Page 21 of Love Lies Bleeding

“Well, if you want to deep dive into this then you should really be reading the books women read.”

Jake frowns as he folds his slice of pizza in half and hangs it over his mouth to catch the melting cheese. He chews, his brows pulling in as he nods. “Why?”

“Because they’ll give you the biggest insight of all. Most movies are written, directed, and produced by men, but books, especially Indie authors, are written by women for women. So they sell the universal fantasies that all women want. Even the dark ones we don’t want to admit to.”

“And you read these?”

“Of course.”

“Can I read one?”

I pop my eyelids wide. “You want to read one of my dark romance books?”

“Dark romance, what is that?”

I can feel my cheeks heat as I try and find the words to explain dark romance to him. “Well, the MMC in the book is usually a walking red flag, like a stalker, or a bad boy, or someone the FMC should not be attracted to, like in a bully romance.”

“MMC, FMC, and bully romance. What the hell is that?”

Crossing my legs, I study him as he lounges back on my pillows waiting for my answer. He takes up most of my bed with his broad muscular shoulders and long, thick legs. My gaze rakes over him in sweatpants and a white tee and I can see his hard length, outlined by the fabric, and he is big, bigger than any I’ve had before and my mouth waters at the thought of him. He has it all, looks, attitude, and he treats me like I matter. He could definitely be a hero in a book.

“You’re staring, Blossom, and I suggest you stop before I say to hell with all my good intentions and take you on this bed and make you come with my name screaming from your lips.”

Fuck. Me. That visual has my panties soaked, my body screaming at me to let him, but my head wins out, and I look away with a laugh. “Okay, an MMC is a male main character, and FMC is a female main character, so that’s all pretty simple.”

“And bully romance?”

“That’s where she falls for her bully, or in some scenarios, bullies.”

“And you want that? You want a man who treats you like that?”

I can tell he’s confused by the stunned look on his face. I laugh and shake my head. “No, but it’s a fantasy and a safe way to live it. I’d never entertain it in real life, but in a book, the MMC is so obsessed with her, that he only sees her. He craves her, would kill for her, die for her, and break any rule to have her. A lot of girls crave that undivided attention but we aren’t dumb enough not to know it’s unhealthy in real life. Books allow it to be safe.”

“So how would reading it help me understand what a woman wants?”

“Because if you break it down into the basic fantasy, you can see it. So, for example, a stalker trope is the fantasy of having someone so in love with you that they will do anything to have you. With a bad boy, it’s about him hating everyone and being deadly to all but with her, and only her, he shows his soft side.”

“Okay, I think I get it. It’s about being his whole world.”

“Exactly. Every girl wants to feel like they are cherished, but they don’t want a doormat either. At least that’s how I interpret it.”

Jake sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “Women are fucking complicated.”

“Yes, we are, so maybe don’t try and understand us because, honestly, I’m not sure it’s possible.”

“That feels like a challenge, Blossom.”

“No, just a fact.”

“Wanna hear another fact?”

I shrug. “Sure.”

“I’m going to take every fantasy you’ve ever read and blow them out of the water. That’s a fact you can take to the bank.”

My breath is trapped in my lungs at his words and I have to fight the desire to throw myself across the bed at him, especially when he looks at me with such heat in his stare.

“Good, I have you speechless, so why don’t you give me the name of your favorite books so I can expose these book men as frauds and show you what the real thing can do?”

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