Page 54 of Taking Chances

She nods apprehensively.

“I need to hear you say it,” I add.

“OK.” Her voice is barely above a whisper.

“And if at any point you become uncomfortable, just say the word and I’ll stop. All right?”

“Yes.” Her voice is just a tiny bit louder now.

We finish our wine, chatting some more before I take her back home. As I go to clean up the wine cups from the coffee table, I notice the checklist isn’t there anymore.

Son of a bitch, she took it.

I guess I deserved that after reading her book, but I honestly hope she doesn’t traumatize herself researching things on that list.

21

ANNE

I’m drinking my coffee in the office break room, deep in my thoughts, when a deep male voice startles me. “Morning.”

“Shoot,” I respond, wiping the coffee I spilled on the small round table.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” Matt chuckles.

“No, it’s OK. I just barely slept last night, so my focus isn’t great.”

“You good?” His green eyes watch me apprehensively while I do my best impression of a confident nod.

Last night was torture. Matt probably thinks I’m still moping around, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

No, the thoughts possessing me last night had nothing to do with my idiot of an ex and everything to do with the naïve arrangement Lennox and I made. I thought we would make love, he’d show me a good time, we’d repeat that a couple of times, and voila—I’d be ready to continue my quest of findingthe one.

Instead, I got homework.

I always dreaded homework, expecting the teacher thinking the worst of what I did, and this time isn’t any different.

What if I try and find out I’m bad at it?Can you even be bad at masturbating?

Well, I definitely am so far.

Subtly shaking my head, I turn my gaze on Matt, who is placing his and Natalie’s lunches in the fridge.

“What did you make for today?” I ask him.

“Peanut chicken protein bowls.” He smiles.

He learns new recipes, making them lunch every single day, and it’s sickeningly cute.

“Booo.” I wave him off, making him laugh.

“You’ll find that one day, too.”

I doubt it, but there’s no time to focus on that. Rather, I need to focus on freaking out about my homework.

And freak out I did. I enter my building, a brisk walk away from the office, still wound up. He said he’ll give me instructions, but he’s been MIA the whole day.

I thought about texting him, but what would I even say?Please let me know how to pleasure myself?

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