Sultry at 30 (Love Without Batteries) Page 2

  “Me too!” Brook agreed. “For a minute, I thought she was walking toward the hot guy at the counter.”

  “Hot guy?” I asked, looking toward the counter where only the cashier remained.

  “He left while you were enjoying an intimate moment with the glowing green sex goblin,” Brook replied.

  “Damn!” Chelsea complained. “I wish I’d seen him. I could have made Delaney go over and talk to him.”

  “Even you can’t think it’s a good idea to pick up a guy at a sex shop,” I told her. “Do you know what kinds of people frequent these places?”

  “People like us?” Brook suggested.

  “Not all perverts are as awesome as us,” I argued.

  “So, is he the one?” Brook asked, gesturing to the vibrator.

  “Yes,” I replied decisively. “I’ll get him.”

  Twenty minutes later, I walked out of the store empty-handed. It was really depressing to leave without my new friend, but there hadn’t been any in stock. It would be two weeks before my new vibrator arrived.

  We’d stopped for lunch before shopping and my friends both had plans later that day, so I said my goodbyes and prepared to head home. Standing beside my car, I let out a sigh. I was a fraud. I wrote exciting stories filled with hot sex, but I’d never had anything beyond lukewarm sex. While I could talk a good game with my friends, the only adventures I’d ever had were in the pages of my books.

  “I need chocolate,” I said to myself before checking my purse to make sure I had my tablet. I would take a little time to indulge in a decadent dessert and a good book.

  There was a little café just down the street. I’d passed it several times but never entered, so I figured I’d give it a try. As soon as I opened the door, the scent of fresh baked pastries surrounded me. My eyes went to the display case at the front. I’d definitely need to add an extra run day to my weekly schedule if their desserts were even half as good as they looked. I practically moaned in anticipation until I noticed how busy the place was. There were no free tables. With a sigh, I decided I’d just have to enjoy my dessert at home—sadly ruining my fantasy of dessert and a good book in a small café. Still, I would have my dessert! After viewing the oasis of sweets, there was no way I could leave without at least one. Since I was being forced to wait until I got home, I deserved two.

  “Excuse me.”

  Those words were spoken in just the right timbre to feel like a caress. That voice held the promise of tangled sheets and sweaty bodies entwined. I imagined the man speaking was powerful, dominant, and darkly handsome. I was almost afraid to turn around and have reality ruin my fantasy.

  When I said nothing, he cleared his throat to get my attention.

  Figuring I must be blocking his way, I looked over at him and smiled. Holy sex god! He definitely matched his voice. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to block the door. I was just a little dumbstruck by the dessert selection.” Those desserts were no longer the only thing I’d be fantasizing about.

  I was really proud of myself for not saying anything embarrassing to the sex god. He wasn’t overly tall, probably only around five feet ten inches with a hint of stubble on his square jaw. His lips were full—the kind of lips most women dreamed of having. Thick lashes framed light brown eyes. His dark brown hair was a little on the messy side and in need of a trim, tempting me to run my fingers through it.

  When he smiled, I suddenly had a whole new understanding of the phrase panty dropping grin. I was worried mine might fall to the floor. “I was going to ask if you’d like to share my table since it’s so crowded.”

  My mouth opened to tell him no because that’s what I’d been doing for a very long time. I’d told my friends I would give the next guy to come on to me a chance. One could argue he was just being polite, but I noticed the way his eyes kept moving to my mouth. I’m a writer, so I’m used to watching people. It had been so long since I’d paid attention to any potential interest in me that I still questioned myself. In the end, I decided this was exactly what I needed. I needed a hot guy to flirt with. My friends would also be really annoyed with me if I didn’t at least sit with him. I could do this. I could be brave like the characters in my books.

  “That would be great. Thank you,” I said with a smile.

  His grin widened as he motioned me toward his table in the corner. When we got to the table, he rushed to pull my chair out.

