Page 25 of New Neighbor

No. I want you to throw yourself at me. “Isn’t that what all guys want?”

“Someguys,” Mac answered, lifting one brow slightly.

“I just want to be the kind of guy who women want,” Benji answered. “Is that so wrong?”

“Hooking up with women in a club isn’t where you find most lasting relationships. Trust me. One day, the right person will come along and they’ll see you for who you really are.”

“No. They won’t.”

“You’re smart. Funny.Gorgeous,” Mac said, his voice low. “You can’t see all that?”

Gorgeous?Benji met Mac’s stare, not sure what to say. His mouth opened to speak, but no words would come out. His mind was locked, stupefied. Finally, his tongue came out and wet his dry lips. “What?”

“Do you have a problem with me calling you that? Gorgeous?” Mac murmured quietly. He lifted his stare, pinning Benji with his fierce, golden gaze. “I’ve spent the last couple of weeks trying to figure you out, and I’m at a loss.”

“Trying to figure out what?”

“One minute I sense you might be interested… but then the next, I’m not so sure. You pull away when I lean in.” Mac leaned back a little, staring at him. “So, I figured I’d just put everything out there and see how you responded.”

“Interested… in you?” Ben asked, probably a little too loudly. A few heads around them turned in his direction, and he felt his face darken.

“Yeah. I suppose I was wrong,” Mac said before grabbing his towel and walking away.

“Wait,” Ben said, reaching out to grab Mac’s arm.

Mac turned, eyeing him.

The heat in Mac’s stare should’ve ignited him. He couldn’t breathe for a moment… and it grew even harder when Mac’s hand wrapped around his wrist. It looked as if Mac wanted to kiss him then and there.

Oh god… please…

The clanking of weights around him had his head turning. Mac looked about the gym before looking back to Ben and releasing his arm.

“What is it?”

Benji tried to say something, but his mouth wouldn’t work.

Before he could scream that Mac wasn’t wrong, a guy wearing a gym logo’d shirt approached. He nodded at Benji before clasping a hand on Mac’s shoulder.

“You about done with this client, Mac? I’ve got someone looking for a new trainer. I think you’d be a good one for him.”

Mac was silent a moment, staring at Benji—as if he waited for something—before turning to the guy. “Yeah… we’re done here.”

Mac turned and headed in the opposite direction with his co-worker as Benji inwardly screamed,you’re not wrong!

He headed back to the equipment, biding his time. He continued his workout, watching as Mac worked with the client. He felt Mac’s stare on him from time to time.

Benji met it a few times, wanting to say all he could with his eyes.

You’re not wrong!

He moved on to another machine and somehow lost track of where Mac was. He waited a while longer… but it was like the guy disappeared.

Benji waited a little longer…

But when it seemed apparent Mac had ditched him, he left. Wondering how things got so twisted. After he got back home, he knocked on Mac’s door. No one answered.

He headed back to his apartment, feeling like he’d ruined everything.

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