Page 85 of Forbidden Harmony

Preacher glanced around the diner. It wascrowded and the hum of multiple conversations would mask their conversation ifhe kept his voice low. “She doesn’t want people knowing because you know aswell as I do that she’s usually not the type of girl to have casual sex, and alsobecause she asked me to give her lessons on fucking and she’s embarrassed aboutit.”

“Oh.” Gideon took a sip of iced tea, hisfeatures carefully schooled. “Okay.”

“That prick of an ex-fiancé has herconvinced that she sucks in bed. He broke off the engagement because he said shewas terrible in bed.”

“You’re kidding me?”

“I’m not. He was fucking gaslighting her. Usedit as an excuse for why he cheated on her. She’s not terrible in bed. Alittle unsure maybe and shy, but the way she responds when I…”

He sat back, clearing his throat. “The motherfuckernever went down on her.”

Preacher almost laughed at the look ofastonishment on Gideon’s face.

“Seriously?”

“Dead fucking serious,” Preacher said. “Theasshole was perfectly fine with letting her go down on him but never once returnedthe favour and they were together for how fucking long?”

“Since they were teenagers,” Gideon said. “Jesus,I always thought Harrison was kind of a self-involved blowhard and that Addiecould do better. This confirms that.”

“Anyway, she asked me for lessons once aweek for a month and I said yes. Nothing serious. Just fucking. Only…”

“Only what?” Gideon said.

Wren and Georgia arrived with their foodand Preacher waited until they left before saying, “Only I’m fucking jealous.”

Gideon grinned at him. “It doesn’t soundlike Harrison was doing it for Addie in the bedroom, so you probably don’t haveto be jealous of him, pookie. Unless you’re not going down on her either?”

“Fuck off,” Preacher said before shoving apiece of steak in his mouth. This was his favourite meal at Nan’s and while itlooked and smelled as delicious as it always did, it tasted like sawdust in hismouth.

Gideon laughed. “What are you jealous about?”

“She was hanging out with that Lucas guy today,helping him pick out a gift for his mother at the yarn shop down the street.They came into the shop after, and I was jealous even though Lucas told me hewasn’t interested in her. But I was an asshole to Addison anyway and hurt herfeelings.”

He waited for Gideon to tease him some moreand when he didn’t say anything, Preacher looked up from his food. The humourin Gideon’s face was gone and he was staring solemnly at him.

“What?” Preacher said.

“Has Addison made any indication that shewants this to be more than just lessons?” Gideon said.

“Of course she fucking hasn’t,” Preachersaid. “Why would she? A woman like her doesn’t want a relationship withsomeone like me.”

Gideon snorted angrily. “How many times doI have to tell you that you’re -”

“Yeah, yeah,” Preacher said. “I know. I’ma good guy. A good guy who went to prison for four years, a good guy who almostmade the exact same mistake a few years later, a good guy who needed his best friendto co-sign a loan for him so he could get his own fucking shop. Look, I appreciatethat you always have my back, man, you know I do, but blowing this bullshit upmy ass about how I’m just as good as someone like Addison Moore isn’t what Ineed to hear.”

“Too fucking bad,” Gideon said. “I’m gonnakeep saying it until you believe it.”

“I just need some advice on how to chillthe fuck out around her.”

Gideon ate some pasta. “You seriously wantme to tell you how to stop being jealous?”

“Yeah.” Preacher pushed at the bread underhis steak before stabbing some lettuce from his salad and shoving it into hismouth.

“Dude, I love you, but the amount of denialyou’re swimming in is neck fucking deep. You like Addison and you want to beher man. The jealousy isn’t gonna stop.”

“No, I fucking don’t,” Preacher said.

Gideon rolled his eyes. “You can act as stupidabout this as you want, but you know as well as I do that it’s the reason you’reso jealous.”

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