“Do you like blowjobs? “Did you just ask me if I like blowjobs?” he asked in a low voice. “I swear that’s what it sounded like.” “Yes.” She folded her hands in front of her and met his gaze head-on. “I haven’t given nearly enough of them but I’d like to practice.”

“What do you mean, 'what happened to my Redcoat boy'?" Fiona asked, swirling her spoon around her dish."I mean, where did he go?""He went..." Fiona gazed off into the distance and shook her head slightly." He went the way of all things.""You mean he died?"Her focus snapped back to me. "No.""Well, you made it sound like he died.""I just meant that he went wherever it is that boys go when they go." She waved a hand. "Into the ether. Into the great beyond.""It's still sounding like he died. Did you at least get his number?”

“There’s like a dude at the door, asking for you?”“Did you let him in?”“No. I said I would check with you.”“Well, did you ask his name?”“Yeah. It’s Mr. Rickard.”“That’s Adam you idiot! Go and let him in!”“But he’s like fit!”“No need to sound so shocked.”“You’re dating him?”“Yes. look, I haven’t got time to go this, and he is standing out on the doorstep.”“Fucking hell Mum, like, way to go.”

“Why did you lift your top the other night in my office? Why did you flash your breasts at me like that?” he asked, his voice very low, his grey eyes intent on her.“I don’t know,” she whispered. “Liar,” he said, and then he closed the distance between them and his hands were cupping her face and his mouth was lowering toward hers and her heart was beating so hard and fast it was a wonder it didn’t explode.”

“You asked him to go to bed with you?”“I did, and you’d think I’d smashed him in the balls with my wrench. So that’s the end of that.”Jude folded her hands, leaned forward. “I’m going to pry.”Brenna’s lips twitched. “Oh, you haven’t started that yet?”“Not nearly. What exactly did you say to him?”“I said, plain enough, that I thought we should have sex. And what’s wrong with that?” she demanded, gesturing with her spoon. “You’d think a man would appreciate clear, honest speaking.”

“But what does he do to qualify as a sonovabitch?” Jenny asked.“Make me”, I replied.“Beg pardon?”“Make me”, I repeated.Her eyes widened like saucers. “You mean like incest?” she asked.“Don’t give me your family problems, Jen. I have enough of my own.”“Like what, Oliver?” she asked, “like just what is it he makes you do?”“The ‘right things’”, I said. “What’s wrong with the ‘right things’?” she asked, delighting in the apparent paradox.”