Dex flashes a grimace at Jared, then turns his glare to me—only it’s not a glare. There’s a touch of color that plays on his cheeks and a softness around his eyes.
“She’s not that kind of a girl,” Nate blurts out, defensively. Henry, who has been softly snoring this whole time, perks up for a minute then falls right back to sleep sitting up.
I wonder what kind of girl Nate thinks I am? My blood floods with heat, and anger, and something way beyond humiliating. Does Nate really think I didn’t do those things?
“Wait,” Dex says in a slow steady voice. “Are you implying that women who have sex, you know—” he makes air quotes with his hands. “Those kinds of girls. Are you saying those women are anything other than normal?”
Dex just kind of, sort of, defended my honor. Well, not necessarily mine, but all women. My cheeks flush hotter.
It must be the wine.
“No, no way,” Nate laughs and throws a smirk my way with a little gleam to his eye. “Jane, you know what I’m getting at, right?”
I have no clue what he’s getting at, but I smile wanting the conversation about my sex life to burst into flames and die a horrible death, never to be thought about again.
“Well, I find your exploits glorious, don’t ever stop them,” Jared says. “Are you two a couple in real life?” His points his finger between me and Dex, and both of us stumble over each other to say no the loudest.
“Could have fooled me,” Jared says under his breath.
The room gets quiet. I squirm in my seat.
“So, um,” I stammer. “What were the pitches for this week, what’s everyone working on?” I’m making a terrible mess of things, but I desperately want to change the subject and talk about anything other than me and Dex.
“I’m doing a fluff story about athletes and their sexual stamina,” Julia slurs, sipping more wine. She bursts out laughing and points to Dex, “He’s got to do a fluff piece on the perfect kiss.”
Dex rubs the back of his neck.
“Oh, really?” Jared says, elbowing Heath. “So, whatisa perfect kiss? I don’t think I’ve ever had one. Are you some sort of an expect? And are you the least bit gay?” Jared leans his chin on his steepled hands, waiting for Dex’s answer.
Dex chuckles and shakes his head. I thought he’d be some asshole homophobe and freak out on Jared, but he doesn’t. He actually winks at him.
“I don’t know if I’ve had a perfect kiss either, come to think of it.” Silvia’s words are mushing together too.
“Oh come on, now,” Julia says, eyes twinkling. “Haven’t you ever lost yourself in a kiss that was so romantic you couldn’t remember where you were?”
I don’t like this conversation either, so I push back from the table and walk into the kitchen pretending to get more wine. I spill what I have left into the sink and try to breathe. I know exactly what a perfect kiss feels like.
“Are there really any bad kisses, though?” Heath’s voice asks.
Both girls laugh and squeal yes in unison. I rummage through Julia’s refrigerator to find a bottle of soda and pour some into my wine glass. Fuck it, no one will notice. And if they do, it’s none of their damn business if I don’t partake in any more alcohol. To them I seem to be just the goody-two-shoes girl who made a few mistakes. I need to keep my wits before I say something to further mortify myself.
“Bad breath fucks up a kiss in the worst way.”
I walk back into the dining room because I couldn’t figure out whose voice it was. Henry has his eyes open now and is tearing into his plate of chicken. It must have been him who said it.
“Ugh, how about those full wet, salvia dripping down your chin kisses?” Nate laughs.
“So, what makes a perfect kiss?” Dex asks. I wouldn’t be surprised if a pen appeared in his hand and he started writing his article right here.
“Consent, first and foremost. Oh, and passion and sexual tension,” Silvia explains.
Julia eyes me and winks. “I think public kisses are the best. Those spontaneous surprise ones you don’t see coming.”
My entire body catches fire and I can only peek a small glimpse of Nate who is once again staring back at me. I avert my eyes as quickly as I can, only to find Dex looking suspiciously between the two of us. I wonder if he remembers the kiss. He was there next to me. I wonder if he knows it was Nate.
Julia purses her lips and shimmies her shoulders at Nate. “Who was your best kiss, hmmm?”
Nate’s face turns crimson.
