By Chance (Courtland Chronicles) Read Free

the neatness gene. Hopefully he wasn’t the type to hold a grudge.
    A key rattled in the lock and the door opened.
    “Hey,” his roommate said in a tight, terse tone, eyes widening when he saw the pillow and blanket stacked neatly on the couch. “Thanks.”
    “Not a problem.” Eric sat up straight, taking a deep breath. “Look, if I offended you earlier, I’m sorry. This hasn’t been one of my better days.”
    “Mine either,” Nick replied with a tiny smile. “Last thing I wanted to do this morning was stand in line waiting for a new room assignment.”
    “Point taken. However, I should warn you that getting along with people’s never been my strong suit.”
    “Gee, I never would’ve guessed.”
    Touché . Eric chuckled. “Okay, I deserved that.”
    Nick’s smile widened into that same toothy, dazzling grin he’d flashed earlier that afternoon. The momentary tightness in Eric’s groin made him profoundly grateful that he was sitting down. “Why don’t we make it a do-over?” Nick extended his hand. “Hi, I’m Nick Thompson. Pleased to meet you.”
    The warmth of Nick’s fingers did nothing to alleviate Eric’s condition, even if it did feel amazing. With the exception of brief, faceless encounters in public toilets and darkened dorm rooms, Eric usually avoided touching other people. He couldn’t be sure of controlling his reactions, a point his body was now hammering home.
    “Eric Courtland,” he replied. “Glad to have you aboard—er, so to speak.”
    Nick’s eyebrow arched. “Any relation to Edward Courtland, the big-shot CEO?”
    The mere mention of his father’s name made Eric recoil inside, but he prided himself on not letting it show. “I’m Big Shot CEO, Jr.”
    “Wow. But I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. This school’s packed to the rafters with the super-rich.”
    “Be glad you’re not one of them. I can sniff out the type blindfolded at a hundred paces.”
    “Yeah? What do they smell like?”
    “Snobby, uptight, insular, homophobic… Ring a bell?”
    Nick’s cheerful expression evaporated. “I’m sorry about the way I acted earlier. Honest, I’m not a homophobe.”
    “Don’t worry about it. We got a do-over, remember?” Eric forced a smile. “As long as you clean up after yourself and don’t blare your music at ninety decibels, we should get along fine.”
    They turned out the lights a little while later. Despite Eric’s exhaustion, he didn’t drop off right away. Instead, he lay there listening to Nick’s soft snoring from the other side of the room, wondering how he was going to get through the next couple of weeks with a raging hard-on.

Chapter Two
    The dining hall roared with voices and the sharp clank of plates and silverware. Nick spied the top of Ally’s blonde head from across the room and waved her over to his table. As usual, she had her hands full, so he stood to help her with her backpack and lunch tray.
    “These last few days have been insane!” Standing on her tiptoes, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek, then dropped gratefully into her seat. She looked a bit windblown, hair tousled, cheeks bright pink. She quickly shucked her wool gloves and scooped up her fork, attacking her salad with ravenous abandon. “Can’t believe this is the first time I’ve seen you. I got worried when we missed each other at check-in the other day.”
    “Me too. So where’d they end up sticking you?”
    “Nowhere, thank God. Holly’s sister’s firm’s sent her to London for the next six months, so Holly and I scored apartment-sitting duty.”
    “Lucky you. I’m sacking out on a guy’s couch over in Watt.”
    She took a long sip of her coffee. “That’s not too bad, is it? Don’t they have their own kitchens and bathrooms? The kind you don’t have to share with eight other people, I mean.”
    “I’d rather have the eight other people. Eric’s not exactly Mr. Warmth.” Nick shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. It’s only for a little while,