The Hookup Handbook(13)
“That’s great. Good for her for being so supportive. This can’t be what she imagined you’d be when you grew up.” The way she says it lacks the usual bite, like she’s just stating a fact.
And Sienna’s not wrong. My mother had other plans for my future, ones that didn’t involve as much sleeping around. But she’s always been understanding of what I needed to do to get by, and honestly, at this point, I think she’s proud of how big I’ve made it on my own. Not everyone gets to employ their friends and run a successful business.
That’s why I’m so hell-bent on buying her this house. I’ve put her through a lot, and she’s never been anything but a source of love and support. It’s high time I do the same for her.
“She understands why I got into it. We’ve always been close, ever since my dad walked out when I was a toddler. I don’t think she was happy about it when I first started out, but honestly, we were so broke, she couldn’t deny that it brought in money.”
“How did you get into this business?”
I look up at Sienna then, her wide blue eyes trained on mine. So earnest. So full of life. And way too easy to get lost in at a moment like this.
“You really want to know?”
“Hit me with it.”
“Well, it certainly wasn’t my life’s ambition to be a male escort. It actually all kind of happened by accident. If you want the truth of it, I used to suck at sex. The old me? I gave new meaning to the term ‘minute man.’ Try twelve-second man. Things pretty much stayed horrible until my freshman year of college.”
“Oh my God.” Sienna giggles. “Please tell me some cougar lured you into her sex den, and you came out three days later a new man.”
I laugh. “Not quite. My freshman year of college, I was paired with this guy named Devon, and we ended up being roommates in the dorms.” Who knew that would change the entire course of my life?
As I pause to take a spoonful of soup, I realize Sienna’s still watching me, waiting for a point to this story.
“I’d slept with a grand total of two girls in high school. One was a serious girlfriend I was totally in love with—before she dumped me for the quarterback, that is. And the other was a casual hookup on spring break, otherwise known as a rebound fuck. That was it, the extent of my sexual experience. Then in college, one night after a keg party first semester, Devon and I each brought a girl home back to our shared dorm room. The girls were friends, also freshmen, and clearly wanted to cut loose and experience all the new freedom being at college had to offer.”
I pause to check that Sienna is following, and she nods impatiently.
“So you brought the skanks home. Then what?”
Is that a hint of jealousy in her tone? No way. I must be more under the weather than I thought.
“Well, when we got to our room, things started to get heated. Devon tossed me a condom as I led my date over to my bed, and he and his date climbed into his bed in the other corner of the darkened room. And then, well . . . can you imagine my embarrassment when I finished after about three minutes, and the fucking noises didn’t stop over on his side of the room for another hour?”
“Oh my God. You’re kidding.”
“I wish I was. So, I lay there, silently fascinated but also horrified at my obvious lack of performance. Knowing my date was listening to her friend ooh and ah over what was obviously a much better sexual performance totally sucked. I vowed then and there to become a better lover.”
“Just like that?”
“Just like that.”
“I mean, it couldn’t have been that easy.”
“I had no problem picking up women and was skilled at the art of conversation, but what to do with them once they were actually back in my bed? That was a different story. But from that moment on, I spent years perfecting my techniques until I could turn any woman into a screaming sex goddess. Eventually, women were recommending me to friends and started paying me, and it’s been a damn rewarding line of work.”
Stunned, Sienna stares at me, her rosy lips forming a perfect o.
I’m not used to sharing so much of myself with other people, especially with women, and I expected to feel uncomfortable, or at least like I need to close myself off to her again. But I don’t. It’s nice being so honest with her. It seems like she really wants to listen.
Finally, she breaks the silence, running her fingers through her long golden hair. “Screaming sex goddess, that’s good. You should write that down for your book.”
We laugh, and I shake my head. Okay, maybe I am a little embarrassed after sharing so much.
“Look, Ryder does this because he loves sex,” I say. “Before becoming an escort, he was a huge player, and pretty much bedded a different girl every weekend. I guess my point is, I was never like that. I do this because it’s the one thing I’m actually fucking good at. No pun intended.”
“Well, I don’t know that that’s true. Look at this business you’re running.”
“I’ve just been figuring it out as I go. I’m not like you. You can assess what needs to be done and then tackle it head-on. I’m lucky Ryder brought you here, because honestly, you’ve been a huge help. After you’re done helping me here this summer, I’d be happy to write you a letter of recommendation. I know you can do anything you set your mind to.”