Page 44 of Darkest Game

“I mean, I can’t have feelings for you. And if I get in that bed… and I see how vulnerable and cute you are and… fuck. I have to be smart about this.” He stands up and starts pacing around the room.

“Well, we can just talk. Get to know one another more. What else are we going to do for the night?”

Liam shoots me a dark look and I flush. It is technically our wedding night. Most couples have sex on a night like this. My face turns hot the longer he looks at me.

“Fine,” he says, averting his gaze. “Let’s talk.”

“You know about me. That I’m a ballerina and that I’ve been kept locked up most of my life. What about you? Any hobbies? Interests?”

“It’s cute that you ask that. No woman has ever asked me about my hobbies before.”

“No?”

“No.”

“Then what do they usually talk with you about?” I ask.

“Usually we don’t talk.” He gives me a pointed look.

“Oh.” I duck my chin. I may be inexperienced in life but it doesn’t take a genius to figure out what he’s talking about.

“Most women I meet, they want one thing from me. They want to fuck. Have a nice time. And then call it a day.”

“How can you speak so… casually about that?”

“Because it’s the world I was raised in. How can you be so shy about it?”

“Because I was taught to never say that word.”

Slowly, he sits back down on the bed – still keeping his distance. “What word?”

“You know.”

“No. What word?” There’s a teasing smile on his lips that makes my stomach flutter.

“Youknow.”

“What? I’m going to need to hear you say it.”

I shake my head and finally force the word out. “Fuck,” I whisper.

Liam leans back against the head board, laughing to himself. “You are cute. I’ve never met a woman as innocent as you. Usually the women I meet are at my club and they know what they’re looking for.”

“A fun night with you.”

“Exactly.”

“How many…”

He raises an eyebrow. “How many what?”

“How many women have you been with? I know it doesn’t matter since we’re never going to be together. But I… I just want to know more about you.”

“Um, well.” He stares down at his hands. For the first time tonight, he actually looks sort of uncomfortable. “I can’t remember how many women I’ve been with. They all blur together after a while. There is this one woman, Amanda, who I’ve been having a fling with. But… it’s not serious. We both know it’s just sex.”

“You’ve never been in love?”

“I guess not.” He turns his eyes to mine and they’re blue and piercing and I could get lost in them forever. “How sad is that? I’m a thirty year old man and I’ve never been in love.”