Tempted by My Ex’s Brother

Lily’s POV “You need to come with me to a s*x club!” My best friend, Gabby, announced. “What?” I gasped, my mouth dropped in shock. We both sat at the center of Gabby's brightly lit living room. She had one leg perched on the living room couch as she manicured her toenails. “Come, girl, you need it,” she urged, throwing me a pointed look before returning her gaze to her work at hand. “No, I don’t need to go to a freaking s*x club, Gabby,” “Totally do,” she argued. “No!” “Fine, suit yourself,” she smirked. I fell weakly on her couch and let out a loud groan. “You’re not helping. All I need is to get my boyfriend to stop seeing me as a friend,” I muttered. “Fine, hear me out,” she said. She stood up, placed both hands firmly on her waist, and gave me a hard look. “I know you think I’m crazy for suggesting a s*x club, but I honestly think that would help bring the spark to your s*x life.” She explained. “How would that help?” I snickered. “Look, Connor probably still thinks you’re just a boring bookworm, which explains why you too haven’t been intimate despite having dated for a year.” She began. “But I think you could turn up the heat between you two by seeing how it’s done at a s*x club.” I paused, my mind racing, trying to make sense of her suggestion. At this point, I wasn’t just desperate to fix my relationship—I was terrified Connor would never see me the way I saw him. Like a woman he couldn’t resist. Connor and I were going to be engaged soon, I just know it. But the knowledge of that just brought back the nagging feeling that my boyfriend and I weren’t sexually compatible. Technically, I couldn’t possibly judge that yet since all we’ve ever had were a couple of make-out sessions and never more. But it was becoming clear that Connor wasn’t sexually attracted to me, despite how much I wanted him to. Gabby was right, he probably sees me as the nerdy bookworm girl he met in college. “You really think going to a s*x club would work?” My brows furrowed slightly. “Duh, yes. Experiencing the thrill of the most famous s*x club in town would help prepare for a harmonious marriage in the future. You do want that, don’t you?” She said with a grin, urging me to say yes. “I mean, I would like that, but I don’t know about s*x clubs, Gabby,” I mumbled, tugging at a loose thread on her throw pillow. “I’ve never even been to a strip club. I’d probably faint at the door.” Gabby let out a dramatic sigh and flopped beside me. “Lily, it’s not like you’ll be forced to do anything. You can just observe. Watch. Learn. Take notes, if that helps your inner nerd.” I gave her a deadpan look, but she just grinned wider. “Think of it as research,” she added. “You study people all the time in those psychology books of yours. This is just… hands-on observation.” “Hands-on?” I squeaked. “Oh my God.” She laughed so hard she nearly smudged her nail polish. “Relax. You’ll thank me later when Connor can’t keep his hands off you.” I slumped deeper into the couch, letting her words sink in. Maybe she had a point. Perhaps I was too reserved. Connor never complained, but lately, our dates had started to feel more like polite conversations between two colleagues than a couple in love. I glanced at Gabby, who was still smirking smugly at me, and groaned. “Okay. Fine. I’ll go. But I’m not doing anything weird.” “Sweetheart, you say that now.” She winked. “But when you step into Eros, your definition of weird might just change.” “Eros?” “That’s the club’s name. Exclusive, mysterious, totally off the radar. I had to call in a favor to get us an invite.” I stared at her in disbelief. “You already made plans?” She shrugged innocently. “I knew you’d cave eventually.” I felt my pulse quicken, both terrified and intrigued. Maybe this was the push I needed. Perhaps this night could change everything. And damn, I needed it to change fast. Maybe after tonight, I’d be able to act like a s*x vixen like the girls at the club, and maybe then would Connor melt at the sight of me and f**k me into oblivion. Honestly, I had dreamed of our first time together long before we started dating. Connor had been my crush for a long time—the golden boy I could never have because of Victoria, his perfect first love. As bad as it sounds, I’d been over the moon when Victoria cheated on him, causing him to be officially single. Sue me, but I was just a girl with a fat crush on him and secretly lusted over him despite how much I tried to stop. After their breakup, Connor’s mom pushed for us to get together, and eventually we started dating. Unfortunately, we’d only bloom a romantic love but never a s****l intimacy. But that was going to change after today. Hopefully. I rubbed my temples. “What exactly do people do in s*x clubs?” “Everything. Anything. It’s not some creepy backroom thing. It’s high-end, elegant. Think velvet, champagne, masks… fantasies made real.” My stomach fluttered with both nerves and curiosity. “Don’t worry,” Gabby said, noticing the look on my face. “We’ll stick together. You can leave anytime you want. Just… promise me you’ll keep an open mind.” “Sure, I promise,” I giggled. “Yes, girl! Now let’s go get dressed sexy and have the time of our lives!” Gabby gushed, putting away her nail polish. “Gabbyyy,” I warned. “Yes, I know we’re not going there to have s*x, but that’s not going to stop us from having the time of our lives,” she shrugged as she got up. I rolled my eyes, though a small smile broke out as I stood. Let’s get sexy, I guess.