Page 84 of Experiments in Love

“I don’t think that’s the right way to define dating someone. What happens if a guy on the bus accidentally touches your ass and then offers you a piece of gum?” That wasn’t dating. “Besides, I have Anson, and Mr. Jasper just helped touch my butt. There’s a difference.”

Francis’s face scrunched up.

“It’s not like I blew him or anything.” I wasn’t sure why I hadn’t, but the evening had been a success, so I wasn’t going to worry about it.

Mr. Jasper was the kind of guy who didn’t want to hurt Anson’s feelings, and blow jobs just might be more personal than other forms of penis insertions.

“I don’t know what to say to that.” So he hid, lying back on the couch and pretending to watch the movie. “I just don’t know what to say.”

“Say you’re happy I had fun and you’re glad that I got good orgasms and lots of attention.” That was what mattered. “And then say you hope I have a great time this weekend at lunch and getting fucked.”

“No.” Huffing, Francis reached over the side of the couch and patted my chest. “I won’t say that. It’s weird. But I hope you have a fun weekend.”

That was more than I’d expected, so I squeezed his hand. “Thanks.”

“But they were all nice?” Francis’s worries seemed to take precedence over his desire not to talk about sex. “All of them?”

“The ones Anson and Conner picked out.” They’d done a good job. “A few guys came around to chat and probably to see why they looked like they were having a business meeting at the club, but they weren’t my handpicked people.”

They’d been random penises who’d just shown up.

“I did not want to do anything with them.” No. “One was a penis attached to a penis, and he was kind of slimy.”

But all it’d taken was one look at Conner’s face to make it clear he wasn’t going to let penis man anywhere near my butt.

Anson was wonderfully protective, but it was nice to have an added layer of protection that was slightly scarier.

“The rest were nice.” I’d probably said that too many times but it seemed like I needed to keep reinforcing it. For some reason, Francis kept forgetting that part. “Likeyou could go outto dinner and have a good timenice but not want to keep them long term. I have Anson for that. He’s my long term.”

And Francis leaned over and frowned again.

“If I tell you I don’t understand, are you going to say they’re nice again?”

Um.

“Probably?” Mostly because I wasn’t sure why he was so…grumpy. “It might help if you actually ask what’s on your mind.”

I was pretty sure he hadn’t tried that yet and the way he glared at me said I was right.

“No.”

He was so dramatic.

“Okay, well, are you trying to understand why I want to do my experiment?”

Nothing.

“Are you trying to understand why Anson is willing to do my experiment?”

Nothing.

He might’ve even glared harder.

Hmm.

“Are you asking why I didn’t invite you to be in my experiment?”

Oh, if his eyes got any wider, they’d fall out.