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“We could stream ourselves having sex to FansOnly.”

“Do you have an account?”

“No. Do you?”

“You’re kidding, right?”

Helena slumped against the arm of the sofa. Delia squinted to read her date’s cursive handwriting. “What we have at our disposal is roleplaying.”

“I’m not super into it.”

“Not yet you’re not. You’re going on about stairwells and streaming but wait until you have a taste of taking your natural personality up to eleven.”

Helena hesitated. “Go on…”

“Right here.” Delia pointed to something on the front page of Helena’s bucket list. “Get what’s really coming to me.” “In between seeing the Pyramids of Giza and walking along the Great Wall of China. So casual.”

“That didn’t have to be sexual.”

“It is now.”

Helena blew air past her lips as if Delia were dangerously encroaching upon cringe territory. I’m not that old yet. She knew she was decrepit to a twenty-one-year-old, but Delia still had a few things to prove. Like when she wrapped her arm around Helena. She didn’t go for the shoulder wrap, though. Instead, she snaked her arm behind her date’s back, not once hesitating to grope Helena’s chest.

“Let’s pretend that you’re my feisty stepdaughter who never listens to me,” Delia joked. “I’ve given you the ultimatum that I’ll spank you like a kid if you keep acting like one. Then one thing leads to another, and suddenly we’re headlining the front page of everyone’s favorite porn site.”

Helena stiffened. “No, thanks.”

“Okay, okay. Maybe I’m the evil, bitchy landlady and you’re six months behind on rent. I offer to give you another month extension if you let me fuck you.”

“Getting warmer.”

“Oh, so that’s how it is?” Delia laughed. “You tell me what kind of roleplay keeps you up at night, deep in lusty thought.”

Helena slowly relaxed again, her hair tickling Delia’s nose as she leaned in to gently suck the exposed skin between Helena’s neck and clavicle. Sure, it was awkward. And sure, Delia could have been more graceful, but that wasn’t the point. I can’t keep my hands off her. This was how Delia got when she had a couple of drinks. Quickly, before I sober up. She was still fun – and sexy – sober, but there was a particular zest that hit her when the buzz had yet to wear off. The filter came off. Her needs, her desires were fully on display, and she enjoyed that more than she liked playing the aloof and whatever girlfriend.

Even if it made her uncool to her younger date.

“I’ve never really roleplayed before,” Helena said. “Not like that. I… usually jump in and we start humping.”

“Not even some kissing?”

“Do you remember how we met?”

“Yes, you wanted to go straight to humping.” Delia pulled away. “There’s an artform to a good roleplay. You get to lose yourself for a while. Forget who you are. Fulfill some deep fantasies that you may not even realize are there. I like to think that my bedroom is a safe space for those ideas. I mean, I’m not going to be into everything, but I won’t judge you.”

Helena snorted. “You’re like a lot of guys. You only want to get laid tonight.”

“Don’t you?”

She shrugged. “Not if I’m pretending to be your naughty stepdaughter.”

“That was only an example. I could also be the military drill sergeant who pulls you out of the lineup because you’ve been slacking, and there’s only one way for you to make up for it.”

“Let me guess… getting down on my knees and scrubbing the floor with a toothbrush.”

“With your pants off, yes.”

Was that a hint of a smile on Helena’s standoffish visage? “Would that be me getting what I deserve?”