Page 77 of Pretty ’n Peak

It made his heart race and his cheeks flush, but he loved it.

His desire to peek inside drowned out his fear.

“Which one should I open first?”

Austin shrugged, still amused. “I have no idea. You’re going to see all of this before I know what it is. I don’t know what Jamie bought.”

“I guess I’ll just start with the one on top, then?” It was an inane question. He had no idea why he was asking it.

“Good idea. Tell me about it as you open it.”

“OK, um… There’s a ribbon on it. I have to get it off.” A satiny pink ribbon, tucked over the opposite corners. He eased it off, then set it aside. He wanted to keep the ribbon, too. “There’s tissue paper inside.” Striped elegantly, silver on white. This was just the packaging, and he’d already never gotten such a beautiful gift.

“It’s…” He parted the tissue paper, and then his breath caught in his throat. It was an undulating wave of ribbons and lace in deep maroon. He didn’t even know what it was yet, but he already wanted to feel it on his skin.

He reached one hand out cautiously, like he was afraid it would vanish like a dream if he dared to touch.

The lace held just the slightest roughness under his fingertips. The ribbons were soft, fluttering over his fingers. He discovered round cords of some stretchy material that seemed to cross over each other.

“Hold it up,” Austin quietly instructed.

Grasping the two ribbons that he thought might be shoulder straps, he lifted it. It was a shirt, or whatever the word was for a sexy, feminine garment meant to cling to your body with little patches of skin peaking through the lace. There were two triangles of fabric, intended to evoke breasts, but completely flat, and the criss-crossed laces running enticingly between them in a deep V.

The whole thing was cut wide… but surely not wide enough for his barrel chest and flabby belly.

He put it back down quickly.

“What is it?”

He wrapped the paper back over it. “It’s a shirt-thing. With lace.”

“Mmmm… and what do you think of it?”

He tried to think of a polite way to cover his desire and shame. “It’s beautiful. Just… maybe not for my body shape.”

“I disagree.” Austin was frowning.

“You couldn’t even see it.”

“No, but I trust Jamie on this.” Austin pulled him closer. “It’s alright if you don’t like something. But you should try it on before assuming it doesn’t fit.”

The thought was mortifying and arousing. Maybe he could just… try it on in the bathroom without Austin there?

“Do you want to try another box?”

He let out a breath. “Yeah.” Maybe the next one would be easier.

He chose a little black and white one, about the size of his palm. It opened easily to another layer of tissue paper. Nestled inside was a neatly folded square of shimmery satin and lace.

He picked it up with a little more confidence.

“What do you have?”

A wide V of white stretchable fabric, with an abundant bulge at the front. Silky panties wide enough for his waist, though they wouldn’t come close to covering his ass.

“Um, underwear.”

Austin chuckled in that warm way he had. The way that always made Mateo feel like his fumbling ignorance was something sweet and cute. Like Austin was happy just to be around him.