Page 72 of Relief Pitcher

“You’re leaving it wide open for a lot of jokes, but I sense this isn’t a joking conversation.”

“Your senses are correct.”

Given how close Seth and I had become since he’d moved back, I felt comfortable confiding in him. I hadn’t had that with him since we were little and our secrets were the hiding-junk-food-from-our-parents variety or staying up too late to read comic books. Things had changed—I’dchanged—when I’d gone off to middle school and became too cool for my brother.

“I was doing some reading online last night about dating and why I haven’t done it.”

“Because you’re a connoisseur of dicks.”

“Damn right. Innies too. I appreciate men in all their forms. But I can’t stop thinking that it’s weird I haven’t wanted to date anyone. It’s not that I talk myself out of it because I’m scared or busy or whatever. The urge literally doesn’t come for me to push for more. With anyone.”

“Until Cooper?” he asked gently.

“Yeah. It’s different with him.”

“Do you ever getanyromantic urges with people? Like crushes?”

“Crushes? On their hairy chests or bossy attitudes? Sure.”

“No, like on their personalities or how they make you feel, you superficial asshole.”

I flashed a teasing smile. “Not really.”

“What about that guy you dated in college? How did that happen?”

I thought back to all those years ago. The memories had grown fuzzier as I aged, but I remembered enough. “We were pretty good friends. Met in a marketing class, started studying together, and then hanging out. He eventually invited me to a party at his frat, and one thing led to another. The next time we had class after that, he asked me to grab drinks. Then dinner, and then we fooled around. I guess we started dating from there.”

“Ah.”

I frowned. “Care to elaborate?”

Seth adjusted his glasses. “Nah.”

I chucked a throw pillow at his head, but he blocked it with his forearm.

He held up a please-hold finger as he used his other hand to do something on his phone. I glared impatiently at him.

Seth sat up straighter. “Answer some questions for me. When you see someone attractive, do you want to get to know them, get naked, or get romantically involved?”

“Naked. Obviously.” I didn’t know where he was going, but I’d play along.

“How often do you hook up? Frequently, sometimes, or rarely?”

I stared at him deadpan.

His nose wrinkled. “Right. Frequently. TMI. Who do you see yourself spending your future with? Someone who started as a strong emotional connection, then later a sexual connection. Or the love of your life, who you likely met first as a friend. Or a long-term sexual partner, not a romantic one.”

My brain tripped over those options. It would’ve been a no-brainer before meeting Cooper. Just sex, no romance. But then I remembered how tightly he clutched me as he slept with his head on my lap last night.

“Pretend you never met Cooper.”

I scowled. “I guess the long-term sex partner.”

Seth asked me a few more questions along the same lines, and my curiosity grew with each one.

He put his phone face down on his lap and gave me all his attention. “Are you familiar with the term demiromantic?”

I rolled my eyes. “Pretty sure you and I don’t operate the same when it comes to this shit.”

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