Page 41 of The Lockdown Mann

I smile, knowing exactly what she means. Talking to Des at sixteen was exciting. Being at his place with him was too, and then there’s GameOn057. I don’t even know what to consider him, but what I’ve done with him has been exciting as well. “That’s good. You think you can trust him?”

“I don’t know. That’s why I haven’t said anything yet. And even though I like him, I don’t know if I want to pursue a relationship right away. We’ve never really known what it’s like to be single! Maybe I just want to fuck him.”

The fact that there is no jealousy on my part and the laugh I let out is real is a reminder that this is the right choice. “Hmm. I might need to meet this guy, though. Make sure he deserves you.”

“Not a chance.” She snuggles closer. “What about you?”

My pulse stumbles. What about me? Is this the time to not only tell her that I almost kissed someone but that I’m bisexual? That the person I hooked up with at sixteen was a guy, and about GameOn057 too? That feels like a lot for now. “I almost kissed someone,” I admit.

“What?” She pulls away, a wide grin on her face. “Who? When? And why almost? Give me the deets, Oak!”

“Girl, quit playin’,” I tell her. “I’m not having this conversation with you. I just get what you’re going through…how exciting it is. How it’s new but still scary as shit.”

“Yeah,” she agrees. “It is.” We’re both quiet for a moment, Ree pulling her feet up under her on the couch, the way she loves to sit. “This feels right, being able to talk to you about this, about what we’re doing. I know everything is fucked up right now and I know we’re probably making it worse by keeping it to ourselves, but it feels right. I love you, but talking to you like this feels more right than planning a future together. Does that make sense?”

I nod in agreement, thankful that I have her in this way, that we’re taking this new journey together, even though it’s a journey to be apart. “It does. I feel the same way.”

“I still want to know about the woman you almost kissed.”

I shake my head. “Not a chance.”

“Are you going to see her again?” she asks.

I think about Des, about how comfortable it felt talking to him again, how, even after all this time, I still want him. “Yeah, for sure. Hopefully soon.”

“Good for you.” Ree squeezes my thigh in support.

*

When I’m in bed later that night, I pull up my text messages and click on Desmond.

Me: Do you have plans on Tuesday?

Tuesdays are typically our day off each week. It’s standard practice around the league.

Desmond: I’m hoping I do now.

Me: Yeah. You do.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Desmond

I roll over in bed, giving my dick a slow stroke. I’m aching…horny as hell, and fuck, I just like the feel of my hand on my dick while lying in bed before I have to get up and start my day.

My phone buzzes on the nightstand beside me. I smile, wondering if it’s Oakley. There are a hundred people it could be, but of course my thoughts go directly to him. I don’t know why it’s always been that way when it comes to the infuriating man.

The infuriating man who texted me last night and asked me to hang out. I was pleasantly surprised. I figured he’d pull back, keep his distance after what he admitted to me and then almost kissing me, but as he’s done in the past, Oak keeps me on my toes.

I keep my hand on my dick, just holding my hot, hard length, while I reach with my other hand to grab my phone.

It’s my mom, but I don’t click on her text because talking to my mom, even just messaging while I have my hand on my dick, is all kinds of wrong, so instead, I click over to the hookup app to see if there are any messages there.

Not that I plan on doing anything. I haven’t spoken to anyone there other than OnTheBeach27, and our conversation has slowed down since our texting jerk-off session, but I also enjoy talking to him.

And I don’t want to just drop him and ignore him either.

There’s a message waiting for me when I log in—well, there are a whole hell of a lot of messages waiting for me, but I skip all of them and click on his name.