Boyfriend Goals

Shit. I’d offended him. Why was it so hard to figure out what to say sometimes? I just wanted to tell the truth. But Gideon was my favorite person. I didn’t want to ever hurt him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad.”

“You didn’t. I’m kidding, Lo.” He nuzzled my neck. “Wanna fool around? I’ll brush my teeth first. Even take a quick shower if you think I need it.”

I chuckled, my dick already getting hard. “It’s odd, but I kind of like your sweat. I never would have expected that. And I always want to fool around, but if we’re home, I won’t be able to concentrate without going downstairs, and I think the workers hate me. I micromanage.”

“No! You? I’d have never guessed.”

“I sense sarcasm. Stop being mean to me.”

“You told me I have bad breath!”

“I said morning breath. There’s a difference.” I can’t explain what happened next, how we got from there to rolling around, tickling and wrestling with each other, but we did. I should one hundred percent hate this, but I was laughing so hard, my stomach hurt, and my chest felt weirdly full, like someone was using a pump to blow it up in a way that should be uncomfortable but was just…right.

He rolled on top of me, had me on my back while he straddled my hips. Gideon held my wrists down. My dick was erection city at the moment. Him resting his ass against it didn’t help the situation—at all. “Do you want to go to the beach?” he asked, staring down at me, his burned-honey eyes taking me in. He was so hot, and not for the first time, I wondered what he was doing here with me.

“Yes,” I replied, more breathless than I should be. Gideon smiled while brushing his thumb over the pulse in my right wrist.

The air around us felt weird…different…confusing.

Buzzzzz! My heart jumped with the sound of my phone going off in my pocket. “Oh my God. That scared me.”

“Ignore it.”

“What if it’s the guys downstairs and they need my help?” I managed to tug it out of my pocket without Gideon getting off me…which I liked, because I wanted Gideon on top of me. Like maybe we could find a way to live that way and do everything that way. Excuse us, we’re stuck together because he’s my best friend and it feels good.

“It’s my mom,” I said but still answered. “Hello, Mother.”

Gideon collapsed on the bed beside me.

“You haven’t called me in a week! I’m always the one who has to call you. I just like to know you’re okay, Milo.”

I sighed. I knew she did, and now that I understood things with Wilma, maybe that was part of the reason. Still, I couldn’t help wondering if she would do this if I were someone else. “I’ll try harder. Things have been really busy.”

“Have you seen Gene again?”

“Yes.” I’d told her we were spending time together. I’d asked her once if she wanted to know the story, and she said no, so I hadn’t asked again. Plus, I thought that might be the kind of thing you did in person, but I didn’t know. “Are you having your coffee before work?” I knew she was, but I wanted to change the subject.

“I am. I miss talking to you in the mornings. What are you doing?”

“I was wrestling in bed with Gideon. In a little while we’re going to the beach.”

“Ah fuck,” Gideon whispered.

Mom was silent, too silent for her…

“We weren’t having sex! I wouldn’t have answered if that were the case. And we haven’t done that yet. Not all the way, at least.”

“Sweet Jesus,” Gideon said. For a second I thought he was mad at me, but he just buried his face in my chest, his shoulders vibrating like he was holding back laughter.

“The two of you are a couple?”

“No. We’re just friends. People do that, Mom. It’s just a thing.” Granted, I hadn’t hooked up with friends before, but most people did, and why not? If Gideon and I were an example, this was something everyone should be doing. It was perfect, and we had so much fun together.

“Is that what you want?”

“Yes to both—I want to be friends with him and have sex with him. I told you, Mom, he’s my best friend.” We went through this every time we talked, though usually minus the sex stuff.

She sighed, and I knew without seeing her that she was biting her tongue so she didn’t say something she knew I wouldn’t like. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Gideon would never hurt me.” He wouldn’t. I knew that to the marrow of my bones. He lifted his head then and gave me a smile I couldn’t read before kissing my chest. I wished I didn’t have a shirt on so we were skin to skin.