and that made him feel bad that he'd taken him to bed without knowing who he was.

"Actually, I came to apologize," he said.

Rhyn looked up. "Did Rhys put you up to this?"

"No, he didn't. I was going to apologize sooner, but I never knew which department you were in. Rhys told me to leave you alone, but I knew I was wrong." He waited for Rhyn to say something, but the other man remained quiet. "I thought you were Rhys. I saw you from the side, and I thought I'd pick on you a bit. I should have known you weren't him. Even drunk he would have given in so easily."

"Are you saying I'm easy?" Rhyn's voice was hot with anger.

Myles rubbed the back of his head, trying to figure out how to stop digging the hole that was growing slowly bigger. "No, not at all. I should have said I should have known it was you because Rhys would have shoved me. But I was drunk and feeling myself. I thought maybe Rhys had changed his mind. I wasn't going to ask because I didn't want to lose a good thing."

He propped his arms on the table. "Another thing; Rhys isn't sensitive. He's got the toughest skin of anyone I know."

Rhyn leaned back in his chair, propping his arms up on the rests. He leaned his head to the right. "What do you mean?"

"I've seen him walk three miles half naked in the snow. His skin is as tough as nails. Yours isn't. I'm sure I left plenty of marks on you."

The younger guy's face flamed, and he looked away. His mouth trmebled as he was trying not to smile. Myles couldn't really tell what he was feeling. As long as he wasn't angry, he could handle almost anything.

Except tears. Rhyn crying that night had been what prompted Myles to seek him out. He'd made a terrible mistake with his best friend's brother, but seeing him cry had made Myles feel worse. In the years he'd been playing around, he had never made someone cry. Rhyn's tears had reminded him so people were off limits.

"I found a condom wrapper by the bed." Rhyn's voice was barely there. Myles had to repeat the few words he did catch before he could nod. "If you were so drunk, how did you remember to wear a condom, even if I hadn't asked?"

"I always do." It was matter-of-fact. "I've only made that mistake one time in high school. Now, I keep several on my person while at a party. I always keep a box in my car and my room at the fraternity house."

He watched the relief flood over Rhyn's face. He must have worried about it, but he wasn't going to reach out because he was humiliated. Myles would have told him everything if he'd asked; better yet, if he'd stayed until Myles had woken up.

"Why did you leave?" he asked.

Rhyn met his gaze. This time exhaustion was there. "Have you ever woken up in a strange room with no recollection of how you got there?" Myles shook his head. The answer made Rhyn feel worse. "I'm fine with being drunk. What I'm not fine with is waking up with someone I don't know having done something I don't remember consenting to. I was fine with it though because I actually knew you."

Myles frowned, clearly confused. "What does that mean?"

"It means I could have lived without knowing you had mistaken me for my brother." He let it hang between them for a long moment. "Rhys told me how you'd joked with him since your rush party; how you flirted every chance you got."

"And I still will." Myles stopped him when he jumped to leave. "I don't like you brother like that. For a one time fling yes, but not for a relationship. I like my lovers to be mild mannered. Rhys is far from that."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I made a mistake, and I want to make up for it."

Rhyn pulled his hand from Myles's and began to pack his things. "I'm not interested."

"Why? Would it be weird to be friends with your brother's friend? Or are you worried I'll hit on you again?" The glare the other man cast him would have scared Oskar the Grouch. "I'm going to assume Rhys told you everything."

"He did," Rhyn confirmed.

"What's your next plan? Tell everyone you slept with Myles Dane? Write an exposé on my life?"

Rhyn scowled at him as he zipped his bag. "Why would I do that?"

Myles shrugged. "I don't know. That's usually what everyone else does."

"Do I look like everyone else?"

The smile that erupted on Myles's face took Rhyn by surprise. "No," Myles denied. "You're not like everyone else. But why won't you say anything?"

Rhyn sighed as he slung his bag over his shoulder. "The same reason I ddin't tell Rhys about," he flicked his finger between them, "about what happened between us. It's not my story. Plus everyone will think I'm one of your conquests. I'm an accident, not a conquest."

Hearing Rhyn say that made the smile on Myles's face fall. He didn't like hearing that accompanied with a dejected tone. It made him feel cheap so he couldn't imagine what Rhyn felt. Worse more than likely.

"Rhyn?" He waited until the other guy looked at him. "If you'd have told Rhys, I could have told him how to deal with the aftercare. You might not have gotten a fever if you had, but I understand. You were embarrassed. I wouldn't have said anything either."

Rhyn stood there awkwardly for a few minutes. He shuffled from foot to foot as one hand clenched and unclenched on his strap. He wanted to leave, but the look on Myles's face wouldn't let him.

"I meant it when I said I wouldn't tell anyone," he said finally. "No one knows you sleep with men. They just think you're a flirt, an incorrigble one at that."

This time Myles's smile was a little sadder. "It's not a bad thing."

"You're right; it's not. But with your personality, someone may get their feelings hurt. Plus all of you past lovers will get dragged through the mud with you. If you've seen how nasty Rhys can be on the court, you should see when someone messes with Rhyd or me. I don't want to cause strain between the two of you."

"So you're not thinking of yourself, but your brother?" Rhyn nodded. "You're as kind as he said."

"I wouldn't say that."

"I would. No one else has considered my friendships before." He watched Rhyn's face pinken again. "Where are you going?"

"I've got to turn in a study guide. Then I'm going home. Why?"

"If you want, you can come to my practice."

"Absolutely not. Rhys will be there as well as the rest of your gaggle of ganders."

Myles laughed. "No, we're not geese."

"You sure do honk like one." Rhyn waved his hand. "I'm leaving. Don't follow me."

Myles couldn't help the smile as he watched Rhyn disappear. He was stubborn but very mild. His temper was hot but not as nasty as Rhys. Rhyn would rather walk away than argue. Myles wondered what it would look like to see Rhyn lose his temper.

He checked his watch, wincing at the time. If he didn't run, he'd be late.