Page 86 of Felix

“Yeah?”

“Mhm. That was hot as fuck, Specs. I couldn’t take my eyes off you. Pretty sure Dixon could have been wearing a tutu, and I wouldn’t have noticed.”

Emil snorts, but then his gaze goes kind of distant before latching back onto me. I don’t miss the way his eyes rove over the makeshift skirt I’m wearing.

“Are you imagining me in a tutu?” I ask.

He flushes, licking his lips.

I grin. “I’ll wear a tutu for you, Specs.”

“Shit,” he mutters, shaking his head as if clearing his thoughts. “I don’t know why that’s so hot, but it is.”

“Have you always been attracted to femme guys?” I ask, curious.

“I actually, um…” He huffs a small laugh. “I’m not sure I have a physical type. My last boyfriend was a big guy. Wore flannel. You two look nothing alike.”

“Huh.”

“Have you always liked nerds in glasses?” he retorts.

“I sure as fuck like one,” I answer, trying to think back on my usual go-to type. True, I haven’t often gone for hypermasculine men—the big, macho types—but I’ve also never been drawn to anyone the way I am to Emil. Yes, I thought the glasses were cute from the get-go. The way they make his eyes a little bigger, vulnerable almost. I like the softness of his body and the way he feels tucked up against me. And, admittedly, I do love his ass.

But it was that time I first met him in person inside Studio 1 that I felt a swoop of something more in my stomach. I don’t know what caused it. Emil’s goodness? His gentle grace? The way he looked at me as if he already knew me and liked what he saw?

I’m attracted to Emil physically, that’s undeniable. But I’ve liked the look of a lot of guys and not once wanted more. So maybe my type is whatever it is inside of Emil that drew out my bravery. The thought makes me smile.

A soft sound draws my attention back to Emil.

“What is it?” I ask.

“Nothing,” he answers slowly. “Sometimes you just…you say the most perfect things.”

“Yeah?” I say, walking over to the bed. I’m careful as I climb onto the mattress, making sure not to disturb any of the pins in the fabric around my waist. Emil draws his knees up as I approach, spreading his legs and giving me room to fit in between them. I knee-walk closer, curling my palms against the sides of his neck, thumbs at his jaw. “You like being my one and only, Specs? You like being the only person I see?”

He lets out a small breath, his eyes fluttering closed. “You know I do.”

I kiss the side of one perfect eyebrow before bringing my lips to his, brushing our mouths together ever so gently. “Good. Because I’m not giving you up. Your ass is on my Instagram. That shit’s official.”

He huffs a laugh, his eyes opening. They don’t stay that way for long, slipping closed again when I take his mouth with mine. He parts his lips, and I sweep my tongue inside, blood igniting. He tugs me closer, instantly eager, always eager, and I shuffle forward, cursing the skirt pinned around my waist.

I’m about to tear the fabric off when my phone rings. I groan, knowing there are only a few people who would call me out of the blue.

“Hold that thought,” I say, pulling back from Emil’s lips. He looks a little dazed as I sit on my heels and grab my phone off the nightstand. It’s Noel. “Hello?”

“Uh, hey, Christian,” my friend greets, the background noise in the call nearly drowning out his voice.

“What’s going on?” I ask, his tone putting me on high alert.

“I, uh… Shit. It might be nothing, but I’m at work right now, and there’s this guy who’s giving me the creeps.” I turn my volume up as Noel continues, the heavy beat of the club making it hard to hear him. “He hasn’t done anything, not really, but…”

“You have a bad feeling,” I fill in, talking loudly, too, so he can hear me.

“Yeah. I’m probably being ridiculous, but last week, he asked me out. A couple times. I said no, but he keeps coming around. And I swear I saw him in the parking lot the other night. I almost felt like…like he was waiting for me? Which, again, probably ridiculous.”

“It’s not,” I assure him. “Always trust your gut, Noel.”

My eyes ping to Emil, his words from what feels like a lifetime ago flitting through my head. “How do we know if the choices we’re making are the right ones?” His answer was simple. “I think you just have to trust your gut.”

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