by L. Loren
Tears started flowing down the girl’s face. She was just demoted from woman to girl because she was not ready to deal with me. Zero fucks were given at this point. I was aggravated, hot, sweaty, and horny. I needed that damn book so I could get off tonight, and she was standing in my way. I primped my lip and crossed my arms over my chest. Tapping my foot in impatience, I stared at Topaz, making her cower.
To her credit the girl started tapping on her computer trying to find a book for me, but to no avail. She must have called about ten stores before I lost my patience. She was trying, but I didn’t care. I wanted what I wanted, and no wasn’t an option. Not after she sold the book she was supposed to hold for me.
“I am so sorry, ma’am, but there are no more books available.”
I squared my shoulder and leaned forward looking her dead in the eye so there was no mistaking I meant business.
“That is absolutely unacceptable. I don’t care if you have to go up on the roof, squat down clucking like a chicken and lay me a fucking book. You will get me one. As a matter of fact, I am done messing around with you. Get your manager out here!”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She picked up the phone, but before she could dial, a smooth voice with a slight hint of a British accent rumbled behind me. Goosebumps marred my flesh, and my nipples immediately hardened. I took a deep breath and turned to see the most breathtaking man I had ever seen. Oh, we bout to fuck around and fall in love.
Grant...
I was going over the inventory list when the front door chime went off. I glanced up to see who entered the store. God had answered my long-awaited prayers. The most beautiful angel I could envision strutted her long legs into my bookstore. I imagined wrapping them around my shoulders while I played with her kitten. Just as I was about to slip into a fantasy staring the two of us, the queen’s foot slid on a flier that someone had dropped. Thank God she was able to catch herself before she ended up on the floor. Though I doubt she would have been injured with all that ass she was carrying. She was slim, but I had no trouble seeing that ripe ass of hers from the front. Damn. I needed to know this woman and make her mine.
My eyes took in her every move. Every little gesture. Every little quirk. Every little breath she took. Her smile was electric. I would do anything to make sure that smile stayed on her face permanently. Well damn. It looked like I had my work cut out for me because the beauty just went from serene to lethal in less than 30 seconds. What the hell?
I turned the volume up on the surveillance equipment and was surprised to hear my angel face spewing explicits from that gorgeous mouth. Was it wrong for me to be even more turned on? I loved a pretty face and great body, but when a woman had a certain fire living within her, I was a sucker. There is no doubt this woman could have me wrapped around her little finger with little to no effort. My brain was hearing all kinds of warning signals, but my heart was not listening. I wanted her, and I didn’t care how hard I fell.
When I heard her screaming at Topaz about my book, I thought I would melt right into the floor. She read my words and loved them enough to be this angry for not getting the latest book. It was true, Honey Dripper was flying off the shelves. I couldn’t be happier, and my agent was going insane. The new publisher I had signed with was over the moon, and I hadn’t even released the book to the entire country yet. Originally the publishers only wanted to release books in the major markets like New York, DC, London, and Chicago, but I insisted that they send books to stores in Jacksonville, FL. I made my home here, and I wanted my readers in my town to be included.
I picked up the copy of Honey Dripper that was laying on my desk and quickly signed it. There was no way I was letting this woman leave my store unhappy. Plus, I needed to introduce myself to her. This was the best way I could think to break the ice. That’s when I got a brilliant idea. Oh, hell yeah. I was about to have some real fun!
I strolled up behind the lovely Miss Meyers as she was huffing and puffing and about to blow my clerk down. I chuckled when I saw just how fiery she was over not getting my book. I hate to admit it, but it made me hard for her. If she was this passionate about my book, just imagine what she would be like in my bed. I suppressed a groan and jumped in to save poor Topaz.
“Good day, Miss.”
My slight British accent that I picked up when I studied in England was more pronounced than normal. What the? I waited for her to turn my way. I watched as her breathing became labored, and when our eyes met, she about swooned. Fuck yea! She was feeling me too. Now to resolve her problem and set my trap. I extended my hand to shake hers, but when she placed her dainty paw in mine, my knees went weak. I held it together by bending down and kissing her hand. I smirked as she trembled from my touch.
“Grant Mingo at your service. How may I be of assistance?”
She looked me up and down as I stood confidently under her gaze. No doubt she noticed the slight bulge in my pants. Her eyes widened a bit as she surveyed my crotch and then made their way back to my face where I met her with a cocky smirk. All the puns in the world intended. The longer she stood there, eye-fucking me, the tighter my pants got. I cleared my throat, reminding her that there was an unanswered question floating in the room. Her hand went to her collarbone, clutching her imaginary pearls. Then it appeared she remembered she was supposed to be angry. I chuckled as her face morphed back into beast mode.
“Yes, Mr. Mingo, are you the manager?”
“No, ma’am, I am the owner. What seems to be the issue?”
She went on to explain what happened. I spent the five minutes that she was talking to me, staring at the beautiful features of her face. I already knew what the problem was and how I was going to resolve it, so there was no need to listen. When she fell silent. I immediately smiled, disarming her. It’s a little difficult to yell at someone who is being kind and smiling at you.
