Page 63 of Playboy For Hire

“You said I sounded like one of your aunts, who you claim are bullshitting you when they call you handsome. But I’m not doing that.”

“Well, you didn’t call mehandsome, that’s for sure.”

“What’s wrong withgood-looking?

“It just…” His shoulders rose and fell as he looked at me in the mirror. “It’s the only adjective straight guys are comfortable using to describe other men. Which I guess explains why you would use it. But it’s just kind of funny, is all.”

“Excuse me. Who are you calling straight?”

“Uh, you? You literally told me you were straight when we first met.”

“Well, that’s what I thought I was, then.”

He turned away from the mirror and looked me in the eye. “You don’t anymore?”

My cheeks heated. “I would have thought the other night made that clear.”

“You mean the other night when you ran away before I even woke up.”

“I told you, I was just—it wasn’t about the gay thing. It was about me. But not, you know. Like that.”

Quinn frowned. “So are you saying youaregay?”

“No. But I’m saying I don’t think I’m straight, either.”

“And it’s just that easy for you? Your whole sexual orientation changes in one night and you just…roll with it?”

“What am I supposed to do? Freak out?”

“I don’t know, maybe!” Quinn shook his head. “I just can’t imagine being so calm about it. But maybe it’s easy for you, because you’re just so…you know.”

“What does that mean?”

“Hot, if you’re going to make me say it. Maybe people who look like you don’t get anxious about how other people are going to react to them.”

I stared at him in disbelief. “Do you really think I don’t get anxious?”

“Not about your looks, I assume. Not like me, anyway.”

I sighed and spun him to face the mirror again.

“What are you—”

“If you’re going to makemesay it,” I told him, “you are not just ‘good-looking.’ You’re cute. Hot. Utterly fucking gorgeous.”

I picked Quinn’s hands up from behind him and raised them to his face. I pointed his index fingers like I was moving a marionette and touched them to the outer corners of his eyes.

“Your eyes are dreamy. I feel like I could get swallowed up in them happily.” I touched his nose. “Your nose is kind of severe, and combined with your glasses, you’re giving strong hot professor vibes.” I touched his lips. “These things shouldn’t even be legal, they’re so fucking kissable-looking. And feeling. And tasting. As I happen to know. And this—” I brought one of Quinn’s fingers to his birthmark “—is just a part of you. And that makes it gorgeous, because you’re gorgeous.”

He flushed and squeezed his eyes shut. I waited ‘til he opened them again, then pointed at his cheeks.

“You’re adorable when you get embarrassed.” I touched his shoulders. “And beautiful when you’re naked.”

“Technically, you haven’t seen me naked,” he said. “Not fully, anyway.”

I stood on my toes to tuck my chin over his shoulder and nipped at the bottom of his ear.

“Then maybe we should change that.”

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