Seven Books for Seven Lovers

by Molly Harper, Stephanie Haefner, Liora Blake, Gabra Zackman, Andrea Laurence, Colette Auclair

  THE SHOP stayed super busy the rest of the week. None of them had ever expected the response they were getting, but their customers were happy. Even lingerie sales were up.

  Finally, Mia allowed herself to relax. She opened the payroll program and took a look at the hours Oliver had logged since starting. In the few weeks he’d been doing accounting work for them, he’d worked over forty hours. Time to pay him. When he came in that night, she’d make sure she told him to include himself when he did payroll.

  And that’s all she’d say to him. Mia had kept her distance from Oliver the entire week. He’d come in after his day job, stayed his three hours, then left, not one word to her. And she was thankful for that. Her sanity couldn’t handle him apologizing again with those sad eyes.

  Mia looked at the clock. Almost three. Only one more hour and she’d be free. Nothing to do on that Friday night, but free nonetheless. She finally had a Saturday off, so maybe she’d rent a few flicks and stay up late eating junk food.

  While Bryn did a bra fitting and Penny fielded a few phone calls about upcoming events, Mia flipped through the summer catalogue from one of their lingerie suppliers. Their racks were definitely in need of filling. As Mia turned the page, realizing neon colors were in this year, the door chime sounded. She looked up to find a familiar, expertly trimmed face.

  “Kyle, hey. How are you?”

  “Good. I was in the neighborhood, so I thought I’d stop in. See what dude you ended up choosing over me.” He pushed out his bottom lip in an adorable pout.

  “Sorry. I was overruled.” She lied. She didn’t have the heart to tell him his length just didn’t make the cut. She pointed to the poster on the wall.

  “Two guys? There were two guys better than me?”

  “We weren’t planning on using two, it just kinda happened.”

  “Aw, man. That fuckin’ sucks.” He shook his head then turned back to her. “And you couldn’t even tell me yourself? Some other chick called.”

  “Sorry. She was in charge of making the calls.”

  “It’s cool. My agent booked me a few other gigs. Maybe they’ll lead somewhere.”

  He looked around the shop and zeroed in on the dildo display. “Holy shit. Are those them?” He grabbed both the samples and brought them to the front counter where Mia was stationed. “Fuck, these guys have nice dicks. Are they actual size?”

  Mia nodded.

  “Damn. I guess I can see why you didn’t pick me.”

  Yikes. Well, at least Mia didn’t have to be the one to point it out. But for some bizarre reason, she hated that puppy dog face on Kyle.

  “They just had the size that was better for a dildo. Your shape and size probably work better as the real thing, know what I mean?”

  “Yeah, I guess. No complaints from my ladies’ night crowd.”

  “There ya go.”

  “I’m working tonight, if you wanna stop by. It’s not ladies’ night, mostly couples out for date night, so I’ll be able to talk to you. I can give you like every other drink for free.”

  “Tempting, but I have a date with my DVD player.”

  His brow crinkled and his lip curled. “Seriously? I didn’t think you were old enough to, like, wanna stay in on the weekends.”

  “Hey. I’m not old. I’m just . . . tired. And my feet hurt from standing all day. And . . .” She was out of excuses for her geriatric behavior. “I’ll think about it.”

  “Awesome. See ya tonight.”

  “I said I’d think about it.”

  “Whatever. I know you won’t be able to resist seeing me. I have a special drink in mind for you.” He winked at her. “Bye, Mia.”

  “Who was that jackass?”

  Mia whipped her head around to find Oliver there. “None of your business.”

  “Is he even old enough to drive?”

  She went back to her catalogue, ignoring him.

  “Are you going out with him tonight?”

  “If I am, it’s none of your concern. Why are you here so soon?”

  “I left my other job early. I had to get out of that office.”

  Hmm. Wonder what’s going on? If Mia cared about Oliver, she might ask, but she didn’t, so she continued her browsing, drawing stars next to a few items she liked on a page filled with lavender satin trimmed with dark purple lace.

  “Oh, before you get to work, make sure you schedule yourself for a paycheck. We can afford to pay you the back pay we owe and from now on, include your hours in the weekly payroll.”

