Page 49 of Falling for the Forward

Olivia’s yell as she runs across the family room brings me back to reality and I set Suki down, her expression a little dazed.

When we look over at Darling, he has one of my new ties hanging from his mouth.

Of course. He’s ruined three pairs of my shoes and destroyed the carpet in two rooms of the house. Might as well cockblock me, too.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Suki

I’m waitingfor my sandwich in a drive-through line when I get a text from Dex about the offer someone made me for the Naughty by Nature inventory.

Dex: It’s low. I’d counter at $30k and then meet him in the middle at $25k.

My heart sinks. I text him back.

Suki: It cost $71k. You don’t think I can get more?

Dex: You can try. I don’t know anything about the market for secondhand sex toys.

Suki: They’re new. Most of it is still in the manufacturer’s packaging.

Dex: Still not considered new to a buyer, babe.

Suki: This really sucks. I think I’ll sell them just so I can stop fielding messages on Craigslist about it. People assume things about a woman selling thousands of vibrators, dildos, and butt plugs.

Dex: I mean...it’s not an enviable position to be in.

Suki: Yeah, I just want to put this behind me.

Dex: Do you mean just the plugs, or the vibes and dildos, too...?

Suki: I hate you.

Dex: You practically mailed me an invitation to that one...Only accept a wire transfer as payment, ok?

I get my sandwich and drink and pull out of the drive-through and park before I text Dex again.

Suki: Yeah, and I’m making the buyer cover shipping. Can’t wait to declare what I’m sending on the Customs forms. The buyer is in Denmark.

Dex: Do not ship the merch until you’ve been paid. I can write up a sales contract for you if you want.

Suki: That would be great. I hate you a little less.

Dex: Have to go babe, ttyl

I open my Italian melt and take a bite, checking my other texts. Mara sent one while I was driving.

Mara: I know I deflect with sarcasm, but this is me being real. I genuinely like Owen and I’m so nervous about this drink thing. If all I can get is sex, I’ll take it, but if I give him sex right away, am I sending the message that it’s all I want?

Suki: Ugh, of course not. Relationships start lots of different ways. If he wants more, he’ll want it whenever you guys have sex.

Mara: I know, but...I can’t help wanting to do this right. If I go in there wearing a tiny little dress and I’m digesting his jizz by midnight, will he take me seriously?

Suki: Who are you and what have you done with Mara? We wear what we want. We suck what we want. And we don’t slut shame.

Mara: Okay. You’re right. Just because he’s 46 doesn’t mean he’s old fashioned...right?

Suki: Right. It just means you might need to pump his dick up to get him hard.

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