  “My name’s Sebastian,” he began when he took his seat. “Since you’re having dinner with me, we should at least know each other’s names. You are my dinner date, after all.”

  “I’m Delaney.” Looking across at his half-eaten club sandwich and fries, I raised an eyebrow. “It’s seems you started without me.”

  “It’s not my fault you were late,” he pointed out as if we were on a real date.

  “Fashionably late,” I insisted, playing along. “I’ll forgive you for starting without me if you can get me something from the dessert counter in the next five minutes.”

  “Well, Delaney,” he began, his voice dropping, “I’m sure I can get you some dessert, but I need you to play along. Can you do that for me?”

  “I’m pretty sure you could talk me into just about anything,” I assured him in a breathy, flirty voice.

  His eyes darkened. “You are a very dangerous woman.”

  I laughed at his words. “Only in my imagination.”

  “I don’t think you give yourself enough credit,” he insisted before his gaze shifted to the waitress heading our way.

  “Can I get you anything?” she asked me.

  Sebastian answered for me. “Please tell me you can get my wife something sweet in the next five minutes. I really messed up and started eating without her. She’s in a mood because her wedding ring fell down the sink drain this morning and she can’t get it out. If she doesn’t get something sweet in her soon, I’ll end up sleeping on the couch tonight. I need you to save me.”

  The young waitress smiled warmly and put her hand on my shoulder. “I know just how that can be. What you need is our cinnamon cake and a slice of tuxedo cake to take home with you, just in case one dessert doesn’t perk you up.”

  “Those suggestions sound wonderful,” I told her. “Can I also get a cup of coffee?”

  “Absolutely,” the waitress assured me.

  When she walked away, I wasn’t sure if I should praise Sebastian for getting me cake and a place to sit or scold him for lying. I decided to go with praise because it was cake. “You are my hero, Sebastian.”

  “I’m glad I could be of service,” he replied. “I have to be upfront about something before we go any further.”

  “What’s that?” I asked.

  “I was in the sex shop while you were there,” he admitted sheepishly. “I wanted to talk to you there, but I didn’t want to come across as some kind of pervert.”

  “It was smart to avoid approaching me there,” I agreed. “I’m not sure approaching me after the sex shop is much better. If asked, I’d probably say we met at a sex shop. Still, you are getting cake for me.” That’s when I realized who he was and blurted out, “You’re the hot guy from the counter!”

  When he looked confused, I continued. “My friend saw you at the checkout counter.”

  “Did she see what I was buying?” he asked, a slight blush staining his cheeks.

  “What were you buying?” I asked, dying to know what he was so embarrassed about. It’s hard to get too embarrassed when talking to someone you essentially met at a sex shop. That was definitely how I was going to retell this story later. “Did you get some kinky bondage toys?” When he shook his head, I continued. “Cock rings?”

  “I was picking up supplies for a bachelorette party my sister is throwing,” he admitted.

  “Meaning you were buying a bunch of penis stuff,” I concluded. “I considered getting the straws when my parents were visiting one time.”

  Sebastian chuckled. “That would have been an interesting visit.”

  “M
aybe next time,” I added, not mentioning how unlikely it was my parents would stay with me again. Since my mom’s sister lived in the area, they preferred staying with my aunt and uncle. It worked out well for us all. The last time my parents had stayed with me, my mom had gone into ultimate maternal mode and decided to clean and do my laundry while I was out for a few hours. My poor mother had been mortified when she’d mistaken my unused toy drawer for my underwear drawer. It had been two years, and she still brought it up during nearly every call.

  The waitress was already heading back with my cake and a coffee pot.

  “Here you go,” she said as she set my cake in front of me and filled my cup.

  “Thank you,” I told her with a genuine smile. This cake was going to save my fake marriage with Sebastian. It was a little weird that he’d seen me in the sex shop first, but he wasn’t acting like a pervert, and he didn’t have to confess to seeing me there. It was also somewhat endearing that he’d been shopping as a favor for his sister.

