Layla opens her mouth to answer, but before she can, Luke slams the front door behind him. “Is this an appropriate conversation?” He asks us all icily. His face is white.
“She’s an adult,” I point out. “She doesn’t need age-appropriate conversations.”
“That doesn’t mean you two should be sitting here giving her bedroom advice like a bad magazine column,” he spits, waving a hand around the room. “What’s with the candles and the flowers? Are you trying to seduce your ‘test subject’？ That’s not what she asked for help with.”
Zack huffs a laugh. “I don’t know what world you’re living in, old man, but here in the modern age, being able to get off is a pretty important part of most relationships.” He looks back down at Layla. “So, what’s up?”
“Yes,” Layla says, fixing Luke with a hard look. “I have no issues when I’m going solo.”
“Well, that’s great. What do you think of when you touch yourself? Do you watch videos, or read dirty books, or—”
“Zack,” Luke snaps. “That’s enough.”
“I’m not a child anymore, Luke,” Layla bites out, glaring up at him. “You don’t have to cover my ears so I don’t hear the adults talk.”
Luke’s face tightens. “He doesn’t know when he’s crossing a line. You shouldn’t have to listen to this stuff if it makes you uncomfortable.”
Layla bristles. “If I was uncomfortable with the conversation, I’m perfectly capable of asking him to stop. I want their help. If you’re not happy with that, you can leave. He’s doing nothing wrong.”
Luke’s shoulders tense. “Fine,” he says coolly. “I’m not involving myself in this.” Dumping his shopping bag on the counter, he stalks across the lounge and into his bedroom, slamming the door shut behind him.
TWENTY
JOSH
Zack whistles, stroking Layla’s arm. “You’re spicy tonight.”
She stares at Luke’s closed door, a sad look in her eyes. “Bitchy, you mean.”
“He’ll get over it,” I assure her. “You didn’t say anything that isn’t true.”
She kicks the leg of the coffee table. “I’m just sick of him treating me like I’m a sixteen-year-old kid he needs to hold at arm’s length. We’re supposed to be friends, and he won’t even talk to me like an equal. He’d probably turn himself in to the police if I tried to hug him.”
“Aw.” Zack tugs a strand of her hair. “You wanna hug Luke? Listen, he gets cuddly when he’s drunk, so I can tell you it’s nothing worth getting upset over. Now, where were we?”
“You were asking if I read smutty books,” Layla says drily.
“Right.” He casts around, picking up a notepad off the coffee table. “Hey, why don’t we make your list together? You clearly need extra help in this area. Tell me your top ten turn-ons, and why you think they’re hot.” He flips to a new page and looks at her expectantly. “Go,” he says after a moment, when she doesn’t say anything.
Layla looks like she’s lost for words.
I clear my throat. “You do want help with this, right? Ignore Zack, you can absolutely do this in private if you prefer.”
“I want help,” she says. “It’s just… like, I can’t even list my top ten movies on the spot.”
“It can be little things,” Zack says casually. “For example, I like taking girls up the date, ‘cause it’s tight as hell and I like staring at her buns. Josh likes when you kiss his neck, ‘cause for some reason it’s apparently directly connected to his junk. Stuff like that.”
I can feel my cheeks heating. “Let’s start at the beginning. You can get yourself off when you’re alone, but not when you’re with a guy. What’s the difference?”
She snorts. “When I’m by myself, I can imagine whatever I want. When I’m with a guy, he’s…” She waves a hand in the air. “There. It’s distracting.”
“So you rely heavily on fantasy to get yourself off?” I say slowly, trying to push away the mental image of Layla, flushed and wet and naked, touching herself in bed.
God.
She nods. “Sure.”
“Well, then,” I say. “What are you thinking about?”
She hesitates, then looks down, her cheeks colouring. “Is this important? It’s not like I need to come to have a boyfriend.”