Page 75 of The Stud

“You and Cap took his kid to see a movie last week! It even made afamily friendlyheadline!”

“We try new shit together.”

“Didn’t you and Potato try cardoon smoothies just yesterday?!”

“We walk Bear together post games-”

“You…need…the…stretching.”

“WerunBear together pre-pracky.”

“You…want…the…extra…cardio.”

“You wash my pracky gear.”

“I don’t want you to smell like cheap hot sauce and feet at work!”

“And you thinkGroffeewould wash my pracky gear?”

“I’m not even sure Groffee washes hisownpracky grear.”

“How about the fact that I learned to cook Father’s famous chicken tortilla soup.For. You.” His entire frame cranes slightly forward. “And then Ikeptlearning to cook different dishes.For. You.” An irresistibly sweet smile graces his face. “For. Us.” He slides his hands into his sweats’ pockets. “You honestly feel as though I would dothat shitfor the boys?”

Okay, no.

Maybe…not that.

“The only reasonyoubelieve we are not dating is because we’re not banging-”

“Which is the only fucking thing you actually want from me anyway!”

“Honest to Gretzky truth, babe, if it was just about sleeping with you, I would’ve buggered off by now. There are much less labor-intensive ways to get laid.”

“Then whatisit about, Tanner?” leaks free in a whine. “Why are you soniceto me?! Why do you buy me little things?! Why do you wanna hang around me so much?!”

“I like you.” His shoulder bounces in what can only be described as defeat. “I am not sure how to make that any bloody clearer.”

“I…” my skin suddenly feels uncomfortable to be in, “thought you were just…saying that…to…sleep with me or whatever.”

“I want to sleep with youyes; however, I also happen to really fucking like you.”

“Then why did you stop coming over?!”

“Why did you go out with another guy?!”

“I didn’t!”

Disbelief crinkles his brow. “What?”

“Ididn’tgo out with Layvon.” Holding his gaze hostage is effortless. “I was actually trying to tell you he asked, but I saidnowhen you went all Prince of Sleeze on me.”

For the first time since the conversation began, he’s left speechless.

“Yeah,” comes out in a cocky, snarky snip at the same time I stomp a tad closer. “That’s right, fuckface. I was gonna tell you thatourplans…our…whatever thing…was more important to me than evenconsideringeating in the samebuildingas some tiny dick fuckboy that has to do well on the ice because he damn sure doesn’t in bed.”

His mouth twitches again.

“Iwas gonna tell you that I couldn’t wait to try the apple BBQ sauce wings you kept fucking raving about on the plane because apparently Applecourt has the best goddamn apples on the planet, which is where A2 getstheirbest apples from.”

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