Taking Charge (Lone Star Burn #4)(40)



Lucy hugged Sarah back. Nothing had really changed, but she felt a hundred times lighter than she had a moment before. That’s what good friends do—they leave you feeling better than they found you. “Chicks before dicks?”

Sarah laughed. “That’s worse.”

Lucy turned and picked up a potato. “Fries before guys?”

“I’ve created a monster.”

“Would you mind if I steal this idea for my blog? I’ll ask if anyone can come up with something better. It might make a fun contest.”

Lightening the mood, Sarah returned to dicing vegetables. “I didn’t realize you have a blog now. What do you write about?”

Lucy’s cheeks flushed. “I just started the blog, but it’s doing better than I thought it would. I asked myself what would get me to try a new product. People tend to buy things they feel a personal connection to. My stories give them that connection.”

“I need to read this blog.”

“Oh no. It’s anonymous so I can be very honest about my experiences with the products,” Lucy said.

Sarah waved the knife in the air. “I won’t tell anyone it’s you. Come on, I write sex scenes. Nothing you put in your blog will shock me.”

Lucy brought her latest post up on her phone and handed it to Sarah. Sarah leaned over, holding the phone in one hand, and immediately started reading.

“Oh, wow.” She scrolled up, and spent the next few minutes skimming Lucy’s other posts. “Oh my God.” Finally, she put the phone down. Her eyes were round with surprise. “You really are selling sex toys.”

“I told you.”

Sarah glanced back down at the phone with a blush. “I pictured—well, nothing like this. So, let me get this straight, you strap something to your hand that you use on yourself while you’re reading and getting video phone calls, too? Do you have to answer the call? Seems like there is a lot going on there.”

Leave it to Sarah to look beyond the potential embarrassing aspects of the exchange and give the content serious consideration. Now that Sarah brought it up, the complexity of multitasking while trying to orgasm had been a little frustrating, but Lucy had thought it was just her. “What would you suggest?”

Sarah reread the post calmly as if it weren’t an intimate retelling of Lucy’s encounter with the toy. “You definitely want an option of text to speech, and it has to be with a sexy voice. Also, I hope the app allows you to not receive phone calls. I’m imagining what a mood killer it would be for Tony if we’re using this and hot guys start calling me.”

“This is perfect, Sarah. Why didn’t I think of any of this?”

“Because you’re looking at these toys like a single woman. You test-drove everything alone. To increase your customer base, you should write about how couples interact with them.” She smiled. “I’m sure David would love to help you. You should ask him.”

Lucy had been typing furiously, but stopped as Sarah’s suggestion sunk in. “I could never do that.”

“Why not? What a great way to find out if you’re compatible.”

Lucy swallowed hard. “What would I say? ‘Uh, David, yes, I do want to sleep with you, and would you mind if we also try out a few sex toys while we’re at it?’”

Just then David entered the doorway of the kitchen, cleared his throat, and asked, “Sarah, could Lucy and I have a moment alone?”

“Absolutely,” Sarah said with a huge grin as she fled the kitchen.

Lucy swayed and gripped the counter behind her, imagining how unsexy fainting would be. She braced herself for a conversation she didn’t feel ready to have and raised her eyes to David’s.

He walked toward her slowly, with that easy confidence of his. He stopped just in front of her, so close, Lucy’s body warmed for his. It was impossible to look away, and Lucy’s heart beat wildly as she waited for him to say something.

The longer he was quiet, the more nervous she became. Finally, in a rush, she said, “Taken out of context—”

He placed a hand on either side of her hips and leaned down so his mouth hovered above hers. “Don’t backpedal, Lucy. You didn’t say anything we both don’t already know.” His eyes twinkled with humor. “Except the last part. That was a surprise, one I liked.”

Lucy searched his eyes, but saw only patience and desire. “Why aren’t you upset with me for earlier? You’ve been so good to me, but I’ve done nothing to deserve it. You have women paying to meet you. I don’t understand why you want me.”

He raised a hand to gently run through her hair. “If I were an artist, I would paint how you make me feel so you could see it. If I were a poet, I’d have the words to explain it. All I have is this.” He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her.

His lips teased hers at first, warm and comfortable. She brought her hands up to his shoulders and relaxed into the kiss. David’s hands grasped her hips and brought them against his, grinding her erotically against his erection. His tongue slid into her mouth, inviting hers to dance. She went where he led and lost herself in the wonder of how good he made her feel. By some standards, it was an innocent enough kiss, but every inch of her was alive and begging for more. He kissed his way to her ear, then down one side of her neck.

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