Page 33 of Butterfly

“No, I like the idea of you topping me, but I don’t want to… Is that… Is that rude to say?”

Teddy snorted softly.No.

“Do you want me to top you?” Ollie asked.

No.

“Then why did you—”

Teddy sighed, flicking through the pages so he could literally spell it out.If you want to, I will let you. I want to have all of your firsts.

His eyes were dark again, tugging Ollie closer.

Ollie licked his lips. “I want you to top me, and I want to be your bottom.”

Teddy’s eyebrows shot up.My bottom?

“Yes.” Ollie’s mouth went dry. “I… Are we exclusive? If we’re not, that’s going to be a deal-breaker for me. I don’t want to share you.”

Teddy searched the dictionary, then jabbed his finger at the page in a frenzy, like he was possessed. His eyes were hard, unblinking, and his nostrils flared.

Exclusive.

He didn’t like the idea of sharing either.

“Good,” Ollie exhaled. “That’s good. I’ve never had a boyfriend before, or a girlfriend, not that we’re like that…unless we are?”

Teddy smirked, choosing his reply.Want to be my boyfriend?

“I don’t know. Kind of. Yes. But I’ve never had… I’ve already said that.” Ollie’s cheeks burned. “But have you?”

Teddy blinked, then he stared. Whatever tension had been worked out of the situation returned worse than before. Teddy broke eye contact first.

“Have…have you had a boyfriend before?” Ollie asked.

Teddy chewed his bottom lip before nodding.

“Oh right, of course you have.” Ollie scratched the back of his head. Teddy was in his early thirties. He’d had a life before Hollybrook and a life inside Hollybrook before Ollie.

“Just the one?” Ollie asked. “Or several?”

Teddy held up one finger.

“The one,” Ollie said breathlessly. “Notthe one, although they say you fall hardest with the first.”

He reached up and pinched his lips together.

Teddy returned his attention back to the dictionary, as if that conversation was now concluded, but Ollie couldn’t let it go. He dropped his hand into his lap.

“And was he good? I mean, was it good, the relationship—can’t have been that good because you’re not together anymore.”

Ollie thought about smacking himself in the face to shut his mouth but knew Teddy would stop him. He waited, making it clear he wanted an answer.

Teddy’s shoulders slumped as he flicked through the pages.

Good then bad.

“How long were you together?”

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