Zachary

What the hell was I thinking? I can't believe I let him drag me to his home to celebrate his brother's birthday. I have had a lot of guys and who I dated but none of them have taken me to their home. And the fucking irony is that I am not Everett's boyfriend.

“I can't believe you are taking your fuck buddy to your home,” I grumble, avoiding eye contact with Everett by the excuse of staring out of the car window. But I still see him roll his eyes in my peripheral vision.

“Zachary, if you thought for a moment that I am bringing you to my home because I fuck you or feel bad for you then you are fucking stupid.”

“We do fuck,” I mutter.

“But that's not all you are to me.”

My heart does a double take. “What's that supposed to mean?”

He stops the car then but instead of looking at his house that should probably be in front of us now, I stare at him. He unbelts and leans in close, undoing my own seatbelt for me before looking at me, like the way he looks at me before we start an argument.

“It means,” he grabs my shirt and pulls, “I am calling dibs.”

Fuck. He is serious. My heart thunders in my veins. But my fingers go cold, my throat dries, and before I could even form a good reply, he is out of the car, walking towards the front door of the house. I follow him, assessing the moderate looking house. A small lawn, cream and red paint and warm. Everything about the house is warm.

The door opens, revealing a man— dirty blond hair, strong build, brown eyes, a few years older than me or Everett. He breaks into a huge smile when he sees Everett and pulls him into a crushing hug that he returns. Older brother then.

“Jesus fuck. You got bigger,” the man says.

“And you got older,” Everett replies.

“I can't believe you are mixing up your brother's because I am not the one who is getting older.”

Everett pulls back from the hug with a smirk. “I know whose birthday it is, but you definitely got some white hairs.”

“I am five years older than you, dumbfuck. I can't have white hair yet and admit it I would make a sexy silver fox.”

Everett shakes his head at his brother, still smiling, then his brother looks at me and grins. “The boyfriend?”

I blink at him because all of a sudden my brain stops functioning. Motherfucker.

Everett scowls. “He is not my boyfriend.”

“Bullshit. You never tell us when you bring a friend, but you told us you were bringing him.”

Everett just rolls his eyes in defiance. “Are you just gonna make us stand here or remember your manners and invite us in so that I can introduce you to Zachary?”

“Oh, sorry. Come on in,” The man turns to me with a smile, “I am Jonah by the way.”

I smile back. “Zachary.”

He smiles, motioning us to the kitchen and just as we enter, four heads turn to us, bursting into smiles.

“Hey guys,” Everett grins.

“Hey guys? That's what you have to say?” A woman with purple stripes in her hair with a black tattoo covering her whole right arm says. I stare at her as I realize that that's Everett's mother.

“I told you I am sorry for not calling,” Everett gives her an apologetic shrug which wasn't all that apologetic.

“Bullshit.” Another woman, his sister I am guessing, smirks.

Everett just sighs and all of their attention turns to me. Everett's mom comes over to give Everett a hug and then turns to me. “I am Eleanor. His mom,” she points to Everett.

“I am Zachary,” I say, holding out a hand to shake. But Eleanor snorts, completely ignoring my hand and pulls me into a hug. For a moment, I go still. My mind reeling at the thought of being hugged like this. I slowly return it and immediately pull away.

“Your tattoo is badass,” I tell her.

She grins wider. “I like you already.”

“Wait a second, I feel like I have seen you somewhere before,” A younger boy, sitting at the dining table turns to me curiously. The birthday boy.

I gulp. “Nope, I don't think so.”

Everett scowls at me. “No lying.”

Dammit. I sigh. “I am Zachary Alvarez, son of Francis Alvarez and Natalia Windsor.”

I wait a bit to let that information sink in and soon enough Everett's sister's mouth lets out a surprised gasp. “Oh my god. You are the son of Francis Alvarez? The movie director?”

“Yes,” I say politely, discomfort creeping up my skin.

“Why the fuck are you dating my brother again?” She gapes.

I look at her, surprised, then burst out laughing.

“We are not dating.” Everett says, exasperated.

“Sure. Whatever you say,” Everett's younger brother rolls his eyes at him, then turns to me with a smile, “I am Clover,” he says and then points to his sister, “That's Bridgett.”

I smile at both of them.

“And I am his dad,” The man standing in the kitchen says, “Parker.”

My attention turns to him. I notice that he has warm brown eyes, brown hair and the same posture as Everett. I also realize that none of them except Everett has those sea-foam green eyes. It's all his.

Jonah comes into the kitchen then. I hadn't realized that he had left. Too occupied with getting introduced to Everett's family.

“I put your bags upstairs,” Jonah says to us, “In your room. You guys are sharing right?”

Everett looks at me with a raised eyebrow. I shrug.

“Go on then, settle down both of you, and then we can have dinner,” Parker says, warmly.

Everett takes me upstairs, towards his room and I feel eager to see his room all of a sudden.

It's just a goddamn room, get a grip, Zachary.

He opens the door, and I am surprised and unsurprised to see that most of what should be his walls are covered in bookshelves. His room looks like a library. He even has a bookshelf under his bed. Most of them are covered with funky stickers and pictures. Pictures of him, his family, friends, trips and I can't take my eyes off it.

Everett closes the door behind us, and then I hear the lock click. I look over my shoulder. “It's nice, it's you.”

He smiles, taking a step closer to me. I turn to face him. He wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me to him for a kiss. I close my eyes, gripping on his arms as I kiss him back. Our lips detach and we look at each other.

“Your mom is badass and your family thinks I am your boyfriend,” I tell him.

“My Mom used to be a rider, and I like that they think you are my boyfriend.”

Just as he says that I try to pull away from him. No. This isn't supposed to be like that. It's just sex, nothing more. His grip around me tightens.

“Everett, you and I both know I suck at relationships. Every relationship that I have had ended because of me, it's—” Everett cuts me off with a kiss on my forehead. Nobody has ever kissed me on my forehead and never that gently.

“All of them ended because you didn't want them Zachary, you didn't let them know the real you, but I do. I know about your nasty parents, I know about your shitty past, I know about your hurt and nothing will keep me away from you. I have seen how you love your sister, how you treat the people who you love, I have seen you vulnerable, without all of those walls that you have put around you,” Everett smiles, and it's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, “And just thinking about someone else holding you like this hurts me. So if you are saying that you don't want to try being with me solely for the reason that you don't want to, then I will back off but if it's because of something stupid like your past relationships then fuck you, I am not letting you go. I meant it when I said I call dibs.”

Calling dibs. Jesus. Suddenly I can't find words to speak. It's like I forgot my language. So I stare at him. Never has anyone ever looked at me the way Everett is looking at me right now and maybe a part of me wants to enjoy that look for a while more. Even if it's just a second.

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