Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 125135 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125135 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
I took a look around. Wow. The place was stunning.
The living room featured cream-colored leather furniture that looked brand new. A couple of chunky knit throws on the sofa and loveseat gave the space a cozy yet trendy feel. Everything smelled new. It was an open floorplan with the kitchen adjacent to the living area, and the light-colored granite countertop complemented the earth tones of the rest of the apartment.
“You guys did a great job setting this up. It’s beautiful.”
“Yeah, thanks. Like I said, we’re experimenting with renting it out as an Airbnb. You got lucky that it was available.”
“I should say!” I wandered over to the kitchen. “Oh, thank God. There’s a coffee maker and pods. I was wondering if I’d have time to get coffee in the morning.”
“If there’s anything you need, I’m right next door,” he reminded me.
How could I forget? “Thank you.”
The fact that this apartment happened to be right next door to Holden’s made me nervous as much as it was comforting.
“So tell me about the geek adventures that brought you here.”
I crossed my arms. “You mean the research-project interview.”
“I’m teasing. But you are too damn smart for your own good. Always made the rest of us look like bigger idiots than we are.” He sighed. “Anyway, seriously, tell me about it.”
“It’s an interview for a research grant on the effects of dopamine in relation to Alzheimer’s disease.”
“Interesting.” He scratched his chin scruff. “Dopamine is like a sex hormone, right?”
Of course, his mind would go straight to that. “It’s a type of neurotransmitter that the body makes. It impacts how we feel pleasure. Too much or too little can affect us negatively. But yes, it is produced in response to sexual stimulation, among other things.”
“So, wait, too much dopamine can be a bad thing? It can make someone lose their mind?”
“Well, anything in excess is bad, right? But this particular study is focusing more on low levels of dopamine and the increased risk of Alzheimer’s.”
He nodded. “Ah. So the more sex someone has…the less likely they’ll get Alzheimer’s?”
I cleared my throat. “The research seems to point in that direction, yes.”
“Damn. I’m all set then. My brain will be sharp as a whistle.” Holden winked.
I rolled my eyes. “Sex does have many benefits. And very few downsides—as long as you’re careful.”
“I’m always careful,” he said, his expression sincere.
“Good.”
“Especially with Colby as an example,” he added.
Colby had impregnated his daughter’s mother during a one-night stand about five years before he met his wife, Billie. Saylor was a gift, but certainly that had been a hard lesson for all of the guys: one lapse in judgment could change your entire life.
He tilted his head. “So, tell me more about the benefits of sex.”
“Are you serious?”
“Sort of. I’m mainly enjoying watching your face turn red right now.”
I felt my cheek. “Am I?”
“A little. But really, I’m intrigued. I never think about hormones and shit and how all of that can impact someone for the long term. But good to know that sex has health benefits.”
“The increase of both oxytocin and dopamine during orgasm wipes out cortisol, which is the stress hormone.”
He nodded. “That’s why people feel so relaxed after.”
“Right.”
“But I never knew those hormones could, like, protect your brain. That’s huge.”
“Almost every decision we make—what we put in our bodies, food or otherwise—has an impact on our overall health.” I smiled. “You know what else increases dopamine levels?”
“What?”
“Music.”
“Ah. Nice. Another win for me.”
“The chills I bet you get in the middle of a great set? A lot of that is dopamine.”
“But like you said, too much can also be bad, right?”
“There are some negative side effects of too much dopamine, like anxiety, insomnia, too high of a sex drive.”
“So my memory will be perfect, but I’ll continue to go through life as a horn dog with occasional anxiety.” He nodded once. “Got it. Sounds about right.”
I laughed.
“Thanks for the education, Lala. You’re so smart.” Holden smiled. “It’s good to see you. It’s felt like forever.”
Dare I bring it up? “Yeah, I think the last time was Colby’s wedding, huh?”
“Yup.” He nodded slowly. “A year. Too damn long.”
His eyes locked with mine, and I immediately thought back to the dance he and I had shared at the wedding. Warren had disappeared to the bathroom. I’d looked up, and suddenly Holden was standing there in his place. I remember hoping to God Warren didn’t come back to find me dancing with Holden. It had been a slower song, and I didn’t want him to think anything inappropriate was happening. But maybe that’s because I was the one thinking inappropriate things. Like clockwork, the song had ended, and Holden left the dance floor right before Warren reemerged. My fiancé, therefore, had no idea that I’d just shared a dance with my childhood crush.