Telos turned slightly, shooting Mav a hooded glance. “You’ll find that I can take alot.”
Mav tried not to imagine that. They were going to be stuck in the car together forhours.Telos changed the radio station and began singing along to the first song.
“Sweet honeybee, oh can’t you see
You’re the only one for me”
Telos had a good singing voice. Deep, rich, and smooth, like top-shelf whiskey that had been aged close to perfection.
“You’re not terrible, I guess,” Mav said.
Telos pressed a hand to his chest and pretended to swoon.
Mav watched the rocky landscape pass them by, dark green trees dotting the horizon. Contrary to what he’d told their team, being alone with Telos wasn’t quite as frustrating as he’d anticipated. He slowly relaxed into his seat.
Telos sang along to five more songs. Then he glanced at Mav. “So. What do you think about when you jerk off? Antique furniture?”
“What.” Seriously,What?
“Don’t tell me you drool over poisonous mushrooms,” Telos said. “The ones that smell like rotting flesh. Or do you jerk off to knobby feet with long painted toenails?” He paused. “I’m not judging.”
“I don’t have a foot fetish,” Mav spluttered.
“I know! Maybe you jerk off to distressed damsels waiting for your rescue.” Telos snickered. He raised the pitch of his voice. “Oh, Mav, please rescue me! I’m swooning without your huge meat pole to hold me up! Do you like my squishy boobs?”
“Whywould I discuss any of that with you?” Mav growled.
“Because I can’t help but think you’re into the most basic of things. Like, you’d beat your meat to the fantasy of a candlelit dinner. With a nice omega who is totally your type.”
Mav frowned. “No.”
Telos raised a skeptical eyebrow. “You fantasize about going on pony rides into the sunset.”
“No.”
“You jerk off while imagining yourself in a bridezilla reality TV show.”
“No.” Telos was so damn far from the truth, he might as well be on another planet. And now Mav’s face was burning. To turn the focus off himself, he retorted, “What doyoujerk off to?”
Telos shut his mouth so hard, his teeth clacked together.
Mav’s eyebrows shot up. “Yeah? You have something you’re embarrassed about?”
“None of your business,” Telos said tightly.
Mav had seen Telos be many things, but he’d never seen Telos be this cagey. Because he’d promised Telos payback, he said, “Maybe I should make it my business to figure it out.”
Telos tightened his hands on the steering wheel, staring at the road ahead. His pulse sped up.
This had to be the most unsettled Mav had ever seen him. Even more than the news about the surprise baby last night. Mav folded his arms across his chest, angling his whole body toward Telos. “You’re not into illegal crap, are you?”
“Of course not.” Telos rolled his eyes. At least that part seemed truthful enough.
“You think someone’s going to laugh at your kinks?”
Telos shrugged.
“If you don’t judge others for their kinks, why would you be afraid of someone judging yours?”