Page 20 of Locking Down Qetesh

"I should hope not. Though I don't think I can say the same. Her lack of boundaries is not a new thing."

"That's not an image I'll be spending much time considering," I promised.

"Probably for the best, I was a gangly teenager."

"I'm sure you weren't."

"Oh, I definitely was. One second." He pulled out his phone and tapped on a few buttons until he pulled up someone's profile. He turned it so that I could see a grainy photo on the screen. "You can blame my dad for uploading that one."

"You and Ella look cute," I said, clearly picking out both of them. "But you're right, you were a little bit gangly."

"I grew into my limbs."

"I'd show you a photo of teenage me in return, but I think we both know that's not something I have access to."

"I've seen your wall paintings, that counts."

"Very true. I suppose you could even say that you'd seen me naked thanks to those."

He let out a snort. "I don't think that counts."

"It doesn't really."

A server arrived and poured the two of us some wine, before carrying on around the table. I'd forgotten that there was a set menu for this evening and that I'd filled it in ages ago.

"Though I have had the temptation to send a wall painting back to people who have messaged me asking for nudes," I told him.

"I would have found that hilarious." He leaned in and picked up his wine.

"That's because you wouldn't have asked for them in the first place."

"Not now. But when I was in my early twenties and trying to fit in, I was guilty of it a couple of times. I felt awful after both."

"Who did you ask?"

"A girl I was dating at the time. She was all for it, I think she thought it might improve our sex life."

"Did it?"

"Not really. She was just the first of a string of partners I disappointed during my university years," he said sadly.

I reached out to touch his arm. "You didn't disappoint them."

"I did. Several of them told me so."

"Then that was cruel. You were just figuring out who you were. I'm sure some of them found out some surprises about their desires once they got older."

"I'm sure they did."

The starter arrived, cutting through our conversation. Some of the general noise in the room faded away as people started to eat, and I dug into my salad.

"I have a question for you," Jacob said.

"Mmm?"

"Are you vegetarian?"

"Should I be worried about how closely you've been watching me?" I joked.

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