Page 58 of The Stars in the Sky
I let out a breath. "Will, it's a girl thing. I want to simultaneously think you've only ever been with me, but I also want you to have the experience of a professional escort."
"It's juvenile. You don't need to know that shit. It'll just make you mad. If you told me who you’d been with before me, it’d piss me off."
I’d admit that I liked him jealous. But still, I couldn't let it go. "What are you hiding?" I asked, more forcefully, lifting up my chin and challenging him.
"Nothing." He glared at me and took another bite of his sandwich. An idea came to me.
"Were you ever married?"
"No."
"Engaged?"
He let out a breath. "Yeah."
That surprised me. But it was what I wanted to know. "Really?"
"Yeah," he repeated.
"What happened?"
"She told me that I was an asshole and then she went back to Texas. I was with her for all of college. I was young. Think I knew deep down she wasn't the one. She hid all sorts of shit from me that I found out later. Don’t like it when I don’t know what a woman is really thinkin’, I’d rather hear it. I didn't fight it when she left."
I was simultaneously sorry for him and not sorry for him because now I could be the one sitting with him on a bluff by the ocean, drinking tequila. It also explained why he liked my openness. "I think that deserves a shot," I teased him.
"Only if you take one too," he replied instantly.
"Fair enough."
He poured us both another shot of tequila, smaller than the first one, and we both downed it. I was starting to feel very warm now. Another thought came to my mind. "You don't have any kids or anything do you?"
"Fuck no."
"Have you ever been with a man?"
He stared at me.
"What?" I said defensively. "It's just a question. It deserves an answer."
"No," he said emphatically. "Just because I have a gay uncle doesn't mean I'm into that."
"You have a gay uncle?" I'd like to meet him, the real black sheep of the conservative family.
"Yeah."
I nudged a little closer to him, knees to knees, the tequila starting to talk. "What is the kinkiest thing you've ever done with someone."
He looked me straight in the eyes and put his finger under my chin. "Darlin' you don't want to know the answer to that."
"Yes I do." I totally did.
"Don't want to argue with you."
"Yes you do." We stayed that way for a little bit, like children, staring at each other, willing for the other one to give. "Another shot of tequila, Will."
"Fuck, Marie."
"Do it and answer the question."
