Page 29 of Faking the Book Boyfriend

“Phew. I’d have to fire you as a client if you answered differently.”

As we pass a coffee shop, I run inside to refill our cups before returning. We walk and talk a bit more until we approach City Hall. She looks up at the big Christmas tree with a smile.

I’m about to mention that I didn’t know Philly had such a big Christmas tree on display when I catch myself. I suppose I should know that.

Instead, I ask, “Fond memories?”

She nods. “I grew up in the suburbs. My grandparents used to bring me down here at Christmas time to see the tree. My friends would go to New York to see the big one at Rockefeller Center, but my grandparents preferred this one. It’s grown at a farm in Pennsylvania, and they were born and bred here. After my grandfather passed, my grandmother continued bringing me here every year until she moved to Florida.”

We stare for a bit before sitting down on a bench. She looks at me. “Let’s get back to book-boyfriend stuff. I know that’s why you’re here. I was talking to one of my author friends, and she felt like we’d be remiss not to talk about the big elephant in the room.”

Oh shit. She knows.

I swallow. “What’s that?”

“Sex. Sex in romance novels is very different from real-life sex. Novels tend to romanticize it a bit, setting women’s expectations unfairly high.”

“Maybe you’ve been having sex with the wrong men.”

She brings her lips together, trying to fight a smile. “That was a good comeback. Nonetheless, it’s true. Women don’t come as easily and often as they do in romance novels.”

I look her in the eyes. “Once again, perhaps you’ve been having sex with the wrong men.”

She playfully narrows her eyes at me. “Okay, tough guy, I’m going to test you.”

I smile. “Fire away.”

“What does it mean when she screams that she’s close?”

“That she’s not seconds away, more like a minute or two.”

“And what should you do?”

“Not change my pace or positioning.”

She lifts an eyebrow. “Very good. A lot of men decidethat’sthe time to change things up. Big mistake.”

I wink. “What other sexual advice do you have for us unworthy non-book-boyfriends?”

“Dirty talk.”

“What about it?”

“Every, and I meanevery, woman likes it. They may vary in how dirty they like it, and how much of it they want, but no one likes a silent partner in bed. Most men struggle with it. Every man should read romance novels to learn how women want to be spoken to during sex.”

“Noted. I promise to do some homework.”

She has no idea what she’s in store for.

Chapter

Six

GEMMA

It’s Saturday,and I’m getting ready to head to my mother’s boyfriend’s house with Trey pretending to be my boyfriend. I’m not sure how this happened.

I offered to pick Trey up to drive to the suburbs, but he said he’d meet me at my place.

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