Page 40 of His Choice

He closed the distance between us. “Mikey, don’t let that moron win by shutting you out of the communal activities.”

I shook my head. “I don’t care about winning anymore, Aaron. I just want to go home.”

Aaron grabbed the back of my neck and drew me to him before wrapping his arms around me. Though he and I had cuddled many times, and he’d often put an arm over my shoulder, it was the first time he’d hugged me. I figured it might make him uncomfortable and that he was doing it only out of sympathy, so I began to pull back. He embraced me harder.

“I’m sorry, Mikey. I shouldn’t have pushed so hard for you to be on this show. I just knew you really liked this Cliff guy, and I believed—and still do—that he might select you. I didn’t want you to be miserable in the process.”

I relaxed into his arms, relieved that at least he wasn’t ashamed to be seen with me. “Thank you for defending me in the kitchen,” I whispered. “I wouldn’t have blamed you if you had laughed, too. I’m such an idiot.”

“No, you’re not,” Aaron refuted. “You panicked because of what that asshole did. And hey, at least if you don’t ever sleep with Cliff Walker, you can tell everyone you creamed all over him.”

Now I did step back so I could place a hand over my face. “God, why was I still squeezing the bag at that point?”

“Or placing it in front of your crotch like a second dick,” Aaron added with a chuckle.

Despite my misery, I joined in his laughter. “I didn’t think I could outdo the drunk scene. I’ll need to move out of the country.”

“Nah.” He rested a hand on my shoulder. “People will love you. You’ll be all over social media. Maybe you’ll even become the viewer favorite now.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Because I make them laugh by doing stupid stuff?”

“Sure,” he agreed.

“Great,” I mumbled.

“Mikey, everyone can relate to doing dumb things when they’re stressed or nervous, and when they want something so bad. You’ll also get the sympathy votes because Daryl messed with your tool…”

“Huh?”

“The bag,” Aaron clarified. “Well, in your case, your tool’s double.”

“Please. I wish I was that big, or could shoot that much,” I complained.

Aaron laughed. “I don’t think you’d look good with a giant, veiny cock. It wouldn’t suit you.”

I jerked my head back. “Who said it had to be veiny? And stop picturing my junk.”

“You’re the one who brought it up…figuratively, I mean,” he pointed out.

“I wonder if I could get out of the contract somehow.”

Aaron grabbed my upper arms and pressed his forehead to mine. “Don’t leave, Mikey. I’m only here because of you. And how would I play out my excuse of falling for you if you’re not here for it to happen? I’d have to pretend the whole time that I’m into Cliff, then be humiliated when he chooses one of the losers over me.”

I thought about that and realized Aaron was right. “Yeah, that would mess things up. But the others aren’t losers. They’re all better looking than I am.”

“To hell they are. Now you’re being stupid,” he chastised. “If you stick around and everyone sees me falling for you, think of how high your stock will rise.”

I snickered. “Conceited much?”

“Hey, gentlemen, the crew is waiting for you,” James announced, suddenly a few feet away from us with the cameraman filming from behind him.

Aaron and I stepped away from each other quickly, realizing our semi-embrace was being captured for viewers to see.

“Okay, thanks. We’ll be right there,” I called out. I turned to Aaron. “That nosey camera guy caught us doing something that can be twisted…”

“Let people make something more of it,” Aaron suggested. “Maybe it’s not too early to sow the seeds that I’m falling for you. Think about it. People will have seen my outrage at how my roommate was treated. Then, it’s natural that I would have come to check on you. In a vulnerable moment, we became more intimate. Suddenly, my brain realizes I want some Mikey butt. It all plays into our plan.”

I scowled. “Mikey butt?”