I flush and nod.
Marcus brings his thumbs to my face, tenderly wiping tears and snot from my cheeks. Then he drops another kiss on my lips, this one slow and achingly sweet, and then he leaves, the expensive click of his footsteps echoing in the cavernous parking garage.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
MARCUS
Iwalk back feeling relief and a hint of fear.
IthinkI fixed it, but I made Jeremy fucking cry.
I’m such an asshole.
When I reenter the restaurant, I rub the sweat from my eyes, and the hostess gives me an odd look, which isn’t surprising since I did sprint outside like my ass was on fire. Sabrina is still sitting at our table, but with a large piece of chocolate cake and a very full glass of wine. I almost smile.
“Back so soon?” she asks as I sit down and put my head in my hands.
“I’m so sorry,” I moan into my palms, my shoulders slumping.
“Who’s the pretty boy?”
I look up, my cheeks heating. “Huh?”
“The pretty boy you were chasing down like you were in a nineties romcom. Is he your secret boyfriend?”
I purse my lips. “He . . . he is, actually.” I look her directly in the eye. “He’s my boyfriend.”
Saying it out loud is euphoric.
Still, how is admitting to this virtual stranger that Jeremy is my boyfriend somehow easier than admitting I’m bi?
My brain stutters.
I’m bi. Holy shit.
It’s the first time I’ve really accepted it, even if only to myself, and it feelsgood.
Sabrina gives me a sympathetic look. “He doesn’t know about our arrangement, huh?”
I shake my head and give her a tight smile. “But he does now.”
“You should probably tell him that we’re not on a date.”
“I tried. I think I convinced him. I’m going to his place after this to talk.”
She takes a large bite of her cake, then wipes a smear of frosting from her lip. “Mmm,” she says around the mouthful. “I’ll come with you.”
The statement leaves me a little dumbfounded. I look up at her. “You want to come with me? To my boyfriend’s apartment?”
She winks. “He’s cute. Maybe the three of us can . . .”
I glare, and she bursts out laughing, covering her mouth with her napkin. “Roy, I’m kidding. I don’t even want one dick, let alone two.”
I relax a little, sitting back in my chair and taking a very large swallow of my wine.
“It might help him to meet me. The last thing I want to do is fuck up your secret gay relationship. I know exactly what that’s like.” She gives me a hopeful smile. “Maybe we could have a double date sometime. I showed Laura a picture of you, and she was insanely jealous, so I bet it would put both their minds at ease.”
“I’ve really been trying to keep Jeremy off Skynet’s radar. A date probably isn’t the greatest idea.”
