Page 71 of 10 Ways to Accidentally Fall in Love

“What?” I ask, mildly alarmed.

“It’s just… I’m not used to hearing you say stuff like that on purpose,” he says. His lips twist as he asks, “Is it the shorts?”

“I mean…they don’t hurt,” I admit, gaze traveling over Joey’s quads and then up to his exposed stomach before reaching his eyes. “But no, Joey. It’s not just the shorts. I’m pretty sure it’s a you thing.”

He blows out a breath, dropping his head back for just a second before he seems to shake himself off. “Okay. How about a cease-fire on the flirting and the eye-fucking until we’re done with our workout. Otherwise, you’re not going to be the only one with a gym shorts problem.”

I grin, eyes pinging back down to Joey’s crotch. “That so?”

He points at the leg press machine next to him. “Get to work, Bradley. Only good boys get cuddles.”

“Dude,” I say, not sure whether I should be appalled or awed. “You’re holding cuddles ransom?”

Joey snorts, adjusting his feet and starting his reps again. “Not ransom. Just think of it as…motivation.”

“Well, I’m motivated,” I mutter, taking a seat next to him and hitching the bottom of my shorts up, trying to show as much skin as Joey. He grunts. “So. Motivated.”

Joey’s gaze flickers with amusement and something far more heated as I begin my own leg presses. Turns out exercising while horny kind of sucks.

It’s a relief when we finally wrap up our workout. I’m sweaty, tired yet wired, andreallylooking forward to going back to Joey’s place.

“Want me to grab us lunch on my way over?” I ask, holding the door into the locker room open for Joey to walk through. “I can pick up sammies or something.”

“Sure,” he says. “Thanks, bub.”

“Don’t mention it. It’s the least I can do in exchange for you teaching me the ways of the…hammerer. The screwer?Christ, maybe my first lesson should be woodworking terminology.”

Joey snorts a laugh. I’m about to add a joke about him teaching me how towork woodin more ways than one, if he knows what I mean, when my words dry right the hell up. Because Joey unceremoniously tugs off his crop top. Clad in only the skimpiest shorts known to man, he grabs his toiletry bag, a towel, and heads toward the showers.

“Meet you after?” he asks, a coy lilt to his words.

“Um,” I manage.

Joey smirks. Without even closing the curtain, he hangs up his towel, sets his bag on the ledge of the shower, and drags his shorts down to his feet.

I choke, Joey’s ass framed by that jock directly in my line of sight. He turns just enough for me to see the outline of his clothed cock,winks, and then closes the curtain.

I think, quite possibly, I’m really going to enjoy my foray into hardwood.

Chapter 18

Joey

I beat Brad back to my house, which isn’t a surprise. To say I’m excited for his arrival would be an understatement.

Despite the flirting at the gym, I’m more than happy to let Brad set the pace between us. I’m in no rush for things to progress physically.

But the fact that Brad wants to hang out, doing something as simple and mundane as house renovations with me on his weekend? That means a lot.

I change into a pair of old jean shorts while I wait for him to arrive. When my phone rings and I see that it’s my mom, I answer.

“Hey, Mom, how’s it going?”

“Hi, my boy,” she says happily, her soft voice so very familiar. “Things are good here. What are you up to?”

“I’m about to do some work on the house,” I tell her, heading down the stairs.

She hums. “What’s today’s project?”

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