I kiss him. He grips my hair, sucking on my lower lip before claiming my mouth. Yes! I so wanted this. Him. My hips instinctively shift against him, seeking friction. A rush of pleasure goes through me on contact.
Suddenly I’m airborne as he lifts me off him and sets me on the blanket.
Never piss off a frustrated virgin.
I narrow my eyes. “Do not even tell me this is how you seduce your hookups. You’re holding out on me, and I want to know why.”
He puts his hands on my shoulders in a bracing grip, his voice low. “We agreed to take it slow, a month minimum. Two months is even better.”
“No, it is not better. I want you. And I know you want me.”
He closes his eyes. “This is only day two. There’s no rush.”
I’m not remotely satisfied with that answer. Also, his hands on my shoulders are kinda holding me now, and I like it. “I think it’s important we keep going for intimacy compatibility. Otherwise, it could be awkward and not so good by the time we make it to bed.”
I’m flying by the seat of my pants here, throwing out what I hope sounds like a reasonable suggestion to keep this thing going. Yes, that’s me. Clueless but optimistic.
His fingers grip my shoulders tighter. “Intimacy compatibility? You can’t even say the word. This is why slow makes sense.”
Of course I can say it. It’s just new to me, but I’m open to it now. “Sexual compatibility. We need to know if we’re compatible sexually.”
His fingers slide over my shoulders in a caress, his gaze caught on my mouth. “I’m not worried about that.”
“Kiss me, touch me, do everything the way you do for your hookups. Like all you care about is tumbling into bed.” I so want to be that for him. The kind of woman you lust for so powerfully you just can’t wait for more.
He pulls me into a hug, his arms wrapping around me. “I’m treating you better than that.”
I want to smack him in pure frustration, but it feels wonderful to be held so close in his strong arms. Heat builds between our bodies. I know we’re compatible. I just want more. I lift my head, and the moment I do, he releases me, heading over to Tank.
He clips the leash to Tank’s harness. “Time for a walk.” Tank takes his time getting up and stretching.
I take the flower from behind my ear and roll it between my fingers. On Adam’s watch I’m going to die a virgin.
I’m beginning to suspect that’s his plan.
6
The next day is Monday, which is always my day off since The Horseman Inn is closed. I stop by Summerdale Sweets, Jenna’s shop, for a late breakfast. It’s around eleven, usually a quiet time of morning, which is good because I really need to talk to her.
I open the door, and the bell jingles above it. “Morning,” I call.
“Practically noon,” she says, handing over a box tied with string to a brunette woman in her thirties. “Thanks. Have a good day.”
I approach the counter, and my mouth waters as I look over the glass case of cupcakes, cookies, brownies, and various sweet layered bars. “I’ll take a carrot cupcake and a bottled water. That sounds like a healthy breakfast.”
Jenna smiles. “Absolutely.” She’s physically the opposite of me, tall and lean with blond hair that just brushes her shoulders. Her eyes are a pretty green. I’m dark-haired, short and curvy. Audrey’s like me, actually. We could pass as sisters.
I watch her get my breakfast in her cute white scoop-neck blouse and skinny jeans. “I still don’t know how you can bake all this delicious stuff and never gain weight.”
“Don’t hate me,” she says, putting the carrot cupcake on a small plate. “It’s my high metabolism. I can eat whatever I want.”
“Braggart.”
She hands over the cupcake and water, and I pay her.
A chime goes off, and she turns to answer the back door. A handsome delivery guy steps inside holding a large box. His teeth flash white against his dark skin, and you’d have to be dead to miss his spectacular body encased in a snug uniform of short-sleeved shirt and shorts.
“I got what you ordered, Jenna,” he says in a deep baritone voice full of innuendo.
Jenna puts a hand on her hip and responds, “You know where to put it.”
He chuckles low and turns to put the box in a back storeroom. The sparks flying between them are obvious from here. She follows him, standing in the doorway, chatting.
I can’t hear what she’s saying, but I bet it’s more flirty seduction. I so need to know her secrets.
