by Sam Cheever
Felicia patted her friend’s shoulder. “I know you’re perfectly capable, Blissy girl, but I’d like the company. We’ll come back in the morning and get your car.”
Bliss snorted in disgust. “Nishe try, booby. I’m drivin’ my nown cure.”
“Need some help?”
Felicia stumbled and almost dropped her friend. A strong pair of arms, covered in soft, worn fleece, wrapped around Bliss’ waist and pulled her gently upright.
Bliss turned her head and leered drunkenly at Felicia’s young dancer. “H-hey, hansome! I’ll let you take me home!”
Irrational anger swamped Felicia as her friend flirted with the gorgeous young man. “He’s not driving you home, Bliss. He’s going to help me get you into my car so I can take you home.” She glared at him, daring him to disagree with this plan.
He just grinned back. “Which car is yours?”
She turned and walked toward a creamy-white Lincoln MKX. Garrett Holcomb licked his lips as she stalked angrily toward the fancy car. Her tight little behind swayed sexily beneath the dress she wore, the clingy fabric dancing gently just over a pair of truly cute knees. She had long dark-brown hair with sexy red and gold highlights that had sparkled in the flashing lights of the club when he was dancing with her. Her body was lithe and she moved with a confidence only a woman who’d experienced life could enjoy. She was beautiful.
Garrett had always been drawn to older women. They had many things going for them, including knowing how to make a man feel really good in bed. He also appreciated the fact that they rarely wanted a relationship. They unabashedly pursued him just for the sex.
Garrett was okay with that…usually. But something about this particular woman pulled at him. He hadn’t felt this type of connection to a woman since…
He shook his head to dispel the thought.
The woman in his arms sagged suddenly and he realized she’d passed out. Reaching down, he scooped her up and started toward the Lincoln with her. The birthday girl held the passenger-side door open for him, her face still clouded with anger.
He settled her friend inside the car and closed the door. He pulled his keys from his jeans pocket. “I’ll follow you home.”
Birthday girl jumped in surprise. “What? No! I mean…why?”
Garrett glanced at the woman in the car. She had fallen sideways and her full, lush mouth was smashed against the glass. She looked like a large, brown suckerfish. “You’ll need help getting her into the house.”
Some of the panic left Felicia’s eyes. “Oh, you meant her house. Okay.”
Garrett chuckled as she realized how bad that sounded and her face took on a horrified look. “I mean…not that I want you to know where she lives either! Umm…that is…I don’t think you’re a lecher or anything…” Her voice trailed off and she bit her lip, lost in a maze of her own making.
He shook his head and turned toward his car. “No worries. Just make sure you don’t leave me at a light or something.”
Felicia found herself staring at his yummy backside and broad shoulders as he sauntered away from her toward a black Jeep parked at the far edge of the parking lot. She swallowed the saliva that had pooled in her mouth and ran her tongue over her lips. She’d never felt an attraction like the one she felt for the young, gorgeous dancer. She’d have to be seriously on her guard with him.
Or she’d embarrass herself.
Big time.
* * * * *
He settled Bliss onto her bed with little apparent effort. Felicia slid her friend’s shoes off and covered her with the throw she kept at the foot of her king-sized bed. When she turned away she was standing way too close to him. Mere inches. His breath bathed her face in sweet warmth.
He smelled like mint with an underlying scent of beer.
“Thank you so much for helping me get her home. Her boyfriend is away on business, or he would have helped. I could have gotten her home, eventually, but it was nice to have some help. I don’t mean nice as in…” The words clenched in her throat and came out as a breathless whisper. She sounded like the worst kind of tease. Sighing, Felicia just shrugged, grinning stupidly.
He reached toward her and slid an errant dark curl from her face. “It was my pleasure.”
Felicia sucked air and tried to take a step back, but Bliss’ damn island-sized bed was in the way.
He moved an inch closer.
She could smell his heat, taste his scent. Her mouth watered.
