Page 31 of The Upgrade

And wanting so badly to be normal, I laughed and assured him I’d been joking.

“Eve?” Kit’s smile is warm and inviting. “You’ve definitely come to the right place if you want to explore new things. Or try things you’ve done before with different partners, different combinations of partners or toys or?—”

“This is a safe space?” My smile feels a little wobbly. “Is that what a shrink would say?”

Kit grins. “This shrink says you can enjoy whatever the fuck you want in a place designed to cater to your sexual desires. Or anywhere, really.”

The passion in his voice makes me shiver. “Okay.”

“With whomever you want,” Kit adds. “Crystal Bliss employs more than five dozen consorts of all genders. You can request any of them, or let the system decide for you. It’s all up to you, Eve.”

Have I ever felt this much power? The sense that I’m in charge of my sexuality? Just me, Eve Goodrich from Portland, Oregon. Not my parents. Not Brock. Not anyone else butme.

Even as I think that, some tiny voice in the back of my brain starts to whisper.

Kit. I want Kit.

But that’s nuts.

It’s only the part of me wired by my childhood to seek out monogamy. To find one partner and settle into a comfortable, committed,normalexistence.

That’s not what I’m here for.

“Thank you,” I tell Kit. “For the best massage ever. And for what it’s worth, I’m happy you’re here. It’s nice seeing a familiar face.”

“You’re welcome.” Kit’s eyes meet mine and something swirls in my belly. “I’ll see you around, Eve.”

Leaning in gently, he plants a soft kiss on my lips. Then he draws back with a smile. “I’m glad you’re here, too.”

Then he turns and slips through the door.

* * *

Caribbean sun caressesmy cheeks and my arms as ocean waves kiss the powdered-sugar shore. I’m sprawled on a queen-sized sun bed that’s draped with white gauze on all sides of its four-poster frame.

“Oh my God.” Camille’s voice sounds crisp in my earbud as I smile at the shirtless man handing me a mojito. “I’m so thrilled for you! Your first happy ending massage.”

“There’s a card idea for Hallmark.”

Camille laughs. “Did you get to touch his cock?”

I wince just a little because yeah. We’re talking about her brother. Not that she knows it.

“It was mostly just oral and manual stuff.”

“That can beso much betterthan penetrative sex.”

“No kidding.”

I’m bringing my pal up to speed on my first few hours at Crystal Bliss Retreat.

Most of them, anyway.

I conveniently left out the part where her beloved brother banged me silly on a massage table. For whatever reason, Kit’s chosen not to tell his family about this career move. I won’t be the one to spill it.

“Was massage guy hot?” Camille asks. “Like—scale of one to ten. Would I fuck him?”

“No!” I bite my lip as shirtless mojito guy turns. “Not you,” I whisper, turning my focus back to Camille. “Yes, massage guy is hot.Reallyhot. But not your type.”

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