Hot Tango
Sidney Bristol
Good Guys Wear Black, Book 1
SWAT officer Cole Westling walks a fine line of control. If his wife knew exactly what he wanted to do to her, he’d lose the most precious thing in his life. Instead, he throws himself into work.
Tanya Westling did not leave her job as a globe-trotting humanitarian to spend her nights playing roller derby and sleeping alone. Armed with a few adult toys and a prayer, she challenges him to a sensual game that will strip away their ideas of what sex should be.
Cole’s surprised but it’s his dream come true. With each sexual encounter, the walls between them come crumbling down and each must face the truth of what their marriage has been and what it could be.
Inside Scoop: Contains an alpha hero who wants sex at all hours and a heroine who knows what she wants, just not the words to get it. Also depicts criminal activity, the strong arm of the law and a self-rescuing heroine.
A Romantica® contemporary erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave
Hot Tango
Sidney Bristol
Chapter One
Tanya gave the Velcro straps on her wrist guards an extra-hard yank. The ripping sound didn’t help soothe her irritation. She sighed and peeked out of the corner of her eye. Pandamonium, one of her fellow roller derby teammates, sucked face with her fiancé. They both wore her trademark panda hat, which only made it worse for some reason. They were so damn cute. At least they weren’t dressing the same. Yet.
Their public display of affection was disgusting and inappropriate and immature.
And everything her marriage lacked.
“Hot Tango. Earth to Hot Tango.” Goldie Fuckers snapped her fingers in front of Tanya’s face.
Tanya shook her head. Sometimes she forgot her name was Hot Tango. One of the hardest things for her to get used to when she started playing roller derby was all the monikers the girls went by, but after two years she should at least remember her own name.
“Sorry, spaced out. Did you say something?” She averted her gaze from the happy couple, stripped the last of her protective gear off and stowed it in the rolling suitcase she used for hauling it all around.
“I asked what you were doing tonight. Your husband going to be home?” Goldie sat down on the plastic seat next to Tanya. The blonde bombshell always managed to look perfect, even after a two-hour endurance practice with the whole Metro City Derby Dames league.
Tanya’s throat constricted and she tasted bile. “Probably not.”
The prospect of the huge, empty home all to herself wasn’t something she looked forward to. When she and Cole had built it, she’d envisioned a home full of life, the pitter-patter of little feet and a happy place to spend her weekends. How different reality was.
“Oh come on, Tango.” Mallory Bruiser slammed her skates into her bag. The dreadlocked captain of the travel team was the closest thing Tanya had to a best friend these days, and she took it on herself to be just as protective. Mallory leaned forward, one elbow on her knee, her other hand pointing at Tanya. “You have got to tell that husband of yours to spend at least one damn night at home.”
“It’s not like that,” Tanya protested without enthusiasm.
“The fuck it isn’t.” Mallory bound her long dreadlocks into a thick tail at her nape. Usually Tanya got a kick out of listening to Mallory talk. Her Australian accent was thick, flavoring each word.
Goldie put a hand on Tanya’s knee. “Tango, I hate to say it, and I’m no one who should give marriage advice, but you need to talk to him.”
Tanya glanced around the rink. Most of the derby girls had left to catch a speed skating class across town. Those left were waiting for the open Saturday afternoon skate to start or were leaving for other weekend activities. It gave her the small amount of privacy she needed for this conversation.
The problem was multifaceted. A simple chat wasn’t going to fix things. They had years of habit to break and, late at night when Cole was working, Tanya wondered if he would be open to adjustments or if he wanted a life without her. It was the cold reality she’d been circling for a few months, with no answer in sight.
She took a deep breath, gathering her courage to say the things in her mind. “I can’t tell him I resent his job, and it’s not really the job as much as it is everything else. I don’t feel like he wants to be around me. And even if it is because of the job, I can’t say anything about that. He’s never, in the thirteen years we’ve been married, said anything about how much I was gone with One World. He loves what he does, and I get the why of it. I’m just, I don’t know, not adjusting well to being around all the time and dealing with the day-to-day stuff, I guess.”