“You’re a very beautiful woman.”
“I’m too old for you.”
He smiled. “Not a chance.” He reached up to slide a ribbon of hair off her cheek. His touch was warm and slightly rough against her skin. Felicia stopped breathing, her body going on sensual alert.
“I really enjoyed our dance tonight.” He bent his head and branded the spot he’d touched on her cheek with a soft kiss. So soft, if she hadn’t felt the heat of his breath against her skin she might have thought she’d imagined it.
Her nipples were rigid and tender against the fabric of her tight dress.
Felicia stepped sideways. “You should leave now.”
His smile slid away. “You’re right. I absolutely should.” He lifted one hand in a wave and turned away, striding quickly from the room.
All of the air left the room with him Felicia sucked in a breath, fighting a nearly irrepressible urge to go after him. In fact she took a step toward the door. But she stopped herself before she could start running.
Her body clenched with sudden need and she sat down hard on the edge of the bed. Her lungs were tight and she couldn’t breathe. Her palms were sweating. She hadn’t had this type of reaction to a guy for decades. Maybe never.
Felicia Jeffries, you are a shameless hussy!
Felicia grinned. She hadn’t heard her grandma’s voice in her head for years. Not since she’d stopped taking chances and risks and become the good little wife and mother.
It was kind of nice to have her back.
Felicia stood up and left Bliss’ bedroom, moving quickly toward the door. She made sure his car was gone before she stepped out of the house, locking the door behind her.
She climbed into her car and headed home. Thank heavens her birthday celebration was over! For the last several years, birthdays had only served to make her feel old and out of touch. She’d approached this one thinking that it would give her those feelings in spades, but somehow it hadn’t.
Felicia’s body was thrumming. She felt as if every cell had been infused with sexual energy. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so alive.
Being a shameless hussy was energizing. Laughing, Felicia decided she’d have to let her hussy side out to play more often.
She’d just have to keep it away from gorgeous dancer types who were much too young for her. That would only lead to disaster.
* * * * *
Felicia picked at her salad and fought a yawn. She was on her second real date with Dave Foust, a longtime acquaintance. Dave had been a friend of her husband’s. He was ten years older than Felicia and, as a tort lawyer, was rolling in money. He was tall and slim and reasonably good-looking. Although he’d been in love with her for years, he’d kept his feelings more or less to himself when she was married.
Since her divorce, he’d stepped up his pursuit of her, to the point where she’d finally given in and agreed to go out with him. That first date had been long and unexciting. The second one was turning out to be endless and downright boring.
Dave liked to talk about himself.
Occasionally he’d ask her something about herself or her life, but then he’d interrupt her and go off on a topic of far more interest to him…Dave Foust.
Felicia promised herself there would be no third date.
“I can’t even believe this food,” Dave informed her.
Felicia moved her fork around some more, hoping he didn’t notice that she’d barely touched hers. There was nothing at all wrong with the food, she just couldn’t conce
ntrate on eating.
Her traitorous slutty mind just kept comparing Dave to her gorgeous young dancer. It was an ugly comparison.
Dave lifted a hand and called the waiter over. “I’d like to speak with the chef.”
Felicia barely stopped herself from groaning. He did this every time they were together. He’d done it even before her divorce, when she and Philip and he and his now ex-wife, Astrid, had gone out together. Dave liked to draw attention to himself. She only hoped he would praise the chef this time, rather than berate him as he usually did.
Felicia bent over her plate and picked up a roll. She stared at it to avoid looking at the unfortunate soul who was about to have his skills called into question by a boring, overconfident lawyer.
“You asked to speak with me, sir?”
“Yes. I wanted to ask you if you got your training at a McDonalds.”
Felicia’s gaze swung desperately around the room, looking for something to concentrate on rather than the poor chef’s crestfallen face. Just then a couple at a table across the room stood up and started toward them. The woman was young, gorgeous, and draped all over her date. The man with her was Felicia’s dancer, from the club.
