Chapter 22 #3
I’ve never been one of those people who can separate sex from emotion, but at this point, it doesn’t really matter. I’ve been infatuated with Ant for years, so I’m once again jumping into this with feelings when he’s just looking for some fun.
As long as I can remember that, I should be fine.
“Does your family know?” I ask, pushing those thoughts out of my head. “About you being into guys?”
He rests his hand on my ankle and gives it a gentle squeeze. “I told them when I was fourteen.”
“Were they okay with it?” I ask tentatively.
He nods. “They’ve always been really open about that kind of thing.
My mom always used to add ‘or a boyfriend’ when she’d talk about me dating and having a girlfriend, so I knew she didn’t have any expectations about my sexuality long before I told her.
And my dad came out to me when I told him, so he obviously didn’t have any issues with it, either. ”
“I’m sorry, what?” I gape at him like a moron.
He laughs. “You should see your face right now.”
“Sorry,” I huff out an embarrassed laugh and shake off my shock. “That was just the last thing I expected you to say.” I pause. “So your dad is…”
“He’s bi,” he says. “He’s not really out anymore, but that’s mostly because my parents have been together for almost thirty years, so even the people who know don’t really think about it anymore.”
“And he was out before they got married?”
He nods.
“Sorry if I’m asking too many questions,” I say hastily. “It’s just crazy to think about our parents being young and having the same problems as us.”
“Strike three.”
“What?”
“I’m pretty sure that was actually strike six, I just didn’t call out the others because we were talking about something heavy and I didn’t want to sideline your train of thought.
” He grins wickedly. “And since I’ve been so magnanimous lately, I’m going to count all six. So that’s strike three, twice.”
“That’s not…”
“Not what?” He slips his hand under the cuff of my sweats and gently skims his palm over my calf.
“There was no rule about counting things you don’t call out.”
“That’s the fun thing about my games.” He drags his blunt nails over my skin, leaving trails of fire in their wake. “I make the rules.”
“So what happens now that I’ve gotten to strike three?” I ask, my mouth as arid as the desert.
“Do you remember our agreement the first time I went to your room?”
“I remember.”
“Same thing, only I get to claim it whenever I want.”
“Whenever you want?”
He nods, and his heated look is enough to make my dick stir again. “Do we have a deal?”
I nod, not trusting my voice.
His phone vibrates on the coffee table, breaking the spell that’s fallen over us, and he glances at it as the screen lights up with a notification. “I need to check this,” he says and reaches for it.
I sit back against the arm of the couch and try to get my dick to calm the fuck down. I’ve already come twice in the past few hours; there’s no reason to be on such a hair trigger right now.
“Is everything okay?” I ask as he tosses his phone back on the table with a heavy-sounding sigh.
“Yes, but no.” He gives my ankle a reassuring squeeze.
I want to ask what’s going on, but I know better than to stick my nose into business that has nothing to do with me.
And I’m pretty sure nagging my situationship about who’s texting him five minutes after we agreed to be fuck buddies is a good way to end things before they’ve even had a chance to start.
“I really hate to do this, but I need to go deal with that.” He hooks his thumb at his phone.
“Yeah, of course.” I give him what I hope is a chill smile, but it probably looks more like I’m grimacing. “I should head out anyway. I’m pretty tired.”
He offers a little smirk as we untangle our legs and swing them over the side of the couch. “Tired? Hmmmm, I wonder if that has anything to do with the two mind-melting orgasms I gave you?” he teases.
My cheeks heat with another stupid blush, but I just tuck my phone into my hoodie pocket and try to ignore it. “Mind-melting? Someone has a high opinion of himself.”
“Are you saying they weren’t?” he asks as he walks me to his door.
“I’m not saying that.” I toss him an innocent look. “I’m just saying that someone has a high opinion of himself.”
“Cheeky.” He gives my ass a little squeeze, then a slap that’s hard enough that the crack of his hand against me echoes in the room.
“Ow,” I say, more out of surprise than because it hurt, and jump away from him. “Someone’s handsy.”
He grabs my shoulder, and before I can make another joke, he pulls me toward him and covers my mouth with his in a hard kiss.
I melt against him as he wraps his strong arms around me and ravages my mouth with deep, drugging kisses.
My head is spinning from good feels and confusion when he finally pulls away. I thought the whole point of a friends with benefits thing is that you only do the benefits part when the sex is happening.
Long kisses at the door and all the little touches and casual caresses Anthony has been giving me since we hooked up aren’t something you do with your situationship or your FWB, but things are probably different tonight because it’s new.
Things will go back to normal when the novelty wears off for him.
“See you around,” he murmurs in his sex voice and leans in to give me another long kiss that’s somehow both hot and heavy, and sweet and sensual.
“Bye,” I mumble like a moron when he pulls away again.
He pecks one more kiss against my lips, then flips the lock and pulls the door open.
I’m practically floating as I leave his room and head toward mine.
Tonight has been one of the weirdest, but also one of the best nights I’ve had in a long time.