Temporary Bliss (4 page)

Sex on the Beach:
Hey, beautiful stranger, I’m lying in my bed fantasizing about all of the ways I can make you blush tomorrow night. It’ll be a challenge and a pleasure, for both of us.

Wowzers. This man is trouble with a capital T, and that’s just the kind of trouble I need.

Mac:
Sex on the Beach is a fantastic drink. It’s fruity with an awesome aftertaste that stays on your tongue for hours.

Sex on the beach:
You’re trouble, you know that?

Mac:
Trouble can be fun.

Sex on the beach:
I bet you are. But let’s get the drinks and awkward first date out of the way first, shall we? I am a southern gentleman after all.

My inner monologue is actually speechless. That is one for the record books. He’s played me at my own game and left me literally dumbstruck.

Mac
:
A southern gentleman who names himself Sex On The Beach?

Sex on the Beach:
I’m an optimist, what can I say? By the way, I’m looking forward to seeing you out of those scrubs.

Mac:
Whoa!

Sex on the Beach:
Shit! No, I meant in casual, non work clothes, not scrubs. Dammit. I should quit while I’m ahead, right?

Mac:
See you tomorrow night, Delicious Daniel ;)

Sex on the Beach:
Sweet dreams, beautiful stranger.

Damn, all this flirting and text banter has me wet and aching. I reach into my bedside drawer, thanking the heavens that I stopped to buy batteries on the way home. God knows that I was already horny as hell before I met Delicious Daniel. Now that I’ve discovered he has a dirty mind, that feeling has simply multiplied.

With the flick of a switch, and a quick tug down of my pajama bottoms, I’m soon stroking my favorite purple rabbit vibrator against my increasingly wet pussy. I close my eyes, pushing the vibrating tickler firmly against my aching clitoris as my left hand gently squeezes my nipple, rolling it between my thumb and forefinger, sending an exquisite pulse straight to my pussy.

As I ease the humming toy into my hot channel, and rub my finger across my hard nub. I close my eyes and relish the feelings I’m creating with every stroke, every thrust deep inside me as I imagine that it is Daniel’s hands on me, his tongue lapping at me, speeding up as he brings me closer to climax. I think of him guiding his hands up my thighs, spreading my legs wider as he moves his mouth towards my throbbing mound. I arch my hips, pushing my pulsating toy deeper inside me, stretching me as I feel the welcome quickening of an impending orgasm. I think of Daniel thrusting deep and hard inside me, impaling me, pistoning his cock hard and fast inside of me. My fingers speed up and I quickly come apart under my own hands.

I lay in my bed, limp and breathless on top of my sheets as I come down from one of the best self-induced orgasms I’ve had in a very long time. All of a sudden, I’m really looking forward to tomorrow’s date.

Its 8 p.m. on Friday night, and I’m sitting in a sunken black leather booth at 42
nd
Street Bar opposite the epitome of male hotness, Daniel Winters.

I met him here because I didn’t want to go through the whole awkward doorway introductions, let alone subject him to Kate’s squealing and intense interrogation. I learned that the hard way a few months ago when Zander called by to pick me up on the way to a gig and Kate acted like a horny schoolgirl during spring break. It was both hilarious and mortifying.

The bar’s pretty busy given it’s a Friday night, but we were able to grab a small corner booth away from the crowd and noise. He returns from the bar, and I crack up laughing when he places my drink in front of me. Of course, he ordered me a Sex on the Beach. I’m starting to think he’s one of these people that gets an idea and runs with it. I wonder what other ideas he might have for tonight.

Taking the straw between my two fingers, I swirl it around the drink before slowly lowering my lips to the straw and taking a long sip. I can’t stifle my moan at the delightful taste. It’s like a fruit salad is having a party in my mouth and everyone’s invited.

“Damn, that’s good,” I murmur, looking over at him. He has the slightest smirk on his face.

“Sex on the Beach always is,” he says with a raised brow.

