The answer’s simple: “Because I like talking to you,” I say, quieter now. “And because I want you there. With me.”
For a fraction of a second, his carefully constructed composure falters, revealing something real, something vulnerable. Then he recovers, a faint but unmistakable warmth glinting in his eyes.
The silence is charged, stretching just long enough to make my stomach flip anxiously. Hayden drums his fingertips softly on the desk, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. And beneath him, just barely, a small ripple of shadow tugs at the floor, curling toward his shoes before settling like nothing happened.
My breath stutters.
Did Iactuallysee that? Or is the lighting in this wretched building really that terrible?
Before I can decide, his gaze softens. “Okay.”
My heart jumps. “Okay?”
His lips twitch. “Yes, Levi. I’ll attend your glitter-covered event.”
I grin. “That’s the exact level of enthusiasm I expected. It’ll be fun.”
Hayden shakes his head slowly. “Careful, Levi. You’re starting to become a habit.”
Warmth rushes through me, spreading from my chest straight into my fingertips. “A good one, I hope,” I manage lightly, backing toward the door. “I’ll text you details, Funeral Guy.”
Behind him, the shadows seem to shift again as I cross the threshold. He doesn’t notice. Or maybe he does. Maybe I’m actually losing it. Regardless, the question lodges: What exactly have I invited into my life?
Whateverthisis, it’s definitely just beginning.
• • •
I am, inthis moment, face down, ass up, mid-douche, and mentally unraveling.
It’s givingLookingopener. All I’m missing is a moody synth score and an ironic voice-over and I’d be camera ready for an HBO intro sequence.
Daddy Jonathan Groff would be proud.
And yes, IsaidI have a magical ass. Bragged even. Ibelievein my magical ass. But Dominic’s warning about riding Daddy Death and the potential consequences regarding my caffeine intake are stuck in my head.
So, here I am lying on the floor with a silicone nozzle up my ass, waiting for the water to come out clear, while my brain starts to misfire about, well…everything.
The spiral started somewhere betweenHayden said yesandMaybe I should exfoliate my asshole. Hayden Harlow agreed to come to our glitter-splattered, aggressively anti-romantic anti–Valentine’s Day party. And now I’ve lost my goddamn mind.
I finish rinsing, roll off the towel I’ve designated for post-enema duty (may she rest in peace), and catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Still dripping, still flushed. Soft, lean lines instead of sharp angles. I know how to move, how to fuck, how to get fucked. But tonight, it all feels…insufficient. Like there’s a checklist I missed somewhere, and Hayden Harlow is the final exam.
Because this ishimwe’re talking about. The man whose bone structure could cut glass and whose voice makes my spine curl like a fern in sunlight. And with Hayden, everything feels different.
He’s composed. Curated. Probably never wondered if a one-night stand would notice the two moles on his inner thigh or the way his limbs feel freakishly too long in the summertime when shorts are required.
I can suddenly only focus on my body hair. Not bad. Definitely not overgrown. But visible. Auburn red, like the rest of me. It’s never bothered me before, and quite frankly, I’ve always been into it. Especially on other people.
Now I wonder if my body hair is a deal-breaker. Will Hayden like it? Will it turn him on? Will he touch me and think,Yes, this is sexyorHm, wish he was smoother?
My dick twitches at the thought of Hayden’s voice dropping, his nose skimming my armpit, my happy trail, hand fisting in my hair—
Nope. Not now.
I don’t have time to jerk off, despite really,reallywanting to, because I am on a schedule. I reach for my phone on the bathroom counter, firing off a text to Dominic to blame him for all my asshole woes.
Me:I hate you for making me second-guess my bottoming superpower.
I set the phone down without waiting for his (surely snarky) reply, take another hard look in the mirror, and sigh dramatically, reaching for my bottle of Nair.