Goldie’s brow creased and pain flashed in her gaze before she shoved it aside and focused on Tanya. “Honey, take it from me, someone who has screwed up her marriage irreparably. Not talking about it creates even more problems. And sometimes you can’t come back from them.”
Tanya chewed her bottom lip. Everyone knew Goldie’s husband had moved out of their mansion, leaving her with no explanation, six-year-old twins and a weekly allowance. Goldie had fallen into roller derby and found a family to support her emotionally, much like Tanya had.
“I have talked to Cole. Talking doesn’t get through to him.” Tanya shoved her hands through her hair and slouched in the chair. Her thighs stuck to the plastic and her muscles ached after the brutal practice.
“So don’t talk. Do something.” One side of Mallory’s mouth hitched up. “I’ve got an idea. Get your gear.”
Mallory pushed to her feet and hefted her duffel bag under her arm. The straps had broken and she’d refused to replace the bag out of a superstitious belief in not messing with mid-season luck. The Metro City Derby Dames travel team was on a winning streak they hoped would take them straight to the Western Championship and maybe even Nationals.
The prospect of going home to an empty house didn’t appeal to Tanya so she grabbed her suitcase and followed the two senior derby girls out into the parking lot. The sun was brutal after the dim skate rink lights and they all paused to fish out oversized sunglasses from purses and bags.
“Do I want to know what you’re thinking?” Goldie asked.
Mallory grinned and dimples creased her cheeks. “Maybe. Hey, can I stow my bag in your car? This place is really close by.”
Goldie sighed dramatically and clicked the key fob to unlock her sporty hatchback. “Sure.”
Tanya had to walk halfway across the parking lot to where she’d parked her hybrid. The other girls gave her grief about the car. She always parked off to the side, by herself, so it wouldn’t get scratched or dinged. The car wasn’t just eco-friendly, it was a business vehicle and she needed to keep it as nice as possible to portray her business self.
After resigning from One World, a humanitarian organization that focused on preserving the planet, Tanya had gone into business for herself. Her degree in engineering and experience with green practices made her a unique consultant to large corporations that wanted to decrease their carbon footprint. Over the last year she’d also branched out into helping organize cleanup efforts in large-scale disasters. She loved what she did professionally, but the extent to which she had to display a buttoned-up, tidy persona killed her.
Deep down, she was a rough-and-tumble girl with a tattoo and bruises to prove it. Roller derby gave her an outlet to be herself. It empowered her as a woman and kept her physically fit. Hell, she was probably in better condition now thanks to endurance and speed skating than she ever was hauling around trees and sod.
Tanya stowed her gear in the trunk and grabbed the odor-diffusing spray she kept on hand for post-practice use. After liberally spritzing the bag, she closed the trunk and returned to where her friend
s waited for her under an awning for an antique store.
The rink was located just outside a trendy square surrounded by many artsy shops and a small park complete with an area for food trucks. It was a popular area for foot traffic, the occasional street fair and farmer’s market if you wanted to get up early on a weekend.
“Done yet, Green Girl?” Mallory took a long pull on her cigarette and expelled a cloud of smoke in the opposite direction.
“Yeah. Where we going?” Tanya frowned but held her tongue. Everyone was aware Tanya owned an eco-friendly consulting company. In hindsight, she should have chosen Green Girl or something similar for her derby name, but she’d been so proud of Cole’s promotion to a sergeant on Metro City SWAT. Hot Tango was a nod to him, though she could count on one hand how many times he’d come to watch her play. He’d never made it through a single bout without getting a call for some emergency or another. She wasn’t really bitter, just enjoying a momentary pity party.
“Just down the street,” Mallory replied and set off away from the rink.