  “You don’t need to pay me.”

  She refused to turn around. She wasn’t going to be anyone’s charity case, and definitely not Oliver’s. “Yes, we do.”

  “Fine.”

  Mia heard his footsteps toward the office and the door close. Good. She hoped he’d stay there for the next forty-five minutes until she left. Forty-five minutes until a night of relaxation.

  Unless . . . No, she didn’t want to go to Applebee’s, did she? Maybe a night of sitting with a cute guy was exactly what she needed.

  CHAPTER Twenty-Two

  Oliver sat in the tiny swivel chair and wanted to bang his head on the desk. Now Mia was dating some greasy kid? Talk about a bad rebound. He did not need this on top of the day he’d had.

  Earlier, he’d tried for the hundredth time to call his mother. He needed to speak with her. He hadn’t been able to apologize or explain the launch party. If he could do that, he knew she’d understand.

  But when he’d called, this time it was his father who’d answered instead of the staff and refused to let him speak to her. Told him he’d “done enough damage.” Asshole.

  What had his father been doing home anyway? He hadn’t taken a weekday off in years.

  Unable to concentrate on anything else, Oliver had slipped out of the office, asking his secretary to cover if his boss came looking for him. The fresh air had elevated his mood, and knowing he’d be seeing Mia helped, too. He’d hoped to talk to her, start trying to make things right, as Bryn had encouraged. Bryn knew her friend, obviously, and if she had encouraged him to woo Mia, she must still have feelings for him.

  But now she’d made plans with some kid. The thought of her with another guy made his stomach churn. Maybe it’s the same way she felt when she’d found out he was engaged. God, this was a mess.

  MIA WENT home and showered. She pulled out a dusty shoe box filled with ancient nail polish. Hell, she still had the periwinkle blue Bryn had insisted her bridesmaids wear the day of her wedding, and that was more than a decade ago.

  Mia picked out a pretty pink and painted her toenails and fingernails. Not a fantastic job, but it would do. She then moved on to her legs, shaving every square inch and applying a scented lotion to her entire body. After rolling her hair in hot rollers, she stepped into the black lace panties she was supposed to wear for her big date with Oliver. His loss was someone else’s gain.

  Oh, wait. Was someone else going to see her in her underwear that night?

  Makeup on, hair wavy and fluffed, low-cut shirt showing off cleavage she rarely let anyone see, Mia was out the door and on her way to Applebee’s. It had been a long time since she’d made herself up like that. And yeah, it was just for Kyle, who would be working, but a girl needed to get pretty and be flirted with once in a while.

  And who knows, maybe backseat sex was actually hot. Maybe she’d find out that night.

  She specifically parked her car in a dimly lit area in the parking lot. Am I seriously considering this? The thong up her butt crack and the bumped-out cleavage said yes.

  Mia walked into the restaurant, and when the hostess asked how many, she replied, “A seat at the bar, please.”

  Mia sat and spotted Kyle across the bar filling a draft beer. He glanced sideways at her then did a double take. His eyebrows rose and his smile, too. He overfilled the glass, beer spilling all over the place. Mia giggled as she heard the hushed “fuck” from ten feet away.

  After handing over the beer to a guy a
nd presumably his wife, out for their scheduled date night, he strolled toward Mia, crooked smile. Why was her heart beating faster and her hands suddenly sweaty?

  “Hey. I knew you’d show.”

  “Oh, did you?” she purred.

  His gaze dropped. “Nice tits.”

  “Thanks. So where’s my special drink?”

  “Coming right up.”

  He left and Mia watched him throw a bunch of stuff into a shaker cup, at least three different liquors and two kinds of juice. Then some white powder. God, I hope this is legal.

  “Wah-lah,” Kyle said and presented her with a fruity-looking beverage. “I call it The Panty Dropper.”

  Mia couldn’t control her burst of laughter. “Really? And what’s in this beverage that is supposed to make me drop my unmentionables for you?”

  “Secret. Can’t tell ya.” He leaned on the bar, his face only inches from hers. Damn he smelled good.

