Page 23 of Mitch

“Feeling the hair of the dog, eh?” he poked, flashing me with a smirk.

I grabbed the coffee, breathing in its delicious cinnamon-vanilla scent.

Cinnamon Dolce Lattes fix everything.

Except drunken shenanigans.

I popped open the plastic lid, diving into the frothy cream on top, letting the sweetness coat my tongue and soothe my frayed nerves for a moment.

“More like hungover and full of regret,” I mewled. “Now I remember why I don’t drink.”

Archie grabbed his coffee as he leaned back against the back prep counter, imploring me with his steelyamber gaze. His naturally tanned skin stood out like fresh-baked gingerbread against the cool marble and cobalt blue.

The sun was only starting to come up, and as such, lit up the inside of the bakery like the gates of heaven.

“Why? Because you get all flirty and handsy when you’re drunk?” he teased.

My cheeks flushed with heat at his words, and the memory of last night pushed forth all over again.

Mitchell’s hand on my back, his fingertips brushing against mine.

His tongue in my mouth.

My cock awakened at the thought and I gritted my teeth as I focused on breathing.

“It’s not like that. I?—”

I’ve never been kissed by any of my girlfriends like... that.

Archie smiled, shaking his head. “You know what they say? Drunk words are sober thoughts. Maybe your actions are more in tune with what you want than you think.”

“I’m not... gay, or... or bisexual!” I shouted, feeling on the spot. “I’m straight!”

Some of my cream sloshed over theside of my cup from my sudden vibration, my voice echoing off the bakery walls.

Even as I said the words through, I felt like something had shifted. Like a volcano erupts or a glacier breaks away, floating apart from its foundation.

Archiewasgay. Loud, out, and proud gay, and so was Mitchell DeVille. I knew that now, and there was no denying it.

But me... surely I wouldknowif I was bi or gay. I mean, a person just knows, right?

I’dlookedat lots of girls, and found them attractive. But never had I ever popped an instant boner looking atanyone.

At least, that was up until I’d seen Mitchell at that wedding.

Or until last night... after wesangtogether... when I fell, and he caught me.

“You trying to convince me, Penn, or yourself?” Archie asked curiously.

“I... I’ve only ever been attracted to women. I have had, like?—”

“Three or four girlfriends? Yeah, how did those relationships work out for you?” Archie asked.

I turned around and instead oflooking at him, I focused on stacking the cooler display.

“That has nothing to do with?—”

“It haseverythingto do with it,” Archie insisted. “The dick wants what it wants. It does not lie.”

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