Page 43 of Touchdown, Tennessee

“There wasn’t even a word forheterosexualityback in Ancient Rome. Men were allowed to fuck who they wanted. The guys whogotfucked were a little less accepted, but society was definitely different than what it is now.”

“Honestly, that’s very cool.”

“Taking someone’s piss in your mouth was also the highest respect you could show them,” I said.

His eyebrows lifted. “Piss?”

“That one’s a joke.”

He smiled, dimples forming at the corners of his lips as he looked down at the table. “Got me, you asshole.”

Warmth spread through my chest.

Fuck, I wanted him.

“Quit smiling. It’s too adorable, and I’m going to end up across the table kissing that smile instead of tutoring you.”

The little blush was back on his cheeks, which only made the problem worse.

“Anyway. Ancient Rome.”

“Ancient Rome.”

“It sounds pretty cool, from what you’re saying,” Andrew told me.

“Don’t get too excited. It was still an unbelievably cruel and brutal civilization,” I said. “I mentioned bloody battles, but just wait until I tell you about the arena fighting and rampant murder.”

“Tell me, like, ten more stories about gay love before that, thank you very much.”

For the next couple of hours, we plunged straight in.

As the afternoon went on, the Hard Spot slowly started to fill up with local farmers and some college kids. I never would have imagined any bar could be conducive to studying, but for some reason, talking about Rome while surrounded by debauchery had a certain electric feeling to it.

I kept Andrew hooked with the most intense facts about the Roman Empire at first. I weaved in important bits of history along the way. He pulled out his laptop and showed me his homework for this week, as well as homework from thelasttwo weeks that he hadn’t completed or turned in yet. As we talked, I addressed most of the questions on the homework page, and eventually, we’d gone over almost everything he needed to know for the worksheets.

“Holy shit,” Andrew said as he scrolled through the last page of his assignment, his eyes dancing over the questions. “I actually knowthe answers to a lot of these, now.”

“You’re going to crush the first exam,” I told him.

I clapped the books shut in front of us and stuffed mine into my bag.

“Thanks,” Andrew said, putting his stuff in his backpack. “I still hate you, but my hatred is maybe ten percent less, now.”

“I think your hatred was ninety-nine percent less the moment your lips wrapped around my cock, but thanks, Peach.”

He leaned back on the leather booth, giving me a smoldering look. But I could also see the hint of a smile on his lips.

“Come grab dinner with me at the diner,” Andrew said.

I shook my head. “I have to leave.”

“Why?”

“Because I have something I need to do,” I said. “I know you like to think my whole life revolves around you, or writing the article about your team. But believe it or not, I have my own shit that I need to take care of.”

“Fine, Mr. Mystery. Can I have a ride home, then?”

“How did you get here?”