Page 35 of Mr. Romantic (Mister 2)

I get a how-to video from a porn star this time. I need visuals and I need a professional. She qualifies. I watch the girl wrap her lips around the guy’s dick, her tongue flicking in and out. And then she explains the hand movements. Her palms twist as she sucks, bobbing up and down his shaft as she licks and tries to take him deep. The guy moans, so she is definitely doing it right.

I make a mental list. Suck the tip, lick it, pump my hand, twist them a little, take him deep, and then…

Ewww. She lets him come in her mouth. And when she’s done, she says that’s mandatory.

I don’t know about that. I don’t think I can. I’ve seen videos where they come on the girl’s face. In fact, most of the time they do that.

But in a porno, the girls always lick it, which is disgusting.

I’m not going to do either of those. I’m going to let him unload in a condom.

That makes me laugh, which makes me brave.

You can do this, Ivy. He’s going to make it amazing, I just know it.

I tear the hair tie out of my ponytail and shake my long blonde hair out a little. And then I step outside.

Nolan is looking directly at me, arms stretched out along the blue-tiled rim of the pool, treading water in the deep end. “Well,” he says, “I didn’t expect to see you again.”

“Why not? Think you scare me?”

“Yes.”

I lift my head up, defiant. “Well, you don’t.”

“Maybe you should reconsider.”

I step into the pool and walk down the steps until the water is deep enough for me to sink into.

“I like the suit. It’s a good choice.”

I sigh, because I was brought up to be polite. And this was basically a gift. “Thank you. I do too. I can pay you for it—”

“I don’t need your money.”

“Whatever.”

“You want to explain what set you off back there?”

OK, here goes nothing. Be Opposite Ivy. “I don’t like being talked to that way.”

“No?” he says back with a smile. “Why not?”

“It’s rude, for one.”

“It’s hot.”

“To you maybe. I’m not—”

But I stop short. Opposite Ivy wouldn’t say that, would she? Opposite Ivy would like it.

“Just admit it, it’s hot. I get it, you’re not used to it. But that doesn’t mean you have to close yourself off to it.”

I don’t know what to say. I’m not really Opposite Ivy. I wish Nora was here. She’d know what to say to a guy like Nolan Delaney. She’d have quick, witty comebacks all ready to go. She’d stand toe to toe with him and come out winning.

Nolan pushes off the wall of the pool and comes swimming towards me. Slowly. One leisurely stroke at a time. “You’re not what, Ivy? Hot? Desirable? Ready for something… new and different?”

I am ready for something new and different. Even though he scares me. I am ready. I swim forward, doing a side stroke into the middle of the pool, and meet him halfway.