Page 41 of Except You

“Hm,” Diego says and then nods toward the cow pen. “Got some fences to fix. But I’ll see you around? I was invited to the bonfire tonight.”

“Yep, we will be there.”

I’m not sure about what the hell this bonfire is, but I’m guessing my mom planned it without telling me.

As soon as Diego is gone, Max nudges me and mutters, “You got it bad for him, don’t you?”

“No,” I say and then scrunch my nose. “No, he’s just an old fling.”

“You were blushing the entire time you were talking to him.”

“I was not. It’s just hot out.”

“It’s fifty degrees and there’s no sun.”

I roll my eyes and then pinch him. He steps away with a chuckle, and I scowl at him. This is all his fault anyways. None of the dick I’ve gotten since meeting him has felt that great, and to be honest, I’m not really into it like I used to be.

Maybe Diego will be different. Maybe.

Not that we’re going to hook up. But if we did, maybe I’d feel that spark again. He knows just how to make me scream.

“Anyways, what was I saying?”

“You were telling me to stop pretending to be engaged to you.”

“Yes, we are not planning our wedding with my mother. She will be devastated when she learns the truth.”

“Got it,” he says and then looks thoughtful. “But how would that work? Like how do two men get married?”

I arch an eyebrow at him. “That’s kind of a silly question, but I think I know what you mean. Like who walks down the aisle?”

He rubs at the back of his neck. “Yeah. Like that.”

I shrug. “It’s up to the couple, but if you and I were getting married, I’d be walking down to you. And god, Max, you’d look so good waiting there for me in your light colored suit, a blue tie to match your eyes. And I’d probably have a bouquet, a small one, nothing too big…”

My voice trails off, and I sigh. “That’s not happening, but if it did, that’s what it would be like.”

Max’s throat bobs and he nods. “Sounds real nice, Bow-tie.”

“Yeah, it does, huh?” Our eyes meet, and I give him a small grin. “Come on, let’s go. I want to take you for a ride on a horse.”

“Oh god,” he grumbles, but I can’t wait. Get to see that nice ass bouncing in a saddle.

Yes, Daddy, please.

Chapter Seven

Max

Holy hell. My thighs hurt and Beau looks pretty damn happy about it. Horseback riding is no joke. And it’s even less of a joke when you’re trying to be manly and show Deigo that you can actually ride a horse.

“Come here, you big baby,” Beau says as I gingerly lower myself onto the porch swing. I can’t move. My thighs are chaffed, and I’m pretty sure my balls are going to fall off.

“I can’t. I’m stuck.”

“You cannot be stuck. We have guests coming over in a bit, and I’m sure they all want to meet my boyfriend.”

“Fiancé?” I say, and Beau rolls his eyes. He gave his mom a stern talking-to when we got back, telling her in no uncertain terms that we are not engaged and that we are just taking things slow. I think he’s using this as a way to eventually break things off between us. Even though we aren’t really together. I’m not gay. Beau isn’t my boyfriend.

---