Page 67 of Man Candy

“Thanks,” I said, peeling the banana. “It’s been quick to write. I’ll definitely be able to finish for the editor in time and I don’t have to panic about the pre-order.”

“You’ve definitely gotten the words in since last week, but I can’t believe all that’s happened. I mean, right after we talked that tree fell on your house!”

While we hadn’t video chatted or written together since last Saturday, we emailed and I told her about the house.

“Yeah, God. It’s crazy. Mav–that’s Bridget’s boyfriend–has pretty much taken over getting everything fixed.”

“He seems like a really great guy. But I don’t want to hear about him. I want to hear about his brother. I told you he was your muse. The guy who put that smile on your face and inspiration to write the sexiest sex scene in the West.” She fanned herself and laughed.

“He’s… inspirational,” I said, choosing my words carefully.

“Tell me his dick’s bigger than that banana.”

I glanced at the just peeled fruit, waved it in front of the camera.

“It is.”

“And you’ve gotten your face that close to it.”

I grinned. “I have.”

“Then get off the computer and go get that big banana.”

“That big banana is in Finland.” I took a bite of the one in my hand. Definitely smaller in my mouth than Dex’s.

That thought made me feel happy, excited and aroused all at once. I was having a fling with a fun, hot man. I knew what his dick felt like in my mouth. And that made me hot. And lonely.

“For an exhibition hockey game,” I added, because clearly Lucy didn’t follow hockey any more than I did. I glanced at the clock on my screen. “Which is tonight. Or soon since they’re ahead nine hours.” Yeah, I checked the time difference.

“Oh. Then get off the phone and go watch your man in action.”

“He’s my fling, not my man,” I clarified, making sure she knew it couldn’t get serious. I was making sure I knew it wasn’t getting serious. Although I was sitting in his house, my bathroom products mixed in with his. Our laundry was piled together in the hamper.

“Riiiiiiight.”

A knock on the door had me looking up. Bridget and Mallory came in, arms loaded down with reusable grocery bags. Mallory, as usual, was dressed in cute shorts with a striped shirt. Her hair was half up-half down and she had on makeup. Bridget was in cut-off jean shorts, a white tank top, and her hair was piled on top of her head in a messy bun. I went shopping more with Mallory when the girls were young than Bridget.

“We brought snacks for the hockey game,” Bridget announced.

“Gotta watch Sexy Dexy in action,” Mallory added.

God, that nickname was awful. But he was sexy.

I glanced at Lucy on the screen. “Mallory and Bridget are here to do that. Gotta go.”

Lucy waved at me, and I slammed the lid shut on my laptop. I popped the last piece of banana in my mouth as they put the bags on the kitchen counter.

“Chips and salsa. Hummus. Spicy barbecue chips,” Mallory listed as she pulled things out.

“Guac?” I asked.

Bridget pulled two avocados from her bag. “Happening.”

“I’ve never watched a game knowing a player before. This is so exciting,” Mallory said.

“Where are the guys?” I asked, pulling flavored seltzers from the fridge. Mav wasn’t usually far from Bridget these days.

In the week I’d been living with Dex–no, living in Dex’s house–I learned he was a partial health nut. Of course he exercised. He didn’t need to be on a pro hockey team for me to know that. I only had to get him naked and touch every inch of that hard, muscled body.

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