Stephanie’s cheeks heated at the compliment.
“I have to say this. I think you made a mistake, Zoe. Men these days are into this stuff. They’d find my topic realistic, something they can relate to.”
“Caleb.” Zoe leveled him with a look, her Starbucks clutched tightly in her hand. “Men calling women bitches and cunts while they screw them in the throes of wild sex, it’s not my type of thing. I doubt it is Stephanie’s thing either, right, Steph?”
“Uh, no.” She couldn’t imagine Justin calling her a—cunt in the middle of a wild bout of sex. Oh, they had lots of fun and they’d done some crazy things but she wouldn’t get off on him calling her derogatory names.
“I was with one woman who would come every single time I called her a fuckin’ cunt, I swear to God.” Caleb shook his head, his mouth twisted into a grimace. “I think you’re missing out on a good topic here.”
“Oh yes, I’m sure it would generate lots of response and none of it positive. This is why I decided to cut it.” Zoe paused, sending Caleb a meaningful look. “Move on to the next topic, Caleb. Keep it real but not too real. Get it?”
“I get it.” He stood, glowering first at Stephanie then at Zoe. “Make up a bunch of crap about how perfect my sexual interludes are, get all romantic and shit. Like Stephanie does it right?”
With that, he walked out, slamming the door behind him, making both of the women jump. Zoe shot Stephanie a sympathetic look.
“I’m sorry you had to witness that. I hope I made the right choice in not publishing his article.” Zoe shook her head and took another sip of her drink.
“I think you made the right choice. I can’t imagine a man calling me such names in the middle of sex.” Stephanie wrinkled her nose.
“Me either, it’s just not my thing. I know a lot of women and I’m sure they’d agree. I don’t mind offending the readers a little bit. I like stirring up controversy just as much as the next person but sometimes, I have to draw the line. It’s my job.”
“Of course.” Stephanie stood, suddenly ready to escape. “What went into the magazine as a replacement for his article?”
“We did a short recap of the top male and female sexual fantasies. Kept it in relation to your articles and did a little tally of who’s experienced what between your topics and Caleb’s. A fun score sheet, so to speak.”
Great. That just cheapened the entire experience so far between her and Justin.
“Ah, okay.” Stephanie started for the door but paused to turn and look back at Zoe. “You don’t really think I’m making any of this up, do you? Caleb said I was and you just accused me of it in a sense. I swear it’s all true. Really.”
Zoe nodded and set her Starbucks cup on her desk. “I believe you, Stephanie. You’re one of the most honest people I know. You wouldn’t make any of this up. Keep up the good work, you’re doing great. I can’t wait to read your next article.”
Stephanie walked out of Zoe’s office, guilt gnawing at her gut. Zoe’s remark about her being one of the most honest people she knew ate at her, made her feel bad about what she was doing to Justin.
A man who hated reporters and the media more than anything and that’s exactly what she was. Writing an article about their sexual experiences for all of San Francisco and the Bay Area to read on a weekly basis.
It sucked, feeling like this. It twisted her insides into knots and made her want to confess everything.
But how could she confess it all without pissing him off? She didn’t want to risk making him angry. Instead, she preferred to live in her perfect little hot sex bubble with Justin, indulging in him as much as she could.
God, she was such a selfish bitch.
Caleb watched her as she sat at her desk, his eyes narrowed into slits, his expression tight.
He was still angry and the last thing she wanted to do was get into an argument.
“Don’t take your anger out on me just because of what Zoe did. I had nothing to do with it,” Stephanie warned, grabbing her cell out of her purse and checking if anyone called.
Always eager and ready for another phone call from Justin. She was pitiful, really.
“I know you didn’t but you wanna know what pisses me off? How you’re making all of this shit up and Zoe eats it up with a spoon.”
“I’m not making it up.”
He laughed though he didn’t sound amused. No, he sounded mighty pissed off. “Yeah, right. No guy is like that, Steph. Trust me. We’re all dogs at heart. We’re all out for ourselves and no one else. If the guy really does act like this, he’s playing you.”
Doubt filtered through her brain and she couldn’t believe she was even considering Caleb’s words as truth. She knew Justin wasn’t feeding her a line.
Didn’t she?