People out for a Saturday stroll stared at them. Three derby girls outfitted in knee-high socks, super-short athletic shorts and tank tops stuck out amidst the chic crowd.
“Did you guys watch the opening ceremonies?” Goldie asked. The Summer Olympics were in Metro City this year.
“Nah, I’m not really into them.” Mallory shrugged and checked her reflection in a shop window. She paused and adjusted her dreadlock ponytail.
“I did. The superhero theme was neat.” Tanya had also watched on the off chance that she’d see Cole decked out in his uniform working the event. The idea that she’d get to see him in action was kind of cool. It wasn’t as though she could drop by his office at the station and not be in the way. She’d gone by a few times to drop off a meal or when Cole forgot something and it was always a madhouse of activity. It would drive her crazy, but he thrived there.
“I thought about taking the boys to something but the tickets are so expensive.” Goldie wrinkled her nose.
“Yeah, I’d like to go. It just depends when Cole’s not on duty,” Tanya said.
“What have the Olympics done to your husband’s schedule?” Goldie asked.
“Oh, he just does crowd control kind of stuff, mostly at the Olympic Village. Now that the training days for all the officers in from out of town are over, it’s supposed to be pretty boring for him. Just a lot more hours than normal.” His job was more specific than that, but she didn’t feel as though it was the time to talk about the nitty-gritty details.
“Mallory…” Goldie drew the other woman’s name out in a singsong way.
Tanya glanced at Goldie. Her chin was tipped up and she was staring. Tanya followed Goldie’s gaze to a sign that had a sparkling gold robe behind the word Honey. Tanya pushed her sunglasses up on her forehead and studied at the storefront.
Another robe in a golden hue hung over a simple silk gown on a wire dress form. Golden fabric billowed around the display. Panties, slippers and a few feathered items were tucked into the material as if they were brightly colored Easter eggs.
“You want to take me lingerie shopping?” Tanya’s hope tanked. Cole couldn’t care less what she was wearing. A drawer full of pretty, frilly things she never wore was testament to that failed trial.
“Not just lingerie, doofus. Come on.” Mallory pulled the door open and stepped over the threshold.
Goldie shrugged and followed their team captain. Mallory had led them to weirder places. A voodoo shop in Dallas, a drag queen boutique in San Francisco and a cigar shop in Charlotte. Honey wasn’t the strangest. Tanya brought up the rear and closed the antique wooden door behind her.
The interior of the shop was pastel pink, cream and gold, which seemed to be its hallmark. A circular rack of silk gowns in a variety of colors and lace trims stood in the forefront. On the walls were more lingerie displays, some with rhinestones, others with feathers or beads. It was all classy, beautiful and probably super expensive. Tanya couldn’t justify buying another pretty thing that would never be appreciated.
“Hello, welcome to Honey.” A woman in a well-tailored pencil skirt and wrap top all in beige emerged through the racks. She smiled at them despite their sweaty and less than sophisticated appearance. “Can I help you ladies find anything?”
Mallory threw an arm around the woman’s shoulders as if they were old pals and turned to face Tanya. “My friend here needs to get her live-in dick’s attention.”
Tanya’s cheeks heated. “He’s my husband.”
The salesperson merely nodded, her smile never faltering. “I’m sure we have something here that he might like. I’m Clarissa, and Lea is in the back of the shop.” Clarissa gestured toward the rack of lingerie. “These are just in.”
Tanya shook her head, frustration rising. Why was she here? She could be at home in her refurbished bamboo kitchen cooking a lunch for one. “Fancy underwear does nothing for him.”
“It’s not always about him.” The words fell from Clarissa’s lips as if she were spouting some proverb to be committed to memory. The perfect façade broke and she winked at Tanya. “But getting him involved is important. Let’s go back here and look around at some other options.”
“Do you have any vibrators?” Goldie asked as they began walking past the racks of shapewear, bras and panty sets.
Clarissa glanced over her shoulder, a Cheshire cat grin on her face. “Do you have a color preference?”
