Page 23 of A Reclusive Heart

“Make sure you get some sleep. We’re catching a train at eight,” Nick said as he handed her the bag.

“I’ll be ready,” she promised, taking the bag as she let her eyes quickly run over his bare chest and boxer-clad body one last time before looking away and rushing back to her room.

Seeing a man in nothing but his underwear shouldn’t be a big deal at her age, but sadly, it was. It just went to prove that she desperately needed sex. Having sex would make her feel normal and would hopefully help with her shyness around men, Jamie decided as she sat on the bed. She opened her file and was just about to add this to her list when she realized just how stupid that was.

She created a new file and named it “Grammatical Errors,” figuring that Nick wouldn’t bother looking at that file. After creating a new Word document and typing the title “Sex List,” she stared blankly at the screen for several minutes.

Where should she start? Jamie wondered. After a few minutes, she figured that she should start with the basics. There really was no need to rush into sex since there were plenty of things along the way to help ease her into this.

Sex List:

Buy condoms

Learn to flirt (Probably best to learn by watching Nick)

Buy books about sex and positions.

Watch porn (nothing weird and take notes)

Kiss a man. (Best place to find a man to kiss her was probably at a bar or a club)

Buy sexy lingerie, nothing flannel.

Have sex, lots and lots of sex.

Visit a sex store and get the basics (Make sure to ask the clerk what the basics are.)

Learn how to give oral sex (men seem to like that for some reason)

Have sex in a car.

Have sex in a pool or ocean.

Have sex in an elevator or stairwell.

After the tour ends, use newfound sex knowledge to please boyfriend.

Probably should find a boyfriend.

That list seemed reasonable, Jamie decided as she saved the file and got ready for bed. Tomorrow, she’d start working on her new list.

By herself.

CHAPTER 13

“We’re running behind,” Nick said when his little recluse practically ran out of the elevators towards him.

“I know. I’m sorry,” Jamie said even as she dropped her suitcase and large duffle bag by his feet. “I’ll be right back,” she said, rushing off towards the hotel’s small convenience store and left him standing there, feeling like an idiot.

The only thing that saved her from a good spanking was the fact that she was in the store and back out in under sixty seconds with a small brown paper bag clutched tightly against her chest. Deciding that he had a pretty good idea of what it was and in no way wanting to invite her to discuss her womanly problems with him, Nick said nothing as she shoved the small paper bag in her duffle bag and stood up, not quite able to meet his eyes.

“I’m ready,” Jamie said, blushing a darker red than he’d ever seen on her before.

Deciding to take pity on the poor thing, Nick gestured for her to walk ahead of him while he threw his laptop bag over his shoulder and grabbed his bag. He wasn’t exactly surprised when she didn’t say anything during the taxi ride to the train station. Poor thing was easily embarrassed, Nick thought with pity asthey picked up their tickets and waited for the train. Still, she didn’t utter a single word.

After about thirty minutes, his sympathy was coming to an end. Being embarrassed was one thing, being mortified to this level was unhealthy and not normal. He considered explaining to her that she didn’t need to be embarrassed about that sort of thing around him since he’d been raised by a half-dozen hookers but decided against it. His past was nobody’s business.

When the train finally arrived and they were ushered inside, he damn near sighed with relief. He’d pull his computer out and get some work done while his little recluse got over this and she really needed to get over it. They were going to be working together for several more months to come and he really didn’t need to deal with this bullshit every month.

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