Page 114 of Sex Positive

She cups his face, wanting him to understand. Her certainty that she made the right decision.

“I wanted you to have a choice.”

Thirty-Three

Charlie’s gaze sweepsacross the expansive lawn of Warren Park, satisfaction and pride threatening to overwhelm her. The unusually balmy mid-April breeze seems to agree with her, flapping the banners lining the dozen-odd vendor booths while sunlight filters through the towering maples lining the perimeter of the park. Hundreds of people—students, community members, patients of The Wild Rue—wander along the path, occasionally stopping to talk to volunteers who hand out condoms, pamphlets on STI testing, and free bottles of lube.

Representatives from Vibes Come First engage with attendees, promoting and discussing their toys and passing out discount codes. Pop music blasts from the main stage, where drag queen Cleo Torres announces the upcoming panels with names like Bedroom Vibes, Communication 101, and Kink and Kiss and effusively describes each silent auction item to the crowd, her dulcet quips eliciting frequent laughter.

The line to meet Betsy Jacobs and Ryder deSusa—a popular nonbinary comedian Betsy introduced Charlie to back in January—winds down the sidewalk, farther than Charlie can even see. Their shows earlier today amassed standing-room-only crowds.

The walkie-talkie at Charlie’s hip crackles, and Carolyn’s voice requests that someone bring one more chair to the stage.

Charlie tries to temper her breathless excitement and disbelief. The day she’s spentmonthspreparing for is finally here. And if she can be so bold, it is astunningsuccess.

“Charlie, love,” a familiar voice calls. Jessie appears beside her, holding a penis-shaped cookie on a stick in each hand. She passes one to Charlie with a coy smile. “Have you eaten one of these?”

Charlie grins. Ignoring the double meaning, she accepts the treat. “I’ve had a few, yes.”

Along with the taco truck and the wood-fired pizza company providing food for the event, the queer-owned bakery in town was all too happy to set up a booth. Their quirky themed cookies in the shape of penises and vulvas are a massive hit. Charlie spots many expo attendees walking around with the treats.

“You deserve all the penis cookies.” Jessie winks and squeezes her arm. “I’ve never seen so many vibrators in one place!”

Charlie laughs, flushing at the compliment. Jessie waves and strolls away, her long auburn hair swishing down her back.

Cleo introduces the lineup for the next panel—a sex therapist in conversation with a sex and intimacy coordinator for film, who will discuss the differences between real-life sex and what you see in TV, movies, and porn.

While the day is everything Charlie dreamed it would be, something feels off, and it has nothing to do with the expo or the fact that she’s barely gotten the chance to breathe for the last several weeks.

“Cleo Torres,” a drawling voice muses. “A little on the nose, don’t you think?”

Theo Fox grins lazily, observing her with something like pride.

“It’s on brand, don’t you think?”

“Immensely.” His eyes dance with delight that quickly transforms into amusement when he spots the volunteer in the inflatable IUD costume strolling past. At the Vibes Come First table, someone laughs nervously as the representative touches the tip of their nose with a clitoral suction vibrator. A few booths away, a volunteer handing out lube shouts, “Try our different flavors for a better job well done!”

“Congratulations are in order.” Theo strolls beside Charlie, hands behind his back, as she weaves around a group of people approaching the sex toy table. He’s dressed more casually than she’s ever seen him, wearing a heather-gray Henley, dark-washed jeans, and white sneakers. “I don’t compliment people often, but you have truly pulled off an incredible feat, Charlotte Rogers.”

“Excuse me.” A young woman taps Charlie on the shoulder as she pauses next to a table covered in condoms. “Where can we talk to someone about getting prescriptions for birth control?”

Charlie directs her toward the contraception table, where several licensed PAs from the telemedicine company are counseling patients. Before she walks off, Charlie hands her a packet of condoms.

To Theo, she says wryly, “I’m honored.”

He arches a brow. “And yet you look…sad.”

She regards him coolly, neither confirming nor denying his assessment. “Do you need something, Theo?”

“I heard what you did,” he says. “Not many people say no to Gabriel Quinn.”

Charlie focuses on the completely unnecessary task of rearranging the condoms. “The clinic doesn’t need his money. And I can’t be bought.”

“Yes, I gathered as much.”

She faces him, leaning a hip against the table. “Shouldn’t you be preparing for your show?”

“I’m all prepared. Tori, on the other hand, is a mess, and when I asked her if I could do anything to help with her nerves, she snapped at me to get lost.” He wiggles his fingers. “So this is me, getting lost.”