Page 14 of Book Bae

“Hard stuff. What do you drink?”

“I’m a bourbon man. I’ll drink a good beer every now and then, depending on the occasion, but that’s what I prefer.”

“Do you drink every day?”

“Nah. I usually drink water, juices, and teas. I have a few top-shelf brands like Elijah Craig and Knob Creek that are my faves when I do drink, though. Nothing compares to Sexton’s Golden Classic”

She whistled. “That’s expensive. You like it like that?”

“Listen, if I do something, I go all the way in. There’s no half-stepping with me. So, if I’m gonna get the good shit, I get the really good shit.”

“Wow. You sound passionate about it.”

“I’m passionate and sincere about whatever or whomever I become involved with.”

“Whomever?”

“That’s right. As passionate as I am about my liquor, I’m even more so about my woman.”

“Are you clear with a woman about where she stands with you when she’s in your life, or are you one of those guys who are like ‘Feelings? What’re feelings?’”

“I’ve no problems showing my feelings with ease and clarity. The last thing I want to do is mislead a woman or create a misunderstanding. I’m in touch with my feelings, and I don’t play games with my emotions or anyone else’s.”

“That’s good. On the other hand, there’s me who was told that I could be blunt to the point of being rude. It took a long time for me to learn to express myself in a tolerant way and that is socially acceptable, but still honest. I had a bad habit of doing word vomit, but owning my own business, I had to train myself to do better. I’m still not sure that I’m good about it in relationships.”

“Are you hard to deal with in a relationship?”

“I don’t think I am. I can be fun and playful, but I need a partner willing to be the same. I just haven’t really had a long-term sustainable relationship. Sometimes, people think there’s something wrong with me; I just don’t think I’ve found the person for me.”

“You don’t think? I’m sure that when you do, you’ll know. There will be no doubt about it, beautiful.”

“Have you ever been in love?

“I have.”

“What was that like for you?”

I laughed. “Fun, deep, passionate. My primary nature is dominant, so I take the leadership role and take the initiative to get things done.”

“Reliable.”

“Definitely that. I’m loyal to my family and friends, protective, and I’ll do anything for those who matter to me. There are no limits that I won’t go to make sure they have what they need. Because of that, my woman has to be self-aware and reasonable. If she’s not, I’ll have to work extra hard to protect her.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m afraid that she might get burned by too much light from my sun, and I never want that for any woman in my life. She has to be free to express and stand up for herself.”

“In other words, you need a strong woman.”

“Exactly.”

“What about sex for you?”

“What about it?”

“Do you find yourself connecting with your partner through sex? Do you have to be emotionally involved with someone to have sex with them?”

“Nah, I don’t confuse sex and love. They are two distinctly separate things. A man can bust a nut and not wanna be around that woman later, and then he can build a connection with a woman that surpasses everything else in this world. When he cares enough, he’ll take deliberate steps to build a connection with a woman who he’s intimately involved with. I prefer a deep spiritual and emotional connection, but that doesn’t always exist. What about you?” I ran a hand over her knee.