I leaned in, murmuring softly. “Because that’s what all thestraight boys say before they find out how fucking incredible it feels to have a dick in their ass.”
His eyes shot wide, red crawling up his neck. “Jesus, Mav!”
Yeah, I should probably end this conversation before Damon decided to deck me. I was playing with fire. His cocky smirk and flirty comments were getting to me. Not to mention what Jory had said about Damon eating me up with his eyes.
But even if therewasa small attraction there, it didn’t mean Damon would accept it. In fact, if he wasn’t ready for it and I pushed, I might end up triggering a response that would end badly for both of us.
I raised my hand to his chest and gently pushed him onto my porch. This time, he didn’t resist, allowing me to nudge him outside.
“Thanks for helping me with the groceries.”
“No problem.”
“I’ll, uh, send a plate over for you later,” I said. “As a thank-you.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. It’s the least I can do after…”I made you uncomfortable with my gayness.“After you helped me bring everything in.”
He nodded, eyes avoiding mine. “Okay, thanks.”
“But don’t get used to it,” I warned.
He chuckled, relaxing a little, and his gaze finally met mine. “Get used to you being nice to me? Not possible.”
My mom’s car pulled into the drive just then. Dang. I hadn’t even gotten dinner started.
Damon greeted my mom with the sweetest smile before excusing himself next door. I exhaled, feeling as if he’d just taken a pound of tension with him.
“I don’t know why you always complain about your neighbor,”Mom said as she came through the front door. “He’s such a nice young man.”
“Sure. When you’re around.”
“What was he doing here?”
“He helped me carry in the groceries,” I said as I headed back to the kitchen.
“Oh, yes, he’s rotten to the core,” Mom deadpanned.
“Well, sure, he was niceone time,” I grumbled. “And he sidetracked me so that I didn’t even get dinner made.”
Mom wiggled her eyebrows at me. “Oh? Was the gorgeous young man carrying in your groceries a bit distracting?”
I sighed. “Damon is straight, Mom.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” I chuckled as I started unloading shrimp, veggies, and rice. A quick, healthy stir-fry shouldn’t take too long to whip up.
Mom joined me at the counter, helping me put away the rest of my groceries. I hadn’t shopped in a while, so I’d gotten milk, bread, a box of Special K, and some sandwich fixings so I could do a better job of making lunch in the morning. Right now, I was about fifty/fifty for taking my lunch or having to call out for something. Luckily, I was on the same block as Glazed Holes, but if I kept eating doughnuts for lunch, I was going to have twice as many cavities at my next dentist appointment.
While I ran the frozen shrimp under the hot water to thaw them slowly, Mom got out a cutting board and sliced up bell peppers and mushrooms. I frowned. The whole point to inviting her over had been to cook for her, not put her to work.
“I can do that,” I said. “Why don’t you have a glass of wine and relax?”
“Oh, this is nothing,” Mom said, waving away myconcerns. Her eyes twinkled. “You know, Damon may say he’s straight, but not all boys figure themselves out as young as you did.”
I bit back a groan. I should have known she wouldn’t let that go.
