Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 116268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 581(@200wpm)___ 465(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 581(@200wpm)___ 465(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
“No?” Farrow seems surprised. “For how much you avoid drinking, I just thought…”
“I’m careful,” I say, standing. “I don’t let sex interfere with my daily life. Ever.” I’m highly aware of the warning signs of unhealthy behavior. Highly aware.
I can have a lot of sex and not be a sex addict. The minute sex ruins my relationships or my job—then it’s a goddamn problem.
As far as I’m concerned, I don’t have one.
“Fair enough,” Farrow says, balling the towel.
He drops the topic too fast.
I rotate to face him. “Do you think I have a problem?” As my mom’s bodyguard for three years, he was near a sex addict a lot longer than most people.
“No,” Farrow says. “No, I don’t, but being around you all the time, you do have addictive tendencies.”
I don’t ask for specifics. “I know.”
“Good,” he says into a nod.
28
FARROW KEENE
At Superheroes & Scones, Jane places multiple boxes of pastries on a low table. Bright and neon beanbags are strewn around the loft lounge, and an Avengers movie plays on mounted television screens.
The place is dead at 5:00 a.m., and I sip my coffee and take a seat adjacent to Maximoff on a blue beanbag. I’m almost shoulder-to-shoulder with Quinn.
Not my first choice. But a few days ago, Quinn said to me, “I keep missing you in the mornings. Your bed is empty, too.”
It didn’t shake me, but I wouldn’t concoct a wild, intricate lie that could unravel. I just told him, “Occasionally, I’ll crash on the couch or in one of the cars. It’s colder.” He knows how hot my attic room can get.
Be more careful around Quinn, I agreed to Maximoff’s new rule. I may’ve physically distanced us this morning, but I’m still consciously staring at my boyfriend. I smile into my coffee when he pretends to be more interested in an Avengers film on mute.
He holds a paper cup of hot tea, drinking slowly. Trying not to look at me. We all know he ranks me above Iron Man, Thor, and whatever other Avenger makes an on-screen appearance. Not just because I’m clearly better and clearly not fictional.
But because I’m his bodyguard. His real-life superhero.
Jane opens two pink boxes. “For the meeting, we have croissants, muffins, stuffed donuts, frosted donuts, Danishes, scones, bagels, a few waffles, but do not, under any circumstance, eat these.” She lifts up a heart-shaped tin. “I spent two hours helping my one and only sister with math homework yesterday, and afterwards, she gave me strict orders to deliver these to Oscar Oliveira. I will complete the task.”
I lean forward and grab the tin out of her hands.
“Farrow!”
“Breathe. I’m not eating Oscar’s cookies.” I pop the tin and inspect the perfectly heart-shaped sugar cookies, pink icing and written with Oscar and I love you.
Maximoff grimaces at Jane. “Can your twelve-year-old sister pick someone who’s not thirty-years-old to crush on?”
What about someone five years older? I try really hard not to tease or irritate him.
“You can sheath your swords, Moffy. It’s harmless,” Jane says and eagle-eyes me as I pass the tin to Quinn. He snatches a cookie.
Jane glares and then yanks the entire tin out of his hands. “Quinn.”
I laugh. I like Quinn more and more every day.
Not hesitating, he bites into the cookie. “Oscar is my brother. I should get one cookie out of that. Hey, I’ll be his best man or whatever at their pretend wedding.”
Audrey disinvited me to that “wedding” three years ago after I told her she has bad taste in men.
Jane lowers on her beanbag and protectively clutches the tin to her lap. I’ve noticed the bag of peas she’s been carrying around all morning and sitting on, and my intrigue is spilling into concern.
I have to ask now.
“Did I miss Nate coming over last night?” I motion with my coffee to the peas that she’s using as an ice pack.
Jane looks genuinely surprised that I’m asking. She searches my gaze with intense curiosity. Wondering why—why did I ask.
Because you mean something to Maximoff.
And you’re starting to mean something to me.
Maximoff’s cheekbones sharpen, but he keeps his attention on the TV, not worried. I assume she must’ve told him the news this morning in the bathroom.
Quinn frowns at Jane. “Did Nate sneak in? You didn’t tell me he was coming over—”
“He didn’t,” she says quickly.
“A new guy?” Quinn asks. “Then I should’ve been there. With an NDA.”
“Not unless you’d like to try to give my sex toys an NDA.” Jane smiles as realization parts Quinn’s lips.
“Oh.”
I arch my brows at Jane. “Not enough lube there?”
“No.” She sits straighter. It’s her “I’m preparing a speech” posture. “Sex is almost a family legacy. My parents were in porn.”
Maximoff corrects, “Not willingly.” Their tapes were leaked.
“Still,” she says, “I thought perhaps, my real passion is in sex toys. I could’ve been a fabulous sex toy reviewer.”