I loved showers.

They made me want to sing.

So I sang, delivering a performance of breathtaking talent to an audience composed entirely of water droplets.

Every last one of them was a fan.

When I finally came out, Chase stood by the bathroom door.

He wore a white T-shirt and shorts. Water had splashed across the shirt, leaving it clinging to his chest.

He was broader than Noah. More solid.

I looked down at myself.

Devastating comparison. No notes.

Chase noticed where I was looking and folded an arm across his chest.

"What are you staring at?"

I looked up.

His ears were red.

That was too good to waste.

"Come on. We've kissed. Now I can't even look?"

The blush spread down his neck.

He glared and ducked into the bathroom.

I returned to bed with my tablet. Just as I found my show, his voice came through the door.

"Owen. Bring me a shirt."

I stretched out comfortably.

"Say 'please, Daddy.'"

"Bring it, or I'll come out naked."

I whistled.

"Promises, promises. I'm gay, remember? Looking is practically a public service."

Silence.

After enjoying my victory for a moment, I climbed down and fetched clean clothes from his closet.

I knocked, opened the door a crack, and held them out.

A wet hand closed around my wrist.

One tug, and I stumbled inside.

Steam softened the room. Chase's eyes looked unusually dark.

He stared at me with a determination that seemed to cost him considerable effort.

"That was my first kiss."

Was I supposed to pay a fine?

His thumb brushed my lower lip.

"You've kissed Noah plenty. I got a shitty deal."

Before I could answer, he backed me gently against the tiled wall and kissed me again.

Remarkable improvement for a man who'd apparently been practicing for less than twenty-four hours.

My hands settled against his damp chest.

When I gave him a teasing little pinch, the sound he made against my mouth was almost a growl.

Chapter 18

Things got strange in our room.

Even Tyler noticed.

He applied to move out. He was afraid that staying with us would make him gay too.

Fair enough. At that point, his mattress was the straightest thing about the place.

Near the start of summer break, Chase's team had an intramural basketball game.

He approached me that evening with the air of someone doing me an enormous favor.

"It's just a game. You could come learn how basketball works."

He looked away.

"Or don't. I don't care."

A pause.

"Plenty of people bring me water."

His meaning could hardly have been clearer.

Naturally, I decided to make him suffer.

I arranged my face into an expression of deep regret.

"Oh. Noah asked me to get dinner that day."

Chase panicked.

"I don't care. You're coming. If you don't, I'll tell him you kissed me too."

Interesting strategy. Go complain to the guy he considered his romantic rival.

I put on my best innocent face.

"Fine, I'll go. Just don't tell Noah."

Chase looked both satisfied and annoyed.

"You know exactly what you're doing, don't you? Getting people worked up like that."

Ah, desire. It made poets of the least qualified men.

Chapter 19

The gym was crowded and warm despite the air-conditioning.

Fortunately, Chase had saved me a seat.

I found it carrying two bottles of water.

Only after I sat down did I notice Noah beside me.

He looked wounded.

"Babe. Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

He hadn't said it loudly.

People heard anyway.

Several girls in the row ahead turned around. Their surprise doubled when they realized Noah was the one speaking.

One whispered, "Oh, no. My campus ship is sinking."

Her friend comforted her.

"Look on the bright side. They're into the same guy. That's a connection."

Ladies. We were right behind you.

I rubbed my temple.

Tomorrow's gossip posts were going to be unbearable.

On the court, Chase looked over in his white jersey.

His expression changed when he saw Noah.

Noah smiled and waved.

Such a sweetheart. Such a liar.

The game started, and Chase threw himself into it.

Annoyingly, he was impossible not to watch. Tall, handsome, athletic, with the single-minded energy of a dog let off its leash.

After he sank a few three-pointers, the gym filled with people shouting his name.

I was watching the court when a hand covered my eyes.

Noah leaned close. His breath brushed my ear.

"Stop looking at him."

I laughed and pulled his hand down.

"How old are you?"

"You said you'd think about it."

At halftime, Chase came up to the bleachers, hair damp with sweat, and held out a hand.

I passed him a bottle of water.

Noah caught my other wrist.

"Him or me?"

Chase looked from Noah to me.

Then he took the water out of my hand.

Chapter 20

Chase was distracted during the second half.

Luckily, his team had already built enough of a lead. They still won without much trouble.

People gradually streamed out until the enormous gym was nearly empty.

Noah and I stayed where we were.

His eyes were red. So was his nose.

He looked at me as if I'd personally invented heartbreak.

"Tell me. Did you choose him?"

God help me. That face.

I felt like a criminal.

"No. I just gave him some water."

"Have you thought about what I asked?"

I opened my mouth, but movement caught my eye.

Chase was coming toward us in clean clothes, his freshly washed hair still dripping.

He ignored Noah and sat on my other side.

A drop of water fell from his hair into my collar.

Then he looked straight at me.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have poured that drink over you. And I shouldn't have thrown the cup on the ground."

He paused.

"Owen. Would you give me a chance to make it up to you?"

Noah shot to his feet.

"Seriously, Chase? I told him how I felt first. Are you trying to steal my boyfriend?"

Chase stood too.

"He's not your boyfriend. You don't get to call dibs on a person. I'm asking for the same chance you got."

They glared at each other.

For a full thirty seconds, neither spoke.

Then both turned to me.

"Owen."

I stood and reached up, ruffling one head of hair, then the other.

They watched me.

I smiled.

"Then I guess we'll see which one of you can behave. Whoever's the better boy gets to be my boyfriend."

I walked out of the gym.

Outside, the sunset burned like a ball of fire.

The hottest part of summer was still ahead.

The End