“I didn’t misunderstand. I knew exactly what you meant. I was trying to find a less abrupt way of saying I’d rather not another time, thank you.”
Again…“What?”
Her expression is tight. Uncomfortable. Apologetic. “I really didn’t mean to lead you on.”
“You didn’t. Just. I’m confused.” Sure I’ve heard the didn’t-mean-to-lead-you-on speech, but not when all we’re talking about is getting between the sheets. I swear we’re miscommunicating somehow.
I stand and circle to the opposite side of the desk. Placing my knuckles on the surface, I lean toward her. “You’re saying you don’t want to have sex with me again. Am I getting this right?”
“That’s correct.”
In a daze, I sink into the chair behind me. “Why?”
“Do I have to have a reason?” My silence tells her that, yes, she has to have a goddamn reason, so after a pause, she continues. “Okay, well, I wasn’t that into the whole thing, if you must know.”
I don’t understand. I tell her, “I don’t understand.”
“I’m saying it was a good time, but not good enough to want to do it again.”
“Not ‘good enough’?” There’s a part of me that can step outside myself and see that I sound like a moron. I hear myself talking. I totally catch the idiocy.
And yet, I can’t seem to pull myself together.
It’s embarrassing. For both of us.
Genevieve is at least nice about it. “God, this is awkward. I’m so sorry, Chandler.”
The way she says my name gets me in the gut. It sounds so damn sexy. Is she doing that on purpose? Teasing me with her off-the-charts sensuality in the same breath that she tells me it’s off limits?
No. This isn’t what’s happening. She enjoyed herself that night. I was there. I know. Like hell am I not reminding her. “You had an orgasm though. You had several.”
She shrugs. “And?”
My jaw drops. She climaxed three freaking times from the magic of Chandler “Generous Lover” Pierce. How is this even a question?
She seems to sense my confusion. “You know,” she says slowly, as if explaining to a child, “sex is like pizza. Even when it’s bad, it’s still pretty good.”
“That was not bad sex.” Irrefutable. Case closed.
She tugs at her hair as she sighs. “Honestly, I’m sure it wasn’t. I’m unfortunately one of those unique creatures who never feels satisfied.” I open my mouth to say maybe she just needs more orgasms, but she guesses what I’m going to say and says, “No matter how many times I climax. It’s me, not you, Chandler. Trite words, but the truth. On the plus side, I’m able to sit here and not be distracted by your genitalia, which seems to be the opposite for you. Looks like I have the upper hand.”
“No one who dislikes sex has the upper hand.”
I lean back in my chair and cross my ankle over my knee. I’m anxious and worked up, and for the first time I can ever remember, I wish I were able to don the stoic mask that my brother wears so flawlessly. Me, I’m transparent. I’m jittery. My whole body twitches with my distress.
The worst part? I can’t let the subject go. “If you knew there was no way to satisfy you, why did you even let me take you home in the first place?”
“Honestly?” She blushes, and it’s so hot my balls itch. “I was trying to prove a point to my father.”
Holy. No. “You fucked me to prove a point to your father? I’m really not following.”
She shakes her head. “Of course you aren’t. I’m mucking this up. You see, at the benefit, after I realized who you were, I tried to tell my father that I’d met you. I was hoping to give you both an introduction, but as always, he wasn’t interested. He’s never very interested in what I have to say. He’s one of those men who thinks that women belong behind the scenes of charity functions, or if they must have a career, it should be in fashion or interior design. Definitely not business. Very old-fashioned.”
I don’t say it, but I can actually relate. My father isn’t too impressed with me most days either.
“I’m sorry if you’re the type to agree with him,” Genevieve goes on, “but, really I’m not sorry, because if you do agree, you’re a shallow, closed-minded misogynist who needs to stop being a prat and catch up with the times.”
“I’m not. Women should work where they want to work. Equal pay, equal benefits and all that jazz.” I sound lame the way I’m falling all over myself trying to impress her.
And I can’t seem to stop. “In fact, women should get paid more, in my opinion. They’re much smarter than men. More organized. Usually have better ideas too.”
“That’s really not necessary.”
I sense she’s biting back a laugh. I really am lame. Kill me now. “I know. I’m sorry. Go on. I’m still not clear on how I ended up in your bed.”
Genevieve tilts her head and studies me. “You are charming, you know. That had a lot to do with it. And your reputation. I figured if anyone had a shot at disrupting the status quo, it was you.”
Now that’s what I’m talking about. Lay on the praise, babe.
“But also, my father was so dismissive. He acted like he thought it was cute that I had ‘made a friend’. Suggested I bring you home for dinner sometime. Needless to say, I was miffed. He’d never dismiss my brother like that, and Hagan wouldn’t know a good opportunity if it bit him in the arse. So, out of spite, I let you fuck me.”