On Tuesday afternoon, I was lying on my bed, watching a movie, when Clay walked in. I sat up, excited by the unexpected drop-in. "Hey, love. If I'd known you were coming, I would've got myself all prettified for you."

Clay sat on the bed and leaned forward. The kiss was brief, his lips rigid against mine. "You don't ever have to do anything extra to make me want you."

I chuckled. "It was a joke."

Clay forced a laugh. His face was full of tension. It formed a line between his brows. The corners of his lips were hard set. His brown eyes held a darkness that didn't suit him.

I wondered what had happened between Sunday night and now to make him look this distraught. I thought everything went great with our rendezvous.

I scooted forward and took Clay's hand. "What's going on?"

"I love you. Let me start with that."

"That's good," I said, though it didn't sound good at all. That was not a comforting way for your boyfriend to start a conversation. "Because I love you, too."

"Would you—" Clay took a deep breath, turning his eyes to the rug. "Would it be okay if everyone knew I loved you?"

"I guess. Theoretically. Sure."

Clay looked up at me with solemn eyes. "Not theoretically. Actually. What if everyone found out about us? Would you be okay with that?"

"Does everyone know?" I drew out the syllables a bit, trying to understand what was going on. I was very confused. As far as I knew, he had only told a handful of people. I didn't think any of them would spread it around.

"Not yet. But they might soon." Clay seemed to rethink that, because he added, "They will."

I let out a bout of laughter, still baffled by this conversation. "Are you going on the news to declare your love for me or something?"

"It's not quite that epic, but it will definitely get around. Maybe even to your school."

"Okay, stop." I waved my cast between us. "What the hell are you talking about, Clay? I'm a little freaked out. And your face is not helping matters."

Clay gripped my hand tighter, laying his other hand on top of it. "Duke has a picture of us kissing. He says he's going to post it everywhere if I don't break up with you. But I can't do that. I'd rather have every Bible-thumping bigot in town chasing me with pitchforks and torches than give you up."

I shook my head, sorting through Clay's mad rambling in my mind. That was a lot of information he'd just dumped into my lap. "Explain, please. With detail."

Clay told the long version of the story. The pictures, the ultimatum, and the consequences.

"I've made my decision," Clay said. "I don't want to hide from this. It's who I am, and I don't want to feel ashamed of it. But since it affects you, too, I had to clear it with you. But I'd understand if you don't want everyone to know." Clay's eyes had gone glassy. "I'm sure if we broke up, Duke would keep your part in it a secret. I don't think he'd hurt you like that."

"Fuck him! Fuck his blackmail! Fuck it all!"

The corners of his lips twitched. He looked like he wanted to smile, but was afraid of it. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

I threw my arms out wide. "Let the whole fucking world know for all I care. I'm not losing you because my dickwad of an ex-boyfriend can't get over being dumped. Because, honestly, even if I wasn't with you, I wouldn't be with him. I mean, I only hooked with him because I was so upset that I couldn't be with you. I was fantasizing about you the whole time I was sleeping with him, anyway."

"You were?" Clay seemed pleased to hear that.

"Yes," I said. I thought I'd told him that already, but maybe he forgot. Or maybe he didn't believe me before.

Clay shook his head. "Well, I have a plan to nullify his scheme, and maybe piss him off a little in the process. If you're interested."

"Definitely."

"I need to warn you, though. It will be very public. And once we do it, there's no going back."

I took Clay's hand in mine, pressing my lips to his. "I'm all in, baby."