  Before continuing my conversation with Sebastian, I bit into my cinnamon cake and moaned. It wasn’t overly sweet, but the cinnamon flavor was just strong enough. Unlike many places, the cake wasn’t dry and the creamy frosting had just a hint of cinnamon. “For this cake, I think I can forgive you for starting dinner without me.”

  Sebastian’s lips twitched. “I’ve never seen anyone enjoy a piece of cake that much.”

  “This cake is divine,” I told him, taking another bite and moaning.

  “Tell me the truth, Delaney,” he began. “Do you always take such sensual delight in things?”

  I suddenly felt trapped by his intense gaze, unable to look away. His full lips were curled into a hint of a smile as he regarded me, leaving me a little breathless. I’d definitely caught him checking me out earlier, but I couldn’t completely read him now. Rather than sitting there trying to guess what his intentions were, I decided to just ask. “Are you flirting with me?”

  His lips twitched. “I’m definitely flirting with you.”

  “Is it that innocent kind of flirting people do?” I asked.

  “What do you mean by innocent flirting?”

  “The kind that doesn’t mean anything,” I explained. “Are you just flirting because you like to flirt, or are you honestly trying to get into my panties?” The words sounded far too blunt, but it was too late to take them back. Subtle and coy, were words one would never use to describe me. I had a tendency to just say whatever came to mind.

  His strangled laugh turned into a cough. “You really don’t hold anything back, do you?”

  “No,” I admitted with no shame. “I embarrass my friends all the time. I even embarrass myself at times. So, is the flirting innocent?”

  “The flirting can be as innocent as you’d like it to be,” he replied.

  “That’s not much of an answer,” I complained.

  His voice took on a dark, seductive quality when he spoke again. A voice like that would have the heroine in one of my books shuddering with need. “I would love to talk you out of your panties.”

  My mouth opened, but no words came out. This wasn’t the first time a guy had hit on me in the last decade, but it was the first time I’d been tempted. Who the hell was I kidding? I was well beyond tempted. I was already thinking about taking a complete stranger home with me. This was the first time I’d ever considered having a one-night stand. It made me feel dirty and giddy at the same time. My encounter with Sebastian was the type of adventure a character in one of my books would have—the type of adventure I wanted to experience at least once.

  “It doesn’t have to be innocent,” I finally replied before admitting, “I don’t want it to be innocent.”

  Chapter Four

  Sebastian

  Delaney’s answer genuinely surprised me. I’d heard her say she wasn’t ready to date after the end of her relationship with Justin. It was hard to get back out there after a breakup, so I figured she’d shoot me down. It was refreshing to have her just ask me my intentions rather than wondering. She was blunt, and I suspected she wouldn’t be the type to play childish games. So far, I really liked what I’d seen of Delaney and hoped to see a lot more of her.

  “That wasn’t the answer I expected,” I admitted. “When I mentioned wanting to talk you out of your panties, I was worried, I’d gone too far.”

  “I surprised myself with my answer,” she told me before taking another bite of her cake.

  “Are you just saying this so I’ll buy you more cake?” I teased.

  “There is very little I wouldn’t do for more of this cake,” she replied.

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” I murmured. “It’s crazy, but with any other woman, I’d think you were intentionally trying to tease me, but you don’t seem to realize you’re doing it.”

  “I suppose you could call it an occupational hazard,” she mused.

  “What exactly is your occupation?” I asked, intrigued by her response.

  “I’m a writer,” she replied.

  “Really?” I asked. That sounded like an interesting job. “What do you write?”

  “Erotica,” she replied, a pretty blush staining her cheeks. “My more recent stuff has been more along the lines of erotic romance.”

  “What’s the difference between the two?” I asked.

  “My erotica all has some romance, but the story could exist without it,” she explained. “It’s more about the sex. With erotic romance, the story can’t exist without the sex, but the romance is the main focus of the story.”

