“Bored?” he asks with a shocked laugh. “You’re the most annoying, confusing woman I’ve ever
met. Most days, you make me laugh while simultaneously making me want to tear my hair out. When
you’re around, there’s no room for anyone else in my thoughts. And that’s a really fucking weird
experience. It’s like you’re living up here,” he taps his temple, “and I don’t know what to do about
it.”
He rubs his hand over his face, then drops it to the seat between us. Then slowly, he turns it palm
up in invitation. I stare at it, then release my white-knuckled grip on my robe. Trailing my fingers over
his palm, I slide them through his fingers, and my heart leaps a little when he interlaces them. I stare
down at our hands, marveling at how it feels. Not just to hold hands, but to hold hands with a man
who seems to like me.
Maybe as much as I like him.
He’s staring down at our joined hands, too. “I won’t ever push you farther than you want to go. I
swear it.”
“And you won’t get bored?”
“You’re more likely to get bored with me,” he says, scowling. “I’ve recently learned that I’m not
that interesting.”
“What do you mean?” I find him infinitely interesting.
“I…um, haven’t been with anyone since I met you. So I have a lot of free time on my hands. I have
no hobbies. None. I didn’t actually know that about myself.”
“You,” my mouth is so dry, “haven’t been with anyone since you met me?” He shakes his head.
“And for you…that’s a long time, right?”
“Longest I’ve gone since I was sixteen.”
My eyes widen at that because two weeks without sex when I’ve gone my whole life doesn’t seem
like a big deal. But apparently, it is.
He looks away. “See, that’s exactly what I meant. You’re looking at me like I’m—.“
“I’m not judging you.” I hurry to reassure him. “Would it be easier if you were as inexperienced
as I am? Maybe. But then it would just be a lot of fumbling around in the dark. I don’t want that. I
just...don’t have a frame of reference for you.”
“For a man whore?”
“For a man,” I say quietly, trying to tug my hand from his, not liking the bite in his tone.
