“I can’t see you being dismissive of many things.”
“You really wanted to have sex with me tonight?”
“I thought we could maybe get to know each other first, but I am definitely open to the idea, yes,” Sharon stated. “I should be honest again and say that I’ve…”
“Oh. With the others?”
“Yes,” Sharon replied. “Is that okay? I don’t know how it works if we’ve been with someone else here. We should tell the person we’re with tonight, right?”
“I was with someone here, too,” she shared. “And it’s definitely okay. Part of why we’re all here, right? I’m actually convinced Nia is some kind of genius for how she puts this all together. She has a genuine talent for it.”
Sharon laughed and said, “Yeah, I can tell. Do you want to maybe do these now?”
“Do we need them?” Debra asked. “I think we’re doing okay without the planned questions, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do,” Sharon replied. “Can we maybe get a little more comfortable, though?”
“Of course. How?”
“Lie down.”
“Okay,” Debra said and lay on the bed, but Sharon did not move. “Everything okay?” she asked her.
“Can I lie on your chest?”
“You want me to hold you?”
“For now, yeah,” Sharon said.
“Come here,” she replied with a smile.
Sharon moved to lie next to her, and Debra wrapped her arm around Sharon’s shoulders, bringing her in closer. Then, she let out a deep breath. She didn’t want to get her hopes up, but this felt really good.
CHAPTER 35
Sharon
“Now, for my secret talent,” Debra said as she moved behind the bar.
“You have secret talents?” she asked and leaned over the front of it.
“I do. Well, just one.”
“Bartending?”
“I did it in college. For my last two years, anyway. But I specifically meant that I make a mean Old-Fashioned.”
“Old-Fashioned? Really?” Sharon chuckled. “I don’t even know what’s in one of those. It seems like a sophisticated drink, and I’m intimidated by sophisticated drinks.”
“What do you usually order?”
“House red or white, or maybe a beer. I’m not exactly rolling in cash, so I don’t go out drinking much, and I’d rather buy food than booze at the store.”
“Well, you’re here right now, and this is top-shelf stuff, so you should take advantage.”
“And I have a top-shelf bartender to make one for me, apparently, so I’m in,” she said and watched Debra seem to change before her eyes.
Debra had appeared quiet and shy about an hour ago, but from the moment Sharon’s head hit her chest, she had started to come out of her shell, and Sharon liked that a lot. She liked howconfident Debra was as she made the drink and how she talked about how much fun math and finance could be, even though most people thought it boring.
