crumpled on the floor. She stepped out of it, then kicked it toward the corner of the room. A grateful sigh slid past her lips. In her lacy red bra and underwear, she was cool, at last.
Glancing down at her feet, she laughed. Her ruby-red Louboutins were still on her feet. If anyone saw her right now, they’d assume she was in the middle of a very hot date. Unfortunately for her, the only man around was Señor Julio. And while he’d already gotten her drunk, he couldn’t do much else. Reaching down, she plucked off each shoe and tossed them over her shoulder.
Grabbing her tequila, she sank into the corner of the big sectional that faced the ocean. It was a shame she was alone tonight. She’d forgotten how drunk she got off hard liquor. Or how horny it made her. Right about now, she wouldn’t mind having a male companion to share this buzz with or take her frustrations out on.
She’d done this evening backward. Another sign that her firing had thrown her off her game. Whenever her friends or sisters weathered a low blow, her usual advice was to find a fine-ass man and screw him. A great orgasm fixed a lot of ills.
Too bad it couldn’t get her job back.
But Raven hadn’t thought of stopping at Johnny’s Roadhouse, the best casual pick-up place around. She’d spent more than a few nights at Johnny’s, flirting with the regulars and tourists. Sometimes flirting turned to something more, and she’d go home with a handsome man who didn’t want anything more than great sex and a few laughs. Then she’d be on her way, back to her single, happy, successful life.
Because Raven Donovan didn’t do relationships. They required commitment and time, two things she couldn’t devote because of her demanding career. As a corporate fixer, she didn’t stay in any city longer than two-to-three years at the most. Boyfriends and husbands tended to expect their mates to be around. Raven couldn’t guarantee she’d be there. Between her job, sisters, friends, and an awesome car, her life was full enough.
So rather than pine for what she couldn’t have, Raven stuck to one-night stands and casual friends-with-benefits options where no one got hurt, but everyone got what they needed.
Except for tonight. Because she was too drunk to drive to Johnny’s Roadhouse. Feeling sorry for herself, she downed what was left of her tequila, then sank back into the big squishy pillow in the corner of the sectional.
An idea percolated through her alcohol-soaked brain. She didn’t need to go to Johnny’s for satisfaction. She could take care of herself—with the proper inspiration. Rising to her feet, she staggered to the foyer and dug through her tote bag until she found her laptop. Tucking it under one arm, she used the other to brace against the wall. Her head lolled toward the kitchen, and her eyes lit on the sweets on the counter.
She just wanted one. After the day she’d had, didn’t she deserve it?
Stumbling into the kitchen, she set the laptop on the stove and surveyed the bounty. She tore open the box of Tinks, grabbed one of the off-brand sponge cakes, and made her way back to the living room. There, she set the Tink on the coffee table, plopped down on the sofa, and squinted at the keys of her computer. Her vision doubled as she typed in a search for something to put her in just the right mood.
The Hot Hometown Hunks site should do the trick. She selected a video at random because she was too drunk to critically assess the offerings. Not that it mattered. One hometown hunk was as good as another, and if all went as planned, she wouldn’t be watching very long anyway.
Thirty seconds in, Raven realized she’d made a terrible mistake. The video was set in a frat house filled with douchey yet admittedly hot hunks, and the blond lead actor looked unnervingly like Dimwit Paulson. Worse, double vision meant two Dimwits, far exceeding her quota. With a shudder, Raven tossed the computer on the coffee table.
Nearly at the point of tears, from either her misery or the absurdity of her circumstance, Raven snatched the Tink, then lay down on the sectional, and gave in to the only pleasure she seemed to be able to give herself tonight. Bringing the cake to her mouth, she ripped open the cellophane wrapper with her teeth. A bit of pasty white icing touched the tip of