Never Mistake a Queen for a Lapdog novel Chapter 869

Claire groaned in profound disappointment. "What do you mean 'about the same'? Like, the stamina? The positions?"

"How can two different men feel exactly the same?!"

"There's gotta be a difference in size or something, right?!"

Noreen slapped her hand over Claire's mouth.

This was mortifying!

And honestly, she really did think they felt the same.

She had been completely out of her mind that night and had even hallucinated that the man was Seth Harcourt.

Given that Seth was her only point of reference for sex, she figured her grief-stricken brain had simply projected him onto the stranger.

Once she was sure Claire wouldn't yell any more obscenities, Noreen cautiously removed her hand.

Claire tsked. "You basically slept with a ghost."

Noreen was speechless.

When the food arrived, Claire's attention shifted back to the apron-clad men, allowing Noreen to quietly exhale.

But the novelty soon wore off, and Claire started critiquing them like a judge on a reality show.

"The guy on the right is too bulky. All show, no stamina. I bet he's packing nothing."

"That one over there definitely finishes in thirty seconds."

"The one in the middle has zero masculine energy."

After roasting half the staff, she let out a heavy sigh. "Honestly? None of them are even as hot as jerk Seth."

Noreen burst into a fit of coughing.

Claire handed her a napkin. "Why are you so worked up? I'm complimenting your taste in men! Strictly aesthetically, of course. His personality belongs in a dumpster."

Total asshole.

"Fair point," Noreen agreed.

When it came to trash-talking their exes, they were totally in sync.

Meanwhile, across town.

The Half-Light Club.

"Achoo!"

Seth Harcourt sneezed violently several times in a row.

"Are you catching a cold?" Jude Wilder asked, looking concerned.

Seth shook his head. "Probably an allergic reaction to whatever perfume is in here."

Jude answered for him. "He's awful."

Absolutely terrible.

Healy didn't ask why.

They were adults; everyone had their own demons.

Dylan Wilder was the last to arrive. By the time he walked in, Seth was leaning back against the couch, a magazine covering his face.

It was impossible to tell if he was asleep or just ignoring them.

Dylan took his penalty shots.

Jude lamented how long it had been since the four of them were all in the same room. It felt like a lifetime ago.

Halfway through the night, a knock sounded at the door. Assuming it was a waiter, Jude yelled, "Come in!"

A strikingly beautiful woman stepped into the room.

For a split second, Jude's brain short-circuited.

He almost blurted out Noreen's name.

It wasn't until she stepped fully into the light that he realized it wasn't her.