Page 12 of Peak of Love
“I have three conversation streams. The kids, my job, and Asher. These do not dating conversations make.”
“We’re currently talking about mind-blowing orgasms, so that’s something you can add to your arsenal of small talk.”
“You’re going to saymind-blowing orgasmas often as you can, aren’t you?”
He snickered. “You know me too well.”
“Are you saying I can straight up ask my date if he’d give me a mind-blowing orgasm?”
Dane choked on his scotch like a chump. The thought of Celina talking about anything sexual with another man was a punch to his esophagus. “No,” he managed gruffly.
“Exactly. So, whatdopeople talk about when they date?”
“Nothing and everything. Where do you work, what are your hobbies, that sort of thing.”
“Do you meet people online?”
“Sure. I’ve been on dating apps. Easier that way, especially since I’m not keen on meeting anyone through work. Not that I’ve had time for dating lately.”
Dane didn’t tell her that casual hookups had gotten old. He had women he trusted for their discretion and the occasional weekend when he felt like calling. Romantic attachments were unnecessarily complicated and rarely worth the trouble.
“You can’t deny that you’ve been around.”
“I suppose.”
“So help me out,” she stated matter-of-factly. “Tomorrow, when we have our brunch, tell me what I’m doing wrong if it was a date.”
“You want me to date you tomorrow?”
“No, stupid! Just walk me through it. We’re not actually dating, that’s ridiculous. Let me test out some of my lines, that kind of thing.”
“Test out yourwhat?”
“You know what I mean, Dane! Jeez, don’t make me say it.”
“On the contrary, you’re going to have to spell this out for me, Celina.”
She turned to him in all seriousness. The no-nonsense Celina—who stomped through life fearlessly and with as little self-consciousness as anyone he had ever met— spoke.
“It’s simple. I’ve decided I want to start dating, but I don’t know how. You’re direct and honest. I trust you. You will give me some dating tips tomorrow so I don’t make a fool of myself the first time I sit across the table from a man I might want to sleep with. There. Spelled out enough for you?”
When Celina put her mind to projects, she approached things with as little fanfare as possible. She wasn’t exactly in a hurry to stoke the fire of her sexuality. Yet something sparked yesterday. Rare was the occasion for this kind of self-scrutiny.
However, self-scrutiny stared at her like a bitch complaining to the manager. It would not be denied. And it had very specific grievances. Namely: She missed being touched by a man. Intimacy was normal. Orgasms were awesome.
So, as per her trademark efficiency, when amenable factors lined up, she jumped at the opportunity. These included:
Finding herself with time and the inclination for a meal with a male adult. It had been a while.
Dane was someone she trusted for his discretion, compassion and, let’s face it, skill. If anyone knew how to behave during a date, it would be this guy.
Finally, why not get comfortable with the idea of dating? Like Dane said,it’s OK to want this.As long as she wasn’t an idiot about the process.
Besides, this was Dane. He would never let her be stupid because he was a pro. She’d had a front-row seat to his exploits as a rich bachelor. Asher and she had made fun of him through the years. It was like watching someone else’s drama unfold, except she was allowed to heckle because she’d known him for as long as she’d known her husband.
She went downstairs with an enthusiastic spring to her step, then stopped short. Celina was wearing a large hoodie and jeans, while Dane wore sharp dress pants and a black cashmere sweater that clung to his muscled shoulders.
“Excuse me, no one said there was going to be a photoshoot.”
