Page 36 of Puck My Stepbrother
“I told you before, it’s because you’re cute. Irresistible, actually. Do I really need more reason than that?”
He paused again, lips staying still this time, like maybe he really didn’t intend to answer. He turned from me and I sidledup behind him, curling an arm around him. He stirred a little, but didn’t fuss much.
Look, you might think I’d pushed my luck with him at this point, but you need to understand some things about the guy. He was Quinn Standish, who’d always tried to resist me, but had never really been able to do it.
That meant I needed to remain persistent. Quinn hadn’t changed all that much from the kid I’d known in school. He’d tried and failed to block my every move. I only needed to weather his attempts at resistance, because he’d cave sooner than later.
“What we did doesn’t have to be a one-time thing, you know,” I said. “I told you my bedroom is open to you any time you want to stop by. You know, especially if you’re feeling frisky and are in need of service. That’s what I was getting at.”
“No shit.”
Again, an attempt to fight back and claim control over the narrative, but I wouldn’t allow it. I’d won every battle in school (if you want to call them that), and I’d keep winning now that we lived under the same roof.
I leaned in and planted kisses on his neck, but his knees didn’t give way this time. I definitely didn’t have to hold him up because my kisses had stolen his ability to support his own weight. Okay, I can admit that he’d put up a stronger front than usual. And when he wiggled and pushed, I released him, rather than forcing him to fight his way out.
“Give it up, Levi,” he said. “It’s not happening. Like I told you, I don’t want to sleep with you again. In fact, I don’t want anything to do with you. I’m in love with Jeff.”
Okay, timeout. Love? Jeff? I’ll admit he really caught me off guard with that one. Judging by his stunned expression, he’d surprised himself, too. Maybe he really felt that way, but had only realized it when the words flew out of his mouth.
“Wait a second,” I said. “Youlovethat little dork?”
“Yes, Idolove that little dork.”
He paused, seeming to realize the wrong word had spilled out of his mouth—and that he couldn’t take it back.
“You know what I mean,” he said. “And he’s the greatest guy ever. Do you know why?”
“I figure you’re going to tell me one way or another, so go ahead.”
“Because he’s everything you’re not. He’s smart, he’s cultured, he’s funny, he’s?—”
“A dork.”
“I didn’t call him a dork.Youdid. And I really don’t give a shitwhatyou call him. He’s still the kind of guy I’m looking for, not some meathead hockey player.”
I cupped a hand over my mouth to suppress laughter. That was even funnier than his line about how sex with me made him want to barf. Sure, he’d given me a harder fight than usual, but he still couldn’t deter me, and I saw no reason to back down.
“So I’m a meathead now, huh?”
“Yes, you are.”
“Gee, I think I’m gonna cry. You know, I might’ve preferred you calling me an asshole.”
“And see, that’s the thing about guys like you. Everything is one big joke.”
“Everything isn’tonebig joke. Everything is a collection of eight hundred and forty-seven thousand little jokes.”
Quinn furrowed his brow as if to say,there you go again.But that wouldn’t stop me. I knew Quinn Standish possibly better than he knew himself, so I understood exactly how to proceed.
“You might think Jeff is a dork, a joke, not in your league, or whatever, but what are you going to say when the two of us get married?”
“Beats the hell out of me.”
“See? You’d be lost for words.”
“No, I don’t know what I’d say because that’s never happening.”
Quinn cringed like my comment disgusted him.
