“How long is so long?” Naomi asked, bringing Audrey’s champagne glass to her. “Exactly how long is your sex hiatus?”

Audrey took a sip. “Um.”

“Oh no,” Naomi said, her eyes wide in horror. “I’d known you’d been on a sort of dry spell since Brayden, but are you telling me… all the way dry spell?”

“Well, I tried to break it with Randy,” Audrey defended herself. “Look how that turned out.”

“Yes, but, sweetie,” Claire said, looking concerned. “Brayden passed a year and a half ago.”

Audrey resisted the urge to snap that she was well aware of just how long it had been. Audrey had never considered herself an overtly sexual creature. She liked sex, definitely, but she’d found herself missing the companionship, the romance, and the butterflies of being with Brayden much more than she’d missed the sexual aspect.

But in recent months, she’d officially rounded the bend. Her body’s cravings had caught up with her heart and mind, and she’d decided to do something about it. Hence, Randy. Yes, the guy had turned out to be a creep—a married creep. But one with laugh lines, a great smile, and excellent shoulders. More importantly, the guy had known his way around a romantic phrase or two, and for Audrey, good sex was all about the romance.

“I just haven’t quite figured out how to have sex without romance,” Audrey said, spelling it out for her friends.

“Oh, it’s easy,” Naomi said. “Before Oliver, I—” She broke off. “Actually, Claire. You take this one.”

“I get it,” Claire told Audrey, taking over. “I had the same realization last year. Remember when I was going through my whole no-strings-attached aspirations?”

Audrey smiled. “I remember. You were dead set on having a fling.”

“I was dead set on not getting my heart broken,” Claire corrected. “I didn’t realize it at the time. Needless to say, I was not counting on Scott being so…”

“Dreamy?” Audrey fluttered her eyelashes.

“Something like that,” Claire said with a private smile.

“Well, I’m already there on that realization,” Audrey pointed out. “I already know that I’m not cut out for sex without romance. The romance is my favorite part!”

“So why aren’t you seeking romance?” Naomi asked. “You’re gorgeous. Successful. Sweet. Smart. Funny.”

“Blushing here,” Audrey said, pretending to fan her cheeks.

“I’m serious. We’re onto you, Tate. We know exactly the looks you get in bars, and I could name at least ten men who would kill for a shot with you.”

“Same,” Claire said.

“I haven’t been interested,” Audrey said, sipping the champagne.

“You haven’t let yourself be interested,” Naomi persisted stubbornly. “Why?”

Audrey gave them both an exasperated look. “Was I this pushy when you were fumbling your way through things with Oliver and Scott?”

“Yes,” they answered in unison.

She laughed. “Fair enough. But I’m doing fine, I promise.”