Page 19 of Pleasure Control

“I’m a geek magnet.”

“I hardly think you’re a geek magnet.”

“Well, I am.”

“Then Jay is the hottest geek I’ve ever come across.”

“Just for the record, Erin, we didn’t sleep together, we just did everything else.”

Erin backed her car out of the parking space and maneuvered it onto the highway. “So, do you want to sleep with him, then? Finish what you started?”

Laura folded her hands on her lap and stared blankly at the road ahead. “No. Yes. I don’t know.” She rested her head against the cool glass window and sighed.

“Well, which is it, then?”

What would be the point in lying? Her expressions were so transparent. She lowered her voice. “Yes,” she admitted, knowing that another night with him would be emotional suicide. Not even body armor could protect her from the way he stirred her heart.

“Then go for it. Seduce him when he comes by tomorrow night. That’s what I would do.”

“Hellooo. Are you missing something here, Erin? He only slept with me because the vials got switched. Besides, he’s not going to want to sleep with me tomorrow because I’ll be giving him a libido suppressant.”

Erin lifted one eyebrow, her lips curled. “Then switch them again.”

Laura’s eyes opened wide in surprise at her friend’s suggestion. She never would have considered doing such a thing. “I couldn’t do that.”

“Tsk, tsk, Laura—always the good girl. Always following the rules and coloring within the lines. Let me ask you a question. Did you enjoy yourself?”

The word enjoy was an understatement. “Yes.”

“Did he enjoy himself?”

She recalled the heated, lustful look in his eyes. The way his body had reacted to her touch and the way he moaned in delight at the peak of his orgasm. A tremor rippled through her just thinking about it.

“I guess so.”

Erin waved her hand and rushed on. “Of course he did. And he would enjoy himself again. You both would. So what’s the big issue?”

Laura rolled her eyes heavenward. “The big issue? Let’s try it’s immoral…” She stretched out that last word. “Besides, what about the experiment? We have to present our findings to the board next week. If we don’t have the results they’re looking for, our grant won’t be approved, and then we’re out of a job. All of us. Including you,” she lectured, wagging her finger to emphasize the point.

“The key words being next week, Laura. You still have plenty of time. Plenty of time to test the experiment and plenty of time to slip between the sheets with a hunk of a guy who has a reputation for fulfilling every woman’s secret desire.”

Laura eyed her friend. She had no doubt he could fulfill her every desire. Come to think of it, he already had.

“I didn’t know you were so devious. Remind me to fire you in the morning,” she said good-naturedly.

Erin grinned and pulled up in front of Laura’s apartment. “Just think about it.”

Laura folded her arms across her chest. “I did, and I’m not doing it,” she said firmly. “Thanks for the lift, Erin. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Laura, wait. Do you really have errands to run in the morning?”

“No,” she admitted honestly.

“I’ll swing by and pick you up for the game. There is no sense in us taking two cars when I have to drive right by here anyway.”

Laura nodded in agreement. “Sounds good. I’ll see you then.” She climbed from the car, waved to her friend, and hurried up the walkway to her building. How on earth could Erin have suggested something so ludicrous?

She tried to push their absurd conversation to the back of her mind, but despite her efforts it kept creeping back. She pulled open the heavy glass door to the front entrance and stepped inside. All she wanted to do was have a warm bath, a hot cup of tea, and crawl into bed and get a good night’s sleep before tomorrow’s ball game. She did not want to spend one more second thinking about doing something so devious. Because the more she thought about it, the better it sounded.

---