Atticus rolled his eyes but still said, “The latter.”
“Oh,” she said, then, “Oh! So, did you…pitch or catch?”
He could feel himself flushing again. Luckily, nobody could see him. “The second one.”
“I—actually, yeah, that kind of makes sense. You’re a total bottom.”
“Wow,” Atticus muttered. “I don’t think you’re allowed to say that.”
Calliope scoffed. “You gonna report me to the gay headquarters? Is PFLAG going to come take my ally card away? Why so glum? Did it not go well? Did you not like it?”
Atticus sighed dramatically. “I liked it just fine.” Massive understatement of the year. “That’s the problem. Have you ever met somebody who you just let…take you over?”
“You getting laid, Sunshine, or demonically possessed?” Calliope teased. “Though, if the sex is good enough, it could feel like a little bit of both.”
“A demon would be easier to get rid of.” Because he would actually want a demon expelled from his body. But not Jericho. And that was a big problem.
“So, who found who first?” she asked. “I can’t imagine you guys exchanged contact info after your post-murder gropefest in the cabin since you needed me to look him up.”
Atticus frowned. He never had learned how Jericho found him. “He found me, but I don’t know how.”
“He found you in the middle of the work day? Like, he wanted you so bad he showed up for a midday booty call? What did he say when he showed up?”
There was a loud crinkling like a chip bag rustling and then Calliope was quietly munching in his ear. “You’re enjoying this,” he said, irritated.
“Of course, I am. This is better than a telenovela. All my boys are finding their happily ever afters. I have to admit, I didn’t think you’d be the next to fall, but I think it’s good for you. You need to lighten up.”
Atticus shook his head. “I don’t lighten up around him, I completely lose my mind around him. I lose all ability to say no.”
“Did youwantto say no?” she asked cautiously, still munching.
Of course, he didn’t. That was the fucking problem. Why weren’t people understanding this? “Noah said I should just hook up with him. Be ‘friends with benefits,” he air-quoted to nobody.
“You told Noah?” She sounded somewhere between shocked and hurt. “I thought you weren’t out to the family.”
“I’m not out because I’m not gay. I’m…experimenting.”
“Okay,” she said carefully. “But you experimented doing butt stuff and you’ve never really felt anything for the girls you’ve been with in the past. Maybe that’s because you’re hardwired to like men.”
Atticus snorted. “I’ve never felt anything for anybody because I’m a psychopath, Calliope.”
“Yet, this stranger has got you twisted up in knots. So, he makes you feelsomething?Right?Enough to get naked with him three times.”
Atticus rubbed a hand over his face. “None of this matters. It’s just a…phase. Eventually, I’ll stop wanting him, and then I can just go back to normal. I’m just in a weird place right now.”
Calliope munched another chip in his ear. “Literally or metaphorically?”
“I’m literally in a parking lot right now. But I actually called you for a reason.”
“Other than to tell me you got laid?” Calliope asked.
“Yes, other than that. My…friend just found out his sister died.”
“Oh, grief sex. That’s intense. It’s good you were there for him.”
Atticus ignored her. “But she was missing for eight years before that. They said she donated a kidney just before she died and passed away from sepsis. Something’s not adding up. You know how highly documented transplants are. Can you see what you can find out?”
“Sure. What’s her name?”
