Page 79 of The Husband Game

He felt nothing but panic, terrified something had gone horribly wrong. Was there a robbery?

Oh God, what if Charlie was hurt?

Dustin took off, socks sliding on the tile floor as he rounded the corner, heading toward the back of the house where the noises had come from.

A familiar laugh stopped him in his tracks. “Ha! I totally smoked you this time, Charlie.”

Dustin closed his eyes, leaning against the wall as he got his breathing under control, forcing the panic to fade into the distance.

He was going to fucking kill his alternate.

When Dustin was calmer, he walked toward the gaming room, shaking his head as he spotted a whole gaggle of his teammates hanging out.

Matty, Nico, Felix, and Colton were all there, staring at his big-screen TV with identical open-mouthed expressions.

“Hey! Are you bothering my husband?” Dustin called out.

Matty cackled again and paused the game. “No. We’re entertaining him.”

“Did Charlie want to be entertained?” Dustin asked, a little dubious.

“Oh yes, this is fun. They taught me how to play Halo.” Charlie set his controller aside and rose to his feet, smiling at Dustin.

Nico snorted. “No. You totally hustled us, you little shit. When we texted to see if we could come over and use the Xbox because Matty’s was acting up, you said you would only do it if we taught you how to play. How were we supposed to know you were secretly a ringer?”

“I swear, I’ve played twice in my whole life,” Charlie said with a laugh. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“He fleeced us,” Nico said with a shake of his head. “Total asshole move.”

Charlie’s grin widened as he walked over to Dustin. “I did clean up pretty well. Next time we go out for dinner, it’s on me.”

Dustin laughed, wrapping an arm around Charlie’s waist, pressing a kiss to his temple. “Sounds good to me, kitten.”

“Wouldn’t have happened if he didn’t have a husband who stayed out late and neglected him,” Nico teased.

Dustin glanced at his watch. “It’s only seven p.m. and I don’t know what you’re talking about. I do not neglect Charlie,” Dustin protested as he glanced over at him. “Right?”

Charlie didn’t answer with words. He just laughed and looped an arm around the back of Dustin’s neck, pulling him down for a heated kiss, pressing their bodies lightly together.

With that small bit of encouragement, Dustin hauled him closer, groaning against his mouth.

Charlie used the opportunity to slip him a little tongue and Dustin shuddered all the way down to his toes.

He was trying so hard to be good but he was only human and well, he had his arms full of the man he was wildly attracted to.

Plus, Charlie had initiated the whole thing, so Dustin reached down to cup Charlie’s ass as he deepened the kiss, head spinning with the feel of him wild and alive in his arms.

Sure, this kiss was for show. Charlie didn’t really want him. But fake or not, Dustin would drink in every second of it he could get. Charlie’s scent, his taste, the little noise he let out when Dustin nibbled at his lower lip … it was intoxicating.

But all too soon, Charlie ended the kiss, slipping away before Dustin could stop him.

“Trust me, boys,” Charlie purred as he stepped back, smiling at Dustin’s teammates. “My man takes very good care of me.”

“Aaand that’s definitely our cue to leave,” Colton said with a laugh as he tossed his controller aside.

“Seriously.” Matty made a face at them. “Way too much PDA, man.”

Dustin bit back an automatic chirp of, “you’re jealous,” since in Matty’s case, it was probably true. He hadn’t dated anyone in a long time and while he hooked up occasionally, he wasn’t a man-slut like Nico.

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