Page 58 of Hiding in the Outfield

“Um, fuck you very much,” Maddox says. “One. You have no way of knowing that. And two. I’ve been giving head way longer than everyone in this room. So, I fucking take that title.”

Winters raises his hand. “Have to agree. Crown goes to Maddy.”

Michaels flips them off while tapping away on his phone. A second later, Stone’s voice fills the room. “Hey, Sunshine.”

Michaels’s smile melts into the sappiest expression. “Hey, Storm Cloud. I’m with the boys. We’re having a debate, and I was hoping you could weigh in.”

“Sure thing. What’s going on?”

“So, we’re trying to determine who gives the best head.”

“What the fuck! Shane, you cannot blow another guy, even if it’s only for competitive purposes.”

Maddox doubles over and dies laughing.

“JJ, no. I’m not blowing anyone. I just wanted you to tell them that I’m obviously the best.”

Silence falls over the room.

“Tell them,” Michaels prods.

“Sunshine, baby. You will always get top marks in enthusiasm.”

Michaels frowns. “What are you saying?”

“I mean, there’s not really any way of knowing for sure, and, ah…you’re still pretty new at this.”

Michaels’s mouth pops open. He turns away and drops his voice. “Are you saying you think I give bad head?”

Winters snorts and buries his head in his pillow to stifle his laugh.

“You give great head, babe. The most wonderful head. Loveliest blowjobs.”

“You’re being patronizing,” Michaels grumbles.

“I think that answers that question,” Maddox says, a smug smile curving his lips. “I win.”

“Absolutely not,” Michaels says. His blue eyes are on fire with indignation. “It’s not a fair comparison. JJ is packing a monster down there. I guarantee I could deep throat everyone in this room, no contest.”

“Sure you can, Sunshine.”

Maddox is back to shaking with laughter, and Winters has a dopey grin on his face.

And me… “This feels like an out-of-body experience,” I murmur.

I went from being surrounded by bigots to…guys fighting over who gives the best blowjobs. To say my head is spinning is an understatement.

“I bet,” Maddox says.

“Is that Olander?” Stone’s question rings from the phone.

“Hey, Stone,” I say stiffly.

We haven’t spoken since the night at the bar. I assume Michaels has told him the news about me. I had let him know I was okay with it.

“Are you the reason for this competition? You come out, and now you’re trying to get my boyfriend to blow you? Go from insulting my sexuality to stealing my man?”

“What! No. Fucking. Definitely not.” Ohmygod.