My Best Friends Brother

Chapter 19

JOSH’S P.O.V.

The team is fucking nervous but at least they’re playing better than they were. The scouts got here early this morning instead of last night so they missed all the drama of the last few days.

Miles grasps the ball and I almost jump out of my fucking seat when he gets it through the basket from so far down the court. I know he’ll be proud of that later but right now he’s laser focused. Luke decided to sit out this game, his eyes are pretty black but Coach said there’s no permanent damage done.

He hasn’t said anything to me today but that’s to be expected given the talk we had yesterday, he needs some time to get his head together.

Speaking of getting your head together. Stop staring at Milo’s fucking ass Josh!

I swear to fuck he knows it too. Last night I hardly slept and I don’t think he did either, each if us fighting like fuck to keep ourselves in check. There’s less than three more days in this place and then it’s back to normality, normality where I don’t want to rip my best friend’s brothers fucking clothes off every time we’re alone together.

I’ve never been like this. I’m not usually the type of guy that even looks at people like that. Then he sent me those messages and I didn’t know how the fuck to react, yesterday I was laying on top of the boy and I had this sudden fucking urge to kiss him so had to run...

Then there’s last night...

He was hard. He didn’t even fucking try to stop me from seeing it. He got fucking hard looking at me...

I had to keep myself on my stomach all night with my nails digging into the fucking mattress just to stop me from going to him right there.

Hormones. That’s what this is. Fucking hormones. Teenagers are riddled with the fuckers and I’m starting to feel like it’s contagious.

This morning I was in a freezing cold shower for a solid half hour trying to get my fucking head together, when I came out I was grateful to see Eli had already taken his permanent place at the bottom of Miles’ bed and was talking him into going for breakfast.

I used the opportunity to duck out and haven’t really spoken to them since. Two days, I just have to keep it together for two more fucking days.

He’s hurting, remember that, he split with Zoe and that was clearly painful, then all the shit with the scouts and the crap with Luke. It’s all catching up on him and he’s just looking for a release, someone to pour all that he’s feeling into. I’m just a safe pair of hands.

I can’t be that for him. I always promised myself I’d never be anyone’s rebound or fucking experiment.

And it kind of goes without saying that you shouldn’t touch your best mates little brother.

The bell calls for the end of the match and Westbrooke is up by enough to win this whole week. The players rush Coach but Miles runs straight over to where the scouts stand as one of them calls out to him.

The LSU logo on his shirt was a big give away as to who the guy is but I would’ve guessed from the smile on his face anyway. He still wants Milo for his team.

“He’s going to get in, get famous, and forget any of us ever existed, isn’t he?” Eli adds out of nowhere, pulling me into that bro hug he’s so fond of.

I return his hug quickly, going over with Coach to talk to the rest of the team just as my phone starts to ring. Ducking outside out of all the noise, I walk over to the back court before answering. It’s basically pitch black here but at least it’s quiet.

“Charlie.” He’s panicked, his voice coming out as pants between ineligible shrieks. “Charlie, what’s going on?”

Finally the ruffling of papers stops as he throws himself down with a huff.

“You’re not going to fucking believe it. This Hunter twat has only gone and got himself an angel investor. He’s just rang to talk about ending the whole fucking deal.”

He has got to be kidding me. “He can’t fucking do that, the pre-contract for the sale has been signed. This isn’t his to fucking save anymore. Fuck! Okay, um, who’s the investor?”

Charlie flips through the pages before answering. “We don’t know exactly, probably anonymous until they file to undo the contract. I seriously don’t know why this queen is fighting so damn much, all the money in the world won’t save that company. It’s a sinking ship. What do you want to do? Because I vote for petrol bombing the fucking building after what this damn diva has put us through.”

Charlie would happily walk in there with an army of drag queens at his disposal if that man fucks this deal for us, we’ve done nothing but devote ourselves to this project for months.

“Okay, calm your tits. Is he still up for this meeting Monday? Or do I need to come back now?”

Charlie breathes deeply, I can feel the anxiety rolling off him in waves. They have the meeting with the surrogacy team next week too and I know it’s weighing on him. It’s not like he can get knocked up by accident.

“He hasn’t cancelled it but he isn’t even responding to my emails now, just stay put for the time being and if he gets back to me I’ll call. Everything okay there? How’s that gorgeous sex-on-legs basketball player?”