I can’t hold it in. I start giggling like a school girl. He’s done it again; showing me that awesome sense of humor he’s got. If only I could get him to laugh again, then I’d be the happiest girl in the bar.

“Of course you would buy me that, wouldn’t you?”

“Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it, gorgeous.”

There’s something about the way he calls me gorgeous that lights a match inside me. I blush, but don’t break eye contact with him when I reply with a sassy shake of my head, “I wouldn’t know. Never tried it. There are some places that sand just shouldn’t go.”

“Is that a threat, or a promise?” he asks without missing a beat.

Now that makes my eyes widen. “It’s early days. Let’s see how it’s going after our third date,” I say with a wink, and his caramel eyes sparkle with excitement at that suggestion.

“We’re barely into our first, and you’re already planning our third date? You are an intriguing woman, Makenna Lewis,” he says looking straight at me, paralyzing me with his gaze.

“Well, my mama always told me to be well prepared,” I say with a fake southern drawl.

“That’s good advice. What else did she tell you?” he asks with a grin.

“Don’t talk to strange men on the L,” I retort as I take another sip of the magic, fruity party drink. I don’t know what’s in it, but I like it and the tingles it is creating in my body are a welcome addition too.

He chuckles. It’s not a deep belly laugh like he did on the train that almost made me come on the spot, but it’s endearing nevertheless. “She’s a smart woman your mother. And what do you think about meeting strange men on the L?” he asks, taking a swig from his bottle of Millers. I can see a glint of amusement in his eyes, even in the dimmed lights of the bar.

“That sometimes it pays to take a chance.”

“I’m all for taking chances. It’s my job.” He points his thumb back at himself, “Stockbroker, remember?”

“Ah, yes, that’s right,” I murmur, taking another quick drink of the fruity wonder in front of me.

“So, are you from Chicago?”

“I’m originally from Louisiana, but my parents moved us all here when I was eight. I went to college in New York, but came back here after graduating and was lucky to get an internship at my firm.”

“Wow, so you’re a southern boy then?” I say with a grin.

“Yes, ma’am, born and bred. How about you?”

“Well, I was born here, and apart from six months I spent in Ohio when I was twenty, I’ve lived here all my life.”

Shit, please don’t ask! Please don’t ask!

“Ohio? Now that’s a bit of a change from city life. But you obviously like Chicago if you came back?”

“Yeah, I can’t imagine living anywhere else, and I’ve got a good job here now with lots of prospects. So yeah, you can say I like it,” I reply. I can’t seem to wipe the smile off my face when I’m around him.

“Sounds like you’re fairly settled then.”

“Definitely.”

“And nursing. You’ve always wanted to do that?” he asks, placing his arm on the table and leaning into it, giving me an awesome profile of his body.

“I’ve always been one for looking after people. I met my best friend Kate by punching the school bully when we were ten.”

“Wow, so I should watch myself around you then?” he asks with a sly grin.

“Yeah, buddy, or else you’ll be in big trouble.” I say, putting up my fists in a mock Rocky impression gone bad. I try to put on a tough face, but fail miserably when I start giggling.

“Hey now, no need to get violent.” He holds his hands up in surrender. “I could tell you were a tough nut the moment I met you.”

I raise my eyebrow at that. It seems Sex on the Beach thinks he has a talent for reading people.

“And what else could you tell from me?” I’m genuinely interested now, but the cynic in me wonders if this is just a line he uses on women to get them into bed.

“That you’re a beautiful, well-adjusted young woman with the most gorgeous blue eyes I’ve ever seen, and a smile that could bring any man to his knees.” Oh my God. Did he really just say that? Holy crap! It’s like he’s the professor of ‘How to get a girl’s panties to drop 101” and he’s giving every man a lesson.

I feel my breath quickening and my pupils dilate. Delicious Daniel is on his game and Goddammit, I definitely want to play, naked, now! Damn Kate and her three date challenge.

“All of that from one look?” I ask, my voice squeaking and giving away my interest.

