Page 16 of The Best Shot

“You know what else I missed?” I said, emboldened by the alcohol and the late hour and the way he was looking at me.

“What?”

“People. Like… proximity to people.”

“You had guides.”

I took another drink. “Not the same. I like sex, and my vibrator only takes it so far.”

Hale went so still, it caught me by surprise and I laughed. “What? Does that shock you? That I like sex?”

“No, I just—” He shook his head, the corner of his mouth lifting. “How long are we talking? Three months?”

“Let’s see. Nico’s place opened in September. So… seven months.”

“Seven.” He processed that. “Wait, I remember. Stephan. Y’all hooked up in the back room.”

My mouth fell open. “How do you know about that?”

“In the group chat, remember?”

I groaned and dropped my head back.

“What happened with him?”

“Nothing happened. We had fun and he went back to Brazil.”

“Ah.”

“But the man had hips like a swivel.”

His smile went flat. “Okay. Yeah. I don’t need the play-by-play.”

“What? You asked what happened.”

“And you answered. Stephan. Fun. Done.” He shifted, putting another small but deliberate inch of space between us. “You can save the details for the girls.”

“So you’re a prude now.”

“Not a prude.” He gestured vaguely at the space between us. “We’re friends, Yaz. But I’m not your girlfriend.”

I pressed my hand to my chest. “So manicure Mondays mean nothing to you, now? I’m devastated.”

A smile tugged at his lips. “How dare you. I love a good spa day, you know that. What I’m saying is—you want me to check your car, grab a drink, listen to your work problems? I’m your guy. Hell, if you want me to help with your dry spell instead of just talking about it, I’m your guy. But save the sexcapades for Annie. I don’t need to know about how another guy’s dick curves left.”

I blinked at him.

His brow lifted. “Fair?”

I cleared my throat.

“Fair, Yaz?” he asked again.

“Fair,” I croaked. Then, carefully, “Hale?”

“Yeah, hun?”

“Did you just offer to help with my dry spell?”