Page 36 of Sex Positive

“Yeah, but I want a burger from Tom’s, and I’m paying.”

Charlie glares at him.

He rolls his eyes. “It’s just food.Andit’s free.”

Uncertainty twists in her gut. She’s already spent more time with him than she has in years, already allowed him to touch her in ways no one else has. She’s alreadyfeelingthings she’s never felt for anyone else.

Except him, of course. Three years ago.

Leaning against the counter, Wes wiggles his brows playfully. Her gaze snags on the evidence of his recent frustration, the messy tendrils of hair she’s always wanted to run her fingers through.

She huffs. “Fine. But I’m getting a milkshake.”

He throws his arms in the air like he’s just scored the game-winning touchdown. “Obviously. I’m not a monster.”

Eleven

Charlie licks thewhipped cream on top of her milkshake, not bothering with her spoon. When it smears across her nose, Wes smirks.

“What?”

“You’ve always been a little sugar gremlin,” he says.

She takes an even larger lick, followed by a slurp. Wes laughs, and she’s dizzy from the sound.

She rubs her nose. “Is it gone?”

He pops a French fry in his mouth. “Yup.”

They sit across from each other in a booth upholstered with sapphire-blue plastic at Archwood’s premier burger bar. More booths line one wall, and large windows showcase the main street just off campus where other bars and restaurants usually overflow with students. A partition divides the large room in half. During the day, Tom’s American Café caters to fast-casual diners before transitioning into a nightclub–cum–sports bar after nine p.m. Photos of famous alumni, celebrities, and politicians who’ve visited the bar over the years hang on the walls. Pop music from the early aughts pumps through the built-in speakers in the ceiling.

“By the way,” Charlie says, sipping her chocolate and peanut butter milkshake, “Victoria agreed to do the podcast.”

Wes takes a large bite of his classic American cheeseburger, looking unsurprised. “Good.”

“She managed not to be completely turned off by Theo when they met.”

Wes takes another bite, chewing thoughtfully. “He’s not always an asshole.” At Charlie’s skeptical look, Wes laughs. “There’s a heart in there!”

Charlie licks up more of her whipped cream, a flush spreading over her face when Wes’s eyes track the movement. “How long have you known him?”

“Since birth, basically.” Wes stabs a fry into some ketchup. “My mom and Cici were roommates in college.”

“Cici?”

“Cecilia,” he answers. “Theo’s mom.”

Charlie nods. “Right.”

Of course. Like it’s normal to call one of the most beautiful actresses on the planet by a casual nickname.

“How often do you see him?”

He shrugs. “Often enough. More when we were younger and our families vacationed together, but then Chris and Cici got a divorce. By then I was almost done with high school, and Theo spent most of his time in European nightclubs. That was a rough time, but we got through it.”

“I guess I don’t understand why you’re friends with him,” she adds.

“Theo’s not who the press portrays him to be,” Wes continues, a thoughtful look in eye. “He talks a big game on his podcast, but he’s kind of beholden to what the company wants him to do. He’s got a loud mouth and sometimes spouts off, but this time, it got out of hand, and he regrets it.” Wes waves a fry through the air. “His podcast persona is all an act.”