19. Xander
Itake in the shocked look on Sophie’s face at what I just asked her.
I probably shouldn’t have asked her that. But I can’t help it. I need to know what exactly this guy did to her.
“Um…well…” Her gaze falls to her lap. Her peaches-and-cream complexion turns fiery as she searches for the words.
She finally looks at me. “He just wasn’t very…attentive. Or open-minded.”
Anger flickers in my gut. “What do you mean by that?”
She opens her mouth, but quickly closes it. She’s clearly flustered.
“Did he care about making you feel good? Did he make sure you had an orgasm every time?”
I watch as those crystal blue eyes go wide at my blunt line of questioning.
She shakes her head. “Not always.”
I bite down so hard, I’m pretty sure I’m on the verge of cracking my jaw. I force myself to ease up and take a slow, quiet breath.
That fucking asshole.
This Ethan guy is an even bigger piece of shit than I suspected he was.
I’ll admit, I don’t know him well. I met him once just for a few minutes. But I could get a read on him pretty quickly, especially when Sophie explained why she wanted me to pretend to be her boyfriend in front of him—because he was flaunting his job and his girlfriend in Sophie’s face.
Only an insecure prick would do that. And only a selfish, insecure prick would sleep with a woman over and over again without making sure she was having a good time too.
I shouldn’t be so surprised. I’d bet anything Ethan singled out Sophie because she was young and inexperienced and he knew he could lead her on without having to commit to her. He knew he could treat her like crap and she would take it because she didn’t know to expect any better.
What a sack of shit.
I’m not perfect—far from it. Outside of hockey and taking care of my mom, I don’t have all that much going for me. I didn’t get impressive grades in school, I’m a terrible cook, I can’t remember the last time I read an actual book, I lose my keys at least once a month, and I couldn’t keep a plant alive if my life depended on it.
But I know how to treat people. I may be a manwhore, but I don’t lead people on. I let the women I hook up with know that I don’t do commitments. I make sure they’re okay with that before we get together. And I always make sure it’s a good time for them. I don’t come until they come.
“You’re not like Ethan, are you?” Sophie’s softly worded question surprises me.
I take in the curious look in her bright blue eyes. I shake my head. “No. I’m not.”
“Figures. Especially with a nickname like panty dropper.” A small, shy smile tugs at her lips.
I take in her intrigued stare and the way the flush on her cheeks has faded a bit. She’s not embarrassed anymore.
Good. She shouldn’t be. The only one who should be embarrassed is that fucker Ethan.
I shove him out of my brain. No more thinking about that dickhead. The only thing I want to focus on is Sophie and the way she’s looking at me now.
She looks like she’s waiting for me to say something.
And then it hits me. She’s curious. She wants to know how exactly I’m different from Ethan.
I’m not about to sing my own praises in the bedroom. I’ve always thought that was pathetic—and a sign that you’re probably not that good if you feel the need to talk about it all the time.
But I want Sophie to know that I’m nothing like her ex. Not even close.
I lean closer to her, so close I can count those light gold freckles on the bridge of her nose. I swallow. Freckles are my weakness.
“I’m not one to talk about what I’m like in the bedroom,” I say, my tone low and soft. “It’s always the guys who bark the loudest that have the weakest bite, you know?”
The corner of her mouth hooks up in an amused smile. She nods.
“But I will say this: any guy who’s worth it should make your pleasure and your orgasm a priority every single time you’re together. No exceptions.”
Sophie bites her lush bottom lip as she looks at me. “Is that why you’re worth it, Xander?” she rasps.
I swallow hard and nod. “Yeah.”
“Show me you’re worth it then.”
I make a choking sound. Of all the things I was expecting Sophie to say, it wasn’t that.
But…I like it. I like seeing this sweet good girl show that she can be bold and direct too.
A wicked grin tugs at my lips. “What do you want me to show you, Sophie?”
Her chest heaves as she takes a breath and holds my gaze. “There were so many things I wanted to try with Ethan, but he was hardly ever up for it. And the times we did try the things I wanted, they were kind of…underwhelming.”
“What kinds of things?”
She bites her lip. “Longer foreplay. More positions other than missionary. More oral sex on me. And, um, maybe play with toys in bed every once in a while.”
Determination surges through me like a tidal wave. As an athlete almost my whole life, competitiveness is ingrained in me. It’s stitched into my DNA. And right now, the competitive urge to blow Sophie’s mind in bed and tick every item off her list is throttling me.
My dick aches in my pants. Just thinking of doing all of that with her has me as hard as concrete.
I squirm in my seat. “Just hearing you say all that gets me hot, Sophie.”
Heat flashes in her pretty blue eyes. “Ethan was pretty vanilla. And, um, I mean, don’t get me wrong, I like vanilla. But I want to try other flavors too.”
I smile at the cute way she’s put it.
She blinks quickly. “I want to be able to try things without judgment, without being shamed.”
That flicker of anger ignites inside of me once more. How could anyone ever shame someone as sweet and genuine as Sophie?
I shake my head. I grab her hand in mine and lace my fingers in hers. “I would never judge you, Sophie. And I’d never shame you about anything. Ever. I promise.”
She nods as she glances down at our joined hands. “I know you wouldn’t.”
With my free hand, I swipe a chunk of her strawberry-blonde hair out of her face. She swallows and I watch the slow movement along her delicate throat.
“All those years I was studying and in school, I missed out on a lot of things…sexy things…I want to make up for it with someone who knows what they’re doing in the bedroom. Like you.”
I can’t help the wide grin that spreads across my face. “I can do that for you.”