She backs out of the doorway as he moves forward, a dance of sorts, where they’re close but not touching.
He gives her a sexy smile. “Until next time.”
She wiggles her fingers at him. The moment the door closes behind him, she turns and fans herself.
“What was that?” I ask. “Who was that?”
She grabs a bottled water, walks around the counter, and gestures for me to take a seat. There’s three small round tables at the front of the shop. Large windows with cute awnings offer a view of the downtown—the post office, a small grocery store, The Horseman Inn, and two churches at either end.
I take the table farthest from the door and peel the wrapper off my cupcake.
“That was Trey,” she says, unscrewing the cap of her water and taking a drink.
I take a bite of cupcake, the cream-cheese frosting melting in my mouth. I wait eagerly for the whole story, gesturing her on.
She sets her water down, a small smile on her lips. “We had a thing once. It’s over.”
“Just once? Why is it over? There’s so many sparks between you two.”
She shakes her head. “Any guy you sleep with will have sparks with you. Of course, I only sleep with guys I have sparks with, so maybe it’s a chicken and an egg thing.”
Huh?
She sighs. “He’s a great guy, but I told him up front it was a onetime thing, and he respects that. Now we just have this little flirty reminder. It’s fun.”
I take another bite of cupcake and chew. “Wouldn’t it be more fun to keep hooking up?”
She shudders. “That’s a slippery slope to a relationship. I only want casual. It’s better to meet different people, have lots of different experiences.”
“So you never want to settle down and get married?”
She grimaces. “Nope. It’s not for everyone.”
I know I want that one day, but first I need to get some experience like she said. I finish my cupcake off just as she says, “What’s new with you?”
I take a deep breath. I’ve been hanging with Jenna, Audrey, and Sydney for more than two months now. I think I can trust her with this. “I need some advice about a guy.”
She leans in. “Ooh, who is it? That hot chef?”
I shake my head. “The thing is, I need to know how to let a guy know it’s time to have sex.”
“Which guy?”
“I don’t want to say just yet, okay?” I sense Adam wouldn’t want people knowing he said he’d take my virginity. He’s a very private, reserved guy, and he’s already told me not to talk about sex stuff publicly. This doesn’t count though; we have the sisterhood code in play.
She sighs. “Fine, but I’m keeping an eye on you. I’ll figure it out.”
“If you do, keep it quiet, okay?”
She chews her lower lip thoughtfully. “I’m so intrigued. It’s not Drew, is it? I’ve seen you talk to him at the restaurant. Audrey has a thing for him, so it might be awkward.”
My eyes widen. How did I miss this? “She does? But I keep seeing her on dates from eLoveMatch at the restaurant.”
“First dates only. No one can live up to Drew.”
“Does he know?”
“If he doesn’t, he’s an idiot.” She nudges my arm. “Now what’s the situation with your guy? How long have you been seeing him?”
I neatly fold my cupcake wrapper, a little embarrassed at how little progress we’ve made together. “We’ve been o
n a couple of dates, and we only kissed once.” I risk a glance at her. She’s not laughing; instead she looks thoughtful.
“Did you like it?”
“Yes, but I need more. And it seems like the more I talk about moving to the bedroom, the less he wants to do anything.”
She squeezes my arm. “Oh, sweetie, you don’t need to talk a guy into sex. It’s so easy. You just stand close, touch him, and smile. He’ll get the message.”
“Is that what you did with Trey?”
“That’s what I do with all guys.”
“How do you touch him?”
Her brows shoot up. “How?”
“Yes. Is it a squeeze or a stroke? On his arm, hand, what?”
“Anywhere. Stroke his shoulder, bicep, hand, or you could just place your palm flat on his chest. That’s a good spot that always gets their attention.”
“Wow. Good to know. The sexy chest move.”
She leans in, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Haven’t you ever been with a guy? I thought you were engaged before.”
“Promise you won’t share this with anyone—”
“Oh my God, you’re a virgin!”
I close my eyes, my cheeks burning. Thank goodness we’re alone in the shop. “Yes. And I no longer want to be. I found a guy who says he’s willing to help me out—he knows the deal—but he’s being so slow about it.”
