Page 50 of The Last Days of Lilah Goodluck

“You didn’t want your housekeeper or cleaner or someone unpacking the boxes for you?”

He shakes his head. “I don’t like the idea of someone going through my things.”

“I’m going through your things.”

“That’s different.”

“Is it? But what stopped you from doing it?” I ask. “Not just from setting up in here, but the rest of the house too?”

“I told you. I was busy.”

“For five years?”

“I don’t know, Lilah. It doesn’t matter.”

I just nod and let it go.

“You were going to tell me how you were doing with the great sex.” His expression is perfectly blank. Like he’s just making casual conversation.Jerk.

No way will I be shamed. “You know, you keep asking me that question like I don’t know how to work a vibrator or use a showerhead or my own hand. But I assure you I am quite proficient at all three.”

It takes him a moment to respond. “Fair enough.”

“As for bringing other people into the equation, I found a couple of reputable male escort agencies in the area. Meeting at a midrange hotel is apparently the way to go. Then when he arrives, you assess if there’s chemistry, and if you feel comfortable before—”

“Absolutely not,” he says adamantly, his accent thicker than normal.

“What?”

“You can’t have thought this through.”

“I assure you I have.” I just wait. And wait some more. Given his cranky gaze, he dislikes me using his own silence tactic. Sucks to be him.

“I just... There’s no need for you to be having sex with strangers.”

“Why not?”

“It’s not safe, Lilah.”

“It’ll be as safe as I can make it.”

“I don’t like it.”

I scoff. “You don’t need to like it. Signing off on my sex life is not your job.”

He stares at me, and I stare at him, and apparently no one is going to win this competition. Not anytime soon.

“Let’s talk about something else,” he says. “It’s your turn to ask a question.”

“Fine. Do you grill your other friends about their sex lives?”

“I’m not answering that. Ask me something else.” He drops some books on the floor. Poor books. “You wanted to know about my lunch yesterday. The best way to get the paparazzi off your back was to be seen with someone else. Constance has retired from modeling and is about to announce her new line of athletic wear. She was happy to have the press shadowing her to help get her name trending.”

“Wait.” My face is pure confusion. “You went out with her to...”

“To divert attention from you.”

“It wasn’t really a date?”

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