Page 23 of Sugar Coated Secrets

“But I wouldn’t do that with you.”

“You wouldn’t?” I ask, dazed, horny as hell, and still fantasizing over what he described.

“I think, for the first time ever, I don’t want to ruin a friendship with sex. I also think you’d regret it when your mind is more clear.”

“So, no spanking?”

“No spanking,” he says with an endearing smile.

“I’ve never been spanked. I might like to try it.”

His pupils dilate. “That’s not making this any easier. Come on.” He stands and hoists me up with him. “Let’s get Detective Pickles and hit the road.”

“Oh my gosh. How’s the car?”

“All good. Filled up the tank, got the oil checked. We’re good to roll, baby.” He winks.

I hold up a finger. “One second.” I race to my room and change my soaked panties to a dry pair. My period ended this morning. Is that why I’m suddenly horny? But then, Dash never elicited that much arousal from me after my period week. Hmm…

Easton thinks I’m trouble. He’s such an incredible flirt, he makes you forget that all his talk and lustful exploits, which I’m even more sure now are Olympic-medal-worthy, are nothing more than a moment destined to end.

It’s better not to know what you missed out on than to experience it and live with the memory, knowing you can never have it again.

Chapter 8

Easton

I text Daire that we’re on the road and our ETA.

I can’t wait to return to the farm, just to get him off my ass. When I was back in college, he didn’t bother me. It was nice. I can’t piss him off and tell him to ease up, though. I need him to be in a good mood when I present my idea for the farm. I also need him to like it and see the benefits.

Daire and I don’t always agree on things. He still sees me as the goof-off who doesn’t want to grow up. I fear he’ll struggle to get past that with my idea and brush it off as foolish.

It’s not foolish. It could be extremely profitable if done correctly. I’ve used the best people and resources to create it. Everleigh opened him to changes I never thought I’d see on the farm. I need his mind to stay open for my proposal. I need him to trust me. That will be my greatest challenge of all.

Sadie holds Detective Pickles in his travel cage on her lap while I maneuver through traffic and head for the highway.

“Do you always travel with Detective Pickles?” I’ve never asked before, never thought to. He’s a hamster.

“Not when my mom’s in town. She cares for him. He’s with us now because I don’t want him to feel abandoned.”

I chuckle. “Why would he feel abandoned?”

“Because he almost was. I told you the story about how I got him.”

“I don’t think you did.” In my mind, it was a pet store.

“Oh. Well…” She smiles sweetly at him. “My neighbor bought him for her teenage daughter to teach her some responsibility. Nina, the mom, ended up doing all the work instead and didn’t want to keep him anymore. He’s blind in one eye, so when she tried to return him to the store, they said she’d injured the hamster, and they couldn’t take him back.”

“The store wouldn’t take him back?” I change lanes, trying to drive as gently as I can for the hamster’s sake.

“Nina swears he wasn’t blind when she bought him, but who knows the truth? Anyway, I heard the story from Reva. She said they were taking the hamster to the SPCA, so I offered to adopt him instead.”

“Does the SPCA take hamsters?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know. But it doesn’t matter. He’s mine now, and I love him.” She lifts the lid and pets his head with her finger, where he lies in a ball in some hay.

The story warms my heart. Sadie the rescuer. “I’m glad you took him.”

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