Slowly, she lowers her mouth to the reddened tip and gives it a few teasing licks. I close my eyes and try to focus on the sensation. Objectively, it feels good, little sparks of white-hot pleasure zapping through my body.
It’s not like Phoebe isbadat sucking cock. In fact, she gives the best head I’ve ever received. But it’s like there are mismatched wires in my brain that won’t connect to my dick.
She wraps her hand around the base of my cock, pumping encouragingly, her spit gliding the movement as she suckles at the tip. My toes curl as I will myself to get hard. I clench the bedsheets with frustration, cursing my body.
What the hell is wrong with me?
My cock leaves Phoebe’s mouth with a wet pop. Her concerned gaze meets mine, eyebrows scrunched. “You alright?”
I stroke her hair gently, tucking a loose curl behind her ear. “Yeah. Sorry. I promise it’s not you. I think I’m just… stressed.”
She shifts back onto her heels, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “We don’t have to do this tonight.”
My chest tightens with guilt. “I can still get you off.”
She smiles timidly. “It’s fine. Maybe we can just watch a movie or something?”
I nod almost too quickly. Honestly, a movie sounds perfect. And truth be told, I don’t want her to leave yet. I’ve missed having someone close and warm next to me. Even if my stupid body won’t cooperate, I really do like being around Phoebe.
I pull up my sweatpants and draw her into my arms, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. She settles beside me easily, her body relaxing against mine.
“I’m sorry,” I murmur into her hair.
“Don’t be,” she whispers back. “You’re under a lot of stress right now.”
After scrolling through streaming services, we settle on a random rom-com—something light and predictable, the kind of movie you don’t have to pay much attention to. Phoebe tucks herself under my arm, her head resting on my shoulder as we finish drinking our beers. The quiet glow of the TV flickers across the room, and every so often she laughs softly into my chest. I can’t help but smile at the sound, even with the knot still sitting tight in my stomach.
By the time we’re halfway through, her bottle’s empty, mine nearly so. She shifts, sits up a little, and reaches for the remote. The screen freezes.
I blink over at her. “Everything okay?”
Her face hardens into a serious expression. She turns fully toward me, crossing her legs on the bed. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.” My heart starts to hammer in my chest. “Anything.”
She hesitates, fingers worrying at the edge of the blanket, then finally looks up at me. “Do you… like women?”
My body goes rigid, snapping upright like I’ve been shocked. “What kind of question is that?”
She exhales, gaze dropping again as she twists the fabric tighter. “I just—sometimes I wonder if maybe… I don’t know. If maybe you’d prefer it if I were a guy.”
The words hit harder than they should, and the defensiveness rises before I can stop it. “No. No, that’s not—” I scrub a hand over the back of my neck, forcing a steadier breath. “That’s not true at all.” I roll back my shoulders, lifting my chin. “I’m straight, Phoebe. I swear. What made you even think that?”
She lifts one shoulder in a small, apologetic shrug. “I don’t know. You just seemed… frustrated.” Her voice softens. “And it’s not the first time you’ve had trouble, Ash.”
“I’m stressed,” I insist, a little too loudly. “That’s all.” I shake my head, trying to steady myself. “I think you’re beautiful. Seriously. This isn’t about you.”
Phoebe bites her bottom lip, watching me carefully. “You can think someone is beautiful,” she says gently, “and not be sexually attracted to them.”
My jaw tightens. The look on her face—too soft, too knowing—scrapes something raw inside me.
“Where is all this coming from?” I ask, my voice sharp. “We’ve been hooking up for years, Phoebe.Years. Why are you suddenly asking if I’m into men?”
Her shoulders slump. “Because… it felt different this time.”
“That’s not an answer.” Frustration flares, hot and quick in my chest. “You think I’d just—what? Wake up one day and suddenly not like women?”
She shakes her head. “I saw you checking out that guy at Old Harbor Tavern.”
