Page 82 of High Stakes

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Bella

We sit in silence for some time. I notice women looking over longingly at Aiden, but he doesn’t return their smiles. Something in him has changed, because a few months back he would have invited them over to the booth.

“No relationship on the horizon?” I ask, and he frowns. I just want to break the silence, but that question must seem weird coming from your ex.

“No, I’ve swore off women,” he says proudly.

I laugh, “Sorry, What?”

“It’s not so hard to believe. It’s easierthan I thought.”

“You’ve sworn off women?” I repeat, “Like, as in girlfriends or sex?”

“I don’t do girlfriends, as you well know. But for the record, both,” he says with a cocky grin.

“Are the guy’s betting on this?” I ask, laughing.

He looks offended, “Not to my knowledge, but now you’ve said that I realise that they probably are.”

“What’s the longest you’ve been without sex?” I ask suspiciously. If it’s not very long, which I suspect is the case, then I want in on this bet.

He thinks for a minute and wiggles his fingers a few times like he’s counting, and then grins. “Thirteen years,” he says proudly, and my mouth opens in shock.

“Thirteen years, no way.”

He nods, still looking proud of himself. “Yep, from when I was born until I turned thirteen,” he laughs.

I swipe his arm playfully. “That doesn’t count.”

“Then, never. There has never been a time when I’ve been without sex,” he admits.

I feel sad for him, all those women and no connection. “Since you were thirteen, you’ve been having sex? Was that every day, week, month?”

“Maybe a couple of times a month at first, but as I got older it was more regular. And when I got the club, it was more like weekly . . . daily,” he says with a shrug, and Isee a hint of shame in his eyes. “Let’s have a sleepover,” he suggests, taking my hand dragging me towards his office.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I mutter without much conviction.

Less than five minutes later, I’m wearing a long t-shirt of Aiden’s, and we’re curled up on the sofa with coffee. There’s a nagging voice in the back of my head telling me this is a bad idea. He’s worming his way back in, and now I can’t even use Cal as my buffer. But another part of me wants to spend time with him, especially when I feel this sad inside.

“Who was your first time with?” I ask, keen to continue the conversation from the club.

He lets his head fall back with a groan, “My babysitter.”

“You had a babysitter at thirteen?”

“She was my former babysitter and we bumped into each other at a party. She was eighteen.”

He laughs when I make a face. “So gross.”

“And when I was fifteen, I slept with my friend’s mum,” he admits.

My eyes go wide. “Not JP or Raff’s mum?” I gasp.

He shudders dramatically, “God no, Bells, I’m not that bad.”

“Oh, suddenly you have morals and standards,” I tease. “When did Laurie appear on the scene?” I ask cautiously.

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