Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 111165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 556(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 556(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
“Okay, fine. And then the third date?”
“I don’t know, we’ll figure it out. Same goes for the fourth.”
“Then what happens beyond the fourth?”
“I guess we just take stock of it. See how we did. Give report cards.”
“You’re pulling my leg.”
“No one is pulling your leg,” she says. “Speaking of, we now need to lay down the other rules.”
I laugh. “Speaking of things the size of your leg?”
“Don’t flatter yourself,” she says. “And I mean it. No sex, no kissing, no touching.”
“Well, I simply won’t agree to that.”
She frowns, a flush appearing on her cheeks. “Why not?”
“Because touching, kissing, and sex are all very integral parts of dating,” I tell her.
“No they aren’t,” she says quietly, looking away.
“What? Yeah they are, Marina. To me, anyway.”
“It’s not needed.” She pauses. “And we shouldn’t even be discussing it. If anything is going to screw up our relationship, it’s that.”
I watch her carefully. She seems flustered and embarrassed on a whole other level. It’s like she’s ashamed.
“Okay,” I say slowly. “We don’t have to have sex. I agree that would definitely make things complicated. But…I’m sorry, but I am going to kiss you.”
Her eyes widen as she looks up at me.
Bloody hell. She looks so absolutely shocked, it’s adorable. I could kiss her right now.
“And I’m going to touch you,” I add. “That’s part of the game, isn’t it?”
She doesn’t say anything to that.
I lick my lips in thought, trying to phrase this right. “Can I ask you something?”
“What?” she asks warily.
“Do you not…are you not…physical, you know, with the guys you date?”
“Laz, I’m telling you, it never goes past date three.”
“Well, it’s not because you’ve been cursed by an old witch a long time ago.” I pause. “Is it?”
“Not that I’m aware of.”
“So, are you physical? I mean, obviously there’s a kiss goodnight.”
“Not on the first date.”
My eyes nearly fall out of my head. “You don’t even kiss on the first date? Marina…”
“What?” she snaps. “If I’m not feeling it, I’m not feeling it.”
“Are you…ever feeling it?”
She closes her eyes and rests her head in her hands. “I don’t want to talk to you about it.”
“Why not? I’m your friend.”
“You’re a whole bunch of things right now,” she mumbles.
“Hey,” I say softly, leaning in across the table. “Talk to me. Please. I want to help you.”
“Help me?” She sighs long and loud and gives me big puppy dog eyes. “I’m just not comfortable…with any guys. I don’t know what happens, but I just freeze up. If they touch me, all I can think about is what’s next, what’s coming.”
My god. I mean, I know she’s awkward as fuck sometimes but she’s gorgeous and so breezy, I just thought…
“Marina,” I say softly. “Are you…a virgin?”
Her flush deepens.
Holy fuck.
“This is so embarrassing,” she whispers, looking away.
“Marina, there is nothing for you to be embarrassed about.”
“I’m twenty-nine, Laz,” she says softly. “It’s sad. Sure, I’ve fooled around with guys, especially in college. But when it comes to actually having sex, I…I don’t know. Okay, I guess the technical truth is that I’m not a virgin. My ex, Cody, way back in college, he had the condom on and everything and, well, I guess I was too tense. He couldn’t get it in. It hurt too much. So, I made him stop.” She glances at me. “I can’t believe I’m telling you this.”
“I’m glad you are,” I say. “We should be able to talk about this kind of stuff.”
“You think I’m pathetic.”
“You know I would never think that, no matter what you told me. If anything, I’m…in awe. You’re like a fucking gem. You’re smart, pretty, fucking hot…and a virgin. That’s rarer than diamonds. Don’t be ashamed of it. Be proud of it.”
“But the thing is…I don’t want to be a…a virgin. At all. I know it sounds like an oxymoron but I like getting off. I want to get laid. I know what I want and I’m tired of pretending all my vibrators are the real deal. I want that connection. I want that passion, the heat. I need it.”
Bloody hell. I’m getting hot under my skin again and my dick is starting to strain against my jeans. I adjust myself in my seat, trying to ignore it. But fuck...this is making me feel a lot of things I pretend not to feel. Or, at least I don’t often indulge it.
I swallow, my throat feeling thick. “Uh-huh,” I murmur.
“It’s true,” she says. “But on these dates, I just…god, I just start freaking out. And that’s why I’m single.”
“Explain what you mean by freaking out…”
“I don’t know. I guess we’ll see.”
I mull that over. I can’t believe we’re doing this. And now with Marina’s confession, it’s putting things in a whole new light. I’ve always been protective of her but now I just want to keep her to myself. I don’t want to give her my opinion on what she’s doing wrong, have her fix that, and then sleep with the first guy she gets past the third date with.