even dating.
She stared at the two most recent texts in her inbox.
One was from the man she’d dated for what seemed like forever before he’d taken her happiness and her heart with him when he’d left. And for some reason he was back in her life. The other was from the man she’d known for what? Less than two weeks?
Suddenly she didn’t want to be alone tonight.
She tapped in a text.
ALICIA: Want to come over?
She hit send and waited for the reply. When his yes came, her heart began to pound.
What had she done?
And was she going to regret it?
FOURTEEN
The door swung open and Alicia stood in the doorway, silhouetted by the light from inside.
“Hi,” she said.
“Hi,” he said.
“Want to come in?”
“Yes.” More than anything.
She stepped back and let him inside, then closed and locked the door as he watched.
Finally she turned and met his gaze. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”
When her text had come through he’d wondered that himself.
That hadn’t stopped Brian from throwing himself into the Jeep and breaking a few speeding laws to get there.
Rising to the challenge, he was willing to help her make up her mind. “Well, what can I do to help?”
“I don’t know.” Her brows were drawn low.
She wasn’t coy. She wasn’t being a smart ass. It seemed to be a completely honest answer.
He could see she was back to over-thinking again. And that there was something up with her.
She didn’t seem to be herself and he didn’t know why.
“That text tonight. Was that an I need a friend text? Or, the other kind?” he asked.
“Other kind?” She frowned deeper.
Brian had forgotten she wasn’t always the quickest to pick up on verbal cues.
“A booty text,” he clarified.
“You mean like sex?” she hissed the last word low. Like it was a dirty word and she didn’t want her mommy to hear her.
“Yes. Sex.”
She bit her lip and drew in a breath. “I don’t know.”
As far as answers went, that one wasn’t the worst. It definitely left the door open for negotiation.
“Might I offer a suggestion?” he asked.
“Sure.”
“How about a trial?”
“A trial like in court?” She considered that for a second before nodding. “That might work. We could argue the pros and cons of . . . you know . . . booty.”
Yup. She was definitely not like other women.
Smiling, he shook his head. “Actually, I meant more like an experimental trial.”
Her eyes widened. “A sex trial?”
“Yes.”
“To see if I’d like it.” She nodded again, as if considering the concept.
“Oh, you’ll like it,” he said before he could stop himself.
“Confident, aren’t we?” She was starting to lighten up. Looking less shell-shocked than when he’d first arrived.
He lifted a shoulder. “Proven fact.”
“Based on what empirical evidence?” she asked, as this started to feel like an actual trial.
“Based on that I’ve never had a complaint yet,” he said.
And they always came back for more, which was usually the problem.
Somehow he didn’t think Alicia would act in the usual manner. She was different. He liked that about her.
“And what would this trial entail?” she asked, sounding completely serious about the outlandish idea he’d originally suggested mostly as a joke.
He’d have to learn to choose his words more carefully around her.
Although, now that he thought about it, the idea of having to prove himself to her, to win her, had its appeal.
His competitive, over-achiever streak was rising to the challenge, along with the boner-from-hell in his pants.
She wanted specifics about this crazy trial?
He knew what he’d like to do to convince her. Laying her back against that sofa, slipping his hand up that sexy little skirt of hers and making her come hard enough she started to sound more like a woman than a shrink should do it.
They could tumble into bed and knock her headboard against the wall for a few hours, sleep for a bit, then wake up and do it all again, but he wasn’t sure Alicia, in this indecisive and odd mood, wanted that.
This stage in the negotiations was tricky. He couldn’t tell her any of what he really wanted. He couldn’t risk making a misstep.
Meanwhile, he might have suggested this insane trial period, but he hadn’t nailed down any of the specifics that she wanted.
“What do you suggest it entail?” he asked, laying the responsibility on her.
She pressed her lips together as she thought. “I think perhaps thirty minutes together would do it.”
Jesus, she was serious when she set up rules. Thirty minutes was harsh. Although, he could do a hell of a