I know it’s just Charlie being Charlie, but if he calls him that again I’m going to jump down this line and lay him out.

“It’s Milo, he’s good. Amazing actually, I haven’t seen a player like him in years... I just wish he knew he didn’t have anything to live up to right now, being him is enough, you know? The pressure the guys under is insane but he’s just taking it in his stride... He’s kind of incredible.”

Charlie giggles to himself. “Damn, anyone would swear you have a crush on the hunk sugartits.. Oh shit, that mail guy who tried to fuck you at the Christmas party is here again. He’s got sooo fat. I’ll call you later, kisses.”

A crush. I haven’t had a crush since high school.

“Sex on legs huh?”

My heart slams against my ribs in a thumping beat at the sound of Miles’ husky deep voice behind me. I don’t want to look at how close he is, how much did he hear exactly? The second I turn around I regret it, as he stands there with his arms crossed over his naked chest and that smirk I can’t fucking resist on his face. Isn’t he fucking cold? “So is that the only thing you call me when I’m not around?”

I’m going to kill Charlie.

Shoving my phone back into my pocket, I look back up to see him striding closer, the court’s dim lights all that illuminate him amongst the darkness of the winter night sky.

“Sorry, Charlie has boundary issues. Don’t take it personal, he has names like that for everyone.”

Miles stops directly in front of me, so close I have to take a step back, only for him to follow suit. I take another, this time my back hitting the wall of the sports hall that casts us both in shadow.

I’m not sure where he’s standing at first amongst the darkness... then I feel his breath hit my lips.

Fuck, he’s close.

“I didn’t ask what he called me Josh.” His voice is dangerously low, the base piercing through my skin and settling deep within my soul. Don’t do this to me...

Something touches me; his hand gently brushing against my arm, the heat from it seems surreal in comparison with the biting chill of the wind around us. “I asked what you call me.”

Stop. He has to fucking stop. I can’t even see him, I can only feel him. Every breath I take seems to pull him in further.

“Miles...”

I’m breathing in his aftershave, the mint in it tickling my throat. Fuck, nothing has ever smelt this fucking good. I don’t need to see him to know where he is anymore, it’s like he’s everywhere on me.

“Do you think I’m that Josh...? Do you think I’m sex on fucking legs?”

My knees feel fucking weak, weaker than they’ve ever been. He shouldn’t hold this much power, how the fuck is he doing this to me?

Do I? Fuck yes, yes I do. I think he’s fucking beautiful, I think he’s funny and protective and fucking charming. I think under any other fucking circumstances I’d have finally found someone that makes the empty feel a little bit more full...

I can’t hold it back... I just want a second, just one, where he’s not Jayce’s brother and I’m not Aleah’s best friend. Where he’s not a straight nineteen year old guy I have a crush on. I just want him... just us... just once.

“Ye-”

Hurried footsteps rush in our direction.

“Milo! You out here man?”

Eli’s voice seems to break us out of that fucking trance, suddenly the darkness isn’t as black, the world not as void of responsibility.

In a second, we’re back to just being Josh and Milo.

He knows we can’t stay here like this, it's almost like the realisation of what we were doing hits him at the exact same moment it hits me. He steps back, conflicting emotions present in his eyes when he finds himself proceeding into the light.

There’s hurt there too but I don’t know why, or is it guilt for almost succumbing to something he doesn’t want?

“There you are. Did you find Josh? Coach is waiting for him.”

Miles glances back at where I’m hidden in the darkness, he can’t see me but I can see him. I can see he regrets what was about to happen.

“Yeah, he said he’ll be here in a second.. We’ll meet him in there.”

Then like a shadow in the night, he’s gone.

What the fuck was that? Was he... I mean, were we going to... Would I have let him...?

I wait a minute before moving, giving them time to get away without seeing me. I don’t fucking like this, this isn’t who I am anymore. I’m not the guy that sneaks around, or the guy that has fucking crushes. I’ve grown beyond that.

Entering the hall, I try not to make direct eye contact with anyone before taking a seat on the bench. Coach stops his little speech when he sees me enter.

“Ah, there you are. Okay, as I was saying. You all played well but there’s still some bridges that need to be mended so I have a plan. The gear is all still here from the survivalist that use this place for apocalypse training every summer. So I want you all to pack a bag and kiss your bed goodbye.”

Oh god no.

“Tomorrow we’re going camping.”

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