Page 18 of Filthy and the Beast

Nico finishes for him, “Don’t calcify.”

“Then why am I suddenly attracted to a middle-aged man with an attitude problem?” I argue. “Why do I suddenly think Enzo’s hairy chest and beefy thighs are so, so hot that I can’t stand it? If I’m not overdosing on horny, then why do I have to lock myself in my bedroom and jerk off whenever I smell him, huh?”

Nico hums, tapping his fingers on the table. “He must be a decent dinner conversationalist.”

Shadow laughs. “That was your takeaway?”

Smiling, Nico gestures to me. “Your emotional connection. You’re never interested in a relationship, but you do require a certain level of trust and emotional connection in order to get sexual.”

“Right.” Shadow nods. “Like you walked out on that guy who said he doesn’t like superhero movies starring women.”

“Ugh.” I stick my tongue out, grossed out. “He had a whole monologue about it. I left him before he could get his elf costume on.”

Shadow and Owen blink in unison, probably caught up on the elf costume detail.

“The point is,” Nico continues, since the finer details of my fantasy sex phase are old news to my best friend, “if you’re attracted to Enzo, you must be getting closer to each other.”

“I didn’t say that I’m like,attractedto him,” I protest. “But yes. Since the dinner, we’ve been chatting a bit more. He lets me help him out, and we’ve spent a little time with the dogs together. But if there’s anything hot about it, it’s just that we’re living together even though we’re strangers. Like he needs me and I kind of need him. It’s sexy because it’s such a bad idea, totally contrary to my intentions right now, which strangely makes it tempting. And because he’s hot, sure. Also that.”

I suck in a deep breath.

“What are we talking about?” I ask.

Nico raises a finger. “I think we’ve landed on you processing whether or not you’re attracted to Enzo.”

“No way,” Shadow counters. “He obviously wants to have sex with Enzo. He said it like five different ways.”

“Yeah, but he’s still making sense of that information,” Owen adds. He quickly turns to me. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to speak like you aren’t here.You’restill processing that you want to have sex with Enzo.”

Suddenly, it’s like a dam breaks open above me. I’m emotionally stunned, but tingly and warm.

I lay my head flat on the table. Shit. I have fantasized about fucking Enzo a lot.

Sucking his cock, rubbing noses, licking his rim...

Okay. Processing, processing, and… caught up.

“More than boxing,thisis the distraction. I’m probably sexually fixating on Enzo because it helps me avoid my other problems.” I lift my head back up. “Doesn’t matter. I’m generally against boss-employee trysts, as you know, as well as experiments with straight men, so it’s not happening. The paycheck will give me the first month and security deposit for a studio apartment plus some, and I’ll go back to Reggie’s gym until I figure out another job, and that will be that.”

“You’re doing great,” Shadow encourages me. “Don’t let a bad date and a little sexual tension throw you off your game.”

“And even if Enzo does feel like a distraction from your goals,” Owen adds helpfully, “once you’re done with the job, you’ll never have to see him again.”

My heart stops. I already knew that, but I haven’t put such a fine point on it.

Maybe I’ll see him at the gym, but what if he stops talking to me? I hate that idea.

“Thanks for the encouragement,” I tell my friends. “And you’re right. We’ll be on to the next chapter in no time.”

Although, noticeably, the moment the conversation moves on, I catch myself thinking about kissing Enzo again.

CHAPTERNINE

ENZO

The corridor echoes with a steady,persistent thud as Damian sings out and pounds the door. “Enzo! Can you hear me in there? Stretchy time!”

Sighing, I rise from my bed. I still have to go slow, but the throbbing pain at my spine is fading, and my muscles haven’t locked in days. If I’m careful and do this right, I can be fully recovered soon.

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