Page 69 of Better Left Unsaid

We moved up in the line. “Actually, before you came into the picture, I was dating someone. Pedro.”

Her eyes practically lit up. Told you—just like Bianca and Allie. “Oooh, tell me more. Was he good in bed?” What did I say?

She didn’t even bother whispering that last part, even though there were people in front of and behind us in line. I tried not to focus on that, though. Maybe they weren’t eavesdropping. Even if they were, sex was a healthy part of life, right? Nothing to be ashamed of. “Is that the most important question? Bianca asked me the same thing.”

She licked her lips and nodded, feeling very sure of herself. “It’s definitely on my list of what I’m looking for in my forever man. And by that, I mean he has to be good, although I prefer knock-my-socks-off great.”

That was interesting. Now she was speaking my language. “You have a list?” Maybe we weren’t so different, after all.

“Mmhmm. Number one: he has to be experienced. Number two: he has to be dominant in the bedroom. Number three: he has to be a good student and want to know every inch of my body better than I know it myself. Number four: he has to make me orgasm at least two times per session. Three would be ideal. Number five: he has to have a filthy mouth. Number—” Okay, I’d spoken too soon. We were still drastically different.

I put a hand up to stop her. “What about other traits? Other qualities you’re looking for?” Like did she want him to be kind? Thoughtful? To put her first? To want to take care of her when she was sick? To stick by her in the good and bad? Suddenly, this was starting to sound like wedding vows. Whatever. You got my drift.

She blinked and then shrugged as though I stupefied her. The feeling was mutual because she sort of shocked me with her list. “He should like me for me?” She hardly waited a beat before bursting out in laughter and slapping a hand on her thigh. “I’m sorry. I tried, but that’s so not me. It’s, just, nothing lasts forever, and life isn’t a fairytale, so I take what I can get.”

Took what she could get? She shouldn’t settle. She should search for a man who really did care, who liked her for her. It wasn’t easy—heck, I still hadn’t found someone like that—but settling seemed wrong. It actually bothered me that Jade genuinely believed that was something out of reach, and she shouldn’t even shoot for it. I was sure there was a story there, but I got the feeling she didn’t want to elaborate.

It was our turn, and Jade immediately jumped to order for us. “Lunch is on me,” she said, pulling out her credit card and paying before I could dispute her. “I have a new fancy job where my boss probably pays me too much, so it’s actually on him.” Then she shook her head. “No, he definitely pays me too much.”

We grabbed our food and drinks and found a table in relative silence. I should change the subject to something lighter, I thought to myself. Maybe Jade felt awkward about the whole talk of partner lists.

I went to open my mouth and say something, but Jade beat me to the punch, asking, “Do you want my fortune cookie?”

I furrowed my brows and peered over at her hands in the middle of the table, holding out her cookie. “You should keep it and read your fortune. If Allie were here she’d tell you that there’s a reason you got that particular cookie. It’syourfortune and yours alone.”

She shrugged, and I had a feeling she didn’t believe that, either. “So does Dom have any brothers?” She cut into her orange chicken (since she ordered for us, she pretty much decided we were playing her game of switch orders) and took bites as she cut. “Because, don’t hate me, but I have eyes, and Dom is sinfully hot.”

I picked up some of my walnut shrimp. “Therefore, his brothers would be as hot?”

She nodded, her mouth full. “Hotness is a gene. It usually runs in the family,” she spoke after swallowing. “By the way, this orange chicken is really good. Say, what makes it orange? Never mind, I’d rather not know.” She gestured toward my lunch. “What about you? Think you’ll order that again?”

I swallowed my bite and tucked a strand of hair that came loose in front of my face away from my eyes. “I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but yeah, I think I will.” It turned out trying new things wasn’t so bad.

“See!” she exclaimed, her voice full of enthusiasm. “Now about the Deluca family tree. What’s the deal? Brothers? No brothers?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh, yeah. He has brothers. Too many of them, if you ask him.”

Her eyes went wide, and she licked her lips. “Yum!” I had a feeling we weren’t talking about the food. “Any of them single?”

“Most of them, actually.”

She leaned forward, intrigued. “Do tell.”

“It depends. Are you looking for a serious relationship or a one-night stand?”

“Just like that things get even juicier.”

I chuckled, dabbing my lips with a napkin. “They’re all very different.”

She looked heavenward like she was thinking. Then she turned her attention back to me and gave me a lopsided grin. “No judging, but I think I want a one-night stand. They’re so much hotter. Plus, they can turn into more, right?”

That was where she was wrong. I shook my head. “Sorry, but with Carmine that’s not going to happen. He’s a one-night stand, one-time only guy.”

“Oooh! I’m suddenly very intrigued.” She pursed her lips. “Why is he like that?”

I shrugged, going back to my food. Her usual was seriously delicious. I never would’ve thought to order the shrimp. “You have to ask Dom that one. I’m not sure I know the whole story.”

She clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth and tossed a napkin at me. “No fair,” she said, and I took the napkin and placed it to the side. “You got the best brother, didn’t you?”

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