Page 23 of The Great Maple Mistake (Love in Maplewood #8)

Sam waves. “Yeah, nice to meet you. It was fun having you in the party.”

“Definitely come back again, if you want.” Andre squeezes Cody’s arm, then hoists his backpack over his shoulder. “I’m out too. Gotta get home.” His grin is mischievous.

“Get out of here. And tell Ethan I say hello.” I look up at Cody. “Ethan is Andre’s boyfriend.”

Cody nods. “Thanks, Andre. It all depends on my work schedule, and I won’t know for sure until closer to the date of the next game. When is that?”

Jason snorts. “Yeah, isn’t that always the question. We don’t play often because wrangling this many schedules is difficult. We usually get one in-person game a month.”

“In person? You play virtually too?” Cody looks excited about that idea. “If I’m working but there’s no fire, I could probably join a virtual game.”

Finn rounds everyone up and herds them toward the basement door that leads to the back yard and the end of our driveway. “We can talk about that over the next week or two while we schedule the next game.” Winking, he ushers our friends out as he points at me. “We still running tomorrow morning?”

I look at Cody and shake my head, hoping I don’t regret it. “Not tomorrow morning. But definitely Sunday. Meet you in front of the vet clinic at six?”

Finn nods and flashes an impish grin as he closes the door behind him. I exhale audibly and lean back into Cody. “Thank god.” I turn around and slip my arms around his neck. “Now I have you to myself.”

“And what are you going to do with me, now that I’m all yours?” His voice is warm and gravelly, and I’m aware that the question is meant to be a no-pressure offer for moving things forward physically. And, god I want that. But there’s something I have to address first.

“Come here.” I step back and take him by the hand, leading him over to the couch.

He sits first, and I sit down facing him, one foot tucked up under me.

I squeeze his hand and look into his pretty blue eyes.

“I definitely want to get to sexy time, but there’s something we need to talk about first.” Instantly, I have his undivided attention.

He looks intently into my eyes, but his body is relaxed, almost like we’re going to talk about tonight’s game or what movie we should see on our next date.

And suddenly, so much of the pressure I’ve been putting on myself disappears.

When I exhale and let my posture match his, he smiles his sunshine smile, and I can’t help but think maybe everything will be alright. “Cody, I’m not like other guys.”

He nods. “You’re not. I’ve never met anyone like you. Ever. You’re amazing.”

God, how is he real? “Thank you. I think you’re pretty wonderful too.” Please, please be wonderful. “But I mean—” Oh god. Here goes. “Physically. I’m not like most other guys.”

His brows draw down, and I can see his brain turning my words over, trying to figure out what I’m saying. “How?”

I open my mouth to explain, then close it. I try again but still can’t find the right way to start. Eventually, I give up trying to find the correct words and just go for any. Oh god, oh god, oh god. I like him so much. Please don’t let him freak out. “Are you familiar with the term AFAB?”

He nods. “Assigned female at birth. Right?”

“Yes.” Okay. He seems calm. Confused, but calm.

“I was assigned female at birth. But that was wrong.” Cody watches me expectantly, like he’s waiting for me to say more. But I’m not sure what he wants me to say. “So, I’m male. But I don’t have a penis. Not the way people assigned male at birth do.”

He nods, eyebrows still raised. “Okay.”

I blink. “I’m sorry. What?”

“Okay. You don’t have a penis. Got it.”

I open my mouth to speak but have no clue what to say. It takes me a full minute to come up with something. Anything. “Cody, do you understand what I mean?”

He frowns. “Unless it means something different to you, I’m pretty sure it means you don’t have a penis.

” I open and close my mouth a few more times, feeling more fish than human.

Cody squeezes my hands. “So if we were to strip naked right now, we’d both look male.

You’d be more lean muscle, and I’d be bulkier, but we’d both be male.

Right?” I nod, because yes. “But where I have a typical set of cock and balls, you don’t. ”

I nod. “Right.”

“Well, unless you call yours a cock. Some people do. Is it okay to ask what you call yours?”

I now completely understand the term gobsmacked.

Part of me wants to break into peals of laughter and tell him I call it George, but that’s not at all the mature thing to do.

Another part of me wants to laugh at the absurdity of this conversation.

How does he seem so… fine with this? “Honestly, I try not to call it anything at all.” Cody grins but waits expectantly.

“I call it my dick. Or my massive two inches of man meat.”

That earns me a laugh. “Duly noted.”

