Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 129027 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 645(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129027 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 645(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
“Great,” I squeak, gratefully clutching the ends of the scarf she put around my neck.
We go say hi to Anna, who’s seated at the nearest table. She donates a black beret to my collection. Anna’s busy giggling at something her partner, Domhn, says in her ear. She’s sitting in his lap—the only place I’ve seen her lately.
“Where’s Moira?” I ask.
“Said she’s on her way,” Domhn says, coming up for air after kissing Anna again. These two barely breathe, they’re constantly making out like teenagers who’ve just discovered each other. Considering I know Domhn had Anna locked up in his basement dungeon for a week when they first met and she was in the middle of a mental health crisis, it’s still a little shocking to see them so happy together now.
Anna struggles out of Domhn’s lap so she can come sit by me and Quinn, swatting away his hands when he tries to pull her back.
“How’s everything working out with Isaak?” she asks me.
I feel my stupid cheeks flushing, and I look around. “We can order drinks if we aren’t doing a scene, right?”
“Holy shit,” Anna breathes out, leaning in. “You’re sleeping with him?”
“What?” I squeak, swinging back to look at her. “I didn’t say that.”
“It’s written all over your face,” Quinn says. “It was from the moment you two walked in together.”
Dammit. Is Isaak right? Do I really not have any poker face? Shit. I’ve always prided myself on being unreadable.
“Spill,” Anna demands. “All the tea. Now.”
“It’s nothing serious,” I say, feeling my stupid cheeks flaming even hotter. “It was just after my engagement dinner—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Quinn says. “You’re engaged?”
“It’s an open relationship,” Anna says and waves a hand as if impatient to catch her up. “Plus, the guy can’t even get it up with her. It’s like a childhood arrangement or something. Get back to Isaak.”
“That was a lot of information to just hand-wave away,” Quinn says. “But I agree. I want to hear about Isaak.”
When did I turn into the girl with guy-drama? Usually I’m listening to all my other girlfriends go on and on about their far more interesting love lives. “Um. There’s not that much else to it. Isaak and I had to share a hotel room because of the Cowboys-Eagles game, and one thing led to another…”
“Was it hot?” Anna asks, then she looks over at Quinn, grinning. “I bet it was hot.”
“Of course, it was hot,” Quinn says. “Isaak’s got that brooding-giant thing going on. And Moira said he fucks like a god.” Then she put a hand over her mouth. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
“No,” I laugh, finally feeling at ease for the first time all day. “It’s fine. I know he and Moira used to… you know. And what we’re doing isn’t even that big a deal. Just sweating the stress out together. It’s just fucking, ya know? He’s been giving me a workout all week.”
Anna and Quinn share a look.
“What?” I ask. “What’s that look mean?”
“It’s just not exactly like Isaak,” Quinn says. “He’s usually a one-and-done kind of guy.”
“One and done. What’s that mean?”
“Like just one night,” Anna clarifies. “Barely ever any repeat customers. Except Moira, but only ’cause he knew she wouldn’t get attached.”
“Why wouldn’t she get attached if he’s so wonderful and fucks like a god?” Even as I ask it, I hear myself. But I mean, the way his friends talk about him, you’d have thought one of them would have snapped him up for themselves.
But Anna and Quinn just laugh out loud as if it’s obvious.
“You’ve met Moira,” Anna says, and okay. I guess, having known Moira for a while now, I can see how she might be too sex-obsessed to ever stick to just one guy. Though she has been doing scenes at the club with Bane a lot lately.
“What you asked earlier,” Quinn says, leaning in. “The way Isaak and I grew up… It’s just hard to trust anyone. Or get attached. You kind of just learn to look out for yourself. I had my sister, at least.” Her eyes get a little distant, and I immediately want to ask more. But after my blunders earlier with Isaak, for once in my life, I hold my tongue.
“You’ll find her,” Anna says, rubbing Quinn’s back.
Find her? Now I’m even more curious.
Quinn pulls away, her face losing its sadness before looking back at me. “Anyway, Isaak didn’t have anyone except himself. That shit makes you resilient but…” She shudders and looks away. “Sometimes I think maybe a little too resilient. Like Teflon, you know? Everything just slides right off, no matter what life throws at you. But it also means nothing sticks. Even the good stuff.”
I think in this little metaphor, I might be the good stuff? But it also means she doesn’t think I’ll stick.