“You are absolutely right, Miss Meyers. We should have taken your payment over the phone to secure your book. I must apologize. Topaz was following my rules. We don’t process payments over the phone because we have had issues with fraudulent accounts, but going forward, I will review the pros and cons of the rules and adjust it accordingly.
“In the meantime, I think I can help you with the issue you’re having. I have a signed copy from my personal collection that I am willing to gift you for all the trouble you endured today.”
“Gift me? What’s the catch?”
She was as smart as I had hoped. The lovely Miss Meyers was not going for my shit without questioning me. That endeared her more to me. I couldn’t wait to get to know her better. And now for the slide...
“I will give you the signed copy of Honey Dripper if you agree to attend the store’s book club night. It is our latest endeavor and I would like it to be a success. With the passion you showed in getting the book, I can’t wait to hear what you think after you actually read the story.”
I deliberately avoided looking at Topaz. I could feel her confused energy floating over to me, so I blocked her. Nope, she was not messing this up for me. If she knew what was good for her, she would just stand there and not open her big mouth. If she fucked this up, she would be out on her ass.
The bright-eyed beauty was giddy. I could just about imagine how itchy her hands were to wrap around the book I was holding for ransom. The smile that grew on her face told me my instincts about her were right. She loved reading my stories so much that she would do anything to get her hands on this book.
“Mr. Mingo...”
“Grant, please.”
“Okay, Grant, if you give me that book right there in your hands, I will do just about anything you ask. The book club would be a bonus. What else do you want? My first born?”
Oh, hell yeah. I want your first born alright. I want to be the one who plants the seed. Fuck! Where did that come from? Whatever, it was true. I’d knock her up right now, if she’d let me. But you just couldn’t go around making those types of propositions to a stranger. Could you?<
br />
“Miss Meyers, it is miss?”
She nodded and smiled at me. The lovely lady knew why I was asking. There was no need to beat around the bush. I was interested, and she knew it. I also knew she was happy about that revelation.
“Well, Miss Meyers, it would indeed be my pleasure for you to have my first born, but it is not a condition in this deal. All I really need is for you to come here on Friday evening two weeks from now and participate in the discussion. We can take things from there.”
“Grant, wild horses couldn’t keep me away.”
“That’s the best news I’ve had all day. Do you have a card with your contact information on it so I can send you the details?”
She reached into her bag and pulled out her business card and handed it to me. I smiled as she held her hand out for the book. I had already placed a business card inside the book with my personal cell phone number and email address. As soon as the book was in her hands, she clutched it to her chest and beamed at me.
“Grant, you have no idea how happy you just made me. Thank you.”
She leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. I thought I would die right there between the display of bestsellers and staff picks. The angelic Miss Meyers turned on her heels and swayed her gorgeous ass out of the door, leaving me panting after her. I’ll see you soon, my beauty.
Four
Ruby
OMG! That damn Samantha Moans sure knows how to spin a tale, with her nasty ass. After leaving the bookstore, I was so damn giddy that I could barely contain myself. The rest of my workday was spent resisting the urge to pick up the book and start reading. I should have left it in the car, but I needed to see it sitting on my desk. Hey, I went through a lot of trouble to get this book; I could fangirl a bit. I left here thinking I was just getting an advanced copy before everyone else, but to my surprise, I ended up with a signed copy, thanks to the sexiest man alive.
When that joker came up to me and started talking with just a hint of an accent from over the pond, I thought I would melt right into the floor like Evillene™. I had definitely been acting identical to my favorite evil witch just before he appeared. How embarrassing. I hope he didn’t see me showing my ass like that. One thing was for sure, I needed someone to douse me with some cold water because my panties were on fire.
After reading the first few chapters of Honey Dripper, my entire body was screaming for relief. Horny couldn’t even begin to describe what I was feeling. I swear if I get the chance to throw it on that fine ass Grant... Well, he better be ready to catch all this ass, is all I’m saying. It has been a while, and he is the first man I have met in the last four years that I would even consider giving a whiff of my sugar. Now, he’s all I can think about.
He thought he was slick talking about he would love to give me his first born. I caught the tea, but I acted like I didn’t hear him. It was cute, and I was feeling his big dick energy all over the place. He definitely had mad swag. I would love to see how Samantha Moans would write a character based off Grant. He would be a bestseller for sure. As I was daydreaming about what that mouth of his could do, my phone rang. It was Dierdra!
“Hello.”
“Ruby, get your nose out of that book. Bitch, you didn’t tell me how sexy that man was you met today.”
“Girl, what are you talking about?”
“Don’t play with me. I went by that bookstore to see what this fool looked like, and damn! He’s fine as hell.”
No this bitch didn’t.
“Dee, what the hell? Why are you doing drive-bys checking out my potentials? That is taking stalkerish behavior to a whole other level. You got me scared.”
“This ain’t about me, bitch. All I am doing is being a good friend. You’re welcome.”
She deadpanned as I sat silently waiting for her to continue.
“I needed to see who this guy was, and to see if he had a whole wife and kids stashed somewhere.”
“Well, did he?”