Felicia sucked a minute particle of roll into her windpipe and choked. She bent, red-faced over the table, covering her mouth with one hand and wishing she could climb under the linen-covered table and disappear.
Alas, it wasn’t to be.
She barely heard the poor chef trying to hold his temper in check as Dave continued to berate him.
As she choked and sputtered, earning only a glare from her “date” before he returned to abusing the chef, Felicia wished she could run to the bathroom. But she couldn’t get out of that chair and risk coming face-to-face with her sexy dancer. He was moving directly toward her.
A moment later the situation was taken out of her hands when a firm hand clapped her on the back and a deep, concerned voice inquired, “Are you okay, miss? Maybe you should drink some water?”
Felicia lowered her head and tried to shake off the warm hand on her back. She thought if she didn’t look up he might not recognize her. But the hand on her back slid upward, squeezing the back of her neck before dropping away.
Dave frowned at her. He really didn’t like scenes, unless he was the one making them. “Maybe you should go to the ladies’ room, Felicia, and get yourself under control.”
Felicia stood up, hurrying toward the elegant restrooms at the back of the restaurant. Still coughing violently, she nearly dived into the ladies’ room and dropped onto one of the elegant couches in the outer room.
She laid her head on her knees and sucked in a breath as the coughing began to subside. The door opened again but she didn’t look up.
“So your name is Felicia.”
Felicia’s head flew up and she gasped. He was just standing there. Her beautiful dancer. Wearing fashionably faded jeans and a crisp white dress shirt…and he looked amazing.
She gave him an embarrassed smile. “We have to stop meeting like this. I mean…really.”
“Why?” His eyes sparkled with humor.
Felicia dragged the linen napkin she’d carried into the bathroom under her eyes and stood. She took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to regain some speck of dignity after she’d nearly coughed out a spleen just from seeing him across the room. “I’m sorry. Don’t let me interrupt your date. I’m fine now.”
“It’s okay. I wanted to talk to you.”
Felicia cocked her head in surprise. “You did? Why?”
He moved a step closer. “I can’t stop thinking about you.”
Felicia laughed.
“It’s true.”
She stopped laughing. She was at a loss. What could she say to him that wouldn’t sound rude? When she finally managed to form some words they came out all wrong. “You’re so young.”
He frowned and so did she. She’d meant to say she was too old for him. Now she’d just insulted him.
“Trust me, I’m plenty old enough.”
Felicia blinked and he closed the distance between them before she could backtrack.
Suddenly she was in his arms, his lips mere inches from her own. “And I still think you’re damn sexy.”
Felicia made a little mewling sound but didn’t try to stop him when he kissed her. Instead she dragged him closer, wrapping her arms around his neck and returning the kiss hungrily. Self-respect be damned. The man was offering her everything she wanted on a silver platter.
After spending two hours with a man society would expect her to choose, she was more than ready to go after what she really wanted.
And she really wanted this man. Felicia pulled her lips away from his. “What about your date?”
“It’s okay. We’re just friends. We work together.”
Felicia was thrilled by his response. “Oh, well, that’s good anyway.”
He chuckled as her face turned red again and leaned in, taking her bottom lip between strong, white teeth and tugging it gently. “My name’s Garrett Holcomb. I’d like to see you tonight.”
Felicia extended her hand. “Felicia Jeffries.”
“So nice to meet you, lovely Felicia.” He pulled her close and captured her lips again. Thankfully, Felicia’s agitated thoughts calmed as her body melted into his.
* * * * *
Garrett stood outside Felicia’s home and looked at the ink-scrawled napkin in his hand again. Yup. It was the right place. He frowned. The place was huge and opulent.
Apparently she had money.
Lots of it.
That definitely put a crimp in things. He’d come from a family with more money than sense and it had brought them nothing but pain. As soon as he could, he’d run from the depression, alcohol and drug abuse that permeated his childhood. He’d never looked back.
