Page 39 of The Nerds and the CEO

EMILY’S VOICE NUDGEDthe edges of Antonio’s mind, and he realized he was staring. He dragged his gaze from Justin and faced her. “I’m sorry. What?” He managed to make sense of what she’d asked. “Telling who what?”

“Him.” She nodded toward the corner Justin had disappeared around.

Antonio didn’t care who knew he was bisexual, but this was one secret he didn’t need destroying a friendship. Perhaps Emily meant something else. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I tell him everything.”

“Okay. My mistake.” She picked up her water and took the longest sip she could without managing to drain the glass.

Silence stretched between them. Andrew hiding how he felt about Justin was as much a part of him as anything he knew. Andrew figured it out years ago, but it was one of the few things the man kept to himself. Antonio was grateful for that. He was also tired of holding back.

He didn’t know Emily from a random stranger on the street, except for the glimpses of kindness and intelligence he’d seen. And her body.Whew.However, after last night’s conversation, she didn’t strike him as the kind of person who used sensitive information for personal gain. If he told her this, he’d get it off his chest, and she’d be gone in less than a month.

He measured his words before he spoke, hoping to strike a balance between vagueness and confession. “If you’d fallen for your best friend—someone you also had a business relationship with, who never showed the slightest inkling of interest in youthat way—would you risk it all by saying something?”

“Is it any easier sitting next to him day after day, while he hooks up with people who aren’t you?”

“Yes.” Easier than losing him? Without question.

She set her glass down and shifted in her seat to look at him. “How?”

“He’s still here. If I say something and lose him because of it, I won’t even have the watching.” He was saying too much, but it was easy with Emily. She studied him with curiosity and compassion instead of judgment. “It’s not a flash-in-the-pan lust thing. I want him to be happy.”

“I can tell.” She turned her head away and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, hiding her face with her hand.

He didn’t know what else to say, and without her prompting, silence settled between them again. The clink of forks and knives on porcelain combined with quiet chatter around them, to take the place of conversation. Where was Justin? Or did Antonio need him gone a moment longer, to compose himself? No. The confession, even without a resolution, made him feel a bit lighter.

“Have you thought about...” Emily looked at him again, then shook her head. “Never mind.”

“You do realize you can’t lead with that and not finish the thought?” He should let her drop the topic. Why was he pushing her?

“Nothing. Rather, that is...” She fiddled with the edge of her napkin. “Maybe a less direct approach to feel him out? Not that it’s any of my business.”

Justin would be back any minute, and this was a ridiculous conversation to have. It gave Antonio a new kind of twisted hope, and he didn’t want that. He resigned himself a long time ago to watching from afar and being content. “What do you mean? Pretend I’m dim and spell it out for me.”

She furrowed her brow and twisted her mouth. “As in sharing? To feel him out, I mean. You go to the bar together a lot, don’t you? Find a woman who’s interested in experimenting, someone neither of you is attached to, and kind of use her to see if he might be interested in more?” She ducked her head. “I’m babbling. Don’t listen to me. I can’t believe I said that to you. I—” She snapped her jaw shut. “Sorry. Can we pretend I never brought up any of that?”

Probably not. The suggestion was more enticing than he expected. Abstract images coalesced in his mind, and thewoman who’s interestedbecame Emily. Antonio pictured gliding his hands over her body. Kissing her, while Justin penetrated him from behind. The string of thoughts flowed over him, sparking his senses and stirring his cock. “I don’t think it would work.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t want to get stuck in a situation where I’m second guessing what gestures do or don’t mean.” Like Justin kissing him hard and heavy. Or Antonio fucking Emily while she wrapped her lips around Justin’s cock. Antonio swallowed a huge gulp of ice water, but it didn’t relieve the heat flooding him.

“Similar to being in love with your best friend and keeping your distance for years and never daring to ask if he feels the same, but instead analyzing every single move he makes and wondering if maybe, possibly, there could be something there?”

Damn her for vocalizing his thoughts. “A bit like that, yeah.”

“As I said, forget I brought it up.”

The discussion faded from existence again. He smiled at the waitress and thanked her when she brought their food, but otherwise, neither he nor Emily said anything. Antonio was grateful for the pause in conversation. It gave him a chance to force down his arousal.

A few minutes later, Justin returned.

“Everything all right?” Antonio asked.

Justin took his seat, looking between Antonio and Emily. “I wondered the same thing. Did I miss something?”

“Nothing.” Emily clipped off the word.

“Right.” Justin caught Antonio’s attention. “Mercy wants to know if we can deploy tomorrow morning. I told herno problem.”

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