Free Fast Connection (Cyberlove #2) by Megan Erickson, Santino Hassell Page A

my face open even as he hustled me out the door. My cloud-nine high lasted for the entire three minutes it took me to walk back to the house. I was too distracted to remember to go through the side entrance and instead walked in the front door.
    The place was a disaster. A combination of my father’s and sister’s clothes were strewn everywhere, and I nearly tripped over a skateboard. It irritated me until I realized my parents spent every waking moment at the bagel shop.
    Cleaning wasn’t the way I’d expected to expend my just-got-fucked energy, but I’d rather help out than hole up since I was living rent-free. The mindless tasks helped me to calm the hell down and remind myself that I was skipping around and singing over finding myself a fuck buddy. I tried to ground myself in reality. This wasn’t dating. It was possible Luke didn’t even
really
like me. He just liked what I could do with my ass. Maybe. Except that kiss said something different.
    Maybe.
    Why did I even care? I’d barely made the effort to date girls, so it wasn’t like I should be trying to jump into dating with a guy. And not just any guy, the first guy I’d let in my ass. Damn. Was I getting mushy? Or was there something about him?
    These musings continued until I grabbed Adriana’s FWO hoodie off the banister and got smacked with deja vu. For the second time, it reminded me a little too much of the hoodie hanging over Luke’s bannister during our first meeting.
    It bugged me the entire time I whipped up a protein shake packed with bananas, and it kept picking at me through my shower. It wasn’t until I was stretched out on my bed that I opened Grindr and forced myself to message him. I also said a quick prayer that it wouldn’t turn him off me.
    StaffSgt: Hey man. Quick question.
    Luke: We just saw each other.
    StaffSgt: I know but… I gotta know. Are you sure you’re not married? The weird time restrictions and schedules are tripping me up. And last time I swore I saw like… family type shit lying around.
    Luke: I told you I wasn’t.
    StaffSgt: No judgment if you’re in the closet and dealing with your sexuality and shit, man. I get it. I do. But… I’m not into being the one who fucks up someone’s marriage. Just tell me what’s up.
    Luke: Is this going to be an issue?
    StaffSgt: You being married?? Fuck yes.
    Luke: I meant me choosing to NOT answer this fucking question for the 10th time.
    StaffSgt: Fourth time. And no. But… I dunno. I’m kind of addicted to you by now, and it may mess with my mind if you keep dodging it. Evasion seems like lying, stud.
    Luke: Christ. I’m not married. I told you I’m divorced.
    StaffSgt: But then why the schedule?
    Luke: I have two kids with my ex-wife. They split their time with us.
    I had to be the world’s biggest airhead, because I hadn’t even thought of that. Or maybe I just didn’t know any divorced or married people. Or people with kids in general. It seemed like everyone I knew from high school was waiting until they were Luke’s age to “settle down”.
    Luke: Is that a problem for you too?
    StaffSgt: No! No fucking way. I’m guessing you schedule your sexytime for weekends when they’re away?
    Luke: You guessed correctly. Feel better?
    StaffSgt: Yup. Much. Thanks man. Sorry for being invasive. I just wanted to make sure.
    Luke: Your moral concerns are almost endearing.
    StaffSgt: A compliment! Oh shit. You’d never compliment me on anything but my ass in person.
    Luke: Probably.
    StaffSgt: Why? Easier to talk on here?
    Luke: Yes.
    StaffSgt: Whatever works, bud. Whatever works.

Chapter Six
    StaffSgt: I bought a bunch of fancy underwear and I want to know what you like
    Luke: This is not a conversation I want to have.
    StaffSgt: Come on! Help me out. So many choices
    Luke: You don’t even wear any when we see each other.
    StaffSgt: Yeah, but what if I want to do a sexy strip tease or something? You’d totally get down on watching me shake my ass
    Luke: That’s not