Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

A ugust 24 th

I just want to curl up on the couch and watch movies with happy endings while simultaneously reading books with happy endings and pretending the real world doesn’t exist. Is that too much to ask?

Sleep came, but it was filled with sex dreams. So freaking unfair. At least someone is getting laid, even if it’s just in dreams. Paige sat up, shoved down her blanket, and picked up her phone. She’d silenced it last night and now had too many missed calls and texts from her friends to even deal with.

It had been weeks since she’d seen Fraser and over a week since she talked to him. Maybe seeing him would help make her decision clearer. She sent him a text and then moved to make herself coffee .

When her phone chimed with a text, she picked it up and frowned.

Hey! I’ve missed you. I’m in the Bahamas for a family wedding. I’ll be home next week. Maybe we can get together when I’m not in the ER. Feel free to send nudes to keep me from thinking about the spinach in my Aunt Esther’s teeth.

Paige smiled and took a picture of her foot and sent it to him. She was about to set her phone down when it rang in her hand. Jack’s name scrolled across the screen and Paige immediately answered it.

“Is everything okay with Mimi’s release?”

“That’s not why I am calling. There’s a party tonight for the bestsellers of the Griffin line. I need you to attend and unofficially represent the potential new Griffin Romance line.”

“What kind of party? When? Where? A girl needs to know these things, Jack.”

“Eight tonight at Prince. Formal. I’ve sent a dress.”

The doorbell rang at that exact moment. “Okay, that’s freaky.”

“I try. Wear it. Schmooze. Show the board you’re ready to step up if Mimi makes the bestseller list. I hate being questioned, so when and if you take that position, I don’t want to argue with them about it. I’ll see you there.”

Jack hung up and Paige went to answer the door. A woman in her forties stood there, looking annoyed. “I haven’t climbed a flight of stairs to a walk-up since I was twenty-three. Now, let’s see how this fits.”

The dress bag had the name of a designer on it that Paige could never afford. So did the shoe bag. “I can’t afford these,” Paige said as the woman shoved her way inside.

“Mr. Griffin bought them. Now, get me some water and let’s try these on. ”

That night, Paige stepped out of the cab wearing an eight thousand dollar dress, three thousand dollar shoes, and a confidence that only couture could give a woman. Yes, she knew it shouldn’t be that way, but it was. She felt expensive and worth every penny.

The lobby was lined with large framed posters of book covers on easels with large standing flower arrangements between them. There wasn’t a single romance book among them.

The second she entered the private room she was handed a glass of champagne. She noticed the men first. As in the room was filled with them. Paige took a sip of her champagne to hide her frown.

“There you are,” Jack said, coming to stand beside her. “Why are you frowning?”

“There’s a shocking lack of diversity in here, Jack.”

Jack looked around and frowned. “I don’t understand. There are all races here.”

Paige turned to him and glared. “There are no vaginas, Jack. Only a roomful of dicks.”

Jack surveyed the room again as if seeing it for the first time. “Huh. I never noticed that.”

“Jack, women read more books than men and romance is the largest selling genre. Besides that, I know we have talented woman authors in all genres. Why aren’t there more women here?”

Jack shrugged. “They don’t write literary works.”

“Neither does he,” Paige said, pointing to the elderly male across the room. “He writes mysteries. Well, his ghostwriter does. He stopped writing his books years ago when he became a megastar. Everyone knows that. And him,” she said, pointing to the poet everyone says they love. “He has sold a grand total of ten thousand books in his lifetime. Mimi sold that on her first day of release. ”

“So, now you’re bashing literature?” Jack asked.

“No, not at all. I’m just asking you to treat women authors equally. There’s no reason Mimi or any of the bestselling women romance authors or mystery authors or non-fiction authors aren’t here. Stop being a literature snob and respect women authors and readers. That’s what I’m saying.”

“Fine. Next year, you can put together the guest list.”

Instead of that being a burden, it was a boon. “I will. Thank you, Jack.”

“Jack,” a silver fox in a tuxedo interjected smoothly. “Introduce me to your friend. Is she your assistant?”

Paige glared at Jack and Jack cleared his throat. “No, Dr. Platts. This is the soon-to-be head of the Griffin Romance line. Dr. Ambrose Platts, meet Miss Paige Turner.”

“Beautiful and smart. Please, call me Ambrose,” he told her as he reached out and took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles.

“Can I borrow Miss Turner? I’ll send her right back,” Jack promised, cutting Ambrose off and escorting her to the bar. “I need you to do me a solid. Dr. Platts is the leading expert on male sexuality. I need you to keep him happy. His next book is going to rock the non-fiction world and I want to make sure he signs it with us. It’s down to us and another publisher.”

Paige crossed her arms. “What do you mean by ‘keep him happy,’ Jack? Are you telling me to sleep with him?”

“No. I’m telling you to close the deal if you can. And if you want to sleep with him, that would fix your virginity issue. Right?”

“Jack!” Paige gasped. “He’s old enough to be my father.”

Jack rolled his eyes. “He’s fifty-one, Paige. Not ancient. Geez. Ageist much?”

