Page 60 of Unravel Me

Cautious eyes move between mine. “Promise?”

I hold my pinky out, and she grins, tucking hers around mine, pulling our hands to her chest and my mouth to hers.

“Swear it.”

CHAPTER14

IS THAT…VIBRATING?

ROSIE

“I think it’s clean, Ro.”Archie tears the plate I’ve been washing for five minutes from my hands, rinsing the suds before setting it on the drying rack. “That guy really did dickmatize you, didn’t he?”

“Dickmatize is not a real word.”

“It is in my vocabulary, and yours now, too, since you’ve been walking around with that dazed look on your face for days.” Archie takes the next plate from me. “Proud of you, though. You’re like a horny teenager discovering herself for the first time.”

I roll my eyes, flicking suds at him. “I’m a mother; I’m hardly discovering myself for the first time.”

“Practically. How many orgasms did Brandon give you while you two were doing…whatever the fuck you were doing? Two?”

“Shut up.”

“One?”

My mouth scrunches as I scrub a fork with vigor.

“Rosie, tell me Brandon gave you at least one—”

“I can give myself orgasms, okay?” It comes out a little more Attitude-y Judy than I mean it to, because no, Brandon never gave me an orgasm, and quite frankly, any orgasms I manage to give myself are both fleeting and underwhelming. Better than nothing, I guess.

“I need an orgasm,” I say at the exact moment Archie declares, “You need to get laid.”

“I don’t want to jump into anything with Adam, though.” I drain the sink, washing my hands. “I want the physical stuff, but I don’t want it to override everything else, you know?”

“It sounds like you guys are moving at a fine pace.” He snags my lower lip and tugs it free of my teeth. “What are you really worried about?”

I nibble my thumbnail and lift a shoulder. “What if I’m boring in bed? I don’t have a lot of experience, and we never really tried anything different. Is that why Brandon always wanted it to be over so quick? And we never cuddled after. He’d always roll away, or get up to play video games, or—”

“Rosie.” Archie takes my face in his hands. “I know he’s Connor’s dad, but the guy’s a total mooncalf; sorry, not sorry. He’s never deserved your time, your body, or your heart, but you gave him all of it anyway.”

“I just wanted someone to want me.” The words are fractured and whispered, and I hate that they hurt, the way they singe the air and leave it heavy and suffocating.

“I know you did, honey. But he left you with more insecurities than you started with, and I hate him for that. You’ve got a beautiful heart. You’re so kind, so smart, and so incredibly strong. He has a way of making you forget that. I don’t know Adam, but he seems to make you remember all those things about yourself.” Archie takes my hands, a gentle squeeze that always settles my racing thoughts. “Let him build you up. And in the meantime, let’s get you some toys so you can work on taking care of yourself.”

I slap his hands away. “I don’t need a dildo.”

“There are these clit suckers too.”

“Archie, I’m not buying toys for myself.”

He winks, throwing the dish towel over his shoulder as he starts putting the dishes away. “Okay, Rosie.”

“You’renot buying me toys either.”

Another wink. “Definitely not, Rosie.”

I jab a finger into his shoulder. “Stop saying my name.”

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