Page 28 of Rule Number Five

Trouble: Sounds like a YOU problem.

Me: Come on, don’t be like that.

Trouble: Fine. Read something.

Me: Like a book?

Trouble: Yes, genius. A book.

Me: Yeah, ok not my smartest answer.

Me: What kind of book?

Trouble: IDK anything you like. You have read books, haven’t you?

Me: Yes, Sid. I’ve read books.

Trouble: Alright… What did you like?

Fuck, what did I like? I didn’t know. I likedGame of Thrones, but I lost interest after the third book.Dunewas an… experience. Not one I was down for diving back into. When the hell was the last time I read anything good?

Me: What do you like?

It took so long for her to answer I thought she’d left me hanging.

Trouble: You’re not going to like what I like.

Me: What? Why?

Trouble: Because guys don’t read the type of books I read.

Me: Well, now you have to tell me.

Trouble: Yeah, I don’t think so.

Me: Why the fuck not?

Trouble: Because, no.

My mouth twisted in a grin. Now I needed to know exactly what books she liked.

Me: What are you afraid of?

No reply.

Me: Are you reading dirty books, Sidney?

Bubbles appeared and disappeared as she typed. When they stopped and nothing else popped up, I sent her another message. I sounded desperate, but fuck it. I wanted to know. Something about getting my hands on a book so filthy she was embarrassed to tell me about it had my entire body vibrating.

Me: Tell me a book to read and I’ll tell you how much I like it.

I dropped my arm and ignored the pounding in my chest. Fuck. Did I push her too far? Did she think I was some kind of perv? I typed out, “just kidding,” but her message appeared before I hit Send.

Trouble: Sin & Sinners, but we are not talking about it.

Me: Sure we aren’t.

Trouble: Goodbye, Jax.