“Wasn’t he a little too up in your face?”
“My face or your face?” Xavi suddenly looked all smug, and if Lulu didn’t love that fucking confident look on Xavi. Fucking sexy shit.
“Shut up,” Lulu seethed, but he couldn’t stop the small smile from growing.
“You’re jealous?” Xavi sounded surprised, his eyes growing huge like it was the most ridiculous idea in the world that Lulu would be jealous.
“Of course I am,” Lulu admitted, leaning back in his seat, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Thecabrónwas blatantly flirting with my boyfriend. Right in front of me.”
“Trialboyfriend.” Xavi blushed adorably, a breathy air to theboyfriend.
“Whatever.” Lulu tipped his chin. “He didn’t know that. He looked ready to fucking drop to his knees and pull out your dick.”
“Will you keep it fucking down,mano?” Xavi hissed, looking around the diner, which was too busy to care about what two big-city guys were talking about. “We’re in public.”
“I know we’re in public. Tell that to your new friend Shawny.”
“Shawny?” Xavi raised an eyebrow, still looking a little too smug for his own good.
“Yeah, I can’t very well call him what I really wanna call him, can I now,oso?”
“Coño.” Xavi pushed out his chest. “You’re cute when you’re jealous, but tone it the fuck down, will ya?” Before Lulu could come up with a comeback, Xavi’s phone rang, and he reached into his leather jacket and pulled it out. With a subtle smile, he answered fondly, “What’s up,hermano?” Lulu knew then that it could only be Joe or Abe. Xavi nodded at something said on the other end, then wiped at his scruff absentmindedly, which sent small shivers racing through Lulu’s body. Shit, now he was jealous of a fucking hand.
“It’ll be fine.” Xavi smiled. “He’ll love whatever you write. Don’t worry about it.” There was a pause, then Xavi continued, his voice even softer. “It’s not about the words,mano. It’s about how you speak them. And Noah will recognize that they come from your heart.” There was another pause, then Xavi shook his head, chuckling. “No, he won’t. Stop it. How do I know that? Because Noah doesn’t strike me as a guy who leaves someone hanging at the altar.” Xavi’s gaze lifted, and his eyes locked onto Lulu’s when he spoke the next part. “Because he loves you, that’s why.” Lulu’s stomach did a small flip.
He knew Xavi was talking about someone else, about Joe and Noah, and yet Xavi’s words stole all the air from Lulu’s lungs. Would Xavi want to get married one day? Did he want a family? Kids? Lulu realized there were so many things he didn’t know about his best friend, things they’d never talked about. Lulu wasn’t sure he wanted kids. Somehow, he had a feeling he wouldn’t be great parent material with his own fucked-up childhood of parental neglect and abuse. But what if Xaviwanted kids? Lulu had seen him around his students, and there was no doubt he’d make a great dad. Shit, how come they’d never talked about stuff like this? Stuff that mattered, like really truly mattered.
“Mano?” Xavi waved his hand in front of Lulu’s face. “Where did you go?”
Lulu shook his head. “I’m right here,” he croaked. “Was it Joe?” He nodded at the phone on the table.
“Yeah.” Xavi chuckled. “He’s panicking. About his speech.”
“Oh shit. Poor guy.”
“Yeah, he’ll be okay.”
“Of course he will. Noah loves him.” Lulu swallowed, willing his heart to still, and when Shawn showed up with their breakfast a few seconds later, he was actually somewhat happy to see him.
“Here you go,” Shawn singsonged, looking only at Xavi as he placed their plates on the table. “Made with love,” he drawled, like he’d made it himself using his magic dick.
“Thank you!” Lulu snapped before Xavi could say anything, and Shawn seemed to get the message because he quickly retreated, stealing one last look at Xavi’s wide chest.
Xavi laughed, and then grabbed his fork. It didn’t matter that Xavi only had three fingers on one hand. He used them like he had a full-functioning hand, over the years having perfected the use of the three fingers that remained. “Will you relax,mano? You fucking scared the poor guy.”
“Good! Then maybe he’ll learn not to ogle other people’s boyfriends.”
“Trialboyfriend.”
“You keep saying that, but you might as well get used to losing thetrialbecause it’s gonna happen, you know?” Lulu batted his eyelashes demonstratively as he stuffed a forkful of scrambled eggs into his mouth, moaning around the fluffy yumminess.
“Whatever,” Xavi spoke around a piece of toast, as he reached for the plate of pancakes.
“Nope!” Lulu quickly snatched it, pulling it toward his side of the table. “I’ve got this.”
“What the—” Xavi frowned when Lulu started cutting into the crispy golden patty, slathered with syrup and blueberry jam.
“Boyfriend duties,” Lulu beamed as he lifted his hand, holding out a forkful of pancake in front of Xavi’s lips.
