Page 54 of Counterpoint
That got her interest. “Are you getting serious, Adrian? Settling down?”
Ouch. “I’ve always been serious.” Even his couple-hour conquests had been done with thought and care.
“Not about sex. But this isn’t just about getting your rocks off, is it?”
There, to the heart of the matter. “No, it’s not. And I don’t want to fuck it up.”
Their waters came first, and he was glad for something to hold. He liked Janelle quite a bit, but she was perceptive and cut through bullshit, and that always intimidated him, though he knew he needed that, too.
Stay humble. Feet on the ground.
“He’s never had any experience with bondage or submission.”
“Ah.” She picked up her glass. “And you want advice on how to broach the subject?” She sipped her water.
“No. I’ve already tied him to my bed and fucked him.”
Janelle choked on her water and Adrian almost laughed. Instead he continued, “And he knelt for me for no other reason than he wanted to.”
That had her swallowing delicately and placing the glass back on the table. “Well, thatisinteresting.”
“I’m in the weeds here.” He spread his hands helplessly.
“No, Adrian. I don’t think you are.” She studied him, her dark eyes meeting his. “Is he running scared? Backing away?”
No. They’d even exchanged more text messages than he wanted to admit since the first one landed on his phone Monday afternoon. That evening, he finally figured out how good sexting could be. “Quite the opposite.”
“Then you’re not in the weeds. Or the woods. Or any other metaphor you might care to use.”
“It’s like it comes naturally to him.”
“What, the desire to please you? To enjoy what you offer?” Janelle laughed. “Oh, Adrian, that’s what lovers do!”
Of course, that was when their server arrived, somewhat ruddy-cheeked, to deliver their salads.
Janelle gave Adrian a look once they were alone again. “Please tip that poor thing well.”
“Oh, I will.” He drizzled dressing over his salad. “I’ve had more lovers than I really should enumerate.”
“You’ve had numerous fucks, but precious few lovers. Only one since you returned to New York.” She paused. “Well, one before your current lover.”
One? “Who?”
The look she leveled him was every partare you fucking kidding me, and the day became unbearably hot.
“I—who?”
“Jackson.”
Jackson? “We didn’t date.”
“You did date. Both of you refused to call it that, and you also both figured out quickly enough that you weren’t compatible for the long run. But you still loved and cared and worked to please each other—as lovers should.”
He could only study the pile of greens in front of him.
“And you’re still good friends.”
Adrian lifted his gaze. “Dominic is nothing like Jackson.”