Garrett believed that money was nice for buying what you needed, but if you had too much of it, it tended to make you miserable.
Felicia hadn’t seemed miserable.
But sometimes these things aren’t readily apparent. He didn’t want to serve as anybody’s crutch. Been there, done that. He wasn’t anxious to do it again.
It had nearly killed him last time.
Garrett frowned at the napkin Felicia had scrawled her address onto. He crumpled it up and stuffed it in his pocket. He left the way he’d come, feeling as if he’d just thrown away something he wouldn’t find again anytime soon.
* * * * *
Felicia sipped her iced tea and laughed at Bliss, who was describing her date with her boyfriend, the sexy Brad, the night before. It had something to do with dogs falling in a creek, a really big snake, and bird poop on her favorite shoes.
She still couldn’t believe Bliss was dating a guy who lived out in the country with four dogs and developed computer software for a living. Bliss was the consummate city mouse who thought software was something you wore over a cami and dress slacks. But it was obvious her gorgeous friend was completely gooey about the man and Felicia was really happy for her.
“Hello? Anybody in there?”
Felicia jerked and looked up from deep contemplation of her straw. “Huh?”
Bliss lifted a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. “Girl, you’re more than distracted today. You get a little cougar action last night?”
“Cougar action?”
Bliss made a sound of disgust. “Do you ever listen to me, honey? I explained all of this to you last week.”
Felicia grimaced, embarrassed to have been caught tuning her friend out. It was just that Bliss’ sexual exploits were so far outside her comfort and experience level that she couldn’t drum up any interest in them. Besides, it made her a little jealous that Bliss was so successful with men when she absolutely sucked at finding the right man.
“Cougars are older women who like younger men.”
Felicia wasn’t sure she liked being called an older woman. “What do they call the men?”
Bliss’ smile widened. “Cubs.”
&n
bsp; “Eww. That sounds kind of perverted. Like den robbing.”
Bliss threw her head back and laughed. “Do cougars even live in dens?”
“In your case they live in ritzy apartments above the park.”
“Oh yeah, right.” Her brown eyes sparkled with pleasure. “But seriously, go to this website and read up about it. I think you might need it soon.” Bliss placed a small square of paper in front of Felicia. The URL for a website was written in small, tidy letters across its surface.
Felicia narrowed her eyes. “Why?”
Bliss had that look on her face that Felicia had learned to fear. It usually meant Felicia wasn’t going to like what came next. “You just never know.”
“Hello, Felicia.”
Felicia stiffened. Garrett stood next to their table, looking unsure of his welcome.
Bliss stood up. “I have an appointment for a quickie with my honey. He promised he’d update my software.” Chuckling happily, she leaned down and kissed Felicia on the cheek and winked at Garrett. “I’ll see you later, honey.”
Bliss swayed toward the door, drawing the eye of nearly every man in the place. Felicia turned an unfriendly eye on the young man who’d taken Bliss’ abandoned seat. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to see you.”
“Why?”
“Look, I know I screwed up. I wanted to see you again to explain.”
Felicia reached for her purse. “That’s not necessary. I get it. I’m twenty years older than you…”
Garrett grabbed her hand. “Please, hear me out. I can’t…” He cleared his throat, and then fixed the saddest blue gaze on her that she’d ever seen. “I made a huge mistake. I thought I could just walk away. But ever since that night, it’s like there’s something unfinished between us. I can’t explain it but I feel like I need to spend time with you. I’d like to try again…if you’ll give me another chance.”
Felicia felt the hit first in her lungs, which clenched shut and cut off her breath, and then in her stomach. She dropped her purse from numb fingers. Swallowing hard, she said, “Go on.”
He pulled her hand closer and turned it over, running a slightly calloused finger over her palm. It tickled but she was strangely reluctant to pull away. “I come with baggage.” He laughed and the sound was harsh. “It’s funny. I did come to your house the other night. Like I said I would.”
