Page 68 of Love Him Like Water

“Say sorry,” Avery whisper-yelled at Cinna.

“I’m not apologizing for telling the truth,” Cinna whispered back.

“No, it’s okay,” I said swallowing past the lump in my throat. “I know you’re right,” I said, nodding.

He didn’t know me enough to attack someone out of genuine affection for me.

But maybe not all of that blame was on his shoulders.

Maybe I hadn’t been putting any work into getting to know him, or letting him get to know me.

“Are you going to tell the Costas about her face?” Cinna asked Avery.

To that, Avery snorted. “I don’t know if I want to be the person to spread that information around. Or be responsible for the repercussions.”

“Don’t tell them,” I said. “Things are… okay here,” I told her. “I don’t want them all rushing over, puffing their chests, and accusing Renzo of not protecting me or something like that. I think tensions are still high enough without everyone knowing about the mugging.”

The two women shared a look.

“I’m not saying we never tell them. Just… not until some time has passed. There’s no way for them to figure it out,” I added. “I’m not going out until my face is better.”

“Alright,” Avery agreed, sipping her half of my latte. “So, now, circling back to the orgasms…”

“Oh, god,” I said, feeling the flush rush up to my cheeks.

“That good, huh?” Avery asked, beaming at me.

“This seems wildly inappropriate,” I decided.

“Why? He’s not actually my blood,” Avery said. “Or Cinna’s for that matter. We’re all just girls here. Does he dirty talk? I bet he dirty talks.”

“He… does,” I admitted, not sure I could get any redder. “But, like, not just… not just… narration.”

Cinna and Avery shared a confused look.

“He… he has nice things to say,” I said, wishing I’d never opened my mouth.

“Renzo gives praise in bed?” Avery asked, mouth falling open. “You lucky duck, you.”

I did feel lucky about that, actually.

Even just remembering those words he said to me when he was touching me or buried in me made my insides flutter and swoop like birds taking flight.

And sometimes, if I thought about them long enough, I found myself wet and aching for him.

Insatiable, that was how I felt about him.

“Did you, like, seduce him?” Avery asked. “I mean, I think most of us figured this was, you know, an arrangement. Like you know how Isabella wasn’t expected to bang Primo Esposito when he made her marry him. I mean, at least that’s my understanding.”

“I, uh, I don’t think I’m capable of… seduction,” I admitted.

“Oh, come on. You’re a fucking bombshell,” Avery gushed.

“It’s not… it’s that… I hadn’t…”

“Oh,” Avery said. “Oh,” she added, voice more airy as she and Cinna shared a look of, I don’t know, confusion and concern intermingled. “Oh, Lore…”

“You don’t need to—“ I started, but trailed off, not knowing what to say.

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