Looking at the time, I had ten minutes.
I was already stripping my shirt over my head as I raced to my bedroom. Thankfully, I’d taken a shower that morning to help me wake up before I started writing. Makeup would be at a minimum.
I was impressed with how fast I managed to get ready. When the doorbell rang, I was wearing a jade green dress that fell to just above my knees. My hair had decided to cooperate, and I’d only needed to brush the soft waves for them to flow around my face.
When I opened the door, I found Sebastian standing on my front porch in dark wash jeans with a black leather jacket over his red Henley. “You look beautiful,” he praised, his voice doing that sexy rumble thing that made my body hum with arousal. His lips brushed against mine, teasing me with the promise of those firm lips claiming mine in an all-consuming kiss.
Just that brief touch of his lips left me almost breathless, so it was no surprise that my response wasn’t nearly as polished as I would have liked.
“I didn’t have much time to get ready,” I said before realizing what a ridiculous reply that was. “You look beautiful, too. Handsome. You look handsome.”
His eyes darkened, and I watched his inner struggle. It was nice knowing I wasn’t the only one turned on by our brief kiss. Sebastian stepped back to give us both some space to get things under control.
“Did you get caught up writing something naughty?” he asked.
“Nothing quite that interesting,” I admitted as I turned to lock my front door. “My mother-in-law called. Technically, she’s no longer my mother-in-law, but we’re still close. She calls to check on me on a regular basis.”
“That’s nice.” He placed a hand on my lower back to lead me to his car. “Is that Justin’s mom?”
“No, I was never married to Justin,” I replied with a strangled laugh.
Sebastian stopped at the passenger side of his car and turned to face me. “I’m definitely missing something here. Is now a good time to talk about Justin?”
“In the car,” I replied.
Sebastian nodded and let me in before walking to his side and getting in. “What is the big secret involving Justin?” He sounded cautious, probably worried I was going to tell him something awful about Justin.
“It’s not really a secret, but it’s not the sort of thing I discuss with just anyone.” I began. “Actually, I guess I do discuss it with just anyone, but I was too embarrassed to tell you yesterday when you asked about him. Justin’s full name is Justin Case.”
“That’s an unusual name,” he remarked.
“I named him that because I kept him around just in case I got horny,” I explained. “He’s been my favorite toy for quite some time, and he recently died at a very inconvenient moment.”
Sebastian’s lips twitched.
“You’re going to laugh at me,” I accused.
“Yes,” he admitted, fighting back his laughter. “I’m trying hard not to laugh, but this is funny as hell. I was worried I’d have to compete with Justin, that you’d be comparing me to him.”
“Oh, I will,” I assured him. “Justin took care of my needs better than any man ever has.”
Sebastian chuckled. “Then I’ll just have to work hard to please you.”
“You’ll have to work very hard,” I insisted.
“I think I can do a few things Justin can’t for you,” he assured me.
“Like what?” I asked eagerly as he started up the car.
“Buy you cake,” he replied.
I snorted. “I can buy my own cake.”
“Trust me,” he began in that silky voice that did wicked things to my body. “I’ve got a few other things I can take care of for you.”
“What kinds of things?” I asked a little breathlessly.
“You’ll just have to wait and see,” he replied with a wicked grin.
Chapter Eleven
Sebastian
I couldn’t believe I’d been jealous of Delaney’s vibrator. She was joking, but I could tell she didn’t think I’d be able to compare to her recently deceased toy. I had no doubt I could give her things Justin couldn’t, and I was looking forward to proving that to her. Our conversation had remained on safe ground for the remainder of the drive to the restaurant. I decided to shift to a less mundane topic.
“Do you like to role-play?” I asked as I parked outside the restaurant.
“Huh?” Delaney asked. “Sorry, I must have misheard you.”
“You heard me correctly,” I assured her. “I want to know if you like to role-play. You refused to answer that question last night.”