“And more…”

I squeeze my legs together, trying to distract myself from the errant thoughts racing through my head right now. Well, two can play at that game. “Really? Are those glasses of yours armed with x-ray vision?” I say, my mind jumping into Mac overdrive. “Holy hell, you’re the real life Clark Kent, aren’t you?” I lean forward excitedly, bouncing a little in my seat. I make a point of looking around to pretend that no one can hear us.

“Does that mean you’re wearing your spandex Superman suit underneath this hot get up, cause I have this fantasy where Superman does this thing with his…” I whisper to him, causing him to start choking on his mouthful of beer.

“I…. um…… shit, Mac, that’s all kind of hot right there.”

I love that I got him all flustered. “Oh, shit, I’m sorry, my brain got a bit side tracked” I say innocently, adding a wink when he slowly starts to recover his breath and thoughts.

“That thought is gonna be burned in my brain for a while now, gorgeous, that’s the stuff dreams are made of,” he says huskily. He shakes his head, obviously trying to regain some composure.

“And how old were you when you came back from New York?” I quirk my brow. I’m dying to know how old he is.

“Subtle, Mac, very subtle,” he murmurs, taking another swig of his beer. “I’m twenty-eight, and I’ve been back in Chicago for around four years now.”

“Wow, that’s awesome.” I finish up the last of my drink, blushing when I accidentally slurp in the empty glass. “Oh my God, that’s so embarrassing.”

Daniel, being the ever present gentleman, chuckles softly and grins at me like I’m the funniest person in the world. “Should I burp so that we’re equal?” he asks jokingly, totally snapping me out of my embarrassment.

“Ha, ha. Very funny. You’re a funny guy, you know that?”

“I’m glad you think so. You like funny guys?”

“I think I’m starting to,” I say playfully, enjoying the banter we have going on. I’ve always had a thing for men who can go toe to toe with me. “Out of interest, do you always pick up women on the L?”

He flashes me his megawatt smile again, and I literally melt in front of him.

Clean up, aisle three.

Taking a final swig of his beer, he moves out of the booth and stands beside me. Shit! Is he ending the date already?

Holding his hand out to me, he leans down into my personal space, whispering in my ear, “Come with me, Mac. I want to see the lights over the lake with you.” Is this man for real? I’m starting to think that he’s just a delicious figment of my imagination. I mean seriously, who can resist a suggestion like that! Especially when it’s whispered in your ear.

“Sounds perfect,” I reply, grabbing my purse as I try to get out of the booth as gracefully as possible and take his outstretched hand as he leads me out of the bar.

Once we’re on the sidewalk, I shiver. It has turned colder in the hour or so that we’ve been inside the bar, and of course I didn’t bring my coat. Daniel, feeling me tremble, stops suddenly beside me. In a daze, I watch him shrug off his coat and hold it open for me to put on. As I put my arms through the coat, he slowly pulls it up and onto my shoulders, gently stroking his fingers over my skin as he moved. Wowzers, that’s just as potent as that laugh of his.

I look up at him, and his eyes are warm, full of something that I can’t quite put my finger on but I’m definitely gonna try to find out. “Thanks,” I say shakily, trying to remain standing. Right now I want to throw myself at this man but;

a) We’ve only just met.

b) It’s our first date.

c) We’re standing in the middle of the sidewalk outside a busy city bar.

“You still want to see the lake?” he asks, looking down at me. His eyes drifting to my lips. Shit, I can’t break this damn three date rule, Kate would never let me down even if the only thing on my mind right now is jumping Daniel’s bones right here, right now.

“Definitely,” I answer with a smile. Anything to stop me thinking about the two of us going straight to bed sans clothes.

Something feels different about this date, about being with Daniel. I can’t explain it, but I find myself not wanting the night to end. I want to spend more time with him. His eyes, his gorgeous dark brown hair that you want to grab while you kiss the life out of him. The way he carries himself, he truly is a gentleman. I mean he gave up his coat to me on a first date. Who does that?