Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
“I love your boyfriend,” Corbin told Marcus, who chuckled in response.
I lived with Marcus, of course, because now that I had him, I sure as shit didn’t want to be away from him. We’d come to an agreement about money and school. I’d applied for loans, but what I couldn’t get covered, I was going to let Marcus help with. It came from love, and I’d let myself accept that it was okay to lean on him some. We were in love, and relationships were about give and take. I’d told him I wanted to pay him back, and Marcus had agreed without arguing, but I also knew he wouldn’t want to take it. We’d cross that bridge in a million years when I actually had money. Whatever we decided, I knew it wouldn’t come between us.
“He’s an annoying little shit,” Declan said, smiling before he took a drink of his champagne.
“Come on, handsome. Don’t pretend I’m not your favorite,” I joked back.
“He has a point,” Sebastian added playfully.
“Traitor,” Declan countered. “Look at him, he’s getting his first screenplay turned into a TV show and now thinks he can talk shit.”
Sebastian’s show about a group of queer men living, loving, and dating in Los Angeles would go into production sometime in the new year. I couldn’t wait to see what he did with it. “All I know is, if there’s not a fine Black bartender, we’re gonna have words, me and you.” I pointed between myself and Sebastian, earning myself a laugh from everyone.
“You mean this fine Black bartender?” Marcus wrapped his arms around me and nuzzled my neck from behind. I trembled because my man was hot and he could get me hot with a simple touch.
Sometimes I still couldn’t believe Marcus had chosen me. The weird part? There were times he wondered why I had chosen him. I figured that meant it was human nature. We never saw ourselves as good enough for the people we loved. I was going to work on changing that.
“All I know is, if there’s a romantic with bad luck with men who has shitty dates, we’re gonna have words,” Parker joked.
“Even if he gets a sexy husband who loves to tell him what a good boy he is?” Elliott asked in a voice that was all sex. Parker was a lucky man, no doubt about that. Not as lucky as me, though.
“Gross,” Declan teased.
Parker basically melted. “Best husband ever.”
“Thank you, beautiful.” Elliott kissed him.
“Anyone else turned on?” Corbin provided the comic relief, as usual, and we all laughed again.
He seemed to be doing okay with the fact that his three best friends had fallen in love. Nothing had changed for the Beach Bums when it came to their relationships with each other. They would always be best friends and brothers, and now Corbin had three new people who loved him exactly the way he was. Still, I hoped he’d find someone soon too. He deserved to be loved in all the ways possible.
As if reading my mind, Corbin said, “So…I made a decision I should probably share.” He paused for effect. “I’m gonna get myself one of these.” He pointed to us.
“One of what? I’m confused,” Marcus said.
“A boyfriend. I’m gonna find one.”
“Did you try the Boyfriend Warehouse downtown?” Declan asked.
“Ha-ha.” Corbin gave him the finger. “I’m serious. I want to try the boyfriend thing too. Anyone have recommendations on where I can get one?”
“You can always marry a guy in Vegas.” Parker smiled.
“Nah, that’s already been done.”
“Worked out well for us.” Elliott shrugged.
“Date a movie star who isn’t acting?” Sebastian asked.
“Again with the already-been-done. You guys are no help at all.”
“What the hell is wrong with you, kid?” Marcus stepped away from me to wrap an arm around Corbin and kiss his temple. Their friendship was so beautiful and one of my favorite things about the man I loved.
“Strange, right? The hard part is how I’m going to deal with missing all the sex.”
“Um…why would you have to miss sex? Marcus and I fuck all the time.” My boyfriend rolled his eyes at my statement. “What? It’s true. And from what I’ve heard, my boss is a dirty-talking sex machine, while Elliott’s over there praising Parker and almost making me weak in the knees.”
“Yes, but it’s okay if you don’t have that much sex too,” Parker added. “Sex doesn’t define a relationship.”
“Of course. I’m sex positive and positive about people’s desires or choices.”
“You guys realize we’re at a fundraiser?” Declan asked.
We chatted for a while longer, but I kept noticing Corbin’s gaze searching the room. I almost asked him if he was planning on finding his boyfriend here, but I didn’t want to give him too much shit in case he was serious. According to Marcus, Corbin had always been against settling down in a monogamous relationship, but then all the guys except Parker had been, and look at them now.