Page 34 of Getting Lucky Number Seven

Whitney answered the door and gestured me inside. “She’s in her room,” she said, then she flopped onto the couch and pulled a book and notebook onto her lap.

Einstein came up to me and rubbed his furry head on my jeans. I’d only met the cat a few times, but I swore he sensed I was allergic and decided that meant he should rub hair all over me. With his long wiry gray and white fur, he was kind of cute—or maybe I’d just been looking at cat pictures too long. Great, now I was developing a fondness for felines.

This is what I get for being friends with a girl.I patted the furball’s head despite myself and then moved to Lyla’s bedroom. I knocked, and when there was no answer, I pushed inside, Einstein so close I nearly tripped over him. “Lyla?”

When her cat meowed at me like I’d personally offended it, I picked it up. He purred and rubbed against me as I scanned the room. Lyla’s closet looked like it’d exploded. Shoes were scattered across the floor, there were a pile of shirts off to the side, and several long, colorful skirts hung on her desk chair. Her laptop was open, and I noticed the list up on the screen.

Of course she typed it up.

1. New edgier look

2. Do a keg stand (Remember to not wear a skirt that night)

3. Make out with a beautiful stranger (Exact level of making out TBD as the kissing happens)

4. Sing karaoke

5. Dance on a bar (Learn to sexy dance, so I don’t make a fool of myself when the bar dancing happens.)

6. Get a tattoo

7. Have mind-blowing sex

What the—

“Hey,” Lyla said. “I didn’t hear you come in. I was just finishing my hair and… Beck?”

I turned around and Einstein dug his claws into my arm, apparently wanting down now. I let him go and took in Lyla standing in the doorway. She had her hair in a side ponytail, several loose strands framing her face. The simple white V-neck showed off her curves and hinted at a lace bra underneath, and she had on one of her long hippie skirts. The pink, peach, and red fabric hugged her hips a few inches below where her shirt cut off, leaving a sexy stripe of skin on display.

And all I could think about was mind-blowing sex, mind-blowing sex,mind-blowing sex.

“Is this okay? I need to do laundry, so I was running a bit low on options—hockey game probably means jeans, huh? I should’ve known. I’ll change.” She started toward her closet and I caught her arm.

“You look nice,” I said, swiping my thumb across the smooth skin that didn’t help my stray thoughts. “I’ve missed the skirts and colors, actually.”

A slow smile curved her glossy pink lips and my pulse ratcheted up several notches. Then she glanced over my shoulder. Her smile fell and her face went pale.

I winced. “It was open.”

“And you read it?” Her voice came out several octaves higher than usual.

“What? I thought I was consulting on the list.” I did my best to sound casual, but inside my thoughts and nerves unraveled quickly, exposing my baser instincts. Working to keep control of myself, I cleared my throat. “I, uh, see you added more.”

Pink flared through her cheeks. She slammed the laptop closed, holding it down like if she kept it shut long enough, it’d take away what I’d seen.

“Mind-blowing sex?” I couldn’t believe I’d asked, but how could I not? It was like dangling a giant slice of chocolate cake in front of a hungry person on a diet and telling them not to take a bite.

Desire rose up as I traced every inch of her with my eyes, from her pretty face all the way down her killer body, fiery bursts of it pumping through my veins. Yeah, I definitely wanted a taste.

“It’s just… I… Since I haven’t… It seemed like…” She wrapped the end of her ponytail around a finger, winding faster and faster.

Her distress cut through the overpowering sensations her new list item had triggered, and my brain worked to catch up.Wait? Is she saying what I think she is?“So you’ve never…hadthat?”

Lyla’s hand stilled and she swallowed, the gesture looking like it took great effort. “It doesn’t have to be so much mind-blowing, but that’s everyone’s goal, right? I mean, if I could even have an…” She shook her head, her entire face red now. “Never mind. This is way too embarrassing to talk about. Let’s just go.”

“Are you saying…?” The wordsSince I haven’t…andif I could even have an…tumbled through my mind. Surely her ex-boyfriend had taken care of her. Or was he one of those selfish jerks who only cared if he got what he wanted? The thought sent anger jumping into the tornado of emotions swirling through me. I should probably let it go, considering how close I’d come to crossing lines without this information, but I found myself asking anyway. “You’ve had an orgasm before, right?”

For several seconds, dead silence crowded the air between us and her gaze remained glued to the floor. “Miles tried,” she said, so quietly I could barely hear her. “I think I’m just… I don’t know if I can have one.”

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