Yours All Along by Roni Loren Read Free Book Online Page A

“
What?
”
    Hunter hopped out of bed, frantically searching for his T-shirt, but when he picked up the one he’d worn last night it was in a ball and sticky with the remnants of last night’s lapse in sanity. Devon’s come was all over
his
shirt.
God
. This was bad. “Shit.
Shit.
”
    Devon hurried to his feet, holding up his hands. “Calm down. We’ve got this.”
    He opened a drawer and tossed a sweatshirt Hunter’s way and then yanked the blanket off the bed and threw it onto his wet mattress, making it look like both beds had been slept in.
    “Put yourself together,” Devon said. “It’s going to be fine.”
    Hunter tugged on the sweatshirt, but as he stared at his sleep-mussed roommate, purple and brown hair sticking up every which way, he couldn’t see how this was going to be fine. His father couldn’t know that Devon was his roommate. If he got even a hint about Devon’s sexuality, he’d yank Hunter out of the frat house in one hot second.
    Devon disappeared into the closet¸ and heavy footsteps thumped on the stairs outside. Hunter quickly gathered the baby-powdered clothes from the floor and shoved them in his laundry basket. Then he grabbed his backpack and dumped textbooks onto his desk, but one book slid sideways and knocked the bottle of lotion on the bedside table onto the floor. “Dammit.”
    He swept it up and ditched it into the drawer. The knock hit the door only a few seconds later. Hunter peered nervously toward the closet where Devon was. Was he going to hide in there? Maybe that was the best move.
    “Be right there.”
    He adjusted his sweats higher on his hips and did one last visual sweep of the room. It was a disaster. Baby powder, a wet bed, stuff everywhere. But no telltale signs of what had happened last night. It would have to do.
    He swung open the door, finding his father looming in the hall and frowning. His gaze coasted over Hunter’s disheveled state, and his lip curled in disgust. “It’s past ten in the morning and you look like a homeless person.” He leaned forward and sniffed. “Are you drunk?”
    “No, Dad.” He rubbed a hand over his head to smooth his mussed hair. “I pulled an all-nighter studying. What are you doing here?”
    “Studying what?”
    Anatomy. My roommate. My life and everything I know about it.
“Calculus.”
    He grunted. “I tried calling you three times. And I’ve been banging on the door.”
    “You know I’m a hard sleeper. And if you had told me you were coming . . .”
    “I’m here on an unexpected business trip. I thought I’d take my son whom I haven’t seen in months out to lunch. And I pay for this school and this room that you’re in and those clothes on your back, so don’t act like I need to send a formal invitation to your secretary to see you.”
    “I didn’t mean—”
    He stepped past him into the room. “What in the hell?”
    “Oh, right.” Hunter spun on his heel. “Another frat pranked us last night. I haven’t had a chance to clean it up yet.”
    His father swiped through the powdery layer on the bedpost and touched it to his tongue.
    Hunter recoiled. “What are you doing?”
    His father eyed him. “Making sure it’s not cocaine.”
    Hunter fought the urge to roll his eyes. “I’m not doing drugs, Dad. It’s baby powder. And for the record, my allowance definitely wouldn’t fund this much blow.”
    “Watch your mouth, young man.”
    “Sor—”
    The door of the closet swung open, and Hunter’s heart stopped for a minute.
No, not now. Please, Dev.
But it was too late. Devon was already heading their way. And he was wearing Hunter’s clothes. Sweats and a knit cap that covered any hint of purple.
    “Sorry to interrupt. Didn’t know we had company.” He sent a polite but fake smile Dad’s way. “You must be Senator Riley.”
    Hunter lifted a brow. Devon’s voice sounded different—gruffer—and his whole demeanor was off.
What the hell?
    His father eyed Devon. “And you are?”
    Dev