by Molly Harper, Stephanie Haefner, Liora Blake, Gabra Zackman, Andrea Laurence, Colette Auclair
Bryn shook her head. “Leave it to you to date a guy mainly so you can find what’s wrong with him.”
“I guess I don’t want to look back when I’m eighty and say, ‘What the hell did I do with my life?’ He’s the first guy I’ve met in a long time who hasn’t annoyed me, so that’s gotta mean something, right?”
“For you? Totally.” She put an arm around her. “Let’s go pick some lingerie for you to wear.”
CHAPTER Eighteen
All three women arrived at the shop by 8 a.m., and everyone seemed a bit jittery. Instead of their normal chatty selves, they stayed quiet, making sure everything was in place. Mia noticed Bryn had painted her fingernails, but already the tips were gnawed.
Instead of typical business attire, they wore hot pink Classy ’n’ Sassy tees and jeans. There’d be half-naked men. There was no need for dress shirts and pencil skirts.
“The champagne is on ice,” Bryn said. “The cupcakes are coming at ten. Do you think we need anything else? I can run to the store and get chips or something.”
“It’s fine. I don’t think anyone’s coming for the food.”
“What kind of music should we have?” she asked, turning on the stereo.
“Um, I think this is fine. It’s a party, so dance music is appropriate.”
Bryn nodded and nibbled on a fingernail. She was definitely as nervous as Mia.
The party didn’t start for two hours. What the hell were they going to do until then?
Bryn straightened Logan’s and Oliver’s postcards. Penny tidied the displays. Mia checked the front counter and made sure there were enough shopping bags for all the dildos they were sure would sell that day. A customer came in and all three of them nearly pounced on her, but Bryn won the grand honor of being distracted by measuring the woman and helping her find a new bra.
Oliver was the first to arrive at nine forty-five. “How’s it going?”
“Miserable. The suspense is killing me. I just want to get started.”
He flashed his reassuring grin and the earth stopped rotating. “It will start soon enough, and then you’ll wish it had gone slower so you could’ve enjoyed it more.”
He was right. Everything would be okay.
The doorbell chimed and in strolled the delivery guy from the bakery with a white box, clear plastic window on the lid. He set it on the front counter with a sly smirk. “Nice cupcakes. Where do you want the other three boxes?”
“That table right there.” Mia pointed to a six-foot folding table covered with a pink tablecloth and penis-shaped confetti.
Penny rushed over to see the confections. “Oh my God, they’re adorable!”
The light pink penis candies stood erect in the center of every mini cupcake topped with hot pink icing.
Mia opened the boxes and started arranging cupcakes on tiered stands. The door chime sounded again; this time it was the hair stylist/makeup artist they’d hired to get the guys in meet-and-greet shape. Penny took over with the cupcakes while Mia showed the stylist where to set up.
Mia’s heart began to beat wildly as she walked back to the showroom. Logan had arrived and she showed him where to change. The stylist had already started on Oliver’s hair. This was all really happening. Like the flip of a switch they were all in hyperdrive.
Eleven that morning came and went. The shop was completely dead. Logan and Oliver were in their places, expertly coiffed hair and shimmering bodies on display. The champagne was on ice, the cupcakes arranged. The register was ready to ring in sale upon sale. But there were no women fawning. No sales a ringing. No customers. No party.
This was not happening. Mia saw the money they’d spent on this venture flushing down the toilet along with her sanity.
“They probably saw your poster and decided not to come,” Logan said to Oliver.
“They probably saw your toy and laughed.”
Were these boys seriously insulting one another right now? She did not need this.
Mia’s head started to throb. It crossed her mind to grab a dozen baby cupcakes and a bottle of champagne and hide in her office until four when they could close the shop. Instead she sat and rested her forehead on the front counter, the coolness of it soothing her.
