Page 40 of Reluctantly You

Matt

Miss you too, bro.

Max

I miss you as well.

Matt

Let’s plan dinner sometime?

Max

I think that’s a great idea, with some precautions.

Fuck, they’re talking like I’m some kind of biohazard. But maybe I am. I’m a fucking disaster.

Matt:

That’s fine. We can all talk before dinner. Is that okay, Mitch?

I tap my fingers on my phone and then reply.

Me

Yes. I can do that. When?

I’m scared they’re going to ask for something more from me, something I can’t give. Like I need to kiss a dude and like it.

Just tell them guys give you blow jobs. Maybe that will be enough.

Something ugly pierces my stomach and I feel it roil in disgust. I hate that I do this, that I crave it. That I’ve never wanted a woman the same way I’ve always wanted a man.

Matt

How about you all come over tomorrow for dinner. Coop wants to cook for us. Before we go up and introduce you, let’s meet on the beach and have that little chat.

Me

Sure. Send me what time and where and I’ll be there.

“Fuck this,” I murmur as I step from the car and move toward the gym. Inside, I change into my athletic shorts and T-shirt before pushing my earbuds into my ears. I decide to go for a run first, needing to burn off some anger.

As soon as I round the corner, I see Emery on a machine, a lollipop in his mouth, his legs going a hundred miles an hour. Sweat pours down his temples and his cheeks are red.

Asshole is going to choke.

He slaps the stop button and my eyes go to the timer. Two minutes.

“Oh fuck,” he says, wheezing, his hands landing on his knees. “That was too hard.”

I eye him and when he sees me staring, he stands up and waves. “Hi there, muscle man!”

I reach out and pull the candy from his mouth. “You’re going to choke to death,” I say, tossing it into a trash can. “No fucking running while eating.”

He sighs and runs a hand through his hair, half of it sticking straight up from the sweatband he’s wearing.

“And next time, start off slow.”

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