Page 10 of The Love Playbook

So it seems like my best chance at finding out the contents of the secret playbook everyone else seems to have access to is to let Autumn help me out.

And if I get more kisses and whatever else I decide I’m willing to do … well, I definitely won’t complain about that.

She adjusts her notebook and cup, moving them off to the side so she can prop her forearms on the table and lean closer to me again, once again making her top gap a little more, exposing the round swell of her tits. Inviting me to look at them. That’s what she said, right?

So I do. I don’t resist the urge like I normally do. Instead I let my gaze wander and roam, looking my fill.

When I glance at her face, a smug smile is stretching across her lips, and she quirks an eyebrow at me. “Can you stare at my boobs and listen to me talk at the same time?”

Another hot blush crawls over my cheeks, but I nod.

“Good. Some guys can’t. But you’re smart as well as cute. You’re an engineering major, right?” Another jerky nod. “See?” she continues. “Smart.” Her gaze wanders down my chest as well. “Cute. Lean and muscular, just the way I like.” Her grin turns almost triumphant. “We’re gonna have some fun, Jackson. Sound good?”

Once again, I can only nod. If I tried to speak, I’m not sure any sound would come out. Maybe a croak? Or I might just swallow my own tongue, even if that’s anatomically impossible.

She pulls her notebook in front of her and opens it, scanning whatever she has written there. “Okay, so I feel like we need to cover a couple of different issues. There’s the dating part.” She gestures around us. “Being with a girl like this in a restaurant or wherever, how to act, how to move things from this to a goodnight kiss. And then we have the more physical side of things. Is … more than kissing an option?” Her twinkling eyes meet mine.

Another blush races over my face, but I nod.

“That’s my favorite part,” she leans forward and whispers like she’s telling me a deep, dark secret. Sitting back in her chair, she glances at her notebook again. “We can start with the dating and the goodnight kiss part if that’s easier for you.”

“I think that might be best,” I croak. God, what would I do if she invited me back to her place and started stripping?

I’d probably run out of there like I’m our team’s last hope of scoring a touchdown with an entire defensive line on my tail.

Although part of me wishes I were brave enough to start with the physical part. I’ve seen so many porn blowjobs, heard guys talk about them, and I’ve always wondered if they live up to the hype.

“Jackson.” She says my name quietly, but there’s no doubting the command in her voice.

I raise my eyes to hers.

“You have to ask me on a date. The nice thing here is that you already know I’ll say yes, so there’s no reason to be worried. But you still have to ask.”

Even though she’s right, there’s no reason to worry. She literally just told me she’ll say yes. She’s the definition of a sure thing. Still, my heart rate kicks up, my stomach swirling with nerves.

I clear my throat. Then do it again. “Um, Autumn?”

“Yes, Jackson?” she says around a smile.

“Would you, uh, go to dinner with me, um, sometime?”

She raises an eyebrow, and I know that’s a mild censure on how I asked. Was it the stammering?

“Well, ‘sometime’ is a little vague. But I’d be happy to go to dinner with you. Did you have a specific day in mind?”

Ohhh. It’s the sometime that she objects to. I should’ve had a day in mind before asking. But I didn’t know I was going to be asking her out on a date! It’s not like I had a lot of warning!

I think through my schedule. “Tomorrow?” I venture after a moment, and I’m rewarded by a beatific smile.

“Tomorrow’s perfect. Text me the details, okay?”

Blinking, I nod. Details. Shit. I have to figure out where to go and when and sweet Jesus, I don’t know if I can do this.

Autumn reaches out a hand and covers mine, giving it a squeeze. “It’s okay, Jackson. Just pick a restaurant and tell me what time to meet you there. My classes are over by four tomorrow, so anytime after that works for me, okay?”

“Okay,” I croak. “I’m not done until six. And I’ll need a shower so I don’t stink. How about seven?”

She bites her lip like she’s trying not to laugh. “Showering before a date is always a good plan. Seven sounds great. It’ll give me time to do that too.”

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