Page 2 of Rhubarb 2 Go

“Why you blushin’ like that?”Dom’s voice penetrated past what I’d become obsessed with over the last couple of days.

Twirl around the pole, think about Burke’s balls…

Dance to the beat, while executing a standing split, think about Burke’s balls…

Shimmy my way up the pole, think about Burke’s balls…

Ohhhh…

“I… Burke…” How was I supposed to say that I’m ball obsessed?Maybe I really was sick after all… ball sick?

Chapter Two

Burke

I’ve got it.Yes, I can do this.I’ll show Ricky just how limber I am.I can pole dance!I am king of the pole!

I hung on tighter as I wobbled a bit.No, I’ve got it.Swing around gracefully, one arm out, and—

Smack!

Stars tangoed in my eyes as I crashed into the rusty metal pole I’d erected in the garden.Ouch!My nose smacked into the pole and I dropped like a stone, landing on my back in the dirt, sprawled out like a starfish.

Ouch!

I hurt from my nose to my balls.Who said pole dancing was easy?The guy on YouTube, that’s who!Lying liar.Pole dancing for beginners.It was laughable, or it would be if parts of me that shouldn’t be hurting definitely were.

“Maximus, Apollo.Quick!Come here!”

Could this day get any better?Now I was going to get an audience, all because of Tim.

“What’s happened, Tim?”Maximus called from somewhere.I didn’t know where, I didn’t care.I just wanted them to leave me alone.

“Burke is unconscious!He’s bleeding.”

I’m not unconscious, Tim.I just wish I was so no one could witness my shame.

And did my alpha’s mate have to scream by my ear?It was sweet how concerned he was, but could he dial it down a notch?Then I could just take a nap and pretend like life was a bunch of rhubarb.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”Maximus growled from somewhere above me.

Someone nudged me with their sneakered foot.I opened my eyes and winced as the sunlight and my headache collided, making me want to toss my cookies.

“Sleeping,” I mumbled, because wasn’t it damn obvious?

“In the dirt?”Maximus asked, sounding disbelieving.

“It works for your mate,” I fired back, trying to deflect from the situation they were all making worse by staring.I could feel their pity.

“He’s a rhubarb,” Maximus pointed out.“You’re a bull.What the lion were you doing on that pole?”

“Your nose is bleeding,” Tim added helpfully, bending down to poke at my nose, making it throb worse.

“Ow!Just leave me to die,” I begged, closing my eyes again.

“Come on, teeny-tiny cow,” Maximus said, hauling me up and throwing me onto my feet, grinning.

Blood spattered across the dirt.My stomach lurched, and I had to practice deep breathing for a moment.I glared at Maximus for repeating Ricky’s words, even knowing it was pointless.Iama tiny bull.Maximum is an alpha lion.And I would always have a build like hairy LEGO bricks stacked together.Short and square with fluff around the ears, bovine or human.The only big things about me were my balls.

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