Page 382 of The Sinner: James

“You had experience.”

“Do you think so? Do you think Thea and I ended up with them because of our extensive experience with men? Do you want me to remind you how many times Ed and Thea have split and how rocky their relationship has been? Or mine, for that matter? You have everything you need, Eve. It’s all inside of you. All you need is to get rid of your fears. You barely breathed today when James questioned you about that threesome thing.”

“Speaking of which... I’m still mad at you for doing that,” she says, not sounding at all mad. “He was the last person I wanted to exchange opinions with on having sex with two men at the same time.”

“And yet he’s the best man to give you advice.”

Her cheeks turn crimson again.

“I’m not having a threesome. Just to be clear. I’ve had enough of talking about it.”

Her expression makes me laugh.

A smile grows on her lips.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Because you are so funny. And cute. And sexy,” I say, sliding my gaze over her body again. “And you’re a walking contradiction. You have so much life in you, yet you keep suppressing your deep-seated desires.”

Her shoulders slump.

“What are you afraid of?” I ask in a different voice.

“To get hurt, I guess... And make a fool of myself.”

“Is that why you were afraid to talk to James today?”

“Yes.”

“At least you’re honest. But they are people like everybody else.”

“I know they are, but if I fall for a man like that, I’ll get hurt.”

“Is it better not to have them?”

“No.”

“There.”

I push out of my chair and step toward the couch, collecting my evening bag.

“Even if it happens, I won’t know what to do,” she says.

I spin to her, slipping my phone into my purse.

“That’s what stopped me back when I danced with Ed Preston,” she confesses.

My eyes connect with hers.

Her smile dies out, a pang of desperation flashing through her gaze.

Hesitating a little, she speaks again.

“I don’t think he knew what to do either because I wasn’t one of the women he was used to. Besides, I was your best friend, and you two had a history together. And there were so many thoughts in my head at the time. But he did like me... He even said it to me.”

“He did?”

“Yes.”

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