“You said this was for your parents,” he accused.
“My parents have sex.”
“With toys?”
“How would I know?” Rita set her papers aside and gave him a curious look. “Are you one of those people who think the ’rents don’t do the deed? Don’t you think your mom gets her happy on from time to time?”
His wince was almost as intense as his glare.
“Don’t.” He ground out the word. “Do not go there.”
Rita giggled. He was so cute when he got all stiff-faced and protective.
“Don’t worry, I’m pretty sure I heard rumor of immaculate conception where you were concerned,” she consoled. Tyler rolled his eyes but couldn’t disguise his grin. She reached over to pat his thigh. She’d intended the gesture to be friendly.
Instead she felt she’d singed her fingers. Quickly pulling her hand back from those rock-hard muscles, she grabbed the inventory list and stared at the blurry words.
A part of her was doing the jump-up-and-down scream, yelling for her to go for it. They had the next few days together, just the two of them all cozied up here in the truck. He was gorgeous and sexy, and if the high school rumor mill held any truth—which was debatable, given how easily her sister had started her own rumor to get even with Tyler for ruining her prom—he was one helluva hot lover. And that had been eight years ago. She would bet he’d improved with age.
Oh man, she was getting turned-on. It was probably because it’d been forever since she’d been with anyone. She knew guys looked at her and automatically thought easy sex. But to Rita, sex just for the sake of getting naked was like an empty gift box under the Christmas tree. Enticing and maybe sparkly fun on the outside, but a mondo huge disappointment in the long run.
And with Tyler?
Somehow, she knew if they got sexy together, she’d want to keep whatever was inside that pretty package for herself. And that it would hurt like crazy when she couldn’t.
“Why?” he asked a few dozen miles later.
Ripped from the sappy realization, she started. Had he read her mind?
“Why what?”
“Why are you carting around a box of kink?”
Rita’s lips twitched. “I have to say, I’m a little surprised,” she mused. “I had no idea you were such a prude.”
“The hell I am,” he defended, tearing his gaze from the road to glare at her. “I’m all for sex. All kinds, all ways, all places. I could tell you stories that’d…”
Rita bit her lip to keep her smile from turning into a chortle.
“Once upon a time…” she encouraged.
He shot her a long look that was obviously going for irritated. But she saw his lips twitch.
“I’m not a prude,” he reiterated.
“But you are a party pooper if you’re not going to finish that little story.”
“Sex toys. Your parents. Common ground?”
His fingers were now tapping an impatient beat on the steering wheel. Rita thought of the favor she needed to ask. Probably best to stop the teasing right about now, she decided.
“I want to get my parents this fabulous present for Christmas.”
“You haven’t already got their present?” he said. “Christmas is in five days.”
Rita narrowed her eyes. “What are you, the calendar police?”
“Fine. You found the perfect present that you haven’t bought yet. Keep going.”
Rita poked her bottom lip out. “I don’t have quite enough money yet. Which was why I was working the bar. Tips are great this time of year and I’d figured another night would’ve been all I needed for the final payment.”
His wince was worth a thousand apologies. Never one to hold a grudge—after all, she so often screwed things up herself—Rita felt the last vestiges of irritation with Tyler’s job-costing kiss fade.
“No biggie,” she said, wanting to erase that guilty look from his face. “The gal I was staying with, Shawn? She owns an erotic bookstore. She gave me a whole box of misfit toys as a going-away present.”
You had to credit Tyler. He was quick on the uptake. One glance at the inventory in her lap and he said, “So you’re selling them on the road to make up the money you lost.”
“Exactly.” She twisted to pull one knee up on the seat and face him. “But to make it work, I sort of need a favor.”
“I’m not demonstrating those damned things for you,” he yelped, going pale.
Rita grinned, the image of just how he’d look in that black leather cock ring flashing through her mind. Mmm-mmm good. She shook her head, but still reached over to turn the heater down a little.