Page 78 of Cougar Chronicles

A cougar? Seven years or more? Michael was thirty-six to her forty-five. Did that make her—Stacy—a cougar?

Of course not, because they weren’t in a relationship. They’d never been in a relationship. A one-night fuck did not a cougar make.

“I just always thought of Starr as the perfect cougar,” the fan went on. “She’s so sure of herself and so vibrant. I think a younger man would find her extremely sexy, and think of all she could teach him in the bedroom!”

Stacy let out a high-pitched laugh. Ha! A cougar teaching her younger man. A cub, isn’t that what the younger lover was called? Heck, she hadn’t taught Michael a thing. He’d taughther. Given her her first orgasm, no less.

But Starr… Starr could be a worthy instructor.

“Thank you”—she glanced at the woman’s name tag—“Mary. I think that’s a great idea. Starr would make a wonderful cougar.”

“I’m so glad you think so!”

“In fact, when I write her cougar story, I’ll dedicate it to you, how about that?”

“Oh my!” Mary nearly jumped out of her jeans. “That would be amazing!”

“Do you have a card?”

“No. I’m not an author, just a reader. I love these conferences.”

“Here then.” Stacy handed Mary one of her business cards. “Write down your full name and your email address, and I’ll be in touch.”

Mary hastily jotted down her information and handed the card back to Stacy.

“Thanks, Mary.” She gestured to the freebies on her table. “Don’t forget to take some book marks and other goodies, okay? Thanks so much for stopping by.”

“Not a problem,” Mary gushed. “Not a problem at all!”

As Mary left the table, her hands full of Stacy’s bookmarks, Stacy took a long drink from her bottle of water. She checked her watch. One more hour of book signing. One more hour. Her bags were packed and waiting at the front desk. Once the book signing was over, she was off to the airport to catch the next flight home on standby. She wasn’t waiting until tomorrow.

She just couldn’t.

She took another sip of water and swiped her hand across her brow. Damn, it was hot in here! It wouldn’t hurt to get up for a few minutes. Take a quick walk to see if she could cool off. If nothing else, she could splash some cool water on her face in the restroom.

She stood and hurried away before anyone else came to her table. Once in the bathroom, she turned on the faucet and filled her palms with the cool liquid. She splashed it on her face and then regarded her reflection. Her eyes were still puffy from all the crying last night.

Well, nothing could be done about that. The cool water would help, at least.

She splashed her face again and then once more still before turning off the faucet and drying her skin gently with a paper towel.

Eyes were still a bit swollen, but at least her cheeks were rosy and healthy looking. She quickly took a lipstick out of her handbag and applied it.

Not too bad, she thought, and headed back to the book signing.

Just as she was about to turn the corner to head into the ballroom where the signing was held, someone gripped her shoulder.

She jumped and soon found herself backed against the wall.

“It’s just me, Stace.”

That voice. That voice that had moaned her name.

“We need to talk, baby.”

Eight

“We have nothing to talk about. I’m in the middle of a book signing.” Stacy started forward, but Michael held her, wouldn’t let her go.

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