Page 30 of Love Potion

“Love Potion.” Bane looks at his glass. “Cute name.”

“It is.”

He sets his glass down, smiling at me. “Eat up before it gets cold.”

“Help me?”

“Of course.”

We eat together like we have a million times before, and the comfort I feel with him is exactly what makes dating so unappealing.

A cute guy with blond hair, big blue eyes lined with eyeliner, and a glossy smile appears at our table. His eyes are firmly set on Bane, not even glancing in my direction. He doesn’t say a word, just slides a napkin in front of Bane before giving him one hell of a smoldering look and darting off.

I watch him disappear inside the bar again, giggling with friends as they exit.

“What was that about?”

Bane chuckles, pushing the napkin in my direction. “He was flirting up a storm with me earlier.”

The napkin has his name, Erich, with a heart over the I and a phone number along with the very salacious sentence,Anything you want, I can be.

“Well, he certainly goes after what he wants.”

Bane chuckles again, ignoring the napkin and taking another bite of pasta.

“Are you interested?”

“In what?” Bane’s voice is muffled through the food in his mouth.

“Erich with a heart.”

Bane scoffs. “My days of hooking up with the college crowd are far behind me.”

“He’s cute though. You used to be really into guys who looked like him.”

“I’ve matured. Nothing about him appeals to me.”

The knot in my stomach loosens. I want Bane to be happy, but watching him pick someone up doesn’t sound fun at all.

“Can I ask you something, Bane?”

“You know you can.” He sets the fork down and leans back in his chair, lifting his glass to take a sip of the cocktail.

“What are you doing to take care of, you know, your needs?”

“My needs? Do you mean sex?”

I nod, even as I feel my cheeks burning with heat.

“You really want to know?”

I swallow hard. “Yes.”

“I have a very active fantasy life,” he says, his voice dropping low. “I have lube and a hand and plenty of time in the shower. Sometimes in bed if you’re not with me.”

Visions of Bane naked and stroking himself pop into my mind, making me choke on my own spit as a flutter of heat washes over me. Am I turned on? Or just startled? I clear my throat, laughing it off. “Oh.”

He smiles, searching my face. “It’s enough for me.”

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