Page 54 of Long Story Short

I groan as I slide down the couch a little. I’m trying to forget the fact that Scarlett is saying all of this in front of her driver. If we circle back to this conversation again—which…I’m not sure if I want to or not—I’m going to make sure it’s in person and there’s no one around but us two so she can’t embarrass me. “I want to have sex with him,” I finally get out. “Trust me. He had me feeling things from just a kiss I wasn’t expecting to feel. But again, I have to finish this book.”

“Wasn’t the thing that was lacking in your book the chemistry? The passion?” she asks, her words almost cutting me off.

“Way to rub salt in the wound.”

Scarlett sits up as her lips spread into a smile. “No, I think I’m onto something. You’ve talked about him inspiring you already. He’s helping you write a better book, because even if it’s early, he’s making you feel things that are new and exciting. He’s making you feel passion…maybe you should be asking him for more.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I think you should fuck him, Jo.”

I sputter as I almost choke on my own spit. Her bluntness is something I’m used to, but somehow, she still manages to catch me off guard.

“After the book’s done, maybe,” I manage to get out. My words don’t come out very strong because I might be lying by saying them. I don’t know if I want to wait that long to experience him.

I don’t know if I can wait, even if I wanted to. The connection with him is just that strong.

“No, while you’re writing. I promise, you sleep with him, and you’re going to be writing the hottest, most passionate book you’ve ever written. If it were me, I’d think of some hot things I want to write about and have him do them with you. That way, when you describe them on the page, they’re extra hot.” She winks at the camera, and my entire face heats again.

“We’re two minutes out, Ms. Astor,” the driver says from out of view.

I close my eyes for a moment. I’m so happy her driver for the day now knows all about my boring taste in men and my need to apparently step up my boring sex life as well.

“On that note,” I begin, my eyes still squeezed shut as I try to pretend that this conversation with my best friend didn’t have another witness. “I’m going to get back to writing.”

Scarlett has the nerve to laugh as she acts like it isn’t a big deal at all that someone else heard her side of this entire conversation. “Think about it. I really think I’m onto something.”

I shake my head as I finally open my eyes again. I find my best friend beaming back at me, completely unbothered. “Goodbye, Scarlett.”

She blows the phone a kiss. “Love you!”

“Love you too,” I mutter as I hang up the phone and toss it to the side.

I stare at the intricate wallpaper on the living room wall as I think about what Scarlett said. I gloss over her pointing out I like boring men that can’t hurt me, because she’s wrong, but there’s something about her idea with Tyson that I can’t stop thinking about.

I don’t want to admit this to her…but maybe she’s right.

Maybe I need to have better sex.

Maybe I need to try more with sex.

Maybe that’ll make this book have more passion.

Maybe I need Tyson.

I shoot off the couch as a plan forms in my head.

TWENTY-NINE

TYSON

TYSON

How’s the writing going?

JOSIE

It’s going well.