Ian's POV

"When are you going back to New York," I say through the phone talking to my brother Ethan.

"I was suppose to leave this morning but mom is kind of holding me hostage. Kathy was also expecting me this morning, she didn't go to L.A with me. But I'll definitely leave this evening."

"Remember we have that meeting with Rios Grant institute." He adds.

"Yeah I remember, I'll be conferenced in. Anyway I'll have to go now, talk to you later. And please my regards to Kathy," I quickly add as Coco joins me sitting opposite me at the restaurant. She was dressed casually in jeans and a sweater but at the same time she looked highly sophisticated and beautiful.

"Hey" she says standing up and giving me a warm hug after I ended my call.

"I'm sorry I'm a little late, you know me and shopping. I always get lost in it."

I smile remembering how when she was little about 13 or 14, I was home with Andrew then. She had her own little teenage world always out shopping with her friends.

"It's okay really, I was just talking with my brother catching up on work. So I see you had a fun day shopping" I say pointing at the shopping bags the chauffeur walks in with.

"Smith take that up to my room please,” she says to the chauffeur. “Thank you" She adds.

"Yeah I had a fun morning, went with Lauren a friend of mine from high school.”

“So did you go for a run this morning," she asks.

"Yeah, I do that every day. No days off for me."

"Why though" she asks staring into my eyes.

"It helps to reduce stress, keeps me from doing something stupid instead."

"Something stupid? Like what?" she asks her eyes straining on mine.

I searched for words, feeling my neck heat. "From being stupid" I say again.

"That isn't what you were originally going to say," she says, sitting up. "It keeps you from what? It has to do with Releasing tension right?” She adds.

I decided to test her a little. I had no idea where the urge came from, but she was a confusing mix of inexperienced and wild. She made me feel reckless, and a little drunk. "It keeps me from wanting to fuck all the time."

She moves forward in her seat still staring into my eyes.

"Fucking is definitely more fun than running. Why are you limiting it, I think you are having more fun sex because you're running." She says.

She didn't shy away under gaze as I sternly observed her.

"I have no idea why I just admitted to you" I say.

"Ian it's okay we can talk about sex, it's actually good I'm getting comfortable talking about stuff like this with you. It's not like I'm trying to get into your pants and we actually have to talk about sex in parts of our lesson." She says.

We pause our conversation, as we both order our food.

The air between us seemed to hum quietly.

"Have you always been sexually open," I ask.

"Sex is natural, it's what our bodies like to do." She answered vaguely before adding, "Actually no I'm not sexually open. But I'll like to change that."

"What do you mean by that," I ask.

"Well I lost my virginity to my high school boyfriend when I was 15. In the back of his dad's Mercedes. We dated all through high school to college then we broke up senior year college. And after him I've hooked up with a couple of guys nothing serious just casual hookups and I've been told by a number of them I'm bad at casual. I don't think I'm vocal with what I want sexually, sometimes I get uncomfortable talking about stuff like that. So my knowledge in that department is particularly low.

And I'm currently not looking to be in a relationship, just casual hookup learning how to be in semi dating world before fully injecting myself into the dating world. That's why I need your help.” She says after pausing for a bit.

"What makes you think my knowledge in that department is any different" I ask.

"C'mon you're Ian Bancroft, according to my brother you're a legend in that department and Ian look at you. You definitely know a thing or two in that department."

I laugh out loud at that. “Okay” I say. "So how many guys have you been with" I ask feeling my heart beat faster and a little jealousy creeping up in me.

"I have only dated one guy, but in total I have had sex with 5 guys." She says.

"Wow 5," I say pausing for a bit.

"Ian I'm sure my 5 is small to your 20 or 30."

She was right, her 5 is actually small. I have slept with about 20 or more women but she doesn't need to know that so I just smile.

"And this 5 guys, how was it with them." I ask wanting to know if they were at least good to her.

"Uhnmm it was okay, I mean it's sex so."

"What do you mean by it's sex so." I ask.

"It isn't supposed to be good for everyone," she says.

"Why do you say that, coco sex is supposed to fun and make you feel good. And if it doesn't that means both you and the person engaging in it are not doing it right. You also said you're not good with the casual part. Tell me what happened with the last guy."

"Well apparently when it's casual it's just between us, we don't have to introduce each other to our families or friends. So I might have invited my sister to lunch with us without asking him, and apparently casual means you're allowed to hook up with other people without the other person getting jealous about it. I kind of freaked out when I found out he was seeing other people."

"Part of your lesson is casual hooking up, not like with strangers but with let's say a friend or a friend of a friend. And it’s supposed to be fun. Like you said you don't want a relationship, and it doesn't have to be with one person. And you do know casual relationship also means casual sex with people you find attractive but nothing that has to do with dating stuff.