“You found a guy,” she echoes. “Is it Adam? I know you two hang out.”
I fight back a blush. “I really can’t say.”
She smiles knowingly. “Total sweetheart. He’s being kind, knowing you’re a virgin. You poor thing. You must have so much built-up tension.”
“Not exactly. I just want to see what all the fuss is about.”
She taps her finger against her lips. “My advice is to stop talking about it and just use your body to let him know you’re ready. Most importantly, touch him while holding eye contact. It’s pretty universal. All guys will respond to that.”
“Thanks, Jenna. I’m going to try that.”
She gives me a fist bump. “I can’t wait to hear how it turns out.”
The bell jingles as a young mom comes in with a baby on her hip.
“Back to work,” Jenna whispers. “Good luck!”
“Thanks.”
“Worst case, I’ve got a great app you can try for just this kind of situation,” she says over her shoulder. “I’ll text you the link.”
“Okay, thanks.” She means a hookup app, which I’m not keen on anymore. Not that I was ever seriously into it. I was just throwing out options when I first came up with the idea to lose my V-card. It has to be Adam. I just need to give him the message that I’m ready.
I leave with a bounce in my step. Jenna was the perfect person to talk to from my local friends. I’m close with my new sister-in-law, Sydney, too, and now that she’s back from her honeymoon, I could’ve talked to her about my problem, but I worry she’ll slip and say something to Wyatt. He’ll intervene, doing his overprotective big-brother thing. I don’t think Audrey would be all that helpful. How much seducing could she be doing when she tells every guy goodbye after the first date?
I decide to set my new seduction plan into motion when Adam’s done work tonight. I need to try out some of those subtler techniques Jenna told me about. Now that I think about it, of course words didn’t work on Adam. He’s a man of action, not words. This will be the third day in a row we see each other, but I’m not worried it’s too much because he’s the one who wanted to see me for a month first. Maybe I’ll wear him down in a week or so, and then we can get to the good part.
In the meantime, I’m going to window-shop over in Clover Park, about a half hour away. They have this fantastic Main Street I like to cruise.
I park my red Jeep in a small lot tucked on a side street and head to my favorite destination, Book It. The first time I visited Clover Park with Sydney, we went to Shane’s Scoops for hand-made ice cream. We met the owner, Shane, himself, a cheerful red-haired guy who gave us coupons to shop at Book It for ten percent off. His wife, Rachel, runs the bookshop. Now I’m a member of Book It’s frequent buyer club and get even more discounts.
Rachel’s behind the counter. She’s probably in her forties with glasses and dark brown hair that just brushes her shoulders. Her black T-shirt says Readers Rock. My kind of woman. She looks up, meeting my eyes with a smile. “Hi, Kayla, let me know if I can help you find anything.”
“Okay, thanks! Doing my usual browse.”
Just then two red-haired girls barrel through the door. They’re close in age, maybe thirteen or fourteen, and I wonder for a moment if they’re twins. But one girl has hazel eyes and the other blue, and they’re not quite the same height. They’re dressed casually in T-shirts and shorts.
“Mom, can we get money for pizza?” one asks.
“We’re starving!” the other says, nodding vigorously.
Rachel gestures them closer and kisses each of them on the forehead. “Hello, Abby, hello, Hannah, how was school today?”
“Hi, Mom,” they say in contrite unison. A subtle reminder of manners from Mom over here.
“School was fine. We’re hungry,” one says.
“I did my homework already,” the other says.
Rachel reaches for her purse and pulls out a twenty. “I want change, girls.”
“Thanks, Mom!” they chorus in unison and bolt out the door.
They remind me of me and my sisters. I should call them. I browse the front displays and make my way to the back to personal growth. Maybe a sex book would help. Then my eye catches on a very sexy display off to my left. A romance section with a large selection of Fierce trilogy books by Catherine Cliff—Fierce Longing, Fierce Craving, Fierce Loving. Well, I’m definitely experiencing fierce longing. They made movies out of the books too, starring Claire Jordan. Supposed to be pretty racy. Couldn’t hurt, right? And some of them have stickers that say autographed copy. Cool. I get the whole trilogy.
