Page 35 of Hey, Stepbro

He wrinkles his nose. "Nah, not really. But it's okay. As long as no one wants me, I'm enjoying the single life and all it has to offer."

"You'll find someone soon. But is there anything in particular I could help with?"

"Well," he starts slowly, "I tend to jump into things too quickly and end up getting hurt when the other person isn't as invested in the relationship as I am." He pauses and looks away, a hint of embarrassment in his expression. "It's happened more than once."

"That's understandable," I say sympathetically. "But you don't have to rush into anything. Take your time and make sure you're both on the same page before getting involved."

"You're right," Waxley says. He takes a deep breath and continues, telling me about his past relationships: how he’d been eager to commit but the other person hadn't been ready; how he’d felt like he was always putting in more effort than they were; how he’d trusted them too easily without fully knowing them first; and how it had all ended in heartbreak for him each time.

"That sounds tough," I say with sympathy when Waxley finishes talking.

He nods solemnly and takes another sip of his coffee before setting it down again. "Yeah, it hasn't been great."

"There was this one guy," Waxley continues, "Patrick. He was great, and I was really excited to finally meet someone who seemed interested in me. We talked for hours, but he never made any concrete plans with me. He kept making excuses and eventually it fizzled out."

He sighs and looks away again, sadness written clearly on his face. "It's been like that with every guy I date. They're all so nice at first, but then they disappear without warning."

I reach over and give Waxley's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "That must be really hard."

He gives a small smile of thanks before continuing. "It's like I'm always putting my heart out there only to have it rejected or ignored. It’s so disheartening."

"That sounds reallyfucking difficult."

"But that doesn't mean I'm giving up," he says firmly. "I'm going to take things slow this time around, make sure I know the person before making any commitments. And not go all hopeless romantic before they express genuine interest."

I'm proud of the strength and resilience Waxley's showing despite all the heartache he has endured in his life.

"That's a great plan." I give his arm another reassuring squeeze. "I'm sure you'll find someone who's as invested in the relationship as you are."

"I hope so. If not, I’ll die alone."

"There’s the drama queen I know and love."

"I’m not a drama queen. I’m the queen of drama."

We sit in companionable silence for a few moments before Waxley finally speaks again. "Thanks for listening to me," he says, looking at me with an expression of gratitude.

"No problem," I reply with a smile. "I'm here if you ever need to talk again."

"One thing would cheer me up."

"Uh oh."

"I'd love to hear about Brock... in bed."

I crack out a laugh. "You mean in the bathroom stall?"

"Yep."

"What exactly do you want to know?"

"How big is he?" Waxley waggles his eyebrows. "Give me all the deets, sister."

"Okay, Brock is a monster. Like, he's eight inches, and he's cut like me."

"I'm drooling."

"His muscles ripple when he moves, and his abs are like steel. He knows how to use every inch of himself, too. When he kisses me my whole body tingles."

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