Page 96 of My Pucking Crush

“You mean with me?”

“Not you.” I get to my feet. “Any man. I’m not out, Luca. There are cameras everywhere.”

He grips my face again. “Do you think I’d bring you to a place where you could be spotted and hurt?”

I think about that. “No. But how do you know?”

“It’s a club rule. We sign NDAs.”

“That doesn’t mean I won’t be recognized. Or you.”

“Not if we’re wearing masks.”

TWO HOURS LATER, LUCAsigns me into his club as a guest. In their adjacent shop for sex toys and other necessities for a good time, he snags two masks. Matching to signal I’m his.

“How does this work?” I ask, fingering the soft leather mask that covers half my face, my mouth exposed. “Remember I can’t...”

“You fuck me. That’s our deal. That’s how I like it between us. Nothing will change.”

“Then how?”

“The first thing we’re going to do is walk around. Hand in hand, you and me.” He grips my wrist. “Feel the acceptance of everyone around us. Sure, no one knows it’s you, but they don’t care who you really are.”

My jaw tightens. “How many men have you been with here?”

“I won’t lie. Quite a few. But they never meant anything.” He pulls me in closer. “I’ve never held anyone’s hand.Youmean something.”

My phone buzzes, and I yank it from my back pocket. “Shit,” I say filled with dread.

“What?”

“Richmond won.” I hadn’t waited to see the final score. I let Luca drag me out of the apartment with two periods left to play. It was too gut wrenching to watch.

They won their round. I can’t believe we have to go through that shit show again with them.

My expression slacks behind the mask.

Luca notices and says, “Do you want to leave, we can—”

“No.” I stop him. “I need this more than ever. Make it go away, Luc. Make the pain leave my body.”

FORTY-NINE

Max

Every nerve ending feels like I’ve been zapped. I can’t believe I’m in a damn sex club.

With my bodyguard.

In Manhattan.

Duringthe playoffs.

I should be on a massage table, mainlining protein shakes.

I slide the mask on my face, and when Luca does the same, a shiver of lust snakes down my spine. We’re already fucking in secret, this just brings it to another level.

He grabs my hand and steers me into the open room beyond the private dressing quarters he rented for us. We removed our shirts but left our jeans on.

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