Paige sputtered. Okay, fifty-one wasn’t ancient, but still. “That’s twice my age. What exactly are you asking me to do? ”

Jack narrowed his eyes at her. “Where is the girl who went to The Red Door to get Lenora’s biography? That’s what I need. Now, go get me that book deal.”

“And I get what in return?”

Jack looked blankly at her as he used to when she was just starting to talk to him. “How about keeping your job?”

“Which job?”

Jack smiled at that. “We’ll find out next week when the bestseller list comes out.”

“You’re making me feel cheap, and you’re using my sexuality as a weapon.”

Jack raised an eyebrow. “There’s nothing cheap about you. And don’t think for one minute men don’t use sex appeal to get what they want. You’re about to get a master class in it. Go on, little one. Let’s see what you can do.”

“Fine. I’ll show you.”

Paige squared her shoulders and grabbed two glasses of bourbon. She had this. She would show Jack her brains could close the deal, not her tits.

“Dr. Platts. I hope you like bourbon.”

Dr. Platts smiled and she was struck by how attractive he really was. His silver hair mixed with dark brown at his temples. His face had wrinkles, but only around his eyes which somehow made him look distinguished instead of old. His body was fit. Wide shoulders, flat abs, and a butt that younger men would be jealous of. Even if he wore a tweed sports coat.

“I do like bourbon. Especially if it’s been aged about twenty years.”

The innuendo filled the space between them. “Jack tells me you’re an expert on male sexuality. What about women?”

Dr. Platts smiled and nodded to one of the many coves set up with couches for more private talks. “I feel as if this conversation needs privacy. Shall we, my dear? ”

Dr. Platts held out his arm, indicating she should lead the way. Paige went to the sitting area the farthest from the masses and took a seat. Okay, the überfancy heels looked great, but it felt even better to sit down.

“So, Jack sent you over as a carrot to sign my next book deal with him.” Ambrose sat back and crossed his legs, his knee brushing her knee as they sat next to each other on the small loveseat. “Interesting enticement. How are you planning on getting my book, Miss Turner?”

“I’ll get your deal with my brain, not my body.”

“Shame.” Ambrose sipped his drink, his eyes lingering on her body. “But that does make you grow in my esteem. You asked me why I am an expert on male sexuality and not female sexuality?”

“Yes.” Paige was waiting to hear something sexist, but Ambrose surprised her.

“There are all sorts of sexual conditions that affect both men and women. Those range from exhibitionistic disorders to voyeuristic disorders with masochism and sadism in the middle. Plus, the everyday type worries of one partner’s sexual fantasies not lining up with the other, sexual changes brought on by aging, and worries like that. I do handle those as well. However, there are also conditions that solely affect men. Premature ejaculation, erectile disorder, and male hypoactive sexual desire disorder. Those are what I focus on. I actually have a partner, a woman clinician in my clinic that handles female disorders, such as painful sex, female orgasmic disorder, and sexual interest/arousal disorder. We find that our patients are more comfortable talking to someone of their own sex about things that are so private,” Ambrose explained matter-of-factly. He was clearly an expert on this and his voice was incredibly soothing. He instantly made her feel safe, even if he was flirting with her with his eyes .

“Interesting. That makes a lot of sense. Have you considered putting out two books at once? One for men and your partner putting out one for women? And including the joint worries from both a male point of view and a female point of view so that both men and women can learn what the other is going through. That way, they can learn how to understand what their partner is going through and what they can do to help their partner?”

Ambrose set down his glass and turned to Paige. “Miss Turner, how do you feel about editing non-fiction?”

“Well, I am working on a biography, but it is strongly romance-based to the point we’re releasing it under our romance line. Plus, the senior editor for non-fiction knows the market so much better than I do.” Paige didn’t know how Jack would feel about her taking on Ambrose. Or more importantly, how the senior editor of non-fiction would feel.

“Romance and sex go hand in hand. I think my book should follow that. I’ll call my partner and see if she’s interested in joining this release. Then I’ll sign. But I want to work with both you and my last editor in non-fiction. Trust me when I say you will bring a fresh, more personal perspective while he’ll bring a technical one.” Paige must have made a face because Ambrose turned and reached out to touch her shoulder. “Now, why don’t you tell me what it is about romance and sex that makes you so uncomfortable.”

It was a punch to the gut. How did Dr. Platts see that? “What?” Paige tried to deflect, but Ambrose just looked at her. “How did you know? Oh gosh, Dracklen lied. There is a virgin aura or a scent.”

“Did you say a virgin aura?” Ambrose asked. “What is that?”

“It’s like a neon sign pointing to my vagina that says virgin alert !” Paige groaned and fell back onto the sofa, covering her face with her hands. Paige spread her fingers and peeked through them. “See, you’re not even surprised by the fact I’m a virgin.”

“Miss Turner, I’ve been a doctor specializing in sex for twenty-five years. Nothing you can say can possibly surprise me. Now, you did me a favor by coming up with a unique and even better book idea than I had, so let me repay you. Follow me.”

Ambrose got up and held out his hand to her. Paige felt as if this might be a turning point. She took it and he led her out of the conference room and into the nearest room—a small conference room. He turned on the light, closed the door, and locked it.