Goldie tipped her head back and clapped. “Show me now.”
Clarissa led them to a display in the very back of the store to the left of the register. Glass shelves were lit from above and below to highlight every item.
“Holy shit.” Tanya openly gaped at what had to be fifty different kinds of vibrating objects—penis-, butterfly-, wand- or otherwise-shaped.
“I have made it to the Promised Land,” Goldie said in an almost reverent voice.
“Do you have a style preference? Insertable, exterior or a couple model?” Clarissa approached the shelf nearest the register area. The vibrators on that section were all a shade of gold. “These are our Honey line of products. They are specially geared with the woman’s ultimate pleasure in mind.”
Goldie practically squealed and threw herself at the woman.
Was that what Tanya had to look forward to? Her very own battery operated boyfriend she snuck out whenever Cole wasn’t home? She’d never needed a vibrator. Cole had been her first and only. They’d met in high school and never split. Not even once. The idea of sticking anything else in her pussy felt like cheating.
“I got the Honey strap-on a few weeks ago. My girlfriend loves it,” Mallory joined in.
And that was Tanya’s cue to go look at something else.
Mallory and Aaliyah’s relationship didn’t bother Tanya in the slightest, but hearing about their sex life was a line in the sand. Tanya didn’t even talk about her sex life with people. It was private.
The store was a long T-shaped space, with the front taken up by clothing and the left by vibrators. Tanya wandered to the other side, leaving Goldie, Mallory and Clarissa to compare dildo notes.
There weren’t any lingerie or vibrators on display here. Instead the shelves were full of other novelty items, the likes of which her high school friends had given her at her bachelorette party and they’d snickered over. Feather ticklers, blindfolds, fuzzy handcuffs. She seriously doubted Cole would ever entertain the idea of bringing any of the items into their bedroom. She loved the man but he was incredibly straitlaced at times.
She sighed and finished touring the section, only to be stopped by a bookshelf. One half seemed geared toward self-help-style female encouragement, counseling and sex education, while the other held fiction titles. She recognized more than a few.
Tanya skimmed over the selection, spying a few she owned, like Jaid Black and Eden Bradley. She bent to run her finger over the books on the bottom shelf. There was a new one by Joey W. Hill she really wante
d but hadn’t picked up yet. Despite the more eco-friendly digital ereaders, she liked a paperback every now and then, and for one of her favorite authors she’d prefer it.
“Finding everything all right?”
Tanya suppressed the urge to groan and glanced up at a woman with dark-rimmed glasses, straight black hair and beautiful brown skin. Unlike her coworker, Lea wore an off-the-shoulder striped t-shirt and jeans. It made her appear more approachable and Tanya found herself relaxing a little.
“Just looking for a book.”
“Do you know the title or author?”
“It’s Joey Hill’s latest.”
Lea nodded. “Ah, yes. We had five in and they sold immediately. The boss ordered more which should be in later this week. Want me to take your name and hold one for you?”
“That would be great.” Tanya wouldn’t admit it out loud, but it would be easier to buy the book here without feeling like she had to hide it under something so no one saw what she was getting. It was a cowardly thing to do, and she’d keep doing it while drooling over the cover in private.
Lea led her back to the counter and took her name and phone number.
“Can I help you with anything else today?”
Tanya sighed and shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
Mallory, Goldie and Clarissa were at a table with several vibrating boxes between them, their heads bent together in deep discussion. Tanya watched as Clarissa took one of the penis-shaped ones and placed it against her nose.
What the heck?
Lea laughed. “It’s how you test the strength of the vibration.”
Tanya gaped at the woman. “Did I say that out loud?”
“Afraid so.” Lea leaned against the counter and propped her chin up, grinning at her. “Are you guys out for a run or something?”
“No, we’re part of the local roller derby league. We practice on Saturday mornings down at the rink on the corner.”
“Get out,” Lea gasped. “Like full contact, hit each other?”
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