Page 33 of Rivals Next Door

Elena shook her head. “That’s too simple. Revenge for what?”

I should have known her journalist mind would prompt her to push for more information. I didn’t want to share the details because I was still ashamed…

“I told you, I broke up with him,” I said.

“For a good reason, I’m sure.”

“I thought it was a good reason…” Even though I’d spent nine years regretting it…

Elena leaned back in her chair and drummed her fingers on the table. “You’ve been too cryptic about Alex. You know that only fuels my curiosity.”

“I know, but can you respect that I don’t want to go into details about my breakup? It was brutal,” I sighed.

Elena nodded and immediately dropped it. “Okay, let’s talk about something very important then.”

“What’s that?”

“Sex.”

I snorted my amusement. “What is that again?”

“Oh, God.” She shook her head. “I worry about you.”

“Because I’m not having sex?” I asked incredulously. You’d think my life span had been shortened because I wasn’t having sex…

“When was the last time you had the big O?”

I gawked at my borderline insane friend. “Why is that important?”

“Because sometimes I think you’re so uptight because you don’t get enough sexual release.” She lifted her eyebrows. “Well, when was the last time?”

While I was slightly annoyed, I answered honestly because she was the only one I trusted to talk about these personal things with. “Well, I came close to having one two months ago with that vibrator you talked me into getting.”

“You came close?”

“Yeah, but I got interrupted by a phone call. It was work.” I shrugged. “I never got back to it…”

“So you haven’t gotten off in… months…?”

I squirmed, getting uneasy. “Well… more like years…”

Elena’s eyes widened comically. I snickered when she made the sign of the cross and muttered something in Spanish. She was so dramatic.

“How can that be?” she asked. “You dated—well, maybe not dated—but you went out with that guy a couple of times two years ago. You said you and he?—”

“I said we slept together. I never said it was good, and he didn’t… get me off.” After that fiasco, I just never bothered with sex. It was hard to make the time, anyway. “Oh, my god,” I gasped, suddenly hit with a realization.

“What?”

“Only one man has ever made me orgasm!” The shock of the realization made my pitch louder than I intended and the guys sitting at a nearby table turned to look at us with amusement.

I winced and hunkered down in my chair while Elena chortled. I knew she wasn’t laughing at my sad orgasmless plight, but at the fact that I was so embarrassed about strangers hearing about it. I grew up being wary of anything I did or said ending up in the press, so my horrified reaction was a reflex. I even looked around to see if anyone was recording.

“Relax,” Elena said. “I doubt anyone here recognizes you.”

I took another look around. She was probably right. The place was filled with college kids who had their attention glued to their devices. They wouldn’t know too much—or care—about “Massachusetts’ royal family.” I hated being called that. Living in the limelight sucked ass, as my brother would say. I straightened in my chair and gave her a sheepish smile.

Elena grinned. “Let me guess, Alex?”

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