I snorted but still fell for the trap. “There’snothing wrong with that word. But all right, it’s been wonderful. Better?”
“Much. So no second-guessing about gettingserious with a guy or anything? I know lots of guys in this position wouldn’tbe as comfortable as you are.”
I tried not to feel self-conscious ordefensive, but it was hard. “I like him. It’s not how I’d have pictured arelationship looking even six months ago, but it feels right.”
Just because I’d never imagined a seriousrelationship with a man didn’t mean it was something I needed to be freaked outabout. It wasn’t like I’d fallen for an alien, I’d just fallen for someone articulate,sweet, interesting, and educated who happened to have a penis—and since I knewhow that worked, I wasn’t really worried.
Besides, I had a feeling a lot of guys inthe same situation would be more concerned about other people’s perception thanthe fact that they were falling in love with a man. But I’d given up worryingabout what other people thought a long time ago. I’d always pictured being in arelationship with someone who was easy to talk with, that I was attracted to,and who understood why I was passionate about art.
I’d found all of that and more with Lane.
“I’m glad things are working out betweenyou guys.” Then Gray’s voice took a more teasing tone. “But all this talk aboutit feeling right means that you’re comfortable with the modeling and how thepackage,as you described it, is decorated?”
Rolling my eyes, I started heading out ofthe kitchen. “If he’d have been a different person, it might have bothered me.I don’t know. But the way he talks about work and how it makes him feel doesn’tmake me uncomfortable.”
I’d never pictured dating anybody with ajob like that, so I wasn’t even sure how I would’ve felt about it in the past.Maybe I’d always been open-minded about it or maybe it was just all the peoplethat I’d met over the past couple of years, but the idea of people looking atLane online didn’t bother me.
He was beautiful. Of course they’d want tolook at him.
It was also easy to understand that it wasthe only outlet he was allowing himself for his more feminine side. Taking thataway from him would have been like shoving him back in the closet when he wasonly half out to begin with. No, I would rather bring him all the way out toshow him how incredible he was.
Gray cleared his throat, sounding guilty.“I may have poked around the website, so I’m glad that you’re comfortable withhis work.”
Expecting Gray not to snoop would have beenridiculous. “I told you he was beautiful.”
Gray laughed. “Absolutely. I expect somepraise for my restraint. I’m not even going to ask if he wears anything likethat at home.”
“That’s because you already asked thequestion. You don’t get kudos for that.” Just because I hadn’t known the answerwhen he’d first asked didn’t mean I was going to tell him now.
Gray groaned. “That has to mean yes. Howdid you end up in a relationship with someone instead of me? You look like aHells Angel and he had to have assumed you were straight.”
“Assumptions don’t make it real. Evidently,I wasn’t straight.”
“So you’re bi?”
“Yes.” That was as good a definition as anyI’d found online. There were more choices than I’d ever dreamed, and I had toadmit I’d just stopped reading when I found one that made a reasonable amountof sense. Eventually, I might go back and look at it again but for the time being,I was more focused on Lane than the difference between being bi and being pan.
Gray chuckled. “You’re not in the closet,right? You don’t mind if I drive a few people crazy with this?”
“What are you going to do?” I wasn’t in thecloset, but I wasn’t going to let him do something insane like skywrite mysexuality across downtown or something.
“There are just a few people that I want teaseabout this. I’m still friends with some of the guys we went to school with andthey’re going to kick themselves for putting you in the straight guy category.”
I snorted and shook my head. “Go ahead. I’mnot in the closet.”
I would probably regret letting him tease people,but even if for some reason things didn’t work out with Lane, I wasn’t going todeny how I felt.
Gray’s voice held a wicked pleasure.“You’re the best.”
I was an idiot who was a soft touch. Therewas a difference. “Just remember that the next time I drive you crazy.”
“Like when you won’t tell me what kind ofsexy things Lane wears at home?” I had a feeling he wasn’t going to let up onthat.
“Exactly.”
“Maybe. I’m not going to make any promiseson that, though.” The teasing faded away, and I heard a serious tone in hisvoice. “I’m just glad this is working out for you.”
“Thanks.” As wonderful as everything wasgoing, there were still a few things floating around in my head. But I wasn’tsure how much I should share with Gray so I went with the easiest. “The onlything that’s bugging me is that I haven’t been invited to his work yet. Andbefore you can ask, no, I haven’t asked him to come to my work.”
