Overcoming Fear (Growing Pains #2)(30)

She didn’t have time to ask why it was called a Prince Albert—Kate was continuing to drag her along.

The wine was definitely starting to level her out…if drunk could be called a level. Her parting words, besides ouch, was congratulations on his large cock. He just laughed at her. She didn’t mention that she had recently seen one bigger. It was rude to play the one-upper game, no matter if that particular man would’ve been interested to hear.

She also had the distinct feeling the world was laughing with him. At her.

They walked on—not Krista’s choice—and looked at stands. Apparently there was a lot to see, and Kate wanted to make sure they got to everything. Everything being all sorts of S&M paraphernalia. Leather, chains, nipple clamps, the works. If Krista wasn’t actually standing in the middle of it, she would not believe that this was allowed to happen in public. She would not believe that a fair of this size, in the middle of a large city, could actually exist. Nowhere else, except possibly Amsterdam, would permit this amount of na**d people wandering around.

Not just naked, either. Oh no. As she saw earlier, some were standing off to the side jacking off—not even Vegas allowed that to happen! Krista watched a circle jerk in mute horror. She stopped and pointed out two men in an alleyway engaging in sexual acts. Then screeched when she witnessed a full-out orgy. Penetration and everything. In-the-middle-of-the-day-in-a-public-place!!!

The girls did look, but they didn’t seem overly put out. It was because there was so much more to come.

At one point Krista saw a guy on all fours with a collar and a leash, being led around the dirty ground by a hairy, fat man in a leather Speedo. The young guy on the ground never said anything, and he always acted submissively. It offended her inner feminism even though he was a dude.

Thank God she was drunk, because she was not at all up for any of this. She was having a hard time keeping an open mind.

When they got to a stand selling whips, they stopped for a minute to peruse. Kate was looking at some lotion or other, so it gave Krista time to really get to know the craftsmanship. And she had to admit, there was some really fine workmanship that went on with those whips. It showed in the price tag!

It was when she had taken a leather strap down and was swinging it around that she felt a tap on her shoulder. She probably wasn’t supposed to test out the merchandise. Which made sense, because if they let one person flog the air, they had to let everyone, right? And then, why flog the air when you can flog your ass-less chaps-wearing partner?

But Krista would make her case. Being that she needed a small touch of normal within all this insanity, she was ready to debate that swinging the whip was necessary to see the whipping power before she purchased such an item. How could she possibly spend $100 on something that she couldn’t get the feel of first? That was pure illogical.

When she turned, however, she stood face to neck with Sean.

She would have rather been whipped.

“Trying out the merchandise?” he asked, echoing her argument. He stood there, relaxed, acting as if last night had never happened. He looked at her askew, but was genuinely smiling.

“I have to make sure it is from the right stuff, of course,” Krista said, attempting not to slur.

She was handed a drink out of thin air. She gulped it down, but it tasted like water so what was the point.

“It is water,” Jasmine clarified.

Krista looked down at clear liquid in a white cup. “So it is. And should you want to know, I am unperturbed that I am voicing my thoughts. Just so we are clear on that issue.”

“Now we know,” Jasmine said in her usual dry voice.

“Yes.”

“Krista overdid it a bit last night,” Kate said in Krista’s defense. Then, “Hi Sean.”

Sean was still looking at Krista, his face gone thoughtful and confused. Krista meant to meet his gaze head on, but she got lost when the second biggest penis she had ever seen walked by. It wasn’t quite as big as Mr. G-i-ant Penis she had seen upon first walking toward the fair, but it was a close second.

“Ouch,” she said, following its progress. “I mean, with that much hardware, how could that guy ever get a date? It would rip the ass out of a guy, or give a chick a second virginity. Neither would ever come back from that. I hope he’s a bottom.”

“And you think I’m blunt?” Kate asked skeptically.

Krista shrugged. “You brought me. If you didn’t want my commentary, you should have let me stay home and die quietly.”

Sean had followed Krista’s gaze until he saw what she was looking at. He turned away quickly to the person next to him. It was the first time Krista realized he wasn’t alone. That was partly because she couldn’t focus.

“I need a toilet, and then my bed, for about two days,” Krista muttered, bending over at the waist.

“How much has she had to drink?” a woman asked. Must be Sean’s new friend.

Krista zeroed in on this friend. It was a woman a bit shorter than Sean, but tall for a girl, and freaking drop-dead gorgeous. Jaw-dropping pretty. She had long, blond hair that one might see on a Swedish person. Real blond, not died and highlighted blond like Krista’s. She had crystal clear blue eyes, high cheek bones, and a soft and sultry voice.

Krista hated her immediately, mostly because she was so beautiful, but also because she was so perfect for Sean. And also because she would get to have sex with him. And also because he had moved on without a problem in the world, and found someone new immediately. And also because she was not as belligerent as Krista, and Krista looked plenty stupid.