Ding! Mia popped up to see two women stroll into the shop. They giggled and walked to the toy display. They each picked up a box, then looked to the men, who did their job by looking incredibly handsome and flirty. Penny showed them the postcards and each selected one. The guys signed them with hot pink Sharpies and Logan posed while one of the girls took a photo of the other on her cell phone.
Huge smiles on their faces as they headed for the register.
“This is so cool,” the one said to Mia as she rang up the purchase and placed it in a Classy ’n’ Sassy bag.
“I can’t wait to use it,” the other said, cheeks flushed.
“Logan is so hot,” girl number one said.
“Uh-uh. Oliver is way hotter.”
A pang of jealousy pricked Mia’s gut, but she blew it away. This was exactly what they’d wanted. Two different men to satisfy different women’s tastes.
Mia handed the second girl her credit card slip. “Thanks so much. Make sure you have some cupcakes and champagne before you leave.”
They smiled and headed for the food table. Two dildos closer to saving the shop.
More women trickled in, some alone, a couple groups of two or three women. With each ring of the door chime, Mia’s headache eased and her thundering heartbeat slowed. The ladies seemed to be enjoying themselves, and at least half bought something, whether it be a Logan or an Oliver, another toy, or a piece of lingerie.
But once noon came, it was as if a tsunami had hit the shop. Smiling, giggling women poured through the door in waves, their laughter and chatter roaring over the music. There was a line to meet the guys. A line to get a snack and beverage. A line to cash out purchases. Penny and Bryn ran back and forth tending to their customers while Mia stayed on the register.
Only once did Mia lock eyes with Bryn as she sailed past the front counter. The only way to describe it was pure joy. This party had officially surpassed every expectation.
TWO HOURS into the launch party and Oliver had pretty much lost all his jitters. He hadn’t thought he’d be so nervous about standing in tiny underwear being admired by women. But when the moment came to step into the shop and drop his robe, his gut swirled with apprehension. It wasn’t so bad at first, only one or two women at a time, but once the rush started, his anxiety climbed.
He’d looked over, heart pounding, and saw Logan, completely eating it up, cool and confident. Could he let this jerk beat him? He needed to sell more toys than Logan. For the sake of the shop. Yeah. That was it.
Taking a deep breath, he took a sip of water. He flashed his brightest grin and flirted with each woman who came up to him. It felt a little wrong. He really only wanted to flirt with Mia, but this was what he was hired to do.
“How you doin’ over there, bro?” Logan asked.
“Selling more toys than you I bet.”
“Hardly,” he said as he flexed his biceps as if he was in a bodybuilding contest. “And just wait till the reporter gets here. The ladies will flock to me, hoping to be in the magazine. They’ll all want a piece of the superstar.” He stopped the annoying chatter to pose for a photo, then hugged the women before they walked away. “And don’t even try to stick your face into one of my photos. This is a one-man story.”
“Trust me, I want no part of it.”
Oliver turned his attention back to the smiling middle-aged women in front of him, vowing to ignore Logan and his rambling, focusing only on the women.
“What’s your name, sweetheart?”
Her cheeks flushed as she handed him the postcard to sign. “Claire.”
“Well, hello, Claire,” he said as he signed her card with a bright pink marker. “You enjoying yourself today?”
“Yes. I wasn’t even going to come, but my friend dra
gged me in with her.”
He lowered his voice an octave. “Find anything you like?”
“I . . . um.” Her face changed to pure red as she pointed to the Oliver display. “I did.”
“Well, I sure hope you enjoy it.”
“Oh, I will.”
Oliver put his arm around the woman as her friend snapped a photo. “You ladies enjoy the rest of your day.”
A giggly group of young girls approached him, looking like they’d had a bit too much to drink. Were they even legal? They gathered around him, touching his stomach and chest, and one even took hold of his ass while posing for their photo. He signed their postcards and one asked him to sign the box his toy came in.
“I’m taking this home with me, but I’d much rather take the real you. Interested?”
“Um . . . thank you, but no. I have to stay and work.”
“I can wait till you’re done.”
