Page 107 of Only Lovers in the Building

Lily: It’s a tale of sexual exploration. Liz and Austin are solo travelers who meet while touring the Italian countryside. After a series of contrived incidents, they end up in a quaint B and B with no choice but to share a room with one bed. Instead of the usual negotiations—I’ll take the bed, you take the couch, etc.—they go a different route. They decide to make the most of it. After a cool glass of prosecco, things get hot. They abandon the tour and spend the rest of their time in Italy tucked away at Villa Angelina.

Ben: Honestly, that’s all you need to know.

Lily: This novel sparked conversation in our book club. One of our friends brought up a good point. It’s the question of first-time sex with someone. In this romance, as in most, it goes divinely well. That’s not often the case in real life.

Ben: I can’t relate, but I’m listening.

Lily: [coughs] I concede that, under exceptional circumstances, first-time sex can go well.

Ben: Divinely well. That’s the standard that you’ve set.

Lily: Do you agree that it generally doesn’t shake out like that? It can be awkward, stressful, or even painful when those involved haven’t yet established how hard they like it or how fast or any number of parameters that ought to be discussed in advance or intuited over time.

Ben: I’m a quick study. It usually shakes out.

Lily: You’re so full of yourself! Has anyone told you that?

Ben: You did, just now.

Lily: I think we’ve touched on the crux of the matter.

Ben: We’ve touched upon something. Let’s hear it.

Lily: Men have a blind spot. They’re unwilling to own up to their inadequacies when it comes to sex.

Ben: Aim higher, Lily. Men are unwilling to own up to inadequacies in any area whatsoever.

Lily: So true! If only they’d stop and ask for directions. The world would be a safer place.

Ben: If only women would articulate what they truly wanted, in and out of the bedroom, clearly and unambiguously, we’d have flying cars by now. There’d be no need for directions.

Lily: What a bunch of crap! Even if we came at you with flare guns, you wouldn’t find your way.

Ben: Are you speaking from experience?

Lily: Not recent experience. I’ll admit to that.

Ben: Good to know. Let’s get back to the tropes.

Lily: Ah, yes! The tropes. Obviously, the one-bed setup gives it away. A little overused, but a crowd pleaser, nonetheless.

Ben: What’s your favorite trope?

Lily: Me? Um . . . Friends-to-lovers. It’s sweet. How about you?

Ben: The one in which an uptight writer moves into a New York brownstone and falls for his enigmatic upstairs neighbor.

Lily: That’s not a trope, that’s the plot of Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Specifically, the movie.

Ben: I’m impressed.

Lily: I watched your lecture on American classics. It’s on YouTube.

Ben: No, you didn’t.

Lily: I’ll drop the link in the show notes for our listeners.

Ben: I think our time is up. Let’s wrap.