I mean you're allowed to hang out maybe, like go out to eat and stuff but nothing romantic.” I explain.

“That's lesson number 1 for you." I add.

She nods while taking a sip from her wine.

Chloe's POV

Lunch with Ian was fun and productive. We were back at our suite sitting in our living room. He was mentioning the do's and don’ts of casual hookups.

"So who are you trying out the first lesson with," he asks.

I pause for bit thinking. The truth is I already had someone in mind. This guy who was a client, he asked me out a couple of times when I was working on his account but I denied his request. He was good looking and charming but I didn't want to complicate things by mixing busy with pleasure. But my brother was done with the account before he left for Paris so maybe going out with him now isn't a bad idea.

"Okay so you definitely have someone in mind by the way you're quietly thinking," Ian says snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Okay so there's this guy Noah Hamilton, he was a client for a while but we're done with his account and he had kind of asked me out a couple of times."

"Okay so this Noah guy, do you think he wants casual or something serious." Ian asks.

"I think casual, I mean he's young just two years older than me. He's 25 I think, Should I call him and ask."

"No text him, say something like you're back in London and if he's up for it you should go out for drinks this weekend." Ian adds after pausing for a while.

"No not this weekend kind of have plans with Lauren and some friends from high school. But tomorrow is Friday and I'm free, I was going to work but I can put that off."

"Yeah okay that sounds good. Okay so what do we know about Noah, I mean is he safe."

"Don't be all big brotherly and all Ian,” I say rolling my eyes. “Of course he's safe and if he's not I can perfectly handle myself."

"Of course you can handle yourself, but Andrew would kill me if something happens and he finds out I knew about it."

"Don't worry I'll be perfectly fine." I say.

"Okay then send him the text."

I quickly type out the message and send it.

After a few minutes he replies, Ian he just replied I say reading out his reply.

— Sounds great. Where should we meet.

"You should choose some place you feel totally safe in." Ian says.

"Okay how about this bar The swift in Soho, a friend of mine Jackson owns the place." I ask.

"Yeah okay, if you feel comfortable there then it's okay."

"Yeah I do," I say as I reply with the name and location of the bar.

"Well enough lesson for one day, I have some work to do so I'll go back to the office. But I'll see you tomorrow before your date."

"Right, I have shopping bags to put away before getting back to work too" I say as he leaves.

I thought Ian helping me with the dating stuff might help me get him off my mind.

But I've been thinking about him alot more lately. Taking long showers and thinking about how good it will feel like to have his lips on mine. Which isn't helping, we are officially friends now so I should stop thinking about him like that.

I get into my suite open my laptop and Face Time Mia. I haven't talked to her in a while and I need her get your shit together advice.

"Hey girl thought you're working today." She says coming into view on my computer.

"Yeah I was supposed to be but I'm taking everyone's advice on that, I've decided to take some time off work for now."

"Finally, I'm glad you're doing that. Honey you work too hard."

"What about you, what has your day been like." I ask her.

"I went to lunch with my dad and his new girlfriend, God I'm cringing right now remember it."

"Why? she's that awful?" I ask.

"I don't know that for sure but definitely a gold digger, she's not as young as his last one but she's young. Enough about my awful day, how was yours and how's Ian?" She asks.

"We had lunch together today and Ian is still Ian." I say sighing. “Still as perfect as ever.”

"Anyway I have a date tomorrow, you remember Noah Hamilton. I think I told you about him."

"Yeah, the guy that was working with Andrew right."

"Yeah him, anyway I'm having drinks with him tomorrow. I'm getting back to casual dating, Ian is helping me."

"Honey are you that's a good idea." Mia asks.

"What?" I ask.

"You know, Ian helping you with stuff like that. I don't want you getting hurt, I know you still like him." She adds sounding concerned.

"Really it's fine, my friendship with Ian is completely platonic. There's nothing to worry about."

"Okay, are those shopping bags." Mia asks changing the subject.

"Yeah I went shopping with Lauren today."

"Cool who's Lauren?" She asks.

"Mia you remember Lauren, we went to high school together. You two have met countless of time."

"Oh yeah, I don't know why I never really liked her. She was always glued to your side whenever we hung out together."

"It's all in your head Mia, she is one of my best friends from high school we were super close then that's it. And Lauren is a sweetheart you would love her if you get to know her."

"Yeah right," she says rolling her eyes. "Just make sure I'm your ultimate best friend and I don’t want you exchanging me with Lauren."

I laugh out loud at that before quickly adding "Mia you are my best friend babe, always."

"Anyway I you want to help pick something to wear for drinks with Noah tomorrow."

"Yeah okay, what are we doing? Sexy hot, or casual hot." She asks smiling through the computer screen.