Cubby smiles. “Sexy, and sweet, and super fun to hang out with on top of it all. So in case something does happen between us, and I really hope it’s going to, I just want to be clear—I have to focus on my project this summer.”
I blink, surprised where that landed. “Oh. Sure.”
He squeezes my hand, still standing in front of me and talking fast. “I’m not available for, like, dating, or a relationship, or anything like that. Occasional sex? Sure. Expectations and commitments? Absolutely not. And I think it’s important that I tell you now, before you get obsessed with me and fall in love or whatever.”
“Wait, who’s getting obsessed now?”
Cubby laughs, and I realize he’s joking about that part, which does help ease the tension building in my chest.
“It’s okay,” he says, teasing. “I know that as a straight man, you’re probably not used to sharing your feelings so early, but trust me that it’s better this way.”
“You really know how to outtalk me, don’t you?”
Cubby bats his eyelashes. “Who, me?” he asks innocently. “I was just being emotionally vulnerable.”
My heart is pounding. Something in the back of my mind is still hung up on what he said first, reminding me he’s not available. It hurts in a way, but I start to understand what Sully was trying to get me to see.
The fact that Cubby cares enough to tell me this upfront—maybe it means he could be the right guy for something casual. He’s honest, and he knows the position I’m in, and just as important as all that, I want it.
I want it bad, and maybe there doesn’t have to be anything more complicated than that.
I stand, rising to my full height, my eyes above him again. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
I take his face in my hands, cupping his cheeks. His beard is coarse against my palms, but my thumb lands on his soft skin.
Cubby sucks in a gentle breath, and I shiver.
“Okay. I won’t get obsessed,” I tease him back. “As long as you won’t either.”
Cubby’s eyes light up. “Cool.”
I stroke my thumb across his cheek. “You want to come inside now?”
He laughs, the warm sound pouring out. “I appreciate the enthusiasm, but you forgot one thing.”
He presses a kiss to my lips, slow and sweet and painfully tempting. The softness of it surprises me, and the prickle of his beard ignites something deep and urgent, almost primal. I lose myself in the moment, my muscle all slack, but then Cubby pulls back, breaking the spell.
“There’s no way we’re going anywhere until I feed you s’mores by this fire I built.”
