Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 98909 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 495(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98909 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 495(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)
“‘Furthermore, if you keep snooping around in my bank accounts and making judgments about my purchases, I’m going to apply for another credit card that you don’t have access to. Also, I am not back together with Annika. I’m bisexual and I’m spending the weekend with a guy. In fact, I’m about to suck him off.’”
I curl over in a wave of laughter. “Oh, is that so?” I demand between chuckles. “You’re about to get sucked off?”
Abandoning the massage, Luke twists me around so we’re facing each other. The combination of heat and tenderness on his face makes me shiver. “Come here, Keaton.”
Keaton. He usually calls me Hayworth, and it always sounds like he’s keeping his distance. But not today.
“I’m waiting.” He crooks his finger.
So I move, pushing him down on the bed like an overeager puppy. “You got something you need to say?”
“Yeah.” His voice is husky. “You’re pretty great. That’s all. Now forget about your pushy old man and kiss me.”
My Best Idea Ever
Keaton
“Fourth gear is huge, did you notice that?” I ask, leaning back in the passenger’s seat. Luke asked if he could drive home, and I was all too happy to say yes.
I’m just plain happy. Last night was everything.
The concert was a good time. We’d stood there at the foot of the stage, dancing, Luke’s hands on my hips. And naturally when we got back to the hotel, I was ready to give the king-sized bed another workout.
“Are you sore?” Luke had asked me between kisses.
“Kind of,” I’d admitted. We’d been crazy men the night before. “But athletes don’t complain about pain.”
“Sure, but…” He’d popped the button on his own jeans. “Maybe you’d better fuck me, then.”
He’d said it just like that. Like we were deciding between the stuffed mushrooms and the chicken wings on the appetizers menu. But I didn’t question it. I’m not a stupid man. A half hour later I’d had him gripping the headboard and moaning my name.
Getting out of town was my best idea since throwing a winter beach party. My best idea ever.
“Yeah, fourth gear has lots of torque,” Luke agrees, downshifting to make a lane change just for fun. “And it feels like fifth is just for cruising.”
“Uh-huh.” The sun is warm on my face, so I close my eyes. “I’ve never dated anyone who wanted to discuss my manual transmission before.”
I realize my mistake the second I make it. “You know what I mean,” I mumble.
He’s quiet for a second. “No, I do. We are heading in that direction, Keaton. I get it now.”
I’m so surprised that I actually stop breathing.
“No sense in me arguing the point. I just hope you know you’ve got an amateur on your hands, here. I’ll probably do everything wrong.”
“I’m not worried,” I say quickly.
“Really? You should be. People are going to notice how much time we spend together. What are we going to say?”
“I haven’t figured that out yet,” I admit. “I’m an amateur, too. At this. Can’t we sort that part out on our own time?”
“Maybe,” he concedes. “As long as there aren’t any leaks on our top-secret security team. Like Tanner grabbing your phone and opening up the wrong app…”
I snort. “I have that sucker well hidden. But there will probably be a point in the future when you feel less like it matters, right? This semester ends in just a few weeks. Next year you’ll already be president…”
Now I’ve done it again. I’ve assumed that we’ll be together next year.
“Suppose it won’t be as big a deal,” Luke concedes. “Eventually.”
We lapse into silence again, but my whole outlook has changed this weekend. All my patience has paid off.
Luke Bailey acknowledges that we’re a couple? Pinch me.
When I woke up this morning, Luke was sleeping curled up against my back, his arm wrapped around me. It was so peaceful that I held still as long as I could, just to make it last. And when he finally woke up, he didn’t untangle himself right away. He kissed me between the shoulder blades instead.
I want that again. And I like it a whole lot. I’ve always known that coupledom felt right to me. The part I didn’t understand is that it works even better for me when that other half is a man.
Here’s the part I haven’t told anyone—even Luke. I’m starting to wonder if bisexual is even the right label for me. Lately my sexuality is tilted further toward men than women. Lately I notice men everywhere. It’s as if I took my blinders off and started seeing everyone differently. The shapely biceps, quads, and glutes of the men of Darby, Connecticut are everywhere suddenly. Which is weird, because I’ve been surrounded by athletes my whole life.
Before, though, I might be admiring a guy at the squat rack thinking, nice form. These days I just think...nice.