Page 54 of Flake It Til You Make It

“Hey, I could have.”

But they both knew he hadn’t. Taylor shouldn’t make him admit it, but there was a part of him, deep down and buried, that wanted to hear the truth.

That Rocco hadn’t been tempted to say it either.

“Did you, really?”

Rocco sighed and smacked Taylor in the arm. “Damn you,no. I would say we could just hook up and call it good, but I know howthatwould turn out.”

He didn’t need to say it would be only a slippery slope tomore, because Taylor already knew it was true.

Someday, you’re gonna want it more than you’re afraid.

Someday.

“Well, at least we’re on equal footing,” Taylor said.

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Rocco wondered.

Taylor didn’t know. But it didn’t makehimfeel better, either.

Chapter 9

An uneasy combination ofguilt and arousal lingered with Taylor for days.

The guilt should have been enough to stop him from thinking about Rocco’s mouth on his, his body pressed against his own, but it wasn’t.

In fact, if anything was winning out, it was the arousal.

More than once he woke up in a sweat, heart racing, cock hard, and after the second time, he gave up and wrapped his hand around it and let himself sink back into the dream. The dream was better than reality anyway. In the dream, Rocco’s mouth was on his, his tongue sweeping into his mouth, his groans the best music Taylor had ever heard. His mouth slipped lower and then lower still, curling around a nipple, then nippingat his stomach, then finally wrapping around his dick, hot and wet, and after that Taylor couldn’t think at all.

Maybe he should be ashamed, but while he’d initiated the kiss, Rocco’s participation had been just as enthusiastic.

Taylor decided he’d make another appearance at the Arts and Crafts Fair. But first, he decided to take himself for a punishing run, even though he usually only jogged on Saturday mornings. He texted Hayden and asked if he was interested in fitting in another workout, but he was busy. Taylor figured he could go by himself, but then he remembered the last time he’d swung by the Fair, he’d run into Jem and his mom.

He sent Jem a text, asking him if he was interested in a run, and got an affirmative almost immediately.

Taylor changed into his running clothes in the Town Hall bathroom and ducked out, meeting Jem at the sidewalk.

“You doin’ okay?” Jem asked as they set off, Taylor setting a pace faster than usual.

He and Jem had become friendly since Jem had moved back to Christmas Falls. At first, he’d been a little intimidated by the ex-pro football player, but he’d discovered that Jem was refreshingly down to earth, with no trace of ego, and seemed to want to be just a regular guy.

Well, Taylor was definitely just a regular guy.

“Uh, yeah,” Taylor said as they headed down the street. He didn’t really want to confess what was going on with Rocco was fucking him up, but it was.

“I ran into Steve Mills’ wifetwiceat the store,” Jem said. “One time, I could call that maybe a coincidence, but then she showed up the second time, when I ran out at nine, to grab ice cream ’cause Murph was craving it, and there she was.” He shook his head. “I think she wants to be friends—orGod, something else, which is crazy.”

“A little. The whole town knows you’re head over heels for Murphy. You just proposed to the guy, for God’s sake,” Taylor said sympathetically.

“I’m a rich celebrity—or so she thinks.” Jem made a frustrated noise. “Heath told me she tried to pin him in the little hallway to the bathrooms in Rudolph’s the other day.Heath. Who is most definitely famous for not being into women.”

“Wow. Luckily the two times I’ve run into her, I was with Rocco.” Taylor picked up speed again, breathing hard through his nose as his muscles warmed up.

Jem chuckled. “I’d love to see what Rocco Moretti would do if she put the moves on you in front of him.”

Taylor didn’t want to talk about Rocco, or how fierce he’d be if anyone threatened their (faux) relationship. Because hewouldbe fierce. He’d call her Mrs. Gucci Boots to her face and he’d make every ounce of his disdain known, all while looking stupendously, brain-meltingly hot.

---