  “Well, can you at least tell me what that powder was? A girl has a right to know if she’s being drugged or not.”

  “None of that. Never messed with the shit. It’s just some powdered sugar for extra sweetness.”

  Mia put the straw to her lips and sipped, her gaze locked on his. “Mmm. Tasty. I know you put alcohol in this, but I can’t taste it.”

  “That’s the point. Hence, the name. You just keep drinking ’em and next thing you know, panties on the floor.”

  Instead of appalling her, as it would have normal Mia, the comment made her giggle. And she’d only had one sip. Couldn’t blame the liquor yet. And her thighs were already aching, a throb between them. Yeah. Kyle was exactly what she needed. No crappy chick flick and package of Double Stuf Oreos would satisfy what she craved.

  “What time do you finish up tonight?” she asked, and sipped again.

  “Not till midnight.”

  No way could she wait three more hours. “You get a break?”

  “Fuck yeah. Now?”

  Mia’s heart pumped furiously in her rib cage. If she said no it would probably pop out and strangle her with one of her own arteries. “My car’s out back.”

  “Let me punch out and I’ll meet you there.”

  Sucking down half her drink, she watched him turn and untie the black apron around his waist. Damn, he had a fine ass.

  Mia trotted to her car. Should she get naked, or let him undress her? It would take too much time to have him do it. And it might be difficult in her car. Why hadn’t she thought to wear a skirt instead of skinny jeans and boots? That would have been much smarter.

  She slid into the backseat and quickly unzipped her boots, throwing them into the front seat. Managing to shimmy out of her jeans, she tossed those, too. The back door of the restaurant opened and Kyle stepped out, looking around for her silver car. He spotted her and Mia quickly pulled her ruffled tank over her head and fluffed her hair, lounging as provocatively as one could in the backseat of a midsize sedan.

  “What took you so long?” she asked when he opened the door.

  “Fuck, you’re hot.” He dove in, barely closing the door before his lips were on hers.

  Oh my God! Mia was pretty sure all her lipstick and the makeup within a two-inch border of her lips had been slurped off. How could someone so sexy and so suave be such a bad kisser? And how did all those desperate moms think this was good?

  Mia knew what a good kiss felt like. Oliver. The way his tongue slid effortlessly inside her mouth, playful, soft plump lips that nibbled at hers before pressing hard, urgency behind them. The heat of those lips on her neck, her breasts, singeing her skin in the most pleasurable way.

  She’d been pushing thoughts of his kisses—and thoughts of other things—from her brain all week, ever since Bryn had brought up the conversation she’d had with him. And her encouraging Mia to forgive him. Add in the jealousy he’d shown that afternoon. Mia tried not to care, but obviously it was out of her control.

  Kyle moved to her neck, slobbering on her like a Saint Bernard. The night had officially been ruined. So much for forgetting Oliver and enjoying herself with some fun and flirting. And with this slopfest, Mia had lost all sexual attraction for Kyle. She needed a way to end this little tryst immediately.

  She tapped his shoulder. “Kyle?”

  “Yeah?” he replied between suckles of her ear lobe. It was completely drenched.

  “I’m sorry, but I changed my mind. About . . . this.”

  He popped up to meet her gaze. “Seriously? Did I do something wrong?”

  She couldn’t tell him the truth. Not the part about him being a bad kisser. Or the fact that she’d been thinking about someone else while the horrid kissing was going on. Not with those sad eyes staring at her again. “I’m just tired all of a sudden.”

  “Oh. Okay.” He pulled back and sat up. “I’m so hard though. You’re really fucking sexy. And you smell awesome.”

  “Thanks.” Mia’s cheeks warmed a smidgen. His compliments still felt nice.

  “I can’t go back to work like this.” He smiled and raised an eyebrow at her.

  “Uh. No.” She laughed and reached for her shirt. “You’re gonna have to take care of that the same way you did last time.”

  “Aw, man. Seriously?”

  “Sorry.”

  “You want me to jerk off right here in your car?”

  “Not really.” Mia grabbed her jeans and shimmied into them. “But I guess I kinda owe you. Leaving you with blue balls and all. Again.” She grabbed her shirt and the box of tissues from the front and handed them over. “I’ll wait outside.”

