Page 70 of Mitch

I needed air.

I needed to preserve what dignity I had left, because surely I’d just ruined everything.

“Mitch...” his voice softened, and I hated it. The sadness, the disappointment.

I grabbed him, kissing him with all that I was, hoping he could feel mytruth. Hoping it would be enough to make him forget my words, no matter how true they were.

“I’m sorry, Penn,” I said. “I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon.”

CHAPTER 26

Penn

I watchedhim leave and I just stood there.

Frozen, like an ice cube.

Mitchell said he loved me.

Granted, it was with my cock down his throat, but the admission itself struck me in the chest like Cupid’s arrow.

Time moved slowly and all at once as I tried to grasp onto those words, tried to keep them alive and in the air.

God, I fucking love you.

I’d never told anyone I loved them.

But at that moment, I wanted to sayyes.Yes, I love you too.

But then I was distracted by Mitchell’s expert tongue and my impending orgasm, and the world around me disappeared.

Once again, I was at the mercy of Mitchell DeVille, and there was nothing I could do except ride out the bliss until I’d fallen back to earth.

I reached for him. I needed to touch him, to know he was real. I needed to tell him how I felt, but I was scared.

Everything was just happening so fast.

I could barely keep up with my own emotions, let alone the ones Mitchell had obviously buried.

I wanted to soothe him, to tell him it was okay.

I loved him too.

But the world around me slowed to a crawl as he dressed himself, kissed me, and left.

And I just let him.

Because I was afraid of chasing after him.

I was afraid he was runningaway from me.

I absentmindedly colorized my five bowls of frosting, numb to the world around me. I barely heard Archie when he spoke.

“What is with you today? Earth to Penn?” he said, waving a spatula in my face.

“This wouldn’t have anything to do with that photographer boy would it?” my mom’s voice cut through, bursting my bubble, as Archie screeched, “What?”

My Mom set down the tray of sugar cookies, which I needed to ice for the Pride Fundraiser we were working tonight.

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