EliseMost guys suck at oral,” Sara says, running a finger along her frosty pint glass. “That’s
just a fact of life.”
“Bull-shit,” Teddy scoffs, drawing out the word in lazy disbelief.
Becca chuckles quietly from the other side of the table. Justin and Owen are here too.
We’re all out for a drink after the game—un- fortunately the guys lost this one three to one—and were outplayed from the start. Even my normally cheerful brother is a little more somber than usu- al. Though I have a feeling the alcohol and Sara’s taunting stories will help get their mind off the loss.
“I happen to know for a fact that I’m amaz-
ing with my tongue,” Owen says, smirking into his glass.
“Gross.” I roll my eyes at him. Let’s file that un- der Stuff I Do Not Want to Know About My Brother.
He shrugs. “What? I’ve never had an unhappy customer.”
Sara leans forward, placing her elbows on the table. “And that’s just it, you jackass, girls won’t tell you that you suck. They don’t want to dam- age your fragile ego.” She makes air-quotes as she says this. “They’d rather fake an orgasm to get you to stop tongue-lashing their lady bits than set you straight.”
I chuckle into my wineglass. When Sara’s on a roll—look out. And tonight she’s in rare form. God, I love her.
“Is that true?” Owen asks, looking to Becca with a slight panic in his eyes.
I know what he’s thinking—the fact that they’re close means she wouldn’t lie to him, but the thing is, I doubt she’s in much of a position to offer an opinion. Becca’s lack of sex life has been a frequent conversation of ours. I never thought much of it—I thought she was just being choosy— but lately I’m starting to wonder if there’s more to
it, and if it’s related to the sexual assault that she swears she’s past.
Owen seems to realize his mistake as Becca shrugs, her wide blue eyes on his reminiscent of a deer caught in headlights.
Sara and Teddy continue to debate on the finer points of what makes for good cunnilingus while the rest of us chuckle quietly.
My cheeks feel a little warm as Sara argues with my brother and Teddy.
Justin is seated across from me, right next to Owen, and I can feel his eyes on me the entire time. It’s unnerving because I have no idea what he’s thinking about.
Justin stays decidedly quiet during the entire debate, and I think I know exactly why that is. Unlike my brother and Teddy who rush to defend themselves, Justin doesn’t need to. He knows he’s good at it. Not just good, he’s freaking spectacu- lar. And I know for a fact there’s no way I’d even consider faking an orgasm with him. He wouldn’t stand for it. He’s not satisfied until I’ve had at least two or three. And he’d be able to tell if it wasn’t the body-quaking, breath-stealing real thing.
“And what about giving head?” Teddy asks,
voice a little too loud. I’m worried the other pa- trons sitting nearby are getting an earful. I place my finger over my lips as I give him a pointed stare. “Why the double standard?” he asks, lower- ing his voice. “Don’t you think it’s only fair wom- en should know what they’re doing?”
Sara calmly takes a sip of her beer, thinking. She’s an attorney, so I know she’s going to win this debate, but part of the fun is I never know what’s going to come flying out of her mouth next. “Don’t kid yourself. Men are just happy to have their cock out—I could slap it around randomly and you wouldn’t complain.”
He swallows, his throat visibly bobbing. “Truth.”
He and Owen share a fist bump across the table.
We all laugh. My eyes wander to Justin and even he has cracked a smile. He’s seemed too seri- ous tonight. I’m not sure if it’s the loss to the Spar- tans that has him feeling down, but at least this topic has seemed to lighten everyone’s mood. Sara is kind of genius like that. Well, everyone except for Becca. I suddenly feel a little guilty.
“Let’s get one more round,” I suggest. “And Becca can fill us all in on the latest team gossip.”
She smiles warmly at me, obviously thankful for the change in topic, and my heart squeezes a little.
• • •
At the end of the night Becca and I share a ride home, Sara takes a separate Uber and the guys stay behind. I have no doubts that Owen and Teddy will seek consolation for losing the game in the arms of a willing puck bunny, but Justin is a wildcard. It’s not that I think he’d hook up with anyone else, I trust his exclusivity pact, it’s that I don’t know if he’ll try to sneak away from the guys tonight to come and see me, or opt to hang with his buddies. I’m trying not to feel disappointed either way.
After a quiet ride across town, the car drops Becca off first, and then I’m alone with my thoughts, my eyes drifting to my phone every few minutes. Although we’d texted over the past sev- eral days, Justin and I haven’t been alone together since he’d delivered tampons to my front door. Maybe he thinks I’m still on my period. I decide to text him first, and pull out my phone, just as a mes- sage from him pops up.
Can I come over?
I grin as I type out my reply.
Of course.
Ten minutes later, I’m opening my front door to a somber looking Justin. He’s dressed in dark jeans, boots with red laces, and a gray pullover that’s been thrown on over a white t-shirt. It’s obviously the same thing he’s been wearing all night, only now I can gaze at him appreciatively.
“Everything okay?” I ask.
He nods. “I’m just getting tired of lying to your brother.”