Page 32 of Flake It Til You Make It

Rocco shot Rebecca a reproachful glance that told her they’d be talking about this later, becausesurelythis was why she’d been so insistent he attend—she’d knownTaylor would be here.

“Rocco,” she said delightedly. “I’m so glad you came.”

“Rebecca,” he acknowledged, and then because it felt like the whole room was staring at the pair of them and how they’d greet each other, he turned to Taylor. “Hi, Taylor,” he said, keeping his tone as neutral as he could. “Good to see you again.”

Taylor cleared his throat, and then the idiot pulled him into a tight hug. Not even giving Rocco a chance togoat cheeseout of it, even if he’d wanted to.

And that was the real reason his ego was smarting, wasn’t it? Because he didn’t want togoat cheeseout of anything, not when it came to Taylor.

Tonight, he was wearing a T-shirt and another pair of jeans that hugged his long legs, cupping an ass that was completely, unfairlyperfect.

Rocco was feeling a little punchy, so he let his hands drift lower as Taylor finally released him, giving that ass a little squeeze.

If Taylor looked surprised before, he looked shocked now. Well, Rocco hadn’t exactly missed Taylor touching him all over during their wine tasting date, so as far as he was concerned, that squeeze had only been fair play.

“Imagine seeing you here,” Rocco said dryly.

Taylor was still staring at him. Like he’d never seen his face before. God, he’d barely looked in the mirror before running out the door. Did he have a smear of pizza sauce on his face, from the frozen pie he’d thrown into the oven and eaten standing up by his miniscule kitchen counter?

“You okay?” Rocco said.

“Just . . .” Taylor cleared his throat. “Uh, glad to see you, honestly.”

“Huh. And here I thought you might’ve forgotten all about me,” Rocco muttered under his breath after he turned towards where Marlene was calling for everyone’s attention.

“Never,” Taylor said in a loud and clear voice that probably nobody missed, even anyone randomly passing by Santa’s Workshop on the sidewalk.

Rocco did not roll his eyes. He was a grownup, wasn’t he?

A mature adult who did not throw hissy fits like a child, beating their fists against the nearest convenient surface when they didn’t get their way.

He watched as Marlene and Griff demonstrated how to fill the clear plastic globe with fake snow, and then miniature trees and buildings, finishing it off with glitter glue on the outside. There were also paint pens scattered on the tables, if they wanted to include a special message.

“Maybe I should paint my number on it,” Rocco muttered under his breath.

“Are you okay?” Rebecca asked, looking concerned.

“Oh, just fine,” Rocco said, just as Taylor also added, “He’s just fine.”

There was nothing worse than being told how you felt by a person who could not remotely have any idea.

Rocco decided this fake dating thing was actuallyworsethan real dating. It had all the same potholes you could fall into, twisting your ankle or breaking your heart, without any of the associated benefits.

It was bad enough that he’d been thinking for the last two days what Taylor kissing him on his doorstep would’ve been like. It was terrible, heaped on top of complete shit, that apparently Taylor hadn’t been thinking of itat all.

“Oh good,” Rebecca said. “Hey, I’m gonna go ask Marlene something.”

She left, even grabbing her purse, which probably meant she was permanently relocating.

Rocco huffed under his breath. They were going to have to discuss how transparent her efforts were. He picked up an emptyplastic globe and began to carefully trickle in the fake snow, twisting and turning the sphere to make sure it was arranged in pleasant-looking piles.

When he glanced up from his work, he realized Taylor had not started his ornament and he was just standing there, staring at Rocco.

“Seriously?” Rocco asked. “Do I have tomato sauce on my face or something?”

“Do youthinkyou have tomato sauce on your face?” Taylor countered.

“Yes. No. I don’t know.” Rocco set his partially filled ornament down. “You keep looking at me like I might.”

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