Page 42 of Outcast
I rolled my eyes. “I’d have to have a man first.”
“Exactly. Sogoget him.”
My stomach fluttered at the idea of calling Gray my man. I’d done nothing more than kiss him. I liked the idea of trying more, but it scared me too. Once I opened this can of worms, I couldn’t close it again.
What would people think if they found out?
What would Mom and Dad think? They wanted me and Allison to settle down and have grandkids. I was bi, not gay, and I could still give them that with someone else, but… how disappointed would they be in the meantime?
“No,” Allison said. “Don’t do that.”
“What?”
“That thing you do where you let other people’s expectations keep you from whatyouwant. You want to explore this side of yourself. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t have ever gotten in the car with Dallas.”
I grimaced. “Wish I hadn’t.”
“Even if it means you wouldn’t have met Gray?” She leaned in closer, eyes boring into me as I squirmed at the truths she was unleashing. “Even if it means you’d never kissed a guy at all?”
I groaned. “Why do you always win every argument?”
“Because I’m a brilliant woman who sees right through you.”
“Thanks a lot.” I couldn’t fight the smile tugging at my lips. “It was a good kiss.”
“Reallygood to hear you tell it,” she teased.
“Really, really good,” I said with a sigh.
“So, show me what you’re wearing tonight—and it better not be a suit!”
I laughed and stood up to head for my bedroom. “I think I’ve got a few things from college that might work.”
“Ooh, show me.”
I opened my closet door and pulled out a few shirts, displaying each one for Allison. She shot down the white one with a Dali print on it.
“This is a pool hall. You’re going to glow like neon if you wear white.”
I tossed it aside and held up a bronze-and-blue form-fitted button-down with a metallic sheen.
“Hm. Sexy. Let me see it on you?”
I propped the phone on the side table, shrugged out of my suit jacket, and unbuttoned my dress shirt.
Allison fanned her face. “Matteo is lucky I love him so much that I amtotallyunmoved by this striptease.”
I laughed as I pulled on the bronze shirt. “Shut up. You don’t look twice at anyone but him.”
She nodded. “Right. I’m only looking once.”
I buttoned the shirt, amused by her teasing but not really taking it seriously. If Allison had wanted to be with me, I probably would have caved to our parents’ wishes a long time ago. Which was actually kind of unsettling.
But nowyou’re going out to meet a man instead…
The cool fabric hugged my body, making me feel as if I was still half-naked. It didn’t leave a lot to the imagination, outlining my pecs—which weren’t even that built despite my regular workout regimen. I was too lean to add much bulk.
“It looks great, but I don’t think itreallysays pool hall, do you?” she asked.
