Time Play

Catching feelings six months before graduation is inconvenient. What's disastrous is choosing to act on them. Dean: I've always been a guy with a plan. Make it through college, get my degree, and move back home. Tutoring Nick Russell wasn't in the cards, and crushing on him definitely wasn't. But that sweet, smirking baseball player digs right under my skin, and I don't stand a chance at resisting him. All I want is to get my hands on Nick. I know what to do, what moves to make, and . . . he doesn't bite. That's fine, I guess—he's a good friend anyway. As it turns out, being friends is exactly what we both need for things to heat up. A little fling to round out college never hurt anyone, but what if neither of us wants it to end? With my visa running out, moving home doesn't look as appealing as it always has, not if it means giving up on the only guy who's ever made me want to stay. Nick: I'm a mess and I know it. I'm an undrafted nobody, failing an elective, and it feels like I'm the only guy who needs a connection before I can even consider getting physical. That last part is easy enough to ignore. My agent's working on the undrafted thing, and Coach got me a tutor. Dean Shen drops into my life as a calm, dreamy anchor of everything I've ever craved, and I can see right through that flirty basketball player's hungry stare. What he wants from me is crystal clear, but he doesn't push. And him waiting is all it takes for me to break. With graduation looming, it makes sense to settle for something physical. But if my feelings for Dean are what allow me to be physical in the first place . . . I don't see this ending in anything but trouble. Contains mature themes.