Page 63 of Angel

“Good?” he asks breathily.

I nod.

This is silly. I’m not a baby. But there’s something soothing about sitting still and letting him feed me. I don’t have to think, I don’t have to do anything. Just chew and swallow while holding this beautiful man in my lap.

His hair has a variety of peachy colors today, half of it pulled up and half of it hanging around his shoulders. It reminds me of a creamsicle. I want to lick him up. His pants are also orange and peach and white, loose and flowy, riding so low that his hip bones poke out the top. And his white t-shirt is cropped above his stomach.

“Does Mario know about the video?” Rhys asks as he feeds me another bite.

The video. That’s what I was distracted by all day. It’s what led to me telling Mario about sleeping with a guy.

“I didn’t tell him.” I can’t even imagine how Mario would react to something like that. His head might explode.

Rhys’s lips twitch into a wry grin. “And it’s not like he’ll find it on his own, right?”

A snort bursts out of me unexpectedly. “No, I don’t think so. None of those guys are looking for gay porn.”

“Do you want an update on how it’s doing?” Rhys asks as he feeds me another bite.

I take a deep breath to calm the fluttery feeling in my tummy. To be honest, I don’t know how I feel about it being out in the world. I can’t really wrap my head around it. It doesn’t seem real. Like, what do you mean other people can watch it now? How? Why? Who?

But Rhys seems excited about it, so that’s good, right?

“Um, yeah, sure.”

Rhys scoops up a forkful of mashed potatoes for me. “It’s doing amazing. Like, really, really good. Sebastian says he wants to give you extra royalties on top of the set fee he’s already paid you.”

“He doesn’t have to do that,” I say without thinking.

Rhys pauses for a moment before peeking at me through his lashes. “Wouldn’t the money be helpful?”

Oh. Right. I’m doing gay porn for the money. Supposedly. “Uh, yeah, it would.” I scratch my jaw. Oops.

Rhys’s lips quirk to the side. “He also mentioned a second video? If you’re open to the idea?”

A second video.

Rhys sets the plate down and picks up a rib with his fingers. Holding the two ends, one in each hand, he brings the whole thing to my lips. I lean forward and take a bite, gaze locked with his as I do.

Am I open to another video with Rhys? There’s no reason for it. I mean, yeah, the money is nice, but who am I kidding? This isn’t about money anymore. This is about so much more.

It’s about me, who I am, who I want to be. And all the strange feelings Rhys stirs up inside of me. It’s about this—sitting here with Rhys, comfortable, peaceful, full of joy despite the worries that are still plaguing me.

I don’t need to do another video to get more of this. And yet… something inside me perked up at the mention of it. It was fun when I wasn’t freaking out. Sebastian and Christian are nice. It was unbelievably hot. I kinda liked watching it back afterward.

If Sebastian thinks it’s a good idea, if it’ll benefit Rhys’s career… I don’t feel too weird about it being on the internet, at least not yet. So… am I open to doing another video? “Yeah? I think so?”

Rhys beams. The smile breaking across his face so bright and shiny it sears my eyeballs.

“Yeah? You sure?”

With a reaction like that, how could I possibly say no? I squeeze him, savoring the shape of him in my arms. “I’m sure.”

I finish off the rib and Rhys drops the bone back onto the plate. He starts licking his fingers clean, lips pursed as he sucks the finger into his mouth. Then the subtle pop when he pulls the finger free. When he moves onto his other hand, I grab his wrist.

His glance is confused and surprised at first, but then he gasps silently when I bring his sauce-covered finger to my mouth instead. I lick up the sticky sauce, wrap my lips around his finger, swirl my tongue around it.

Rhys’s eyes lose their focus and his lips part, tongue peeking out.

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