Page 38 of Unloved

I shake my head. “Okay, so, hypothetically, you’re dating this girl for a few years. And maybe things are a little, um, off between you.”

“Off?” His eyebrows raise and lips purse. “How?”

“Like…” I lean forward again, arguably too close to him before admitting quietly. “Sexually.”

His eyes blow wide before he turns back to that same neutral expression. Still, there’s a light color to his cheeks before he huffs lightly. “What’s the question?”

“So, hypothetically—”

He raises his hands. “Of course, hypothetically.”

“What is a way she could, like, seduce you?”

“Seduce me?” The usual, ridiculously pretty smile reappears on his lips as he sinks low in his seat and gives me wide, sparkling green eyes.

“Yeah, I mean… You’re good at sex, right?”

The grin on his face only grows. “Is my tutor asking me for sex tips?”

Jesus.I throw my head into my hands and groan.Way to be a total cliché. Teasing Sadie about her hockey player whileyouplay tutor to an athlete who needs help and instead talk about sex.

“God, I’m sorry, Freddy. I shouldn’t have said a word—this is so inappropriate. Please,please, forgive me.”And please, never mention it again.

“It’s fine—”

“No. No, it’s not fine! It’s objectifying you! I’m so sorry.”

He laughs, the sound bright and soothing.

“You’re fine, Ro, honestly. Relax.” He leans forward, resting on his forearms again as he talks softly to me. “I’m good at sex,” he says, and I can feel how hot my skin gets almost immediately. “Great, actually.”

Even without the reputation he wears like a nice piece of clothing, helookslike he would be.

Matt Fredderic might as well be dripping sex. It’s almost too easy to imagine him on top of some girl, his tight, thick muscles bending and stretching as he thrusts slow and hard, his hands rough in the best way. Would he use his callused palm to grip her throat? I imagine he’s not selfish, but obsessed with pulling pleasure from his partner’s body with precision and skill.

With that same panty-melting smirk that makes my stomach swoop every time I see it, even if it isn’t directed toward me.

“So, if a girl wanted to—” My throat closes, and I drop my voice even lower. “Go down on you, what would make you want that?” The words start pouring from me too fast, tumbling from my mouth as I lose control. “Like, a striptease? Or dirty talk? Maybe some nice lingerie or—”

Freddy’s face goes bright red as I continue until he finally lays his big palm across my mouth, effectively covering my face up to my eyes.

“Jesus, Ro.”

He drops his hand.

“What?” I ask, fanning my neck because it’s so hot I’m sure I’m sweating. The lump in my throat is back, and I’m a little worried if I don’t get it together I’ll cry tears of pure embarrassment. “I-I just want to know if I’m doing it right. I want it to be perfect.”

His expression softens at the aching vulnerability in my voice, his fingers lightly tracing the skin of my arm laid flat on the table between us.

“Hey, it’s all right. You didn’t do anything wrong.” He takes a deep settling breath, and I close my eyes for a moment, focusing on the swirling pattern of his fingertips on me.

“If you were my girlfriend, Rosalie,” he says, his voice deep and rough. My full name is like warm honey dripping from his lips. “You wouldn’t have to do anything to convince me. Just a fucking smile and I’d be a goner, okay?”

Suddenly his voice loses its huskiness, and the smiling happy face is back.

“But I’m the school slut, right?” he says with a shrug, relinquishing his touch and slumping back lazily against the booth. “So maybe ask someone smart, like Bennett or Rhys.”

“Okay,” I say. “Do you have their numbers?”

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