Page 49 of Word to the Wise

Talking about sex isn’t going to stop the images playing in my head right now, but I’m too damn curious not to ask.

“Yeah, they had lots to say on the subject.” She rests against the counter, twisting the towel in her hands.

“And you?”

“What about me?” Her cheeks heat a little more.

“What did you have to say on the subject?”

I’m being bold.

She makes me stupid.

I want to know everything about her like it will help me figure out why I’ve been addicted to this girl since the moment we met.

“I don’t know much on the subject in general.” Reed frowns. “Carter was my first.”

Every time I hear his name, I want to punch a hole through a wall. And every time I hold it inside, it’s for her.

“Why does that matter? You were with him for six years, right?”

She nods. “Yeah. But he wasn’t adventurous in that part of our relationship. At least, not with me.”

“What do you mean,not with you?” As if the gasket can stand any more pressure, the building heat of it is near a bursting pointinside me.

“I caught him talking to other women.” Her gaze drops to the ground. “That’s where our fight started the night I showed up here.”

My teeth might break I’m clenching them so hard. “He cheated on you?”

“He avoided outright saying it, but I saw the texts. That was the final straw.” Reed sets the towel on the counter and starts pacing the room. “Not that I should be surprised.”

“Why would you say that?” My grip on my beer is so tight, I set it down before it shatters.

“It’s like I told you, Mason. I was a virgin when I met him. I didn’t know what I was doing.”

I’m shaking my head now, trying to process what the fuck she’s talking about through the whistle of rage between my temples and a car alarm going off down the street.

“What does you being a virgin have to do with him cheating on you?”

“I was boring in bed.” She freezes in place, like she meant it, but she didn’t want to say it.

Her eyes move to me, and they’re wide as she chews the inside of her cheek.

“Let me guess.” I slowly make my way over to her. “Carter said that shit?”

She doesn’t release her cheek when she nods, and there’s a little indent from where she’s chewing on it. I stop in front of her, and she finally lets out her breath, rolling her shoulders back.

“I didn’t want to be, just for the record.” Her arms hug her stomach. “But every time I suggested anything he’d call me a—” She pauses, taking a breath. “He’d just say he didn’t want to do it.”

I’m pretty sure that’s not how it went, but for her sake, I let that go and add it to the list of reasons I’m going to use this guy to take out all my aggression when I finally do get my hands on him.

“I shouldn’t be telling you this. I’m sure you’ve had plenty of experience with plenty of women who know what they’re doing. You do not want to hear about my pathetic sex life.”

Reaching up, I can’t help myself. I grab her chin and pause her shaking head, tipping her face up to me.

“There’s nothing wrong with you, Reed. And I can guarantee that there’s nothing wrong with how you fuck either.”

“You don’t know that.”