“You’re about as subtle as I am,” she remarked.
I grinned. “I’m not very good at being subtle. Role-playing? I’m not asking about sex, but you seemed to enjoy pretending to be my wife at the café. I was just wondering if you’d like to play a little game with me here.”
“That could be fun,” she replied hesitantly. “What exactly did you have in mind?”
“I’d like you to go in first and have a seat at the bar,” I began. “Order a drink and just sit there looking gorgeous. You’re a natural at that.” I laughed when Delaney rolled her eyes at my compliment. “Do you doubt me?”
“I think you may be exaggerating a little, but go on with this role-playing idea,” she prompted me.
“The rest is pretty simple,” I began. “I’ll come in and offer to buy you a drink, sweet talk you a little until you agree to have dinner with me.”
“I’ve got a better idea,” Delaney stated with a wicked twinkle in her eyes. “Rather than give in to your attempts to pick me up, I’ll be rude and sassy. You’ll be the dominant man prepared to tame me just like the men in my darkest secret fantasies.”
I cleared my throat and tried to remain nonchalant. “Tame you? Like in your fantasies?”
She nodded. “It’ll be more like the book I’m writing now. We can even call it research.”
I couldn’t believe she’d just suggested something like that. The fantasy was hot as fuck, and I could play the dominant role with her. Still, I hesitated because we were near strangers. “I don’t really know your limits, Delaney. This seems like a game we should play when we know each other a little better.”
“How about if we have a safeword?” she suggested.
I grinned at her suggestion. “That’s a good idea. If you want me to stop, ask me to buy you an appletini. If you just want me to slow down, you ask me to buy you a gin and tonic.”
“I don’t really have to drink them, do I?” she asked in mock horror.
“No,” I assured her. “It’s just a code so I know if you’re not okay with something. Are you game?”
She licked her lips and nodded. “I guess I should go in first.”
“I won’t make you wait long,” I promised, not missing the fine tremor of desire that ran through her body.
Chapter Twelve
Delaney
Walking into the bar area of the restaurant, I was both excited and nervous. This wasn’t how I’d envisioned my date with Sebastian going. It seemed every time I was around him, he threw me off. I never knew what to expect. This had to be how people felt around me. Looking around, there were no tables available, so I decided to grab a seat at the bar.
“What can I get for you?” the bartender asked with a flirty smile, which seemed to be directed at me. A curvy blonde in a low-cut black t-shirt, she had the attention of nearly everyone at the bar.
“Can I get a Don Julio 1942, please?” I asked her, having spotted the bottle on the shelves behind the bar. I love good tequila, and there are a few brands I recognize immediately.
“Coming right up, sweetie,” she told me with a wink.
She set down my drink with a smile. “Just let me know if you need anything else. I can flag down a waitress if you want anything to eat.”
With that, she walked off to assist another customer as I took a sip of my tequila. This was one of my favorites. It was smooth with a hint of vanil
la. Closing my eyes, I savored that first sip.
It seemed like hours before Sebastian approached me. I’d scanned the bar area a couple of times looking for him before he finally walked in. Turning back to the bar, I continued sipping my tequila.
“Mind if I join you?” Sebastian murmured from close to my ear.
I bit back a grin and tried to stay in character as I turned to regard him coldly. “I’m here with someone.”
“Really?” he asked. “It seemed like you were alone when I walked in.”
I lifted my glass. “I’m enjoying a quiet evening with my good friend Don Julio. Why don’t you run along, little boy? You can’t handle what I’ve got to offer.”
“Is that so?” he asked, his voice moving along my body like a lover’s caress.
I giggled. “Sorry. I’m trying to stay in character.”
“You’re doing great,” he assured me.
“Thanks,” I said with a smile before working my features into a haughty glare. “Poor little boy, looking to play with the grownups.”
“I’d be careful about pushing me,” he warned. “I’m not sure you’ll like the consequences. On second thought, keep pushing me.”