I go to the front counter, slightly embarrassed to be buying a pile of sexy books. I’ve never done this before. I usually read literary books, something Audrey and I have in common.
“Good choice,” Rachel says brightly. “The author is local, so we often get her books signed. You’ll love them.”
“It’s my first time reading a romance.”
“Oh, we have a great selection. If you like these, I can recommend more by her and other authors the next time you come in.”
And just like that, I’m not embarrassed in the least. This is great. I’m an openly sexual woman exploring my sexuality. Soon to actually have sex.
I smile and hand her my credit card. “Thanks so much.”
I pay and say goodbye, my eye catching on a toy store down the street. They have a large red wagon in the window with a plush teddy bear sitting in it. I know who would like that.
I drop my books off at my car and go down the block to the toy store. Even better, when I get to the wagon section, I find a wagon with an awning shade and a clip-on fan. Perfect.
I buy it on the spot and pull my car around behind the shop for one of the employees to help load it into my car.
Adam
Kayla texted earlier, telling me to let her know when I take Tank on his walk tonight. She’s really taking this dating for a month seriously, wanting to meet up with me every day. I hope she’s not going to bring up more sex talk. I’m happy to see her in public as much as she wants. That way there’s no risk. I like spending time with her, and the more I get to know her, the more time I want to spend with her. I’m being careful not to get too attached though. I’m just enjoying her company like friends who see each other every day.
Here I am in my usual spot at The Horseman Inn, ready to take Tank on his sunset walk. I take him out of the car and snap his leash on. Then I text her.
A few minutes later, she appears, popping out the front door, and holding up a finger for me to wait. I watch as she goes behind the restaurant. What
’s she up to? She reappears pulling a red plastic wagon with a white shade on top.
She smiles. “It’s for Tank. That way you don’t have to lug him back on his walks.” Tank goes right up to her, sniffing the pockets of her beige shorts. They’re not super short this time. His nose goes into her crotch, and she pushes him away with a laugh. “Yes, I’m still a girl.”
I tug Tank away and stare at the wagon. There’s a little fan attached to the awning support. She bought my dog a present with her measly waitress salary. She never takes money from her wealthy brother. She wants to earn it.
I clear my throat over an unexpected lump of emotion. “Thanks. You didn’t have to do that.”
“I know. I wanted to. I’ll go on the walk with you, and when he gets to the point where he decides he’s done walking, I’ll lure him in.”
She smiles, and a surge of affection goes through me. I fight the urge to hug her. It’s just such a sweet gesture to get Tank a present. I restrain myself. The less I touch her, the easier it is to keep my distance. I can’t let myself get too close. She’s my friend, who’s leaving soon. A really awesome, sweet, beautiful woman friend.
She pats her pocket. “I have bacon in a sandwich bag in my pocket for him.”
I realize with a start that I’m just standing here smiling like an idiot. I gesture for us to go on our walk. She fills me in on her day and how much she likes the shops over at Clover Park. She even shares that she’s started reading the Fierce trilogy.
I don’t comment on that, even though I know it’s a racy movie. I prefer not to talk about sex with Kayla. My main goal is to give her friendly dates and chaste kisses until she moves to wherever her new job takes her. I’m sure she’ll get a job offer soon. She’s brilliant. If I fail, cross a line that can’t be uncrossed, it’s not just Kayla who will end up hurt. She already means too much to me. It’ll be tough to say goodbye. Not to mention Wyatt will raise hell after he warned me away.
Tank does his usual flop down on the ground halfway back, refusing to walk any farther. Kayla leaps into action, holding a bit of bacon by his nose and leading him forward, dropping more bacon in the wagon. He falls for it. He’ll do anything for food. Kayla opens the hinged door on the wagon’s side, but Tank can’t fit. I lift him and set him down inside. He immediately wolfs down the bacon waiting there for him.
Dashing: A Friends to Lovers Romantic Comedy (Unleashed Romance, Book 2) Page 7