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“Don’t be a jerk. We also have the same taste in books.”
That makes me roll my eyes. “That will never fulfill you. And that definitely won’t get you hot, princess.”
She bristles. “You don’t know that. Besides, sex isn’t a big consideration. It’s not that important in a marriage.”
I burst out laughing. “Who told you that bullshit? The Hallmark Channel?”
She wrenches from my grasp. “That’s sexist, dismissive, and rude. Besides, what do you know about love?”
“What do you know about sex?” I counter. “Except that you like when we have it.”
She flushes. “That’s not the point.”
“But it’s the truth. And it’s a symptom of what was lacking in your relationship with Riley. You know what I think?”
“I don’t care. I wanted five minutes alone with my thoughts. Were you considerate enough to give them to me? No. You bulldozed your way in. Riley—”
“Would never have done that? Yeah, no shock there. Since he dumped you, it stands to reason he wouldn’t give enough of a shit to come after you.” Doesn’t she fucking see that?
“Interrupting a woman’s private time is supposed to tell her a man cares?” She snorts. “You don’t understand the fairer sex. You’re better at getting them into bed than keeping them there. Maybe you should stick to that.”
Corinne reaches for the shower door to push her way out. I haul her back. Water sluices down our bodies, every inch pressed together. She breathes hard as she stares up at me. Her heart pounds. Her pupils dilate.
She might not want to want me…but she does. I’m convinced she has feelings for me and she’s afraid of them. She’s still clinging to Riley because he’s familiar. She idealized their relationship because he was safe.
And I need to prove it to her.
“Okay. I’ll start with you. Mr. Tepid can’t give you what I can, princess.”
“A headache?”
“Funny. A screaming, wall-banging, rock-your-world orgasm. In fact, I think you never had sex with him not because it ‘didn’t feel right’ but because, deep down, you weren’t in love with him. That’s why you weren’t excited by him.”
“That’s not true.”
“Tell me one time he had you even close to coming.”
“He… Well, we d-didn’t… I wasn’t—”
“Into him? I know. You settled for Riley, hoping he would fill that gaping void in your life your absent family created. And since he’s a loser who’s going nowhere, you convinced yourself he’d never leave.”
“That’s not true! Riley had plenty of prospects.”
I level her a scathing stare. “He’s got a mid-level job for a mid-level financial firm handling mid-level clients.”
“Everyone starts somewhere. And a man’s job isn’t the full measure of his character.”
“But his ambition is. Riley has none, so he has no value.”
“In your estimation.”
“In most of the financial world’s. You’re not the kind of woman who should ever accept anything average. You deserve the best, and he isn’t it.” Her stubborn expression tells me she’s still refusing to see her ex’s shortcomings. I need to try a different tactic. “Do you know his sexual history?”
“No.” She looks offended by the question. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It does,” I argue. “I’ll bet he’s slept with fewer than five women. One was probably a high school sweetheart. Maybe he hooked up a couple of times in college. He may have been lucky enough to find a drunk girl or two at bars over the years. But he’s never had any serious game.”
“So he didn’t choose to sleep with half the planet? To most people, not being indiscriminately promiscuous is a good thing.”
“It’s not that he chose to be abstinent; no one was interested in fucking him, not even you. And by the way, at least part of the reason he returned your engagement ring without proposing is his lack of confidence and conviction. Why would you want a man like that?”
“You don’t know him.”
“I know his type. Even when he had the chance to marry way out of his league, he couldn’t commit. And he’s as thrilling as wallpaper paste. I doubt he can even find your clit. I’m sure he can’t satisfy you.”
“This conversation is ridiculous.”
“Did you ever ask yourself why you weren’t interested enough to find out?”
“You don’t understand—”
“I do. Do you think I’m wrong? You think he scores a lot?”
“He’s discerning. There’s nothing wrong with choosing quality over quantity. Not every man thinks with his penis.”
I burst out laughing again. “Yeah, they do. Some saps, like Riley—”
“He is not a sap.”
“They know they’re not going to get tail on their looks, personality, or charm, so they fall back on things like nice manners to impress girls like you who are too afraid to strive for more.”
Corinne gasps. “I am not afraid.”
“You’re terrified. And you know I’m right. When he left, he hurt your pride way more than he broke your heart.”
“That’s not true. I was devastated.”
“You were shocked. And you’ve done nothing but question yourself since. If you won’t be honest with you, I will. You don’t know your worth. If you’d married him, you would have sold yourself short. You’d be better off marrying me.”
