Page 53 of You Had Me at Hockey

“Okay, I think I’m a sex addict now.”

We’re snuggled up in my bed, hours later, after a break for snacks and another careful round of hot monkey love.

“I told you. Best sex of your life.”

I chortle. “You’re not wrong.” I push up to look him in the eyes. “Can we do this again?”

“I’ve created a monster.”

I grin. “Maybe. But hey…you’re learning things from me. I can learn things from you.”

His eyebrows pinch together. “What am I learning from you?”

“That the best-laid schemes of mice and men go often askew.” She pauses. “That’s from a poem, by the way.”

“I thought it was a book. I think I read it in high school.Of Mice and Men.”

“No! I mean, yes, but that’s where the title comes from. The Robert Burns poem.”

He smiles lazily and strokes my hair. “What’s the poem?”

“ ‘To a Mouse.’ ”

“Do you know it by heart?”

“No. But I can read it to you.” I grab my phone off the nightstand and find a version of it. I read it to him, hoping he’s not jerking me around—I know he’s not really into poetry. But a couple of glances at his face tell me he’s paying attention, his gaze intent on me. When I finish, I lower my phone. “I guess it sounds cliché—everyone uses that phrase. He’s talking about life being unpredictable—human life and animal life. Humans can reflect on the past when things didn’t go as planned, and we can anticipate the future. But we’reallvulnerable to forces beyond our control.”

After a moment of silence, Josh murmurs, “Wow. That’s…yeah.”

I let the silence stretch on because he seems to be thinking. Then I say, “But back to the sex thing.”

A bark of laughter bursts from his lips. “What?”

“I’m teaching you about life being unpredictable. And you can teach me about sex.”

“Hmmm. A mutually beneficial arrangement. Although, to be totally honest, I gotta say I think I benefit just as much from teaching you about sex.”

“Well.” I slide back under the covers. “Maybe I learn from teaching you that life is unpredictable. Having a plan isn’t a bad thing. Maybe I need to plan more.”

“Let’s plan this.” And he rolls me under him.

—

“We might have overdone it.”

As I roll out of bed and try to stand Sunday morning, my thigh muscles scream in protest.

“Shit.” Josh rushes over to me. “Are you okay?”

“I will be. You’d think all those workouts at Ignite Cycle would have prepared me for sex. I’m so disappointed. I think I’ll ask for my money back.”

“Witch.” His lips twitch, but his eyes are serious. “Really, though. That was a lot for…”

“My first time. I know, I know.” I wave a hand. “But I really liked it and I’m not always good at delayed gratification.”

“Not many people are when it comes to sex.” He kisses my nose. “I don’t think I could have said no to you last night.”

I beam a smile at him. “I like that.”

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