  MIA HUGGED Kyle good-bye and got back into her car, waving as she pulled out of the Applebee’s parking lot. He was a cute kid. He’d made her feel sexy when she’d needed it. But as she drove, nowhere near being tired like she’d told him, the pent-up sexual energy was still there. And all that did was make her think of Oliver.

  Damn him! And next thing she knew, she was in front of the shop. Three minutes later she was back in her car, and there was one less dildo on the shelf.

  Mia went straight to her bedroom before she could give any rational thought to what she was about to do. She stripped down to just her bra and hopped into bed, heart pounding. And yeah, a little excited. Okay, a lot excited.

  Resting her head back, bringing the pseudo-Oliver under the covers, she imagined she was somewhere other than her apartment. A tropical resort with a balcony overlooking the ocean and sunshine filling the room. That sounded nice.

  A warm breeze blew through the sliding screen door. Oliver’s dreamy blue eyes gazed at her as he kissed a trail through her breasts, stopping there for a few nibbles, then moved across her belly and kept on going. His luscious mouth dove between her thighs, peering up at her periodically, complete hunger staring back. Damn, that’s so freaking sexy!

  “You’re driving me crazy,” Mia said to him as a seagull cried outside their door, and pulled at his shoulders. She needed him back in her arms.

  But Oliver took both her hands and pinned them to the bed above her head, continuing his kisses on her neck. “I know.”

  His mouth crashed into hers like the waves outside their door and he let go of her hands. Mia wrapped her arms tight around his neck and devoured him, needing to be as close as possible. “Now . . . please . . . I need you,” she begged between kisses.

  “Uh-uh.” Oliver pulled away from her. “Not until I finish what I started.” He crawled back down and all it took for her to climax was a moment of suckling on her supersensitive bud. Up and over the crest of a smooth yet very steep roller coaster, her body pulsed with ecstasy, gripping his head to avoid bucking him away.

  Mia let her breathing return to some sort of normal before speaking. “That. Was. Amazing.”

  She realized she’d said it out loud, and not just in her little imaginary erotic fantasy. And she was still alone. Without Oliver. She took the rubber replica from under the covers and tossed it onto the floor. Nothing could compare with the real thing.

&nb
sp; Mia lay in bed, trying to sleep, trying to forget Oliver. But it wasn’t all that late. She really wasn’t tired. But she had no desire to do anything else.

  Knock knock. Who the hell was here this late? She threw on her robe and went to the door. Thank God for peepholes. On the other side was Kyle.

  “Why are you here?” she asked when she opened the door to him.

  “Work was dead so I left early. I need to talk to you.”

  He looked pretty upset. “Okay. Come in.”

  “Why did you stop? Really?” He wasted no time in saying what was on his mind.

  “I was tired.” Mia sat on the couch and Kyle sat next to her.

  “That’s a bullshit answer and you know it.”

  Might as well tell him the truth. But which version? One would devastate him by criticizing his kissing technique. The other would make Mia admit something she didn’t want to admit. “Look, I’m really sorry. But I—”

  “Just spit it out. I can handle it.”

  But could she? Oh hell. Just say it. “I couldn’t stop thinking about someone else.”

  “Oh. So it wasn’t me at all?”

  “Not really. When you kissed me, it just didn’t do anything. I think you’re incredibly sexy and have a killer body, but I just want to be your friend.”

  “Not even a friend with benefits?” The sly smile was back.

  Mia slapped his arm. “No!”

  “Okay. Just plain friends then.” He kicked off his sneakers and laid across her couch, his head on her lap. “What’s on the DVR?”

  MIA WOKE Saturday morning, almost noon. Kyle was in bed next to her, on his stomach with his leg on top of her. They were both completely clothed. Well, she was in pajamas and he was in boxer briefs, but their parts were all covered. They’d stayed up late the night before watching trashy TV and pigging out on licorice and tater tots. It was fun hanging out with Kyle. Effortless. Zero drama. And Mia sure needed that in her life.

  “Good morning, beautiful,” he said as he rolled to his back. “Sleep good?”