Page 72 of Manny

“She kissed me, too.”

“You know, we’re never gonna get anywhere if we keep arguing like this. She hates that.”Duh, like I don’t already know.

“What’s your point?”

“My point is, we have to come to an impasse.”

“In English.”

He sighs. “Switzerland. Bygones. Comrades. We both want her, right?”

He better not ask me if I want him, or he will meet my fist. This isn’t the time or the place. “Obviously I’m not backin’ down.”

“Glad to hear it?—”

“If you call me Beefcake one more time…”

He grins, folding his arms across his chest. “You know your threats don’t scare me.”

“Did you have sex with her?” I press again.

“This really bothers you, doesn’t it?”

“If this is gonna work, its gotta be based on trust and communication.” I don’t know where the words come from, but they’re out.

His eyebrows rise in surprise, but he doesn’t shift his stance. “Fine. We didn’t have sex. We may have cuddled, but she was tired and still really upset after finding out about Charles.”

A lump forms in my throat.Shit.I kinda forgot about that for a second, making this all about me and what we’re doing here. The truth is, I don’t know where we stand.

“He’s gettin’ out tomorrow, Riot said in the meetin’.”

“That’s great. Lace will be pleased.”

Our eyes meet again. “Yeah.” An awkward silence falls between us. “So, thisimpasse?”

He smirks. “What about it?”

“We’re both gonna be… around each other a little, if we’re gonna do this, I need to know if your house rules still apply.”

He chews on his lip. “I’ve never had anyone over at my house… for sex, Bandit.”

So, now I’m Bandit?

“So, is that gonna change?”

“I need to think about that.”

“Why do you have that rule?”

“It’s…” he huffs. “It’s my safe space. Somewhere that’s mine.”

“Yet, you let Lace move in.”

He cocks a brow. “There was no way of knowing we were gonna be a thing then. I wasn’t lying about that. I wanted to help her out. I didn’t even know she was interested in me in that way.”

“Would you still have let her move in if you knew she was?”

“In truth? I’dve had second thoughts. I don’t ever wanna ruin our friendship, which is why I was hesitant about getting involved. It’s okay for you,Beefc—uh, Jonah, you get to fuck around and do whatever the fuck you want, when you want, that’s what being part of this club is all about.”

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