Page 53 of The Wingman

“Have you tried a toy?” Hayden finally asks, glancing at me.

“Once,” I admit. Thank god it’s dark in here. My face is probably the color of a tomato. “I didn’t like it. It was…” I search for the words. “Aggressive? Scary? Felt like a power sander on my lady parts?”

“Jesus,” Hayden mutters.

I don’t mention that Kit bought it. He was disappointed that it didn’t work the way he wanted, and we never spoke of it again.

“It was loud and distracting, and I kept worrying the neighbors could hear?” A laugh slips out of me, and the corners of Hayden’s mouth turn up, but his eyes are still watchful and concerned. “I didn’t like it,” I say again.

Another beat of silence, and my face heats even more.

“There are other toys out there.” He stares at his drink. I watch his Adam’s apple bob as he swallows. “Quieter ones.”

“I’m sure there are, but I’m not brave enough to go into a store and ask questions.” I shudder in preemptive embarrassment. “And every time I browse online, I get overwhelmed with the choices. There are literally thousands of toys online. How do I know which one is the best? Do I just order ten and trythem all out?” I make a face. “And what do I do with the ones I don’t like? Throw them in the garbage? What if someone sees?”

Hayden’s shoulders are shaking with laughter, and I clamp my mouth shut.

“See?” I give him a look. “This is my problem. I overthink everything.”

“Yeah.” He smiles back at me, affection warming his eyes. “You’re too in your head.”

He makes a low humming noise, and I’d do anything to know what’s in his head.

“I can see you thinking,” I say. “Spit it out.”

He hesitates. “I can help.” His voice is low and a little rough, a gentle scrape that makes the back of my neck prickle, and his eyes flash with heat.

Fire races through me, and again, my mind goes to the danger zone, imagining his mouth on my neck and his hand trailing down my body, sneaking beneath my clothes, slipping into my panties, stroking over me. I picture his eyes glazed with heat and his flirty, amused smile as I writhe under him.

We shouldn’t be doing this, I’d say.I know, he’d whisper back with a wicked smile. Desire tightens between my thighs.

“I’ll ask around and find some suggestions,” he continues. “For toys.” His throat works. “I can ask the women I know.”

Embarrassment replaces the horny thoughts, and I want to sink into the floor. He wasn’t referring to helping melike that.

“That’s okay.” I wince. “I don’t want everyone knowing about this.”

“I’m not going to tell them it’s for you.” He frowns. “This stays between us. I’d never talk about your personal stuff with anyone.” His jaw shifts and he folds his arms over his chest. “It’s important that you get comfortable with what you like.” He swallows again, meeting my eyes. “In bed.”

The horny thoughts creep back into my head, but I force them out again. “You make a good point. How am I supposed to ask a guy to do something if I can’t do it myself?”

His jaw flexes, and he looks like he wants to say more, but the bartender swings by, and the conversation is over.

CHAPTER 25

HAYDEN

I’m still thinkingabout fucking Darcy in her favorite sex position when Patrick Grant, the male lead onThe Northern Sword, who plays Prince Cadius, approaches us at the bar, and my whole body tenses.

He’s Darcy’s favorite character.

“Who’s this cute little thing?” he asks, smiling down at her like he wants to devour her.

She grins. “I’m Darcy.”

“Of course you are.”

His teeth are too white, and there are too many of them. His face has that perfect, sculpted look I’ve seen on other Hollywood people. His British accent doesn’t even sound real.

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