Page 24 of Hooked On Him

“He does not.” I roll my eyes. “He just didn’t want to hurt my family, same as me. He loves them like they’re his family.”

“Damn.” Cole blows out a breath. “So it’s serious?”

“What is?”

“The two of you.”

“No!” I sigh heavily. “Keep up. This is fake dating.”

“Okay, for how long?”

“I don’t know.” I shrug. “Until it doesn’t work anymore. He’s busy, I’m busy. We’re not looking for something serious. He has no plans on dating or hooking up, and neither do I. So he said to just not tell anyone we’re not actually together right now.”

“Wait. Neither of you are going to hook up with anyone else? I getyou. You're a damn monk.”

“Thanks.” I roll my eyes.

“You're welcome. It’s true. But Austin? Really? He’s not going to hook up with anyone? He just came out, shouldn’t he want to explore and have fun?”

The idea of Austin hooking up with anyone else but me leaves a sour taste in my mouth and a rush of jealousy courses through my veins. A feeling I have no right to feel because we’re not actually dating.

“No,” I say a little defensively. “He doesn’t need to hook up.”

“Well, I mean, not everyone is okay with just their hand and some sex toys.” Cole chuckles. “Sometimes you need the real thing.”

“He had the real thing. With me.”

Cole frowns. “Wait, you said your fake dating and it’s not real.”

“The dating isn’t real.”

His eyes light up. “Holy fuck. You two fucked!” He slams his hand down on the table in excitement.

“Would you chill the fuck out?” I whisper harshly. “You're going to wake up the whole damn building.

“Sorry,” he says, lowering his voice. “But you two totally fucked, didn’t you? And now you plan on doing more. Like what, friends with benefits?"

“We didn’t fuck,” I grumble. “But yeah, pretty much.”

“But you did do something, right?”

I don’t answer his question with words, because my cheeks turning a warm red gives everything away.

“Damnnn.” Cole whistles. “My bestie is a freak.”

“Stop it. I am not.”

“It’s okay. Nothing wrong with that. It’s kinda hot.”

“Cole,” I growl.

“Okay, okay!” he holds his hands up. “Friends with benefits with Austin Cade,” he groans. “I’m so jealous, that man is fine.”

“Hey.” I frown. “Don’t call him fine. That's my fake boyfriend, okay? And you have a real one.”

“Sometimes I wonder if I do.” All playfulness is gone as a sad look takes over Cole’s face.

“Hey.” I place my hand on Cole’s. “You deserve someone who treats you like the amazing person you are. You know that, right?”