Page 29 of Cognac Secrets

I sighed out harshly and said, “Really.”

“I can’t really have people over to my place,” she said after a moment. “It would have to be yours.”

I shook my head.

“No way, fuck that. You deserve better than that shithole. I’ll get us a hotel room.”

“I can’t ask you to do that,” I said.

“What’s wrong with your place?” I asked. “You live with family or something?”

She let out a halting laugh. “God, no… I rent an attic room in a very nice house from a well-known drag queen. He’s out of town and I wouldn’t feel comfortable bringing someone into his house that he didn’t know. I’m grateful he lets me stay for so cheap, and Judy and Liza might get upset.”

“Who are Judy and Liza?” I asked.

“His cats. I take care of them while he’s on tour.”

“Ah.”

She wasn’t lying, that I could tell, and that was good. One of the things I liked about her was that she was an open book. Still, the girl seemed to have some secrets. She was hiding something, but it wasn’t my business. She would either tell me or she wouldn’t. I could respect that. Just like she seemed to respect and didn’t pry too much into my history or Mia – which honestly, if she asked, I didn’t think I’d have too much of a problem sharing.

That was definitely different for me.

“We can’t get a hoteleverytime,” she said.

I smiled, huffed a laugh, and said, “You just let me worry about the particulars.”

“Okay…” she drawled slowly.

“Great,” I said, holding out my hand across the table, palm up. She put her hand in mine and I grazed the backs of her fingers with a light, sweeping touch of my thumb. “So that’s settled.”

“I guess it is,” she said, coloring a faint pink.

“You good?” I asked.

“Yeah, I’m good,” she lied and I let her get away with it. I smiled and nodded, taking her at her word, even though her face told me she was reeling a little and trying to find her balance.

Fuck, that made my dick hard.

CHAPTEREIGHT

Sandrine…

My mind was reeling. That woman in the picture he’d shown me was super model perfect. I wasn’t evencloseto her in that regard. What in thehelldid Bennie want to do withme?Part of me turned that question over and over in my mind. Then there was the part of me that was like,shut up, bitch! Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth!

I liked what the second bitch version of me had to say better, and so I shoved the insecure version of me aside and took the plunge.

I mean, I didn’thonestlyexpect him to be any different from any other guy I’d gone out with or had tried to carry on a friends-with-benefits situationship or whatever with… but he was hot, and I was weak. I could at leasttryto have fun while it lasted… right?

“What areyouthinking now?” he asked, and I hated that the question was turned back on me.

“Truth or pleasantries?” I asked.

“Truth, Sandy. That’s the only way this is going to work.”

“Well, first of all, I don’t want you to think it’s you or anything you’ve done… but I’m having a hard time believing you.”

“About what?” he asked.

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