Shit. How was he supposed to handle this situation? He didn’t want to make her mad. Nothing that came to mind in those few fleeting seconds of time sounded right. He needed her to buy the toy.
Oliver turned on his most seductive eyes and ran a finger down her jawline. “I can’t, but think of me when you go home.”
She stumbled backward unto the arms of her giggling friends. “Okay.”
This job had turned out to be a lot harder than he’d thought. It wasn’t all smiles and posing for photos. He had to be an actor. For Mia’s, and the shop’s, sake, he sure as hell hoped he was doing a good job.
MIA LOOKED to the customer she had rung out, handing over a bag containing a Logan for herself, an Oliver for a friend who’d recently been divorced, and a plethora of lubricants and various other toys. “Enjoy!”
“I sure will.”
As the next customer stepped forward and placed her things on the counter, Mia glanced to Oliver, just in time to see him flash his sexy eyes at a woman. Her breath hitched. Those eyes were supposed to be for her. Stop. It’s just an act. He’s using that wickedly gorgeous stare to earn money and save the shop. This was no time to be jealous.
Try telling her heart that.
Mia shook it off and turned back to her customer, another Oliver purchaser. She looked at it through the cellophane window on the box. Soon this replica would be doing things to this woman. She’d feel what it was like to have sex with Oliver.
Mia felt herself morph into a crazy psycho jealous person like on that show about women who go insane and kill people. She pictured herself jumping over the counter, like a starved tigress, and tearing the customer apart with her bare paws—er . . . hands.
Mia’s stomach turned and she felt a bit light-headed. If she didn’t get some fresh air quick, she’d be on the floor.
“Excuse me one minute,” she said to the customer and grabbed Penny as she trotted by. “You need to go on the register for a minute.”
“Are you okay? You look pale.”
“I just need a break.”
“Go. I got it.”
Penny stepped behind the counter and Mia headed for the back door. She grabbed a bottle of water on the way and chugged. The gentle breeze of early spring felt damn good, cooling her face and relaxing her stomach somewhat. She slumped against the brick building, looking at their packed parking lot. It was rare to be so jammed.
It was then she’d realized her feet were sore. She’d been on them without a break for almost six hours. But sitting was not an option. Not yet. There’d be plenty of time to rest later. With Oliver. She closed her eyes for a few minutes, relaxing and breathing.
The scent of buttercream drifted into her nostrils. Her eyes popped open to find a mini pink cupcake in front of her face.
“I knew the smell would get your attention.” Oliver was there, wrapped in his robe.
“Hey, shouldn’t you be inside posing with your adoring fans?” She tried to make it sound jokey instead of sarcastic and insecure.
“I saw you looking kinda weird, so I decided it was time to take my break. I do get a break, right, boss?”
“Of course.” She took the cupcake from him. “Smart to come bearing sugar, though.”
“I’m no idiot.”
They both peeled wrappers from their confections and bit in. Heaven in a tiny package.
“Want my penis?” he asked, holding out the minuscule confection that had topped his dessert.
Mia nearly choked as she laughed and tried to swallow the last bite of her cupcake at the same time.
“I can’t put it in my mouth. I’m on the wrong side of the Kinsey scale for that.”
She shook her head as she took it from him. “Thank you. I needed that little pick-me-up.”
“You’re welcome.”
He had a tiny bit of pink icing on his lip and she yearned to lick it off. “Um, you have . . .” She motioned to his luscious mouth. “A little frosting right there.”
His tongue darted out and it took every ounce of restraint for Mia not to pounce on him.
“We should get back inside.”
“Yes. Time to show these muscles and sell some more toys.”
“I’m not sure the ladies are looking at your pecs when deciding on their purchases.”
He grinned as he held the door open for her. “You’re probably correct.”
Together they headed back inside and Oliver removed his robe. Mia watched his hot pink, spandex-covered behind waltz back to the showroom, welcomed by a roar of applause and cheering. She stepped into the bathroom for a quick splash of water on her face and to run a brush through her hair. Only two more hours to go.
