Page 11 of His Choice

“Melody!” I corrected, not for the first time.

He shrugged with his free shoulder. “Whatever.”

“I was just kidding around with you.”

Aaron almost looked disappointed. It was as if he didn’t want it to be a joke. His ego couldn’t tolerate me not finding him irresistible, I supposed. “Look at the His Choice site.” He pointed to the screen on his phone. “I already started filling in the application for you.”

“Wait,” I interrupted, after reading his first answer about my sexual inclinations. “You wrote that I’m versatile. How would you know?”

He poked his tongue against his inner cheek, as he often did before he spoke. “It doesn’t matter whether you are or you aren’t. You need to respond with answers that give you the best chance of being accepted on the show. If you put that you’re a bottom, it could rule you right out if, on some minuscule chance, Cliff Walker likes to take it up the butt once in a blue moon.”

I pulled away from him a bit so I could eye his face better. “And what makes you assume I’m a bottom?”

“Wow. Sounds like you’re insulted. Do you equate bottoming with being less masculine? Isn’t that closed-minded of a gay guy to think that? I want it on the record that I’m not the one who feels that way.” He shook his head. “Self-loathing much?”

“What? No…”

He held up a hand. “It’s okay. My mom knows a good therapist if you want me to connect you.”

I scowled. “No, I don’t. I’m not insecure about… I mean, I didn’t admit… Quit attributing stuff to me when you don’t know…”

“I do know,” he cut in. “Mikey, I’m applying logic. You’re drawn to Cliff Walker. He’s several inches taller than you, has bigger muscles than any other guy I know in White Pines, and I’d guess he’s a few years older than you. You’ve gotta be fantasizing about him on top, because I sure can’t picture it the other way around.”

“Good, because you shouldn’t be picturing me with him at all.” I grimaced, imagining Aaron’s thoughts had been accompanied with disgust. “You’re so invasive. And why should someone’s size and age have anything to do with it?”

Aaron looked at me like I was naïve. “To avoid looking ridiculous, that’s why. The positions should make aesthetic sense.”

I huffed. “Aesthetic sense? Are we performing for someone? Besides, I’ve seen adult films where a guy tops a much bigger man.”

“Well, there’s porn for all types of fetishes, I guess. I’m talking about what feels right for most people. But like I said, we’ll leave it at versatile in case Cliff Walker is one of the few who prefers the kind of movie you referenced,” he reasoned. “And for your sake, let’s hope he’s not, since you’d be a very unhappy bottom.”

“Oh my God, stop! You think you can figure out everything. For your information, I haven’t topped or bottomed, so there’s no history to support your claim.” I paused, realizing I had just confessed something I hadn’t intended. My mouth opened in horror.

Aaron’s eyes widened. “Wait, you haven’t… But isn’t that the main thing gay guys do? That’s like me saying my only experience has been receiving blow jobs.”

“Has it been?” I wondered.

He jerked his head back and stared at me like I’d gone insane. “Are you fucking serious, right now?”

I shook my head. “Yeah, okay. I don’t know what I was thinking. I’m sure you’ve done lots of disgusting things that would make McKinsey blush. Funny that you call me a slut.”

“Closet slut,” Aaron corrected. “Although I suppose I need to rethink that. Sounds like you’re more of a wannabe slut. The situation is more dire than I realized. Good thing you’re seeking my help before it’s too late.”

“I didn’t ask you for anything,” I snapped.

“You keep telling yourself that,” he said in a tone that implied my memory was corrupted.

I ignored his taunting, instead reading more of the profile he had completed for me. “Junior executive? I’m just an entry-level business manager.”

Aaron shrugged. “Manager, executive. You say potato, I say tomato.”

“That’s not the expression,” I pointed out.

He pretended not to hear. “You need to embellish. You can bet everyone else who’s applying will.”

I continued to read on, concerned about the comments section Aaron had completed. “Hold on. You wrote that I’ve been admiring Cliff Walker from afar for months? I sound like a stalker!”

Aaron nodded. “There you go. Self-awareness is the first step to recovery. I’m proud of you, Mikey.”