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"People who like their stuff outside the box," Iat the faces around the table "That’s not that helpful" Especially considering I wasn’t even sure what everything was inside the box

"The girl in the apartment across from mine is a member," Travis added "She told me about it"

"Yeah?" Emerson’s eyes sparkled with interest "What’s she into?"

Travis looked the three of us over "Oh, she’d be into the three of you"

"She’s gay?" Emerson looked unimpressed "What’s so outside the box about that?"

"I said she would be into the three of you"

We stared for a longI still stared blankly

Travis laughed at ether All at once"

"Oh" My cheeks burned

Travis laughed "Your expression is priceless"

"Kink club Huh" Ehtfully "You would definitely learn a thing or two if you visited--"

"Forget it," I cut her off "It’s one thing to flirt around with a bartender and" My gaze swung to the two guys listening attentively, suddenly e other stuff I don’t need to sink to debauchery"

Travis slapped the table, laughing again He waved at me "Where did you find this one? She screaia snapped

Emerson kicked Travis’s helmet out from under him He toppled over onto the plank floor She nodded out into the roo hi" He looked at his friend "C’mon, man"

The taded into the mass For a moment, the three of us sat there, silent

"Don’t listen to that ass hat," Eed like I wasn’t bothered Seriously, what did I care what soht of me? Even if his assessment did seem to echo the bartender’s opinion of o hand in hand, after all

It honestly didn’t bother in What bothered me was that I was invisible to the opposite sex And until I beca to notice lanced around the roo, talking, flipping their hair with s movements I’d never felt so apart froirls had a better shot with Hunter than I did All because they weren’t afraid to go after what they wanted All because they kne to talk, how to act, how to be around guys And they didn’t need a kink club to educate theaze snapped back to ht"

Ehtwhat?"

"Let’s do this," I announced "I’ll take whatever advice you dish out I’ll flirt and hatever clothes you pick"

Eht in her chair "Are you serious?"

Georgia looked uncertain "Are you sure, Pepper?"

I nodded and took another drink, wincing at the bitter mouthful "Yes Foreplay I want to learn" I needed to

Elanced around the room "Yesss! Okay Let’s see Who should we--"

"No" I held up one finger "If I’uy who’s probably no better at kissing than I am" I leveled my stare on each of my friends "Like we talked about earlier, I want so" I inhaled a deep breath, one i myin approval "All right then The bartender it is"

Chapter 4

Nothing happened that night

It’s one thing to decide to et up and do it right then I’d already seen hiirls who threw the than the rumors implied I didn’t want to be shot down Once that happened, I’d never have a chance with hihts on hiht whenarirl" and I had deterhty Maybe I wanted to ht and to return arot up in tih the adjoining door, tellingclass The ever reliable Georgia was already up and gone

I trekked across ca the nip in the crisp New England air as I walked Just barely into fall and already every shade of orange, red, and yelloas out in full force Last night’s nip in the air still bit at ht even be colder When I went ho to have to return with more sweaters