I snorted. “Your blustering means nothing to me.”
“Blustering?” he asked with a quirk of his eyebrow.
“Don’t get out of character,” I admonished with a wave of my finger.
Leaning into me, Sebastian ran his fingers along my collarbone before trailing them up my neck to cup my cheek. His lips moved closer until they were nearly touching mine. “You don’t want to push me, Red, or I might be tempted to turn that pretty backside of yours as red as your hair.”
“I thought that was you!”
I blinked twice as I returned to reality, which happened to be in the form of a spitfire of a woman by the name of Wanda. She was easily in her seventies, and I’d run into her several times at my favorite Mexican restaurant. Her hair color changed frequently and was currently a vivid shade of teal. As was her norm, her nails matched her hair color.
“Hi,” I sputtered, not sure how I’d ended up with Wanda involved in my role-playing game with Sebastian. “Where’s your husband?”
“I left the old fart at home tonight so I could meet up with my girlfriends,” she explained. “I’m a little early.” Wanda’s attention shifted to Sebastian. “My apologies for interrupting your wooing of Red. She’s a fun girl, but she needs someone to knock the cobwebs out. It’s been far too long since this one had a good roll in the hay.”
“Oh, God,” I said on a groan. It took a lot to embarrass me, but Wanda seemed to have a knack for it.
“Cobwebs?” Sebastian asked, his lips twitching.
Wanda nodded. “Like I said, the girl hasn’t had a man in far too long. Good move with the spanking talk. This girl is obsessed with it. I never really understood the fascination, but it’s a good way to get her panties down. She’s talked about it so much, I think she’s ready to beg for a good paddling. I wouldn’t do it at the bar. Some folks will get the wrong idea and think you’re abusing her. You also can’t do it proper here. She needs her panties down around her knees.”
“This isn’t happening,” I muttered.
Sebastian grabbed my hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.
“Thank you so much for your advice,” Sebastian told Wanda as he turned to fully face her.
“You’re welcome,” Wanda said before looking him up and down. Her eyes widened when they landed on the front of his jeans. “It seems you like the idea, as well. Glad to see you’re getting that under control. I’d hate to have the whole bar see how excited you are. That thing would be hard to hide with a full erection.” She leaned forward and spoke in a loud stage whisper. “He’ll definitely do a good job of knocking all the cobwebs out for you.”
Sebastian’s jaw dropped, and he looked utterly speechless.
“Oh! My friends are here,” Wanda told us. “You kids have fun and remember to use a condom. A woman at the senior center just had a nasty case of Chlamydia—not something you want to mess with.”
Not waiting for a response, Wanda hurried across the room to join her friends.
“What just happened?” Sebastian asked, sounding utterly confused. I didn’t blame him. Wanda had that effect on people, especially when they first met her.
“That’s Wanda,” I explained. “She frequents a bar I go to with my friends, and she likes to join in our conversations.”
“She is something else,” he remarked.
“I’m just glad she embarrassed you, too,” I admitted. “I’m not sure I could have handled it if she’d just mentioned the stuff about me and spanking.”
“Is it true?” he asked.
“Yes, it’s true,” I replied. “I would have been mortified if she’d only talked about me needing sex and wanting to be spanked.”
Sebastian chuckled. “You know what I meant. Do you like being spanked?”
“I don’t know,” I said with a shrug. “It’s never happened before.”
“Would you like it to happen?” There was no missing the arousal in his hoarse voice. Sebastian liked the idea of spanking me, and he was getting turned on thinking about it.
“I think so,” I admitted hesitantly. “I want to write books with spanking in them, but I have no idea what it’s really like.”
“Is that the only reason you want to try it?” he pushed.
“I thought it was at first,” I began. “At least, I told myself that was the reason. Honestly, I’ve just been fascinated with trying different things. I’ve wanted to be more adventurous in bed. The thing about being an erotica writer is I feel like I should try all this kinky stuff. I feel like a fraud.”
