Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 50681 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 253(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 169(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50681 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 253(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 169(@300wpm)
I furrowed my brow and set my half-eaten hamburger aside. “I think so. You want us to be pretend boyfriends.”
“Not really ‘pretend.’ We’re not trying to fool our friends or family. It’s only for the project. We want viewers to wonder and maybe question why they become invested in the lives and relationships of strangers.”
“Do you really think anyone will care if we’re ‘real’ or not?”
“You’d be surprised. I told you people follow YouTubers religiously. This is a good way to explore the ‘actual’ reality behind so-called reality TV. Audiences love couples. I’m gay and out and proud. Obviously I need a male partner. And you’re perfect because you’re my exact opposite and yet…we have things in common.”
“Like what?”
“We’re both athletes. I’m a gymnast, and you’re a football player.”
“You’re a yell leader,” I reminded him with a frown.
“I’m a trained gymnast.” Mitch narrowed his eyes and huffed. He played with the condensation on the side of his glass before continuing, “I know this is weird. I’m only asking because you said you’re open the other night. Your exact words were something like ‘Love is love, sex is sex, and sexuality is fluid.’ Ring any bells?”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I’m looking for a boyfriend.”
“This is not real, Evan. Ugh! Why do straight men think every other gay guy wants to suck their cock?”
“Hang on. You don’t want to suck my dick?” I asked in mock confusion.
He smirked. “Of course I do.”
“You really do, or are you fucking with me?”
“I’m totally fucking with you,” he replied with a straight face. Then he cocked his head and bit his bottom lip in a seductive gesture that made my mouth go dry. “Or am I?”
“Uh…I can’t tell.”
“See?” He slapped his hand on the table and grinned like a madman. “It’s perfect! The hint of intrigue. Is this for real? Are Mitch and Evan actually a couple? And supposing they are, what’s their relationship like? What do they really know about each other? It’s like a mini version of the Newlywed Game. Faux or no?” He gasped and snapped his fingers. “That’s what we’ll call it! Damn, I’m a genius.”
“Except our friends and family will know it’s fake. Someone we know will weigh in online and ruin it. It won’t work,” I said.
“Yes, it will. It’s called acting. I don’t know about your family, but my grandmother has no idea what YouTube is, and she wouldn’t watch if she did. As far as our friends are concerned…we won’t actively lie, but they may start to wonder if we spend time together doing boyfriendy things.”
“Like what, kissing?”
I was kidding and I fully expected Mitch to roll his eyes and tell me not to be ridiculous. But he tilted his head and gave me a thoughtful look that made me nervous. My pulse accelerated as I waited for him to continue.
“Maybe,” he said, drawing out the two-syllable word until it seemed like a full sentence. “Have you ever kissed a guy?”
“No,” I lied.
“Would you kiss me?”
I stared at his full lips for a moment and then met his eyes. “Uh…”
Mitch smiled. It was a slow, knowing grin with a flirtatious edge I should have found humorous because…he had to be joking, right? Or was this a seduction of some kind? And why couldn’t I tell?
His nose twitched with delight before he snickered. “You’re kind of adorkable. But don’t worry. You’re charming and very good-looking, but I’m not interested in converting you to my gay religion. You’re safe with me, Evan.”
“That’s strangely disappointing,” I quipped.
“It’s not my style to throw myself at a straight man. Even a sexy one. When you eventually decide you can’t live without me, you’ll have to win me over the old-fashioned way. You know, draw our names in the sand in a heart at the beach. That kind of thing.”
“Gotcha. All right. I’ll do it.”
“Do what? The heart in the sand? I’m open to other gestures too. Skywriting would be cool.”
“And expensive,” I snarked. “Don’t get carried away. I meant, I’ll be your project boyfriend.”
“Really?” He dropped his fork on his plate and grinned.
“Sure. It sounds easy enough. We do a few videos, answer a few questions, and maybe kiss once in a while, right? If we throw in a couple of lunch dates like this one, people might think we’re the real thing. I bet they think we’re boyfriends now.”
“I doubt it. Boyfriends are more touchy. You’d have to act like you want me. Like you’re thinking about what we did in bed thirty minutes ago and the memory alone is giving you palpitations.”
“Palpitations or a hard-on?”
Mitch shot a wicked grin at me as he speared a piece of spinach. “Yes.”
“I can do that,” I said confidently. “When do we start?”
“Immediately. And thank you. This is going to be a kickass project! I’m gonna owe you big time. More so if it gets me into grad school. What’s your schedule like this week?”