Page 49 of The Dallas Dilemma

My cheeks heat with a blush as they continue to stare. Raven’s eyes narrow just before she speaks.

“Did he hurt you?”

“What?” I snap. “No.No. Nothing like that. It was honestly the best sex of my life. He…uh…made me come twice last night. And once again this morning.”

“That’s great,” Callie says, looking confused. “Did he kick you out this morning, or something?”

“No,” I say. “He wanted me to stay.”

“What’s wrong?” Twila asks. “Something obviously happened since you’re here, freaking the fuck out, instead of there, with him.”

“It’shim,” I exhale on a stuttering breath.

They just stare at me like I’m speaking another language. I know it’s my fault for being obtuse, but frustration still erupts inside me when they aren’t able to read my mind and decipher what I’m saying.

“Bodacious Buckaroo.”

“What about him?” Callie asks, her lips pulling down into a frown.

“It’s Dallas.”

“I’m so confused,” Twila grumbles.

“Oh, my God!” I shout. “Dallas. Is. Him. He. Is. Dallas. I’ve been falling for Bodacious Buckaroo!”

That last part comes out as a half-shout, half-whine, and all three of them go deathly still with matching shocked expressions. A beat later, they all start speaking at the same exact time.

“No fucking way.”

“What are the odds?”

“How is this possible?”

I squeeze my eyes closed and groan. I only open them when I feel a soft hand on my knee. Callie has taken a seat on the coffee table in front of me, her eyes filled with concern.

“Are you okay?” she asks in a soft voice.

“No,” I say on a near-hysterical laugh.

“Does he know you’re JoeyB?” she asks, and I shake my head.

“No.” This time the word comes out a bit more calmly.

“How did you figure it out?” Twila asks.

“We were sitting on his couch, having coffee and staring at our phones this morning, after…you know. And I saw a post from Buckaroo and responded, of course.”

“Of course,” Raven parrots, offering me a grin.

“Dallas’ phone chimed with an alert,and I thought he was just getting a text message or something. Then Buckaroo responded to my reply and called meJoseph.”

“What the fuck?” Raven breathes.

“Yeah,” I say, nodding at her. “He thought I was a man this whole time. Anyway, I almost responded with ‘Josette, not Joseph,’ but then I changed my mind. ThankGod.I just told him I’m not a guy or something like that, and as soon as I sent it, Dallas’ phone chimed again.”

“He has an alert set for your posts and replies?” Callie asks, her eyes widening in surprise.

“I guess. I don’t know. I started freaking out, internally, and when I asked what was up, he laid it all out for me. He said some guy who’s been trolling him for the last year wasn’t actually a guy like he thought.”