Page 16 of 10 Ways to Accidentally Fall in Love

He looks shaken, and I wish I could give the poor dude a hug. Probably not the best idea right now, though.

“So you’re just friends?” he asks.

“Just,” I confirm. “Like, super-close friends, but I swear our dicks have never touched. Well, there was that one time, but we were both clothed, and it was an accident. Honest.”

He shakes his head a little, and my breath puffs out of me. “So tonight…” he says. “This wasn’t a date to you?”

Oh, God.

“No,” I say, even as I hate it. “I didn’t mean to lead you on, Joey. I’msosorry.”

He huffs an almost pained laugh. “You didn’t, though. That’s the thing. I don’t think I ever called it a date. I just…”

He groans, turning around, both hands on his head.

Fuck, it hurts.

“If I were into guys, you’d be my first choice,” I tell him honestly.

He groans again.

“Not helping?” I ask.

He shakes his head.

I lean back against my door, my head thunking onto the wood. “Fuuuck. I’m sorry. This effing sucks. I was really into you, you know? In a nonsexual way,” I rush to clarify. “Like, as friends. Gym-bros. And now I fucked it all up, didn’t I? Was it the winking? I thought that was a thing. Jason said it’s not a thing.Fuck.”

Joey doesn’t seem to know what to do with any of that, but at least he’s facing me again, watching me in that steady way of his. My chest squeezes tight.

“I never meant to hurt you,” I tell him seriously. “I’d take it back if I could.”

“I wouldn’t,” he says, making my pulse jump. “I’ll still be your friend, Brad.”

I jolt upright. “You will?”

“Yeah,” he says, even as he shakes his head again. “You’re a nice guy. And… I could use a friend here. If it wouldn’t weird you out.”

“Why would it?” I ask, genuinely confused.

“Because I’m a gay man? And clearly attracted to you?”

Oh.

Kinda flattering, actually. But what about Joey?

“Would it weirdyouout?” I ask.

“No,” he says, and that’s it.

“Well, I mean… I don’t care that you’re gay, dude. Jason’s queer. Pansexual, specifically. And demi. He liked this one guy back in high school? And this girl in college, but nothing happened with either. And then he met Cas, who’s a dude, and that was it, you know? He’s all about the D now. Although I think he likes Cas’s ass, too, considering the things I’ve heard through the wall. You would notbelieve—”

“Brad,” Joey says, huffing a laugh. And,fuck, there’s his smile. “I get it. It doesn’t bother you that I’m gay.”

“Not at all. So…friends?”

Joey blows out a tiny breath. “Friends.”

“Hug on it?” I offer before reconsidering. “Or…shit. Shake on it? Foot five?”

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