Page 46 of Sexting the Single Pakhan

He holds my gaze for a moment. “What are your plans for Saturday?”

I trace lazy circles on his chest. “Nothing much. Brunch with Tasha in the afternoon.”

“I meant the evening.”

I tilt my head up to look at him. “No plans. Probably binge-watching reruns of my favorite shows. Why?”

He holds my gaze, unflinching. “I’d like to take you somewhere.”

“Where?”

“A club.”

The way he says it tells me there’s more. My stomach does a slow flip. “What kind of club?”

He’s still holding my gaze. “A sex club.”

I sit up so fast the sheets pool around my waist. “What? Like… an orgy?”

He almost laughs, sitting up with me. “No. It’s different. Exclusive. Private. A new one just opened downtown. I was invited, and I’d like to take you.”

Jealousy flares hot and sudden in my chest. “Do you always get invited to places like that?”

He studies me for a beat, then wraps his hand around the back of my neck, pulling me close. His lips brush mine. “Yeah.”

The word stings more than it should. I open my mouth to say something, but he kisses me, swallowing whatever protest was forming.

When he pulls back, his thumb strokes along my jaw. “That doesn’t mean I always went. And no, I’ve never attended one with a woman before.”

My jealousy eases.

He kisses me again, harder this time, then rolls out of bed and starts getting dressed. I watch him dress. I hate this part. Him leaving.

He comes back to the bed, leans down, and kisses me. I almost cry out for him to stay. My bed already feels too empty without him in it. But I don’t say it. I can’t. He has to go home to Alexei. And I can’t spend the night at his place.

He pulls back, brushes his thumb across my cheek. “Think about it. You don’t have to say yes. I’ll see myself out. Lock up behind me.”

“Goodnight, solnyshko.”

I listen to his footsteps retreat down the hall, the front door opening and closing.

Silence settles.

I lie there staring at the ceiling. A sex club.

The idea circles in my mind. I asked for a challenge, but not this. I don’t know if I’m ready for that wild side.

Chapter Fourteen

Laurel

“So you’re telling me he straight-up invited you to a sex club?”

I nod, picking at a stray pepperoni crust. “Yeah. He says it’s exclusive. New opening. He got an invite and wants to take me.”

I’m sitting cross-legged on Tasha’s living room floor, surrounded by empty pizza boxes and a half-drunk bottle of rosé. The TV is on mute, some rom-com flickering in the background, but neither of us is watching. We’re too busy dissecting my life like it’s the juiciest episode of the night.

She lets out a low whistle, eyes sparkling. “Okay, first of all, iconic. Second of all, go.”