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I winced.
“You did, didn’t you?”
“It washisfault!” I blurted. “He let me pick! Andhewas the one who got a boner first!”
Mateo made a strangled noise. “Michael.”
“What? It’s true!”
“Back the fuck up.” He sounded personally offended. “You got Elliot to pop one first?”
I grinned, walking a little lighter. “Damn right, I did.”
Mateo whistled. “Damn. That’s power.”
“I know, right?”
“So then what? You finally got your kiss?”
“Oh. I got my kiss.”
And just like that, all the teasing left my voice.
Mateo picked up on it instantly.
“Wait,” he said. “That serious?”
I swallowed hard.
Then, softer, quieter, “Yeah, I think it is.”
Mateo was silent for a beat.
“Okay. Talk to me.”
I exhaled. “I was teasing him, you know? Like I always do, but then he—he tripped. Backward over his coffee table.”
“Oh, good. He’s a klutz. That’s super hot.”
“Shut up!” I groaned. “Anyway, he fell, I went to check on him, and then somehow, suddenly I was on top of him.”
Mateo let out a knowing laugh. “Oh, that’s classic.”
“No, you don’t understand.” I stopped walking, gripping the phone tighter. “I could feeleverything.”
Mateo made a noise.
“No,” I said quickly. “Not like that—well, also like that, but—his body, Mateo—”
“Yes, Mike, I gathered he’s built. He’s a lineman.” Mateo snorted.
“No, but you don’t get it. I didn’t get it. I knew he was muscular, but Jesus Christ . . .” I started pacing, reliving it in my head. “He was so . . . solid. Like, everywhere. Hard as a rock. I tried poking a finger, but his muscles wouldn’t budge, wouldn’t give. How does someone even get that hard?”
Mateo made a choked sound. “Michael.”
“What?”
“You can’t just say things like that when I’m drinking water.”