Page 177 of Redeeming 6

“The head?”

“Calm,” I corrected with a grimace. “It’s a matter of keeping calm and in control.”

“What happens if you can’t stay calm?”

“Then it’s over before it starts.”

“Over?”

“Over,” I confirmed grimly. “As in the show’s over.”

“Oh.” Her cheeks reddened. “What if his, you know, is too big? What if it doesn’t fit in, um, well, you know?”

“It fits.” I dropped my head in my hands and groaned. “It always fits.”

“But how?”

“Magic.”

“Joey.”

“It just fucking fits, Shan,” I replied. “Once the girl is relaxed and not feeling anxious or pressured—” I paused to give her a hard look. “Nobody’s pressuring you, right?”

“Oh god, no,” she hurried to say. “I’m just…curious.”

“Okay then. Good. That’s good to hear.” Repressing a shudder, I quickly continued. “Jesus, I can’t believe these words are coming out of my mouth, but foreplay helps a lot.”

“Foreplay?”

“Yeah, Shan.”

“What kind of foreplay?”

“Well, not hugging, that’s for fucking sure.”

“Oh.” She blushed. “So, you mean like kissing and stuff?”

“And stuff,” I replied, feeling like I was seconds away from throwing myself out of her bedroom window.

“Like touching?”

“Yeah, like touching and tasting and…ugh, you know what?” Slapping my hands on my knees, I stood up and paced the floor. “You should stick to the hugging. Hugging is perfect. Hugging is plenty close enough until you’re twenty.”

“How old were you, Joe? When you first…”

“Too young.”

“How young?”

“Younger than you.”

Her eyes widened and she choked out a surprised cough. “Joe.”

I grimaced. “Yeah, I know.”

“So… how was your first time?”

“Terrible,” I admitted quietly. “I wasn’t ready.”

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