Page 88 of Even Exchange

“I said no because I didn’t want you to do something you’d regret.”

“That’s why?” She bolts up, and I join suit. “That’swhy you said no?”

My brows pull together. “Yeah.”

“You said no because you thoughtI’dregret it?” she presses.

“Yes?” I say, confused by her reaction.

“My only regret is thathe’sthe last person I’ve been…” She swallows hard. “Intimate with.” A fire burns in the pit of my stomach. I definitely hate that too. “I keep thinking maybe if I sleep with someone else, I can, I don’t know, practice?”

“Practice?” I ask, a brow raised.

A blush creeps up her cheeks. “Yes.”

“What exactly are you hoping topractice?” I ask, smashing my lips together to suppress a smile.

“All the”—she waves a hand around—“stuffI said before.”

I rub a palm against my stubble. “So you want to increase your confidence, not be afraid to take charge, and try freaky shit without being judged?”

“Noah!” She slaps me on the arm. “I’m not saying I’m into, like, BDSM or anything.”

“You could be.” I smirk, tugging her hands forward and holding them in place. “There’s nothing wrong with a little light bondage.”

She rolls her lips together, a pretty pink blush hitting her cheeks. “I suppose that’s also a curriculum I wouldn’t mind exploring.”

“And you’re sure that’s what you want?” I ask, releasing her hands, trying to gauge where her head is at. “Someone to help you… practice?”

“Yes, absolutely,” she says, and her eyes light up. “Why? Do you know someone?”

My lips part open. “Yeah,me?”

“You?” Her eyebrows shoot to her hairline.

“Yes?” My jaw clenches. “Or did you intend on fake dating me while fucking someone else?”

“No.” Her eyes widen. “But you told me never to ask you that again.”

“Only because if you do, I won’t say no,” I blurt, muscles freezing.

Why didn’t I make a rule for this?

Don’t fuck Charlottedefinitely seems like it should be rule number one.

“You won’t?” she says in shock, the air thick with tension.

“Of course not.” I toy with my necklace.This is a bad idea. A terrible, horrible, no good, very bad idea.“Like you said, you need to practice so you can get your confidence up and forgethim. And?—”

“You haven’t gotten any since spring break?” she fills in.

“Whoa.” I throw my hands up. “I didn’t sleep withanyoneon spring break.”

“You’ve been in a dry spelllongerthan spring break?That was months ago!”

“Hey!” My ears turn hot. “This isn’t about my sex life. It’s about yours.”

“It doesn’t really sound like you’d be experienced enough to help me anyways,” she says with a teasing look of disapproval, and I struggle to form a coherent sentence. I raise my brows, fighting a smirk, and she caves, a wicked smile spreading across her face. “So to be clear, you’re offering sex lessons?”

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