Page 35 of The Great Maple Mistake

Sam nods. “Yup, I’m right behind you.”

Everyone agrees to leave. So I take over the narrative and wrap things up. “Quick as you can, you all hightail it out of the keep and hurry down the dirt road that leads toward a crossroads. And this is where we’ll end tonight’s session. Next time, we’ll pick up with you at the crossroads, still stuck in the Fae Realm.”

Everyone starts talking at once, covering their favorite parts of tonight’s session or strategizing what to do next time we get together. I gather my dice and organize my notes, only half listening. Strong arms slip around me from behind, and I can smell Cody’s woodsy cologne. I lean back against his chest, and he nuzzles my hair. “Thanks for letting me sit in tonight. That was a lot of fun.”

“I’m glad you had a good time. And you’re welcome. Someone’s always dropping in. We have a few people who only play every few sessions because their schedules don’t allow for more. Do you know Bo Boyd?” Cody shakes his head. “He does community development for the city, and he’s good friends with Mickey. Anyway, he’s probably our most regular drop in. If that makes any sense.”

Cody’s arms tighten around me, and I grin at him over my shoulder. He leans down and kisses me softly. It’s not a lingering kiss, mostly just a brush of his lips against mine, but it makes my whole body tingle. “Do you need any help cleaning up?”

I shake my head and lean into him. “Nope. I usually leave this here for the next session. It’s out of the way of the gym equipment and the TV area.”

Mickey walks out with Sam. “Night, Alex. Good to meet you, Cody.”

Sam waves. “Yeah, nice to meet you. It was fun having you in the party.”

“Definitely come back again, if you want.” Andre squeezes Cody’s arm, then hoists his backpack over his shoulder. “I’m out too. Gotta get home.” His grin is mischievous.

“Get out of here. And tell Ethan I say hello.” I look up at Cody. “Ethan is Andre’s boyfriend.”

Cody nods. “Thanks, Andre. It all depends on my work schedule, and I won’t know for sure until closer to the date of the next game. When is that?”

Jason snorts. “Yeah, isn’t that always the question. We don’t play often because wrangling this many schedules is difficult. We usually get one in-person game a month.”

“In person? You play virtually too?” Cody looks excited about that idea. “If I’m working but there’s no fire, I could probably join a virtual game.”

Finn rounds everyone up and herds them toward the basement door that leads to the back yard and the end of our driveway. “We can talk about that over the next week or two while we schedule the next game.” Winking, he ushers our friends out as he points at me. “We still running tomorrow morning?”

I look at Cody and shake my head, hoping I don’t regret it. “Not tomorrow morning. But definitely Sunday. Meet you in front of the vet clinic at six?”

Finn nods and flashes an impish grin as he closes the door behind him. I exhale audibly and lean back into Cody. “Thank god.” I turn around and slip my arms around his neck. “Now I have you to myself.”

“And what are you going to do with me, now that I’m all yours?” His voice is warm and gravelly, and I’m aware that the question is meant to be a no-pressure offer for moving things forward physically. And, god I want that. But there’s something I have to address first.

“Come here.” I step back and take him by the hand, leading him over to the couch. He sits first, and I sit down facing him, one foot tucked up under me. I squeeze his hand and look into his pretty blue eyes. “I definitely want to get to sexy time, but there’s something we need to talk about first.” Instantly, I have his undivided attention. He looks intently into my eyes, but his body is relaxed, almost like we’re going to talk about tonight’s game or what movie we should see on our next date. And suddenly, so much of the pressure I’ve been putting onmyself disappears. When I exhale and let my posture match his, he smiles his sunshine smile, and I can’t help but think maybe everything will be alright. “Cody, I’m not like other guys.”

He nods. “You’re not. I’ve never met anyone like you. Ever. You’re amazing.”

God, how is he real? “Thank you. I think you’re pretty wonderful too.” Please, please be wonderful. “But I mean—” Oh god. Here goes. “Physically. I’m not like most other guys.”

His brows draw down, and I can see his brain turning my words over, trying to figure out what I’m saying. “How?”

I open my mouth to explain, then close it. I try again but still can’t find the right way to start. Eventually, I give up trying to find the correct words and just go for any. Oh god, oh god, oh god. I like him so much. Please don’t let him freak out. “Are you familiar with the term AFAB?”

He nods. “Assigned female at birth. Right?”

“Yes.” Okay. He seems calm. Confused, but calm.

“I was assigned female at birth. But that was wrong.” Cody watches me expectantly, like he’s waiting for me to say more. But I’m not sure what he wants me to say. “So, I’m male. But I don’t have a penis. Not the way people assigned male at birth do.”

He nods, eyebrows still raised. “Okay.”

I blink. “I’m sorry. What?”

“Okay. You don’t have a penis. Got it.”

I open my mouth to speak but have no clue what to say. It takes me a full minute to come up with something. Anything. “Cody, do you understand what I mean?”

He frowns. “Unless it means something different to you, I’m pretty sure it means you don’t have a penis.” I open and close my mouth a few more times, feeling more fish than human. Cody squeezes my hands. “So if we were to strip naked right now, we’d both look male. You’d be more lean muscle, and I’d be bulkier,but we’d both be male. Right?” I nod, because yes. “But where I have a typical set of cock and balls, you don’t.”

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