Page 53 of Except You

That thought lasts all of two minutes. I show up at his place with Doggo by my side within the hour, taking in his mussed hair and rumpled shirt as I enter the house.

He does look thoroughly fucked.

It’s a good look on him, even if it makes me irrationally jealous.

Melissa has every right to him, and I do not.

“Hey,” he says, pulling me into a tentative hug. I lean into him, inhaling his manly scent. At least he doesn’t smell like sex so that’s something in my favor.

Although I wouldn’t mind smelling his cum on him.

No, not at all.

“You okay?” I ask. “Where’s that gorgeous date of yours?”

“Melissa left just a bit ago.”

“Oh, and how was it?” I force myself to ask. I don’t really want to know. But I’m a great friend. I will totally listen to anything he has to say, even if it rips me apart.

“It was okay,” he says, peering at me through those long lashes of his. He is quite beautiful. It’s disgusting, really.

“Oh, okay. Well, tell me all about it. I wanna know everything.”

“Oh, there’s not much to tell. We…you know, we kissed and then ended up chatting. Mostly.”

I cock an eyebrow at him, and he sighs, sitting down on the couch. I lower myself down next to him, my knees knocking into his thigh. He turns to face me, his hands on his lap.

“So, did you guys get it on?” I ask, waggling my eyebrows.

Oh god, don’t tell me. I don’t wanna know.

“No. Didn’t make it to that. I think…I’m all up in my head right now. I wasn’t into it. Even though she was gorgeous.”

“Oh, she was. What’s up? You okay?”

I press my hand against his forehead, making sure he doesn’t have a fever.

He just chuckles at me and pulls my hand into his.

“No. I’m fine. Just wasn’t into it. Probably all those gay romance novels I’ve been reading.”

My eyebrows nearly fly right off my head. “What?”

His cheeks pinken and he rolls his lips between his teeth. “Oh yeah. I’ve been trying to understand more, so I’ve been reading some stuff.”

I glance at his phone and then back at his face. “Which books? Are they on your app?”

He nods, and I reach for his phone, but he pulls it away, looking slightly embarrassed. But my god, I need to see this. Is he reading sweet romance or the raunchy, steamy kind? I need to know. These are important distinctions.

I lean over him, trying to grab it from his hand, but he holds it up high, so I have to staddle his lap to try and reach it. My stomach is pressed into his face, and I can feel his puff of breath against me as I finally grab the phone from his fingers and settle back on his lap.

I could totally move off, but I don’t bother. His lap is just as good as any other place.

Even better, I could argue.

I hold the phone up to his face and it unlocks. I find his app quickly and nearly squeal when I pull up his small library.

“Oh my god, Max. You didn’t tell me you were reading this stuff.”