Page 37 of Double Dare

“You’re being stupid.” I shut down the computer to give her my full attention. “Tell me why, so I can talk you out of it.”

“Because! He asked me to be exclusive, and yeah, okay, maybe I’m alright with that, but I still don’t know, and now I feel pressured!”

“Jesus fuck, Mae. You like this guy, right?”

“Yeah, but…”

“No buts. If you like him, have a fucking conversation with him about this shit. You can’t just bitch to me about mediocre sex when you aren’t doing anything to make it better. He probably thinks you’re a boring fuck too, if this is how you’re going about it.”

“You’re such a dick.” She turns her back on me, and I feel like shit. Tough love is my only supportive language, and shit…

“I’m sorry.”

“You’re right,” she sighs, turning back around. “We spent all that time building confidence. Now I’m just being dumb. He’s not bad at sex. I just think we’re both holding back.”

“So stop. You don’t have to print him off your list of kinks—don’t even deny you have one. I know you and your lists. But shit, just tell him one. Or just go for one. Try it and see what he does. You like him, and you’re being all dramatic, saying you’re going to break up with him?”

“I didn’t actually mean it! I’m just being…”

“Dramatic. Yeah, I already said that.” I smirk at her.

“Ugh. Fuck you, Kade. He’s coming here. Any minute now.”

“Well, you look badass, so start acting like one. Yeah?”

She rolls her eyes at me. “Fine.”

All the power to her if she doesn’t want to be exclusive with him yet, but I know she’s only stalling because she’s afraid to let herself out. She’ll come around, and I’ll be here with the tough love the whole time.

A few minutes later, this Ben guy walks in. I’ve seen him around, but I’ve never actually met him before. He’s decent looking, even if he is a bit of a preppy granola bar guy. He’s got on the same jacket I’ve seen Gar wear, and fuck, he ain’t got nothing on Gar. But he’s alright.

“Hey,” he says to both of us. “I was in Anchorage and just got back. Thought I’d bring over some coffees.” He sets a tray with two cups down. “Ben.” He holds his hand out for me.

“Kade. Thanks for the coffee.” I grab one, adding a bit of milk. Shit, it’s good coffee. I hate good coffee because it makes the coffee at home taste like shit. Never again. One and done. Back to drip-brew and lukewarm pots in Dad’s kitchen.

“Thanks, Ben,” Maeve says, blushing like a fucking church girl. She’s no church girl, and she needs to show him that. But it’s nice to see she’s into him, so if this prick doesn’t start reading her right, I’ll have to intervene like an asshole and undergo Maeve’s wrath about it. “Still wanna do dinner tonight?”

“Yeah, text me when you get off and I’ll come pick you up,” Ben says, eye-fucking her. Okay, he’s no church boy either, so what’s the issue here?

“Maeve, you here?” Tony, the delivery guy, shouts from the staff entrance.

“I got it.” I grab my coffee, ready to greet Tony.

“I need to talk to him about an order change,” Maeve says, pleading with me to entertain Ben and be nice. “Be right back.”

I’m not much of a talker, and when I do open my mouth, blunt things come out. I don’t know this guy enough to be blunt, so I sip my coffee to buy time. It’s easier with clients because there’s a clear dynamic. Tattooist and client. With Ben, we’re acquaintances because of Maeve and nothing more. He owns a coffee shop that makes good coffee, and I’m his girlfriend’s apprentice and former fuck buddy. Awkward.

“You grow up here?” I ask.

“Yeah. Moved away for uni, but back now. Running the shop after my parents decided to back out and travel. You? I mean, I know of your family’s resort, but…”

Awkward again.

“Yeah, grew up here. Don’t plan on leaving.” Okay, this might be my only shot. I look over my shoulder, hearing Maeve in the back with Tony. I face Ben. “Look, I spend a lot of time here with Maeve, and she talks…”

“Okay…”

“She’s…” How the fuck do I say this without betraying Maeve? “She needs more. Sexually. It’s not enough.”

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