Penny was still at the register and Mia offered to take over.
“No. I’m good here. Go mingle with the customers.”
So she did, smiling and asking if anyone needed help. Most had found what they wanted on the dildo display shelf and were waiting in line with plastic champagne flutes to get their postcards signed. As she stooped to pick up a bra that had fallen to the floor, she saw the wheels of a stroller poking out from a display. Who the hell would bring a baby in there? Today, of all days?
As Mia stepped toward the carriage, it moved forward. She’d recognize that curly head of hair anywhere. And the BabyBjörn–wearing mom who pushed it.
“There you are,” Riley cried. “We’ve been looking all over for you.”
“What are you guys doing here?”
“We came to check out your big party. But if I woulda known it’d be so inappropriate for the kids, we wouldn’t have come. I mean, seriously? The guys are almost naked. And there are plastic dicks everywhere.”
“Riley, it’s a launch party for our sexy toy line. What did you expect?”
“I don’t know, something at least a little classier.”
Mia’s little sister wouldn’t know classy if it came up and ripped off her gold-sequined miniskirt. How did she manage to stay upright in four-inch heels with a baby carrier on her front?
Mia looked down at Gianna in the stroller, about to say hello to her niece, when she saw the Ultra Vibe in her hands. She must have grabbed it off a low shelf.
“Oh, honey. You don’t want to play with that.” She carefully tugged it from the toddler’s hands, hoping to avoid a major meltdown.
“Why’s that, Aunt Mia? Tell your niece why she shouldn’t touch that.”
Mia just glared at Riley and stomped to the display where the toy belonged. After setting it down, she returned to Riley and the kids. “Is there something I can help you with?”
“No. I don’t need toys to make my sex life exciting. All I need is my man.”
All righty. End of discussion. “Okay, so, I’ll call you later then. Take a cupcake for the road.”
Riley looked around the store, sneer across her face. “You got a lot of people in here, but that doesn’t mean anything. I know you don’t want to hear this, but I think Daddy’s right. This thing isn’t gonna save your shop. And it would be better for our whole family if you worked for him.”
Here
we go again. Mia curled her fists into balls. “Can we not discuss this right now? I have customers to tend to.”
“Is this shop really more important than your family’s happiness?”
What kind of person asks that? Mia was so sick of Riley dropping her problems on her and insisting she was the only one who could help. The Great Antonio Montonari refused to bend, so why did she have to? Looks like some of her daddy had rubbed off on her. The thought left a very unsettling feeling in her gut.
“I have responsibilities here, so I think it’s best if you go.”
“Fine.” Riley spun the stroller and headed for the door.
So much for the nice, adoring, thankful sister she’d had last week. Looks like she’d have to say good-bye to nice, helpful Aunt Mi Mi.
CHAPTER Nineteen
Oliver was in his own world, putting on a show for the women who’d stood in line to meet him. Not a show like Logan, bragging and acting like an ass. He flirted in a gentlemanly way.
But the crowd grew larger around Logan. Oliver noticed the photographer with his big fancy camera and a man he assumed to be a reporter with a digital voice recorder. Logan posed as the camera kept on flashing and the reporter asked questions. The women seemed to love it. A few in Oliver’s line left to go have a peek at the commotion.
He decided to ignore the spectacle and concentrate on the women in front of him. He flashed his most brilliant smile. “Hello, ladies.”
“Hi,” one said and handed him a postcard to sign. “Nice undies.”
“Thank you. The color wasn’t my first choice, but I’m thinking no one here really cares what color they are.” He winked at her.
“Uh-uh.”
For a moment, Oliver felt like a juicy steak, the way her eyes absorbed every inch of him, hungry. It should have made him uncomfortable, but it didn’t. Must be getting used to the man-candy thing.
After signing postcards for all four women, and a couple of boxes too, they gathered around for a photo. As Oliver smiled, a flip of blond hair out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Only one person arrogantly tossed her hair like that. Alexiana.