Page 12 of Heat Transfer

“Now I’m getting nervous,” Cor joked, even though he chewed on his lip in hesitation. “Are you about to tell me you’re moving across the country?”

“Fuck no. I just might need you to be my boyfriend for a gala at the Art Museum.”

Cor blinked at me, dumbstruck.

I swallowed hard. “Please?”

Chapter five

Cormac

Nothing about Felix’s question computed in my brain.

“You’re straight,” I said carefully, trying to quell the anxious beating of my heart.

“I am,” Felix replied, and my chest sank. “But my client for the exhibit at the Art Museum thinks you’re my boyfriend.”

Fuck, I wish. I fiddled with the straw wrapper as something tangible to keep me from spiraling into madness. What was going on here? “And why does she think I’m your boyfriend?”

Felix licked his lips and leaned back in the seat, and like always, I was entranced. A few of his glossy dark curls drifted over his forehead, and the urge to reach over and touch them burst through me. “She told me I could have a plus-one to this gala. It’s an exclusive look at the exhibit. And I couldn’t go without you, you know? She kind of assumed you were my boyfriend.”

“And you’re okay with that.” Even though I could see the train wreck to my heart that pretending to be Felix’s boyfriend would be, a selfish part of me couldn’t bear to pass up the opportunity. The responsible choice would be to turn this down to protect myself. But Luke was still blowing up my phone, making the prospect of going out there and dating that much harder. And spending the night with Felix to see all the swords we’d been geeking out over was too much temptation avoid.

“What’s there not to be okay with? I hang all over you, and we get to check out a kick-ass gala together?” Felix said with a shrug. His casual acceptance tangled me up in knots. Was he really a chill straight guy, or could there be a chance of more? Is this what Liam had to suffer for years with my brother? How had he not murdered Ollie?

“What if we have to kiss?” I blurted out, and heat rose to my cheeks.

Felix arched a brow. “Because random people are going to ask us to prove our boyfriend status?”

I tugged on my beard. “Fine. When you put it like that…”

He snorted. “If our elaborate ruse is on the line over a kiss, we kiss. No big deal. Unless that’s a deal-breaker?”

I shook my head a little too enthusiastically. Fuck, if kissing Felix was on the table, I was so in. Even if I needed to orchestrate a ridiculous scenario to achieve that goal. Not like people demanded couples kiss outside of banging on glassware at weddings.

The waitress brought us our beers, and I grabbed mine and took a much-needed sip. The hoppy liquid glided down my throat, but it didn’t whet my appetite. Mostly because my mind and body tuned in on the fact that Felix had cavalierly said he’d kiss me.

Clearly, this was my best idea.

“Hmm, not bad.” Felix scrutinized his ale. “My brother’s been holding out on me with this place.”

“Your family lives in Kennett, right?” I asked. We got hung up talking hockey or swords rather than personal details, but I knew bits and pieces he’d dropped. I happened to memorize each one. Maybe I was as bad as Luke. My stomach sank a little, and I sipped at my beer again.

“Yeah, my folks are, and my brother ended up here with his wife and his girlfriend.” He ran his thumb across the rim of the glass.

My brows drew together. “His name wouldn’t be Marco, would it? Not that he’s the only poly person in Kennett, but…”

Felix’s eyes widened. “Yeah, that’s him. With Ruby and Kelsey? Wait…at the trailer last week, that wasn’t Liam, was it?”

“That’s my brother Ollie’s boyfriend,” I said, shaking my head. No fucking way. Amusement bounced in my chest. “Small goddamn world.”

“Shit, I think I’ve seen Ollie before when Liam’s dragged him out.” Felix grinned. “My brother throws far too many game nights, though I only make them once in a blue moon.”

“How have I known you for six months, and this is the first time we’re figuring out the connection?” An incredulous laugh escaped me.

“Clearly, we’re terrible boyfriends,” he said with a wink.

“Which I still haven’t clarified with my dad, ugh.”

---