Page 22 of A Shot in the Dark
“No.”
“Please, Boots…”
“No.”
“I’ll let you use the first condom I chose…”
“You willnot,” Boots says firmly, though his grip has tightened on the steering wheel, knuckles going pale. “I doubt that would do the trick anyhow,” he grumbles.
“We can make it quick…” I offer.
“No, princess,” he remarks almost sadly. “What you need always requires a little time at least. And a certain level of finesse.” His phone rings. He glances at it but doesn’t pick up. Instead, he holds the phone by the steering wheel, lost in thought.
“You shouldn’t text while driving…”
He ignores me, speaking into his phone instead. “Thank god.”
“Sounds like news good enough to celebrate.”
“You will be the death of me,” he snaps.
“Nooo,” I say from where I’ve sprawled out in the backseat, skirt up, panties down, and rubbing frantically to relieve the tension building in me. “The cigarettes will probably do that instead.”
He barks out a laugh.
“Boots can laugh,” I wonder aloud, awed.
The laughter is cut short and I feel the car turn onto an exit. I brush my skirt down and sit up. “Where are we? This isn’t Greenbriar…”
“No, it’s not.” We turn into a decidedly seedy part of town and bump along a pothole-marked street, the bouncing of the car eliciting fresh moans from me and a “Jesus fucking Christ,” from Boots.
We pull into a parking lot.
A sign tilts awkwardly over the all-but-empty parking lot, a busty silhouette of a long-legged woman sprawls across words reading Adult Fun Zone.
“Is that a sex shop?” I ask a little too eagerly.
Boots turns in his seat, his expression pinched. “I am going inside. I will be there five minutes—no more. You will stay here. In this car like a good girl. Do you understand me?”
“If I go in there with you there may be a back room where we can?—”
He pulls back, looks at me strangely. “I wouldneverfuck you in a place like that,” he says, oddly stricken. Then he regains his composure. “Five minutes. Stay here.”
“I want to come…”
“I. am.working. on that!” he snaps. He releases a sharp exhale, jumps out of the door, and before I can reach for thehandle, I hear an electronicbeepand the doors trigger, locking me in.
Outside, Boots’ hand is shaking as he pulls out a cigarette and punches something into his phone. “You didnottell me what the package is. You absolutefucker.Shedoesn’t even know what she is… What is her affiliation?” He pauses, listening. “Shit! How could you not tell me how deep into the gray I’d have to go?!Fucker!” he fumes. Then he stalks away, disappearing into the shop.
He’s sliding back into the driver’s seat in three minutes, smelling of smoke, and still twitchy, but he tosses me a box. “Got you a gift.”
I turn the box over and find myself in possession of a vibrator.
“It’s pink,” he comments as he starts the car up. “I know how you like things that match.”
He’s noticed.
He’s absolutely right but— “I don’t own anythingpink…”
