“Which is why we’re going to practice listening and communicating today. I’m going to need you to turn toward each other and hold each other’s hands.”

Unsure of where this is going but excited, I turn toward Scottie and then take her hands in mine.

“No, this is not the position I want.” Sanders stands. “Wilder, lean back against the couch, and Scottie, I want you straddling his lap.”

“Wh-what?” she asks, her head snapping up to Sanders. “You want me to straddle him?”

“Yes.”

“Isn’t that…inappropriate?”

“He’s your husband,” Sanders says, pointing to me, looking confused. “There’s nothing inappropriate about it. I think the closeness will help you.”

Noticing how uneasy she is about the whole thing, I try to soothe her. “It’s fine, Pips. Not like he’s going to make us dry hump or anything.” I glance over at Sanders. “Are you?”

Sanders shakes his head. “No, but being intimate with each other is important, and I think you need to start to grow comfortable with showing each other affection. That starts with your body language when together.”

“If it makes you more comfortable,” I say to Scottie, “you can sit on the couch, and I can straddle your lap.”

Her expression falls, and I lightly chuckle, because I would really be up for anything.

“We’re not doing that,” she grumbles.

“Or you can sit on my face.” I wiggle my brows, really trying to lighten the mood. “Haven’t tested that seat out in a while. You always used to find it comfortable.”

She side-eyes me, and it takes everything within me not to burst out in laughter.

“Your lap will do,” she mumbles as she moves over my lap and takes a seat.

“Comfortable?” I ask with a grin.

“Hardly,” she answers.

I don’t know. I’m pretty damn comfortable.

“You know, this reminds me of the time we were in Vegas…”

“Don’t even start,” she says, eyeing me.

“But it’s such a good story.”

“This is a good jumping-off point actually,” Sanders says as he stands and picks up a basketball. I swear, there weren’t any balls or sticks in the first session. Dribbling it and making the entire floor rattle, he continues, “For this lesson, I want you two to look each other in the eyes and mirror what you say to each other. So, Wilder, recount your time in Vegas and, Scottie, I want you to repeat it. Make them short sentences so she can really listen and repeat.”

Great fucking activity.

Smiling up at her, I say, “It was our anniversary. You were wearing that short pink dress that rode dangerously high, showing off those delicious legs.”

She bites the side of her cheek and says, “We were in Vegas. I was wearing a pink dress.”