Page 35 of Follow Your Bliss

“I’m really sorry, Rose,” he said when she walked away, his brow furrowed over his big brown eyes. “I should’ve expected that, but I didn’t.” He picked up his phone. “I’ll shut the rumors down.”

“That’s okay. You don’t have to make a statement or anything. I’m not offended that they think we’re together, and it’s not like I’m surprised by internet comments.” I tapped over to my notifications. “Wow, I have a lot of new followers.Maybeyou were right, that it helps when you show your face online.”

“Are you sure? I can say something. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”

I patted his hand. “Yeah, it’s okay. I’m not uncomfortable. It’s flattering that they think I could land a guy like you. You’re sweet to care.” Very unlike any other guy I’d dated.

Wait. I wasn’t dating Jason.

A soft smile lit his face. “Okay, Sweet Rose. If you’re sure.” He popped his straw into his drink. Flattening the straw wrapper, he wound it around his finger and hummed to himself.

He was dishy, though. Nice hands, too. And now, thanks to the comments, I imagined them holding his big cock up to measure on my table.

I fanned myself and put my hair up again. “It’s so hot in here. I can’t believe what a great mood you’re in after all that driving. If you want, I can take a turn. I’m a safe driver, I promise.”

“Nah, that’s okay. I’ll be fine after I get something to eat. Maybe some caffeine.”

We were both quiet for a moment, and I flashed back to prom night when we hadn’t had much to talk about. I took another sip of my drink, scrolled through my new followers. “Oh, that’s weird. Misty followed me.”

He rolled his eyes. “Jesus, she’s probably jealous about the video.”

“Probably. She seems aggressive.”

“You have no idea.” He took a sip and set his drink back down. “You know, while you were sleeping, I was thinking about what you said a few days ago.”

My heart sped up. “Oh God, what did I say?”

He glanced around before leaning in. “About sexual compatibility,” he said quietly.

And held my eyes while he said it. Instant lady boner.

“It was refreshing to hear you say that, because for the past few months, all I keep hearing about is how awful sex and sexuality are. You shouldn’t take care of it for yourself.” He pointed his hands at his chest. “If you’re working out and taking your shirt off on social media, you must be down to fuck anything that moves. And God forbid you do it before you’re married. But all of that is such bullshit. Sex is just another way to connect with and be vulnerable with someone you love, isn’t it? And I think you should fall in lovebeforeyou’re married. Why not express it then, too?”

His brown eyes were dangerously earnest, looking at me. He was downright adorable. Who knew Deck Daddy had such an emotional side?

“That’s sort of what my mom says. And it depends on what you want out of life. If sexuality is important to your happiness—and it may not be. Asexuality is completely valid, obviously. But if itisimportant to you, she says a sexual connection with the person you love is important to express.” I laughed nervously. “But not everyone grows up with parents who encourage that sort of thing. Not that she encouraged us to sleep around! God, I’m just digging myself deeper, aren’t I?”

“No, I think you’re really lucky to have had her influence. I grew up in such a repressed household. We couldn’t talk about relationships at all, much less sex. You know what I don’t get? My parents were fine with us watching action movies with people getting shot up, or stabbed, or whatever, but good God forbid there was a loving couple having sex. They even skipped ahead through fade-to-black scenes.”

“Girl. Come on up.” I patted the table. “There’s room on my soapbox for you. Tell me why you can watch superheroes breaking all kinds of necks in movies but have one person kissin’ a boob and suddenly it’s porn.”

“Exactly! I don’t understand why our society treats something so natural as so dirty. Even with Kasey, I had no idea what I wanted, and no idea how to ask for it.”

“So I guess what you’re saying is that y’all weren’t compatible.Sexually,” I added, leaning in and whispering it as a couple with little kids were seated at a nearby table.

“No,” he grimaced. “Not at all. She was kind of touch-averse, even before she started cheating on me. Which was hard for me, because I thrive on physical affection. Like, holding hands, hugging, touching. I’m sure that sounds like such a guy thing—”

I put my hand on his forearm and squeezed. His muscles tensed beneath my hand, and I flushed, imagined them flexing as he dipped his fingers into my—nope. “It’s okay to enjoy physical affection, no matter who you are.”

He looked quickly from my hand on his to my eyes. “Thank you,” he said softly.

Gosh, his lips were beautiful. I cleared my throat and removed my hand. “Carry on.”

“And Kasey didn’t…she didn’t like…” He looked around at the people in booths around us and lowered his voice. “She really hated when I kissed her…” he motioned around his chest.

I suppressed a shiver. It wasn’t okay to imagine his mouth on my breast, especially since he was talking about another woman. I shrugged. “To each their own, but yeah, I don’t get that, because I love it.” My face shot through with heat, and I crossed my arms over my chest.

He laughed, coughing and choking a little on his drink. “Much less do the other thing I liked to do that she didn’t. Of course, I respected all of it, but goddamn the temptation. It was hard to live with.” He stretched his back, face reddening. “That sounds so selfish and completely shallow, I know, but it was just…” he trailed off, searching for a word.

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