I step back so I have the space I need to think clearly. “We do. I’m taking my boyfriend out.”
“Really?” His gaze sweeps over me, and when his stare lands on my tie, he smiles. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear anything other than black.”
My hand smooths over the silk self-consciously. “Red’s good luck, right?” Because okay, maybe I do need a little of it.
“Anton Hayes, is that superstition coming from you?”
“I’m more stacking the cards in our favor.”
“Admit it, I’m rubbing off on you.”
I snort. “You would be if I let you. But … no. Tonight we keep our clothes on. We’re going to be attracting enough attention as it is.”
“You? Willingly attracting attention?” Ezra presses his hand to my forehead. “Are you okay, or have you been taken over by aliens? Blink twice if it’s the aliens.”
“I’m taking my boyfriend to dinner.” I drop my voice. “And I don’t plan on hiding it.”
Ezra’s face lights up. “You’re sure?”
“Completely.”
I’m not as nervous as I thought I would be. Ezra keeps his hand on the back of my neck as I drive, and when we pull up to the valet and I hand over my keys, he catches my eyes and I know what he’s saying.
Last chance to back out.
Instead, I take his hand. “Let’s go cause a scene.”
Thirty-One
EZRA
Anton makes a pfft noise. It’s not the first one he’s made since parking his ass next to me on my couch twenty minutes ago. He’s scrolling through his phone, something he has been constantly doing since our date last week.
We went out, we held hands over the top of the dinner table, we waved to fans and signed some stuff on the street, and then we came home, where Anton proceeded to wait for his life to implode.
It hasn’t.
The rumors still run rampant, but they haven’t changed much. They’re all speculation and no substance.
“Are we going to have to have sex in public for them to get it?” Anton asks.
“Or … and hear me out … You could tell them we’re together instead of hoping someone else confirms it for you.”
“I didn’t want to make a big deal of coming out.”
“I know, but this isn’t working. I still don’t care either way, and I understand you not wanting to address it directly, but—”
“What if I get a tattoo across my forehead that says I’m with Ezra? They’ll have to assume which Ezra because your last name won’t fit.”
“You could get it across your ass. Property of Palaszczuk. Then you can walk around without pants. I won’t be complaining.”
“Let’s save that for plan B.”
“What’s the new plan A? Because even I’m a no on public sex and being arrested.”
Anton hums. “I don’t know yet.”
I wrap my arm around him. “However you do it, I don’t care. If you’re second-guessing, that’s okay too. Maybe the moment will present itself. Ooh, sex tape.”
“Not on your life.”
“We could at least kiss in public.”
“Nah, I don’t like that either.”
“Why not?”
“Because when I kiss you, I want to do other things to you—things we can’t do in public.”
“Maybe I’m having second thoughts, and we should revisit the coming out sex idea.”
“Let’s make that plan C.”
“Hey, if it’s on CCTV, we can knock off sex tape and plan C in one go.”
“No sex tape.”
I sigh. “Fine. However you decide to do it, I’ll support you. This is your moment, and I’ll go along with whatever you want.”
Anton squeezes my thigh. “This is our moment.”
I lean in and whisper, “I don’t know if you know this, but I’m already out.” I mock gasp. “Shocking.”
He shoves me. “I mean that it’s not just me coming out. This will blow back on both of us.”
“I think the only blowback I’ll get is accusations of being taken over by some body-snatching-type thing. Ezra Palaszczuk in a …” I gag. “Relationship? Gay men around the country will be crying.”
“In sympathy for me?”
“I think you should leave being funny to me. I’m better at it.”
Anton kisses my cheek. “You think you’re better. There’s a difference.”
I tackle him on the couch and climb on top of him to straddle his waist. “I can show you how I’m better.”
“Better at being funny? By having sex with me? Hmm, yeah, I can—”
I cover his mouth with my hand. “Ha, ha, ha, I’m bad at sex. You’re soooo funny. See, this is why you should leave it to me. In the meantime …” I snake my free hand between us and rub his cock over his pants. “Think we have time to get off before we have to get to the arena for the game tonight?”
Anton reaches above him to grab his phone and check the time. “Maybe if we jerk off with the urgency of teenagers.”
“Challenge accepted.”
He shoves down our sweats while I spit on my palm and then wrap it around both of us.