Page 56 of The Lineman

The tickling stopped immediately.

“Sprite?”

“You know, as in Puck?”

He cocked his head as only a golden retriever might. “FromMidsummer Night’s Dream? That Puck?”

I nodded. “Uh-huh.”

“Oh, God. You know literature, my love language. If you start quoting the greats, you’ll have to fuck me.”

“Fuck you? What?”

“You know, dick up the ass. That sort of thing. I can’t help it. You’re hot, muscular, cook like a beast, and now I find out you know the classics?”

“Well, I don’t know them—”

“You know Puck! It rhymes with—”

“God, you’re such a child.”

“A horny child.” He smirked. “You have two choices. Kiss me again or start quoting and use that power pole you keep hidden in your pants.”

I hesitated, staring into his eyes. Mike wasn’t like the other guys—I knew that—but if we took this to the next level, would things change? I really liked him, liked where this was headed. He was easy to talk to and even easier on the eyes. We laughed and joked more than I had with anyone in a long time, and he made me want to open up and relax and—

“Well?”

Fuck it.

“What if I want both?”

His mouth fell open—but only for a second. A grin parted his lips, and his eyes blazed.

“Guess you should take what you want, then.”

Not trusting myself to think one more second, I gripped the back of his head, threading my fingers in his thick hair, and pulled him into me, crushing our lips together in the sloppiest, most glorious kiss ever. He startled then surrendered, opening his mouth and giving my tongue access. I wrapped my off hand, the one not gripping his head, around his waist and squeezed us together with all the strength I could muster.

God, he felt good. I could smell whatever exotic shampoo he used, and it sent my mind into overdrive.

His hands gripped my arms, squeezed my biceps and shoulders, roamed to my neck before gripping the sides of my head.

“Damn it, Elliot, I’ve wanted to kiss you so bad.”

I licked at his lips, getting a healthy taste of tongue.

“Yeah?”

“Fuck, yeah. Since that first day.”

I froze. My eyes narrowed. He pulled back a bit.

Should have made some kind of joke, some kind of escape.

But I didn’t.

Instead, I stayed perfectly still, breathing way too hard, heart hammering in my ribs like it had just remembered it had a job to do.

And Mike?

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