“And my front hole. I don’t use the female terms for things since I’m not female.”

Cody nods, his grin softening and his gaze holding mine, like he’s trying to make sure I see he’s heard me. “Understood.”

I tilt my head and squint at him. “You don’t seem bothered by any of this.”

Cody moves closer and takes my other hand, bringing both to his lips. “Sweetheart, were you worried I would be?”

Yes! Obviously. How is he not bothered by this? I didn’t tell him before we kissed. And I delayed telling him because I was worried about his reaction. Some would see that as a huge violation of trust. Some have. “Well… you wouldn’t be the first guy who was.”

His expression turns thunderous, and it’s the first time I’ve seen him anything but happy. “They were assholes, and you deserve better than that.”

I squeeze his hands and lean in, gently kissing his beautiful mouth. “You, sir, are a treasure.”

“Then you better keep me safe.” He presses my hands over his heart, and my god, I want that.

Even though he’s way more muscular and stronger than I am, he lets me pull him close.

“I can do that.” I press my mouth to his, and this time, it’s no gentle kiss.

Because I’ve wanted this—wanted him —for far too long, and I don’t have to keep him at arm’s length anymore.

I let go of his hands and slide my arms around his neck, stroking his tongue with mine as I move into his lap.

His hands slide over my hips and grab my ass, squeezing as he moans into my mouth.

His hard cock presses against me, and I moan right back, grinding against him.

God, it’s like the weight of a thousand worlds has been lifted from my shoulders, and I fight the urge to laugh.

Cody grins against my lips and pulls back. “You’re smiling. That’s a good sign.”

I let my full grin bloom. “I’m happy.” Pressing my whole body against his, I steal another kiss. Then again, is it really stealing if Cody’s an obviously willing participant? “You have no idea.”

“You know, I’m thrilled that what I said made you happy, but Alex, it’s not that big of a deal.

Or it shouldn’t be. You are who you are.

What you have or don’t have in your pants doesn’t change that.

I mean, what if you were born male, with male body parts and testosterone levels and everything, and you identified as male.

But then you were in an accident or had cancer or something, and they had to remove your dick and balls.

Would that make you any less male because you didn’t have them anymore?

Not to me. That would be like saying someone who was born female, identifies as female, and lives as a female isn’t actually a female because she had a double mastectomy or a hysterectomy.

It’s just body parts. It’s not who they are.

” He strokes my cheek with his fingertips, and I shiver from his electric touch. “It’s not who you are.”

How is he real? How is he with me? Although he doesn’t seem bothered by my revelation at all, he must have questions. Everyone does. And I’d rather get them out of the way now so we can hopefully move on to more enjoyable things. “If you want to ask me anything, go ahead.”

“No. I’m good. I’d rather kiss you some more. If that’s okay.”

He leans in, and I let the kiss continue for a bit before pulling back again. “Are you sure? You have no questions at all?”

He stares at me and chews on his lower lip, then nods. “Okay, I do have one question.”

I knew it. Taking a deep breath, I look him in the eyes. “Go ahead. Ask.”

He furrows his brows. “You sure? I don’t have to ask.”

“Ask. Really.”

With a long exhale, Cody nods. “Okay. Well, are you a top or a bottom?”

I stare at him, speechless. It’s the last thing I expected him to ask. He’s looking at me quite intently, so he must be serious. “I’m vers, both physically and metaphorically. I love topping and bottoming physically, depending on my mood. Though I do prefer topping most of the time. You?”

“Total bottom.” He grins. “I mean, I will top, and I enjoy that. Don’t get me wrong. But given the choice? I’ll bottom every time. And how about metaphorically?”

I don’t hesitate. “Top. I’m bossy in the bedroom. I know it. You’ll have to deal with it.”

His arms tighten around me as I press closer. “With pleasure.” He nuzzles my neck, sending shivers down my spine. How in the hell did I get this lucky? Seriously. He nibbles my shoulder. “I have another question.”

I try not to worry about what it will be. Cody has been nothing but amazing so far, and I don’t think that will change. I hope. “Okay. Ask away.”

“During sex, are there any parts of you I should avoid? Anything you’d prefer I do?”

God, he is such a sweetheart. “I prefer anal to front hole penetration. Honestly, the front just doesn’t do much for me. But you can touch me anywhere you want. In fact, I encourage it.”

“That so?” Cody slips a hand down the back of my jeans and into my boxer briefs, teasing along the cleft of my ass. “Like this?”