“But?”
Snorting, I shake my head. “You’re going to have to come clean, buster. Aubrey doesn’t hide that he reads like lightning, nor does Rennie hide that he’s musical anymore. Fitzy is proudly, if not clumsily, learning every damn thing he can now that he knows how to wrangle his brain. I don’t know what Felix has under the hood that he isn’t revealing, butyouare next to admit what you kept back.”
Chess tilts his head at me with a knowing look. “And what are you hiding?”
“I told you. I’m hiding that I spent a year ‘faking it ‘till I made it’ as best I could, and I still have intrusive thoughts. It’s worse when I have to see that fucking bitch, but I’m getting better at not letting the bad things get their claws in.” I pause for a moment and then add, “Oh, and I think Cori and Zhenga are totally a thing and they won’t admit it. But that’s speculation and instinct.”
“Oh, totally. I think that, too.” I beam as he leans in. “They might have a thing for that alicorn lady, too. I saw them exchangenumbers when you were conked out. I don’t know if anyone else noticed because they were freaking the fuck out. But I saw it.” My cheetah looks proud of himself, and it makes me grin wider.
“Chester Khan, you gossipy old biddy!”
His laugh rumbles in his chest, and I sigh happily. Seeing him lighter makes me feel good—especially since I was so damn worried about all of them after the attack. “Hey, I’ve been reading that stuff you’ve got Fitzy and Ren hooked on, too. I know you appreciate a good gossip sesh.”
“That’s with Ru-Ru and Coco, Chessie, not myboyfriend.”
His brow arches. “Not true. You’ve been using Fitz to fix up your friends since Cappie.Hegets to be in on the fun. Why not me?”
I giggle when he bats his lashes at me and pouts, my heart full of love for this adorable man. “Okay, fine. But you asked for it; Fitz is absolutely shameless with girl talk. He almost gives Rufus a run for his money.”
“I like a challenge. Fire away.” The cheetah looks determined, and it makes him even cuter.
How am I supposed to focus now?
“Um, well… Rufus and the triplets are into sexual LARP’ing, as he calls it.” I wrinkle my nose and whisper, “I’m notexactlysure what that means, but it sounded like role play for sexy times withcostumes.”
Chess is laughing hysterically before I can go on, and I look at him with a stern expression. Once he stops gasping for breath, he shakes his head. “Angel, that does not surprise me in theslightest. I think you’re spot on with the definition, though.”
I squint at him curiously, tilting my head. “You don’t seem… appalled, either.”
His face turns beet red, and he coughs again, clearing his throat. “I can’t say I’dobjectto some fun little role plays. I doubt we’d be asinvolvedas I imagine that dramatic fuck is, but I’m pretty sure Fitzy would be down, too.”
My eyes narrow, zeroing in on his face as I ask, “What is it? Tell me. I know you have something—a boyhood thing, maybe, or… I don’t know. Some porn thing you guys watched as teens? That’s where Rufus says people get ideas for his little kink. He said men always have some ‘fantasy’ they’ve kept buried because you have to really trust someone to say you want them to dress as like… Superman or whatever.”
“Um….” Chess squirms a bit, and I use my ass to hold him firmly in place. “Damn it, Angel, your friend is right, but…”
“Tell. Me.”
“It’s too silly.”
“Tell me or I’ll use my feminine wiles to get itandwhatever the others are hiding out of you, Chester Khan. Then you’ll be in big trouble, I bet.” My grin is wicked and his jaw drops.
“Angel, that’s diabolical!”
Bobbing my brows, I shrug. “Fitz has taught me well, mmm?”
“That isn’t Fitz. This shit isallFelix,” he mutters. “The future Raj knowsexactlyhow to get what he wants in every situation. You’re taking cues from him.”
“Po-tay-to, Po-tah-to,” I reply, as I wiggle a bit. “They’re both going to get you French fried by a dragon if you don’t give it up.”
“Evil woman,” he gasps, and I feel his dick rise to the occasion. “Fine; I’ll spill mine. Butonlymine, got it? You have to bribe or torture your answers from the others on your own.”
“Deal.”
What he whispers to me isn’t surprising at all, and now I know what I want to make happen when I make him mine—his deepest fantasy that he didn’t even want to admit.
Baby, I Love Your Way
Chess