CHAPTER34
No! Maybe.
“Your un-flailing libido never fails to impress me,” I retort sarcastically, ignoring how often it does annoy me.
“Least I have a sex life.” He takes a mouthful of food, giving me that teasing eyebrow lift of his.
“Meaning?” I pick up my fork and clean it on my napkin before I start with the salad, still watching him with a very serious expression.
“Meaning, I’ve spent many intimate hours with you and have yet to see any sign of a date or fuck-buddy keeping you cheerful.” He raises his eyebrows then digs into his food again, no shame in what he just said. I swallow hard.
“I’ve more important things to do and no desire to date or find a fuck-buddy.” I grimace at his term, throwing him a furrowed brow, completely unamused.
“Might put a smile on your face.” He’s grinning. I lift my chin towards him and throw on a fake smile, as widely as I can muster. Forced of course.
“There. See. No man needed,” I point out as he laughs and shakes his head at me in amusement.
“How come you never seem to date anyone?” he asks. “I mean you’re not exactly unattractive. You could easily pull; I’ve seen the way men check you out. Are you holding out for me to hang up my playboy hat and settle down?” he chuckles. The thought makes me feel odd inside, but I remain impassive.
“I’ve more than enough testosterone to deal with as it is, having you glued to my hip on a daily basis, Carrero. And no, I don’t ever see you taking that hat off and being happy with only one woman to keep your interest.” I’m trying to keep my focus on my food as my cheeks warm up; I’m not comfortable with this ever-probing fascination with my lack of boyfriend. It makes me squirm in my seat.
“Emma?” He looks at me pointedly, with a hint of seriousness coming through the boyish charm, “Even women have needs.”
Do they?
I think sourly. I’m pretty sure I’ve never needed to go there. I tried it when I was younger, non-serious boyfriends, and the pressure of other kids doing it. I didn’t like it much, and it only left me feeling empty.
“You would know, of course, being one hundred percent hot-blooded male,” I laugh at him, raising a brow at the man who is as far from feminine as any guy can get.
“I go to bed with enough women to know it’s not only men who crave sex. There’s no way you can tell me you don’t get the raging horn at all.” He’s a little too focused on me now and looking all too invested in this.
“Jake, can we talk about something else? I don’t think I want to talk about sex with my boss over lunch.” An anxious knot has moved up into my stomach at this topic of conversation, which is making me uncomfortable, like I always am when any conversation is turned on me and my life. Something he often does. He has no sense of boundaries.
“Do you need me to set you up? Are you secretly man shy? Or maybe I should show you what a real man feels like,” he winks at me, and I just roll my eyes, suppressing a smile at his humor.
“Like I would ever trust your choice of men … or you! The Daniel Hunters of this world don’t do a thing for me,” I smile sweetly."
