Page 61 of Flake It Til You Make It

Maybe Taylor didn’t agree, but how could he if Rocco didn’t convince him to change his mind?

I am,Taylor texted back almost immediately.I was thinking about you.

And that, Rocco decided, was the universe telling him he’d made the right call.

Chapter 10

Rocco was nervous.

It had been a week, exactly, since Taylor had gazed at him like he held all the secrets of the universe, kissed him, and then confessed,again, that he didn’t want a (real) boyfriend.

But this time, after a week of space and the universe giving him the nudge he needed, Rocco knew that Taylor was wrongandthat he was going to prove it to him.

He walked in the door at Frosty’s and immediately spotted Taylor, holding down the fort at one of the few booths.

“Hey,” Taylor said, rising and Rocco had to swallow all his worries, becausedamn, after a week of onlythinkingabout Taylor and not having a front row seat to all his deliciousness,Rocco had forgotten how bright and hot the attraction flared between them.

It was flaring now, wild and undeniable, and Rocco swore Taylor felt it too as they hugged.

Rocco had intended to keep the hug short and sweet, but Taylor lingered, his hands tucking under Rocco’s jacket and pressing warm and firm into his sweater.

Rocco swore he could feel every bit of that touch even through two layers of fabric.

How would it have felt if he hadn’t been wearing a stitch?

Ugh. Focus. Goat goddamn cheese.

Finally, he let go, but didn’t drift away or sit back down. “I’ve been having to fight half the bar off. Everyone wants this booth, but I wasn’t going to let anyone else take it.”

Rocco smiled, pleased. “Yeah?”

Maybe he’d forgotten the visceral impact of Taylor, but he hadn’t forgotten how kind and thoughtful he could be. How much he’d tried to do the right thing by his (fake) boyfriend, at least all the way up til he’d given Rocco a very real kiss.

And really, if he hadn’t immediately regretted it, then everything would have been different. They’d have been inseparable, in bed and out, this last week.

That could still happen, Rocco promised himself.

“Maybe after a week off, I want to get as close to you as possible,” Taylor said, his voice low and a little rough aroundthe edges. Like he didn’t want anyone else to hear it. Like it was a confession.

Rocco took a deep breath. He’d been the one to tell Taylor it was still on. He was the one who’d invited Taylor tonight.

It was just hard when it looked and sounded andfeltlike Taylor really meant it.

And maybe he does.

Well, they were going to find out.

“I’m not gonna complain about that,” Rocco said softly, gazing up at him.

Taylor looked like he wanted to hug him again.

Or maybe more.

“Uh, okay, yeah,” Taylor stammered. “Let’s . . .uh . . .you want a drink? Do you want to see the song list?”

“Here I thought we were just coming out to remind everyone of our epic love, have a few drinks, and listen to the town humiliate themselves by singing Christmas songs badly?” Rocco teased.

“I . . .we can do that,” Taylor said with a grin. “We candefinitelydo that. What do you want? An espresso martini?”

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