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Nah? Really? Since when?

Because, actually, that guy Ainsley pointed out was exactly the type Rachel normally went for: dark and square-jawed good looks and obviously very fit. She had always been drawn to guys who presented outward displays of power such as really developed biceps and rock-hard chests and abs. And tribal tattoos. For some reason, tribal tats always did it for Rachel; especially if they were on the muscular arm of some guy who looked like he could be a star in one of the Fast and Furious movies.

Guys like the one Ainsley had just pointed out.

But tonight, anyway, all Rachel saw when she looked at that guy was trouble. It was as if a sixth sense had been turned on in her; as if she was finally able to see guys with her brain

as well as her eyes. Looking at him, she could foresee the entirety of their “romance” as if it were playing on fast-forward on Netflix.

“He’s a cheater,” Rachel told Ainsley. “Guys like him have women throwing themselves at him all the time and the thing with guys is, there’s only so much temptation they can resist. I give him…three months, tops, before he’s cheating on me.

“Also, I can just tell he spends all his time at home playing fucking X-Box or Playstation or whatever. Also, I can tell he’s way too much into sports. I mean, it’s Saturday night, he’s out on the town and he’s wearing a Dodgers shirt. Date night for him means brewskis at a sports bar with me and six of his buddies watching whatever big game is on.”

Ainsley laughed.

“Damn! You picked him apart!”

“Okay, my turn,” Rachel said, looking around. Her eyes alighted on a pretty brunette in a short dress, sitting with a guy a few tables away. “Her.” And she indicated the table by tilting her chin in that direction.

“Yum!” Ainsley said, after taking a peek. “Well done!”

Rachel actually felt a flash of jealousy.

“Yum?” she said. “Really? I hope you thought that when you first saw me!”

“No, when I first saw you, I thought ‘Yum-meee.’ There’s a difference.”

Rachel quirked an eyebrow.

“And the difference being…?”

“‘Yum’ is when I want to buy a woman a drink, take her out a few times, get to know her and then have incredible sex with her.”

Rachel felt her heartrate increase.

“‘Yum-meee.,’” Ainsley went on, “is when I just want to go straight into having incredible sex with her.”

This time, Rachel couldn’t help it. When her clit pulsed just now she let out a puff of breath as she crossed her legs under the table.

Ainsley cocked an eyebrow.

“Ooh! That caused a reaction, didn’t it?” she asked, chuckling.

Fuck. Busted!

Rachel rolled her eyes and then took a sip of her drink. Over the course of the past hour they had graduated from white wine to cocktails and she was now enjoying a mojito.

Two can play at that game.

“So, what if it did?” she asked. “I mean, you’re a woman. You know how good it feels coming down.”

This time, it was Ainsley who let out a puff of breath and then shifted in her seat, crossing her legs. Rachel felt supremely satisfied.

“Okay,” Ainsley said, laughing and blushing and making the time out gesture with her hands. “Volleyball!”

“Is that our safe word or something?” Rachel queried, also laughing.

“Yes, because apparently we need one!” Ainsley replied.