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Chapter 12
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Perfect Temptation Chapter 13
She flashed him a smile full of audacity. “Oh, Brad, but you are a nice guy. Last night only proves it.” She took another bite of the apple. “You see, nice guys always do the right thing.”“They do?”“Oh, yes.” There was something unconsciously erotic about the sight of her white teeth sinking into the mottled red skin, about the crunch and the crisp, fresh scent.“Back in high school,” she continued, “ you stayed away from me, because it was the right thing to do. And last night, you didn’t take me to bed because you thought it was the right thing to do. Undoubtably out of some misguided notion that you were protecting me.““I—“ he tried to protest, but she cut him off.“The point is, again you did the right thing. Because that’s what nice guys do. And that’s exactly why you will not be leaving today.”“It is?”“Yep.”He was sure she hadn’t moved, yet she seemed closer— more tempting— than she had been even a few minutes ago.“You see, Brad, I need your help. Or rather, my shop need
Perfect Temptation Chapter 14
“What?” Lucy had somehow made it down to her knees and was holding the incriminating book in both hands, staring at the cover in confusion. When she heard no response, she looked up. Great. Just great. Mattie thought. How has she managed to hire what had to be the only nineteen year old in northern California who would never heard of the Kama Sutra, and the only eighty year olds, who apparently had? She struggled to her feet, Then reached for the book with one hand and pulling Lucy to her feet with the other. “ It’s nothing. Just a library book I checked out. By accident. Just a silly mistake.“ Now that was the understatement of the century. “A silly mistake, my behind,” Edith cackled. “The Kama Sutra. The Joy of Sex. Dating for Dummies. The Multi-Orgasmic Couple. The Girlfriend's Guide to Great Sex.” Edith pointed to each of the books as she listed off the titles. Picking up the books, Mattie said, “This is my business. My personal, private business.” “Poppycock.” Edith stood, h
Perfect Temptation Chatper 15
Did people actually do these things?Mattie stared in fascination at a pen-and-ink drawing of a man with his arm stretched above his head and his hands tied to the headboard with a handkerchief.The drawings intrigued her. Sex with Mike had been...uninspired. And for the first time, she regretted that.Oh, she didn't blame him. Not just him, anyway. She hadn't done much to spice up their marriage, either. But now she found herself wishing she'd tried something a little different while she'd had the chance.What about Brad? A niggling little voice in the back of her mind asked. If she ever got Brad into bed, would she need such tricks to keep things interesting? Or would merely being with him be enough? She suspected the latter.After all, she had a lot sexual frustration to work out. After years of anticipation, she wouldn't need any kinky to keep her interested—all she needed was him in her bed. All that gorgeous naked flesh of his at her mercy. Just his skin against hers. His mouth,
Perfect Temptation Chapter 16
Mattie stared at him in disbelief in complete silence. At that moment, he studied her waiting for an answer. He smiled ruefully. "No, I suppose not." His smile faded and his gaze turned solemn. "Is that why our marriage ended? Because I wasn't affectionate enough?" His words tugged at her heart and, for an instant, she saw him not as the attractive grown man he was—or even as the heartless businessman he tried so hard to be—but as a child. A little boy, lonely and uncertain. The surge of emotion she felt in that instant was dangerous. All this time she'd been telling herself she only lusted after him. Now she wasn't sure if that was the case. When had love gotten more complicated than sex? She forced herself to answer his question. "I don't know." Determined to regain control of the conversation, she smiled brightly and said, "But I have a plan to help you figure that out." "You do?" "Absolutely." She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a single sheet of paper on which s
Perfect Temptation Chapter 17
As she scrounged together the store's financial and employment records and saved the files onto a Zip disk, Mattie felt a bit like she had the time her grandmother caught her reading Cosmo's "50 Tricks to Drive Him Wild." Nervous and a little ashamed, even though she hadn't really done anything wrong. For someone struggling to be strong, financially independent woman, she'd sure made some rotten decisions about money in her lifetime. Trusting another man with her finances terrified her, but Brad wasn't Mike. He wouldn't make the same mistakes Mike had. Besides, she'd only take his advice if she trusted it. If there was any chance—any chance at all—that he could fish A Stitch in Time out of these economically troubled waters, shouldn't she let him? Which was more important, the store or her pride? The store, obviously. Because it wasn't just the store that was at stake. It was the jobs and the future happiness of Edith, Abigail, and Lucy. frankly, she didn't give a fig about quilts,
Perfect Temptation Chapter 18
All this time, she'd been telling herself her emotions weren't involved, telling herself this was just about sex. She'd been wrong. Tonight, as he sat across from her at the table, trying to think of ways he'd failed as a husband, she'd thought it was just part of the game. Part of the oneupmanship they'd been playing for years. She'd meant to goad him with her teasing. But the longer he sat there thinking, with his strong fingers tapping the oak tabletop, forehead furrowed in concentration, eyes narrowed In thought, the more she realized how genuinely hurt he'd been by Ginger. The light overhead shone down, highlighting the blond streaks in his hair. The edges of him blurred by the light, he appeared less larger than life. More real. Until this instant all of her emotions for Brad—powerful, mixed-up, and confused though they had been—were rooted in the past. Rooted in the heart of the girl she'd been and the boy she'd loved. But now she saw him as a man. A real man. Not a perfect m
Perfect Temptation Chapter 19
"Guess the lesson's over," Brad said, relief obvious in his voice. "What do you mean the lesson's over? It's not over." Brad pointed to the now-limp doll. "Suzie deflated. Didn't you notice?" He smiled as he lifted Suzie's hand then let it drop to her side. "No way. You're not getting out of this that easily." "This is easily?" She jammed her fists on her hips and squared off against him. "I promised to teach you how to give a massage and I'm going to do just that." "You're only making this harder on both of us. Why are you being so bullheaded about this?" "It's—" she hesitated. For an instant, she considered spilling her guts, but she didn't want to reveal she'd been pining for him all these years. "It's my duty." He stiffened. "Is that how you see me? As some sort of charity project?" "Isn't that how you see me?" she sighed, shaking her head slowly. "Look, if either of us is going to make any progress, we need to trust each other. We have to stop trying to outmaneuver one a
Perfect Temptation Chapter 20
"Where do you want me?" she asked, looking up at him through her lashes. Pretty damn far, it seemed. Where did he want her? Anywhere. Everywhere. She blinked innocently. "Do you want me sitting on the chair? Or lying down on the sofa? Or right here on the floor in front of the fireplace?" Images flashed through his mind. Images of Mattie naked and willing shot through his head. Mattie poised on the edge of a chair, back arched, beckoning him to her. Matte lounging on the sofa, hair spread out across the pillow, breast proudly thrust upward, one leg bent at the knee. And of her spread out before him on the floor, propped up on her elbows, smiling up at him, welcoming him beside her. "On the floor." He barely choked out the words. "Good choice." Her lips curved into a seductive smile. She moved to the table and picked up the massage oil. For a moment, he stared in the silence at the bottle. Then it hit him. They were talking about the massage. Of course, they were still talking ab
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