Second Chance for Romance полностью

“You’re probably right,” I agreed. “But it does make me devilishly

attractive.”

“So you think.”

“So I know.” I grinned at her. “You wouldn’t give me the time of day if I were a pushover. And that’s why you’re with Trip. You can control him, but only sometimes, when he wants you to. So he’s the best of both worlds for you: someone who lets you have your way, but pushes back enough to keep you interested.”

“Now you’re a psychologist too?”

“No, but I dated one for a while. Well, she wanted to be a psychiatrist—

there’s a difference—but I learned a thing or two. And,” I added before she could cut me off, “I’ve been watching people a long time.”

“So have I.”

“Then you know I’m right. About you.”

“So?”

“Well, it’s also the thing that I find so attractive. About you. You’re intense.” I reflected for a moment. “I think that’s one of the big things I didn’t like about Gracie. She was never assertive, never confident. Not like you. She was competitive and ambitious, but always in a way that made me think she was… I dunno, deeply insecure. Anyway, that’s in the past.”

“Thank God for that,” Wren said. “None of us could stand her.” She leaned forward. “And you may be right about me, but—”

“I am.”

“—you’re wrong about one thing.”

“Oh?”

“Christy.”

I looked at the ceiling and took a deep breath.

“She isn’t a goody-goody. Not even close. She just wants to think she is.”

I looked at her, interested in spite of myself. “What’s that s’posed to mean? Does she want us to think she is?”

“Uh-uh. She tries to be a good Catholic girl because that’s what she thinks she’s supposed to be. But she’s more like us than you realize.”

“Oh, really? And you think this because…?”

“You’re not the only one who knows a thing or two about people.”

“Fair enough. But that still doesn’t make Christy a swinger.”

“Maybe not, but she could be.”

My eyebrows shot up.

“She’s a lot wilder than you realize. She just hides it better than the rest

of us.” She nodded at my disbelief. “I should know. We were more than just roommates. Remember?”

“I remember.”

“And I used to think the same as you, that she was all sweet and innocent.

I mean, she went to Catholic school. And I figured she was pretty sheltered until she left for college. So when we first moved in together, back in the dorm, I thought I’d have some fun and corrupt the naïve Catholic girl.”

“And…?”

“She seduced me.”

“Hold on… did I hear that right?”

“I swear to God, Paul. I’ve had a lot of time to think about it since then, and I know I’m right. At the time I thought I was luring her into bed. But she wanted it all along. I thought she’d be ‘Oh, this is all so new. We shouldn’t be doing this. But it feels so good!’”

“And…?” I was repeating myself, but I couldn’t help it.

“She knew exactly what she was doing. Wasn’t the least bit naïve. On top of that, she could make me come like nobody’s business. Faster and harder than Trip, even.” She grimaced and added, “Please don’t tell him that.

Okay?”

“I won’t. But… seriously? Christy?”

“Mmm hmm. She told me later she’s had a steady girlfriend since she was thirteen. Never a girlfriend-girlfriend, like lesbians or anything, but always a best friend she fooled around with.”

“Good for her, I guess. I still don’t—”

“That’s not all.”

I tried to tell myself I wasn’t interested. I didn’t want a girlfriend like Christy, with all her religious baggage. I wanted Gina. But I literally couldn’t stop myself from saying, “Oh? What?”

“She has an oral fixation.”

I didn’t think my eyebrows could climb any higher, but I knew the truth of it as soon as she said it. I’d noticed the same thing myself.

“Mmm hmm. She likes to put things in her mouth. Watch her sometime.

Pens, pencils, her hair. She’ll suck her thumb sometimes if she isn’t paying attention. Just the tip, but she does it.”

“I don’t see what it has to do with me.”

She scoffed. “Sure you don’t.”

Of course I did, but I didn’t want to admit it.

“She likes giving head, Paul.” She smirked. “And I mean really likes.”

“Maybe girls…,” I said feebly.

“Uh-uh. Guys too. Probably more than girls. I mean, think about it…

there’s more to put in her mouth.”

I deliberately didn’t adjust my hard-on. The discomfort was good for me, I told myself.

“We used to laugh and joke,” Wren continued, “after we’d been together for a couple of months. We’d talk about things we’d done and guys we wanted to do.”

“And…?” Dammit. Really? Again?

“She always talked about their dicks, what she thought they were like.

And you remember her sketchbook, don’t you? The one wi—?”

“I remember.” Vividly.

“I’m telling you, Paul… she likes guys. And not in some idealized biblical way, like you think. I mean like your hottest fantasy come true.” She plowed over my disbelief. “No, you don’t understand. Not like some generic fantasy from Penthouse Forum. I mean your hottest fantasy. Like, you personally.”

I swallowed to moisten my tongue. I tried to speak, but nothing came out.

“Exactly. Like, suck you all day and into the night.”

“So?” I finally managed.