“Oh, so now you want my intel! Just a minute ago I was a serial killer.”
I took a deep breath and let it out. Dee was a little touched in the head, as my grandma used to say. No matter. I loved the woman to life. Apparently, she did a whole background check on the man and found he was well educated, single, and ready! Hot damn!
“So, I guess you are going to dust Miss Kitty off. He is a good choice for that. He looks a little stiff though. Like he has a regimented way of fucking. Instead of face down, ass up, your man is gonna be like, ‘Bend over at the waist at a 30-degree angle with your buttocks in the air. It would be nice if you place your face on the bed, and when I command you, I want you to come. Ready? One, two, three.’”
I couldn’t help it. I burst out laughing at my silly friend. Who ever heard of such nonsense? Bend over at a 30-degree angle. I shook my head and giggled some more.
“You are sick.”
“Naw, you’re the one who’s going to be sick when you have to learn the skill of coming on demand. Good luck with that, girl.”
“I think I’ll take my chances. Did I tell you he invited me to come to the book club he’s holding at the store? I guess it will be just the people who purchased the book during this early sale.”
“Sounds boring. I mean, is that supposed to be a date or something?”
“No, of course not! What am I twelve? I don’t go on group dates. I can’t front though. I am looking forward to seeing him again.”
“I bet you are. You should call him. See where his mind is at.”
Hmm, Dee had a great idea. I wanted to call him, but I was working my nerves up to do it. I hadn’t called a man in years.
“What would I even say to him?”
“You act like you’re a mute. You talk to people all day, every day.”
“That’s different, and you know it. When I am in work mode, I know what to say. It’s my world. My comfort zone. But talking to a sexy man who I could see myself fucking... That’s a whole different animal.”
I could hear her taking a deep breath on the other end of the phone. Her little boy was running around making noises like he was shooting a gun, and her husband, Trevor, could be heard laughing and playing too. It warmed my heart, but it also made me sad. I had the love of a good man once, or so I thought. Turns out men could not be trusted.
Nowadays, I was a little gun shy when it came to the opposite sex. If a man was interested in being with me, he had to know it came with a lot of baggage. He had to be willing to work through my past. In my head, I heard fatbellybella’s smooth voice singing the chorus of Bag Lady. She sure knew what she was talking about when she wrote that one. Dee cleared her throat. Damn, I almost forgot she was on the phone.
“Just talk to him like you would any other person. Men like it when you’re real. That’s where women make their mistakes. These chicks are out here trying to be a sex kitten, but if you talk to men like you got some sense, they value that more. Sex kittens get fucked, sure, but they also get the boot right after. Their asses are still wet, and they are outside wondering what happened.”
“I hear you, Dee. I’m gonna let you get back to your man and your baby. Have a good night. See you in the AM.”
“Alright, best friend. Have a good night, and don’t wear out those batteries thinking about that sexy ass man.”
I could hear her husband chastising her for ogling other men as she was hanging up. I chuckled at the thought of them fighting over a man that I was interested in. Her hubby would die if he knew how Dee was stalking poor Grant.
Grant...
It has been just over a week since I saw her. Every night I dreamed of her. Hell, who am I kidding? I dreamed about her all day too. It was like I was floating on air whenever the beautiful Ruby Meyers entered my thoughts. I wanted to see her before the book club meeting next week, but I forced myself to wait. I knew I would ruin things if I got near her before I could enact my plan. Well, I couldn’t see her, but I could call her.
“Hello.”
&nbs
p; “Miss Meyers. It’s nice to hear your voice.”
“Who’s this?”
“You mean, you don’t remember my voice? I’m crushed.”
My voice was deep, raspy, and had that slight British accent thing happening. I have been told before it was considered a panty dropper. I knew she remembered because she gasped when I said her name. She told on herself, but I couldn’t let her have that little secret. I needed her to admit that she liked my voice calling her name.
“Grant Mingo. Now, I remember. How are you?”
Oh she wanted to play games. She and I both knew she recalled my voice. The fact that she called my full name was all the evidence I needed. She had been thinking about me as much as I was thinking of her. Now, what was I going to do with her?
“I was just calling to remind you about our book event at Librarian Reads next Friday. Are you still planning on attending?”
Please say yes. Please!!! I held my breath while she fidgeted with something in her hand. I could hear it clanking against the phone. She cleared her throat, and I could just imagine her licking her full, luscious lips.
“I’m pretty sure I have your little event penciled in on my calendar.”
She giggled, and it was the most amazing sound I had heard all day.
“Well, thank you for fitting me, umm, us into your busy schedule. Just so you know, we are discussing the first third of the book next week. Once we get together, we will decide on dates and times for the next two meetings. I want to make sure of your availability.”
“That sounds like a plan. I am actually looking forward to the discussion. I don’t know if you realize it, but I stan for Samantha Moans. She is my favorite author of all time.”
I couldn’t smile any harder if I tried. Any author worth their salt loved to hear readers talk favorably about their work. The fact that the woman of my dreams was complimenting my work without even knowing it was like smoking the finest cigar while lying naked on the deck of a yacht in the Caribbean.
