Page 94 of The Faking Game

“You know I’d never do something I don’t want to.”

That makes my lips curve, and the fear, the sudden punch of jealousy, melts away. “Yes. I do know you well enough to know that.” The tension between us feels so thick it’s hard to breathe. I have to cut it. “And do you use… toys?”

His lips quirk. “No. I don’t.”

“Then it’s not fair that you told me I should try.”

“Female pleasure can be more complex.”

I take another long sip of my wine. “You mean you’re perfectly happy with your right hand?”

West’s eyes won’t leave mine. “I wouldn’t sayperfectly happy,but it works.”

“So does mine,” I say. Maybe it’s the wine, or the questions I’ve already answered, but I feel braver. His gaze slides to the wineglass I’m holding.

To myhand.

“And yet,” he says, “you want to date and end up in a relationship. So it can’t be all that good.”

“I hope men are good for more than just sex.”

His smile is sudden. “I’ve heard some of us can be. On occasion.”

“You’re enjoying this far too much.”

“Watching you squirm over normal topics? Who wouldn’t?”

“They can’t benormal. Do you really talk about this with women you date?”

“I thought you’d decided I didn’t date. At all. Just because you’ve never seen me at a party with someone.”

I roll my eyes. “Do youreallytalk about this stuff?”

“Yes,” he says. The smile disappears. “Talking about what you like in bed is necessary if you’re going to have a good experience. No one is a mind reader.”

“Too bad,” I say and reach for another card. “It would make things easier.”

“Nora.” His hand lands on top of mine, pressing it flat against the table. Stopping me from reading the card. “What you said the other night… You’re not having mediocre sex with men just because you feel like you’re not allowed to ask for what you want. Right? You’re not performing in bed too, are you?”

I’m a deer caught in the headlights. Torn between a lie I can’t uphold and a truth I can’t bear. “No,” I tell him. “I promise I’m not.”

His wide shoulders sink in a sigh. “Good. I couldn’t handle it if…” He shakes his head. “Save the card you just took. We’ll talk about it at our next stop.”

“The date isn’t over?”

“No,” he says, and there’s a glint in his eye that tells me he’s going to enjoy whatever comes next. “Something you said gave me an idea. We’re going shopping.”

CHAPTER27

WEST

She’d gotten me hard at dinner with the image of her touching herselfonce or twice a week.It’s an image I shouldn’t have, shouldn’t think about, but now it’s all I can think about.

The way her eyes lit up when I mentioned praise… I suspected we’d be a fit there. But her prettily flushed cheeks confirmed it.

But remembering the future men she’ll date was enough of a cold bucket to wash away the heat and turn it into ice. I’m jealous of men she hasn’t met yet. Irrationally, desperately jealous.

And furious at all the ways they’ll fail to deserve her.

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