  “Why the recent change?” I asked.

  “My closest friends found the loves of their lives,” she began. “It seems to have inspired me to write more about love. Mostly, I’ve written erotica.”

  “That is an interesting career choice,” I remarked. “How did you end up writing erotica?”

  She flashed me a naughty grin. “I like thinking about sex and naked guys.”

  There was no containing my laughter. She’d definitely shocked me with that response. “You are something else, Delaney. You don’t hold anything back.”

  “Most would say my internal filter is broken,” she explained. “Since I’m used to writing about sex, I sometimes forget the world doesn’t want to know my thoughts on sex all the time. You wouldn’t believe the stuff I’ve asked my friends to share about their boyfriends.”

  “I heard a little of it at the sex shop,” I confessed.

  “You were listening to my conversation?” she asked. Her eyes narrowed and her lips pressed together in a disapproving line.

  “Sorry,” I said with a sheepish grin.

  She laughed at my apology, which was when I realized she was fucking with me. “Are you seriously apologizing for sex shop etiquette? We were talking loudly in a public place. I’m sure you aren’t the only pervert who heard what we said.”

  “Hey!” I protested. “What makes you think I’m a pervert?”

  “The fact that you were in a sex shop alone, listening in on conversations,” she replied. “You were standing there, fondling your penis cake pan while you listened to me and my friends talk about sex. How do I know this bachelorette party isn’t just a ruse for your secret obsession with penis straws?”

  “You caught me,” I said with a loud sigh. “I go to that store every week to spy on women while caressing the cock cake pan.”

  She laughed at my confession. Her whole face was alive and utterly captivating.

  “You are so incredibly beautiful,” I murmured. “I left that shop because I was worried I’d do something stupid like ask you out. When I got over here, I kept thinking about going back over and asking you out, even knowing I’d look like a pervert.”

  Her laughter died, and her green eyes widened. “I’m not sure how I would have reacted to you asking me out at the sex shop. It’s probably best you waited to approach me here. Does this mean you’re asking me out?”

  “Would you like to go out with me, Delaney?” I asked.

>   “Will there be cake involved?” she inquired sweetly.

  “Now that I’ve discovered cake is the way to your heart, there will definitely be cake involved,” I assured her.

  “Yes,” she replied.

  I grinned, deciding I’d do my nerdy victory dance later. This wasn’t the time to let Delaney know how geeky I truly was.

  “How much of my conversation with my friends did you hear?” she asked.

  “I know about your recent breakup,” I stated. “With that being said, I’d like to know up front if you’re just looking for a rebound guy.”

  “Rebound guy?” she asked, looking genuinely confused.

  “Are you only going out with me to help you deal with your breakup with Justin,” I clarified.

  “Are you saying you’ll only go out with me if I’m not using you to get over Justin?” she asked. The humor dancing in her eyes made me realize I was missing something.

  “I didn’t say that,” I began. “The reason I’m asking is so I know how hard I have to work to make you forget this guy.”

  “I think you may have missed some of the essential information about Justin,” Delaney told me.

  “I’m sure I did, but my concern is still valid,” I argued. “It sounded like you were with Justin for quite some time. Were you living together?”

  Delaney covered her face with her hands and groaned. She hadn’t seemed this embarrassed by any of the other topics of conversation, so I wondered why her ex was causing this reaction. “I can’t believe you heard us talking about Justin. We’re not quiet, but I never thought I’d have to worry about sitting in a café where anyone can overhear us.”

  “We don’t have to talk about this,” I assured her, deciding to not add to her embarrassment. I didn’t know what had happened between her and Justin, but it was clearly a touchy subject.

  “That’s good,” she said with obvious relief. “This is not the kind of thing I want to talk about when I first meet someone. You’re definitely not a rebound guy, and I promise to tell you all about Justin another time.”