Free Cherry Pop (Mercury Rising Book 3) by Samantha Kane

“Jesus, I never noticed a guy’s dick before. I haven’t been able to stop staring at yours.”
    “My…what?” Ben was flabbergasted. “Why didn’t you say something?”
    “How are you supposed to tell another guy you can’t stop looking at his package?” Tripp exclaimed.
    “Just like that,” Ben said. “I won’t wear these again. Look, this—” He waved between them. “—this is just friendship. You’re not gay. I’m not willing to be a sexual experiment. You’re just…I don’t know, confused. You said it yourself, that your head was messed up. Once it gets straightened out, you’ll see. Don’t do anything you’ll regret. And by that I mean I won’t do anything you’ll regret.”
    “Maybe I’m confused about a lot of things,” Tripp said, “but I’m not confused about this. I know when I want someone, and I want you.” He grabbed Ben’s upper arms and hauled him over until they were pressed hips to hips. “See?”
    Ben saw, all right…or at least he felt how much Tripp wanted him. His mouth went dry and his knees may have wobbled a bit at the evidence. But he wasn’t going there.
    “I’m not about to join the ranks of gay guys who get used by straight guys who just want to try it on for size,” Ben said flatly. “One horrible betrayal and dumping per lifetime, please.” He shoved at Tripp’s chest, and Tripp let him go.
    “What’s that mean?” Tripp asked, frowning. “Who betrayed you?”
    “My life story in a nutshell?” Ben asked. “Fine, let’s do it. Older ex-boyfriend. Together eight years. I was in it for the long haul. He was in it until I got too old. He traded me in for a younger model. I came home from work to find my possessions neatly boxed up in the driveway and the housekeeper handed me a note. Too bad, so sad. So don’t come to old Ben to make you feel better about whatever ails you. I’m not going to suck your unhappiness out of your dick. Understood?”
    “Wow,” Tripp said, wide-eyed. “You had that buried pretty damn deep. All right, I get where you’re coming from. But for the record, I’m not that guy, and I’m not that kind of a guy. What unhappiness? Did I say I was unhappy? And talking about sucking my dick is not helping.”
    “Don’t worry, I won’t do it,” Ben said, meaning it.
    “I don’t know what’s going on between us—” Tripp said.
    “Nothing,” Ben interrupted him. “Nothing is going on between us.”
    “—but whatever it is, I’m not giving up on it,” Tripp continued, ignoring him, while he stepped off the porch. He tossed Ben his house keys and Ben nearly fumbled them. “I haven’t felt this way about anyone in a long time, if ever. It’s all new to me. I mean, a guy. I get that the kiss wasn’t great, but I was having some mental issues over it. Not that I didn’t enjoy it, and I definitely want to try it again.”
    “Not with me.” Ben kept his voice firm, but inside he felt a little kernel of pleasure at Tripp’s persistence.
    “Yes, with you,” he said. “Don’t I turn you on?”
    “What?” Ben asked incredulously.
    “I got the impression you think I’m all right,” Tripp said, looking and sounding confused. “And your dick is hard. Right?”
    Ben closed his eyes and covered them with his hand. “I am not having this conversation.”
    “So that’s a yes?” Tripp asked, and Ben could hear the laughter in his voice.
    “Goodbye, Tripp,” Ben said, a catch in his chest as he realized he was losing the one new friend he’d found in Mercury. Tripp was too young to rush headlong into something that had the potential to change his life forever. Ben knew from personal experience what a disaster that could be. If he had to walk away from the friendship to keep Tripp from making a huge mistake, he would.
    “See you tomorrow,” Tripp answered. Clearly he hadn’t gotten the right message.
    “No, you won’t,” Ben called out as Tripp climbed on his bike. “We won’t be seeing each other