Just That Easy by Elizabeth Moore Page B

when there
was, well, have you ever had a relationship that even the love someone
professes to have for you is not really for you, it’s still just for them
because they are so self-centered? That they think they feel love for you,
but all it really is, is pride in themselves, or their ego, because they want
to pat themselves on the back for having you?”
    “Christ, I think you just described my whole life.”
    Her eyes flew back to his, concerned. “Really? That’s sad.”
    “Sounds like you ought to know. Aren’t we a pair?”
    She just sighed.
    “I think that’s what feels weird to you, most of us are used
to being adversaries all the time, even relationships. It’s like a strategy
game, someone always angling to win. We aren’t doing that.”
    You sure about that?
    Her eyebrow cocked at him, something he was getting used to
seeing. “You did say we were freaks, I remember it.”
    “Yeah, well you said we were weird.”
    “I did. Why are we having this conversation again?”
    “Because we had sex an hour after we met, and we’ve been
doing it ever since, and you can’t get over it.”
    She batted his arm playfully. “It was your idea!”
    He grinned, laughing. “You went right along for the, oh…wait
for it…the ride!”
    A loud groan came from her. “That was terrible. Putting on the
list—bad, bad jokes. Check. Okay, enough of this overthinking again. Get over
here and put that big hard body next to me, I’m kind of getting used to it.”
    He gladly settled in next to her as asked. Moving in close,
he lay down and pulled her up halfway onto his chest, his hand lazily twisting
her hair in his fingers.
    “Teryn, what I really think, about sex, is that people have
attached so much ridiculous stigma to it, it doesn’t make sense to me. Sex is
physical, it’s human nature. We need it, we want it, we like it. No one seems
to think it’s a big deal if you sit down to some expensive dinner, to push the
limits there. Food is physical, you want it, you need it, people go to huge
lengths to enjoy it. Why is sex different? Why do people deny they feel it,
they want it? Only because people who have the power to influence other people
have said so. These people are ignorant. It’s the power that sex brings with
it, that’s what they fear, what they use, not because there is anything wrong
with it.”
    “You’ve thought a lot about that.”
    “Yeah, well, when you have a family like mine.”
    She turned to look at him, her eyes serious. Her fingers
strayed to his chin, stroking his skin softly, offering a comforting touch.
“Ouch. That sounded a little painful. Think about it this way though, whether
or not we get screwed over by our family, parents, whatever, you took what you
were stuck with and made it your own. So it did help you end up with the point
of view you have now, even if it sucked getting there.”
    “You’re right, I do know that. So, you seem to have the same
idea I do at least, you don’t shy away from it, at all. That’s what I like so
much about you. You are flat-out honest. I knew you wanted me as much as I
wanted you, right from the start.”
    “Uh, that means I have to give you a little confession,
Grant. It’s just you. I think it’s because you are so honest about it, I
seem to respond to that in case you haven’t noticed. I, well, I’d like to think
I’m modern enough to be that way, but I’ve never been this way with anyone
before.”
    He pulled her in closer, not able to help the smile he got,
hoping he didn’t come off as too smug, but her words pleased him to the core.
“See, you do like me.”
    “Yeah, yeah. Okay, I like you. I like you a lot, if you want
the truth. But we’re talking sex here, right? Moving on, let’s see, tell me
about something you love to do.”
    He inwardly winced a little at her brush-off, but she seemed
more than comfortable keeping him in her bed. That was enough. For now.
    “Well, besides you, you mean?”
    “Besides me, yeah.”