“How so?” he asked, sitting on the stool beside mine and tugging my hand gently until I sat down.
“I write about all these people having great sex, but Wanda is right about me having been alone for too long.”
“Why have you been alone so long?” he asked.
“I didn’t want to date again after my divorce,” I explained. “Part of that was fear of being hurt, but I was also busy building my writing career. The longer I went without dating, the harder it got to think about dating again.”
“It’s great that you can make a living on your writing,” he stated, and I was grateful to him for recognizing my need for a change of subject.
“That and teaching piano lessons,” I corrected him.
“Sorry for the long wait,” our bartender interrupted. “What can I get you?”
“I’ll have what she’s having,” he replied, gesturing to my tequila.
“I’ll be right back with that,” the bartender assured him.
“You had better have good tequila in that glass,” he warned playfully. “There will be no spankings in your future if you’re drinking cheap tequila.”
Any suggestion that I might drink crappy tequila was enough to get my hackles up. This was no joking matter. “I would never drink cheap tequila.”
Sebastian chuckled. “You get more than a little feisty when it comes to your tequila. What do you have in that glass?”
“Don Julio 1942,” I replied.
He nodded. “Not bad.”
I raised an eyebrow. “You don’t seem impressed with my tequila.”
He shrugged. “It’s good tequila. Not the best, but better than average.”
“Is it possible you’re an even bigger tequila snob than I am?” I asked in mock horror.
“I’m not a snob so much as a connoisseur,” he argued.
I snorted at his answer. “That’s what a snob says to get out of admitting the truth.”
When the bartender set down his drink, Sebastian handed her some money before returning his attention to me. “Shall we head over to the main restaurant and get some dinner?”
“That sounds great,” I replied as I stood and grabbed my drink. “I haven’t eaten anything since this morning. Hopefully, we can get a table.”
&
nbsp; “I made a reservation,” he explained. “We should be just in time for our table.”
“You are a smart man,” I praised, looping my arm through his.
“If you play your cards right, this can be all yours,” he said, gesturing to himself with one hand.
I laughed at his mock arrogance. “I’ll keep that in mind. Now, feed me before I get cranky.”
Chapter Thirteen
Sebastian
The evening had gone great, even with the embarrassing encounter with Delaney’s friend. I didn’t regret that encounter since it helped me get some more insight into Delaney and her fantasies. I had no doubt she’d eventually share them all with me. Delaney was refreshingly comfortable with her sexual desires, in an endearingly innocent way. There was no denying she knew a lot about sex, but she seemed to be lacking real-world experience. I liked the idea of being the one to teach her—corrupt her. I was worried about how quiet she’d been on the drive back to her place. She seemed lost in thought.
I’d just pulled up to Delaney’s house when I decided to break the silence. “You’ve been quiet since we left the restaurant.”
She looked across at me. “I’ve been trying to decide how this evening is going to end. That means going over every possible outcome in my mind.”
“I was thinking I’d walk you to your door and kiss you goodnight,” I began with a cocky grin. “Naturally, you’ll beg me to stay.”
“How can I possibly resist?” she asked with a teasing grin.
“You can’t,” I assured her. “The kiss I’ll give you will leave us both panting and aching for more.”
“Then maybe you’ll be the one begging me to invite you in,” she taunted.
“I don’t beg,” I assured her.
“I can’t decide if your arrogance is annoying, amusing, or a turn on,” Delaney stated. “Regardless of which it is, I think your claim is more than a little hard to believe. Wanda was right about you being excited by our game at the bar.”
“I might beg for you,” I agreed.
Delaney’s tongue moved along her lower lip. She wasn’t doing it to tease me, but that was exactly what it was doing. More than anything, I wanted to lean forward and run my tongue along her lower lip. My eyes were locked on her mouth, and I couldn’t seem to look away.
Sultry at 30 (Love Without Batteries) Page 5