It was then Paige realized maybe she should have told someone where she was going. What exactly was going on here?

“Dr. Platts?”

“Ambrose. Now, have a seat. Start at the beginning and tell me everything about your sexual history.”

Paige felt herself turn bright red and Ambrose smiled. “Remember, I’ve heard it all.”

To Dr. Platts's credit, he didn’t react during her retelling of her dating history, her decision to lose her virginity by acting as her book heroines, or even when she’d almost been arrested for prostitution. His lip twitched at the furry orgy and subsequent trip to the ER. But he was back to full focus on The Red Door, the fake date, and all the way through her most recent threesome escapade. “See. My virginity is like a curse.”

“It’s not a curse, Miss Turner. It’s just part of you, more mentally than physically at this point. Unlike those romance books, there’s no tearing of the hymen during sex, thus deflowering you. Sure, it can bend, stretch, and even bleed a little, but many women tear it, stretch, or just don’t have much of one over time through using tampons, heavy exercise, and pelvic exams. Do you know that medically, it’s impossible to tell that a woman is a virgin? So, no, there’s no aura or scent or sign telling anyone anything about your sexuality. Now, let me ask you some medical questions.”

Paige listened and answered the questions before they progressed to more personal questions, like if she could orgasm and then into her fears about sex.

“Well, Paige, I have a diagnosis. There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re a healthy, normal young woman.”

“Really?” Paige sighed. “It might be easier if there was something wrong so I could fix it.”

“There’s nothing to fix. I could take your virginity right now if you wanted me to. It’s up to you when you meet the right person. Chemistry is real.”

Paige sat up real fast. “You’re not married?”

“No.” Ambrose cocked his head as if trying to see where she was going with this.

“No girlfriend?”

“No, my last girlfriend and I broke up three months ago. Why?”

Paige bit her lip. Maybe this was the answer to her dilemma. Did she dare? Yes, she dared. She was desperate. “Will you do it? Will you take my virginity? I’m so ready to be done with it.”

Ambrose blinked a little in surprise, but then he smiled. “Luckily, you’re not technically a patient.” His hand moved to her knee. “Are you sure about this?”

His hand was strong and warm as it began to rub its way up her leg. “Oh yeah. I’m sure.” What better way to lose her virginity than to an expert?

Ambrose leaned closer, his hand sliding to her neck, pulling her lips to his. She’d never dated someone this much older than she was, and she certainly hadn’t kissed someone this old. It was completely different to say, Fraser, who was more eager in his attentions. Ambrose savored with confidence only a lifetime of experience could give him. Hello age-gap romance!

He pulled back and smiled as he reached into the pocket of his tuxedo. His smile slipped then as he reached into the other pocket. Then he looked down and patted the pockets of his pants. “Paige,” he said with a grimace. “I am so sorry. I can’t have the honor of introducing you to sexual pleasure tonight. Like many men of a certain age, I need a little assistance and I forgot my pills.”

“Like ecstasy?” she asked, thinking of the guys at the clubs.

“No, like erectile disfunction medicine.”

“Oh,” Paige said slowly as it dawned on her. “Yup, this needs to be a section in each book. I don’t know what to say. Sorry? It’s okay? Oopsie?”

Ambrose smiled and leaned back once again. “This is why I want you to work on these books with us. You’re right. We’ll do a section on just how to handle this sort of situation. All three of those responses are acceptable. I’m the one who is sorry though. I would really like to have shared this with you.”

Paige reached out and took his hand in hers. “I was given the advice last night that I should either go after the one person I want but might not be able to have, or close that chapter and get back to my resolution. What is your advice?”

“That one person you want but might not be able to have, is he a forever kind of guy or a one-night stand?” Ambrose asked.

Paige thought about how he made her feel. How his life was. How he was. How she saw him. “He’s a forever kind of guy.”

Ambrose nodded. “And there are obstacles right now between you two?” Paige nodded. “Are you ready to settle down and get married, Paige?”

“No,” she said instantly because she wasn’t. “I feel as if I’m just starting to live.”

Ambrose smiled and leaned back into his chair. “There’s your answer. If he’s the forever kind of guy and there are obstacles, give it time for the obstacles to clear and for you to be ready for forever. You’re young. Go be young. Just try to stay out of the ER.”

Paige stood, feeling better than she had in weeks. She instantly threw her arms around Ambrose and hugged him. “Thank you. I can’t wait to get to work with you and your partner.”

“Head on out there. I’ll call her now and see what she thinks. Then, I’ll set up a meeting for next week to sign the paperwork. Tell Jack you have me for sure, and possibly my partner as well. And Paige . . . I’m sorry I couldn’t help you out tonight. Feel free to call anytime. Just give me thirty minutes' notice.” Ambrose winked. “Now, go out there and conquer your desires.”

Ambrose pulled out his phone as Paige left. She’d learned so much in the past hour. Not just what Ambrose had told her but what he showed her. That could have been an embarrassing moment—having ED—but he owned it and didn’t stress over it. She needed to do that. She was a virgin. It wasn’t a big deal. She should own it and focus on her desires. That was exactly what she was going to do.