Checking It Twice

chapter Ten


“Oh, I really like this one. What do you think, honey?”

Jana paused on her way to the DVD section of Wicked Delights and glanced in the direction of the young couple browsing through the racks of lingerie. Changing course, she plunked down the box of DVDs and joined the customers, offering a smile. “Anything I can help you two with?”

The pretty brunette absently fondled the sheer white silk bridal set hanging in front of her. “I’m trying to pick out some things for our honeymoon, but…” Shooting an uncertain look toward her handsome ginger-haired companion, she sighed. “Taylor, you don’t seem very into this.”

Taylor tore his gaze from the strappy, leopard-print number on the opposite rack, his face going nearly as red as his hair. Jana hid a grin. Oh, he’s definitely into it.

“Meg, I’m happy with whatever you decide on.” The adoring expression Taylor wore as he stroked Meg’s shoulder sent a deep pang of wistfulness shooting through Jana. Plenty of couples came into the store on a regular basis, but it was always the ones with dewy love in their eyes that never failed to fill her with both happiness and envy.

She eyed the young Meg, who was now beaming at her man. “Are you guys just married, or soon-to-be?”

“The big day is on New Year’s.” Laughing, Meg squeezed Taylor’s arm. “That way he has no excuse to forget our anniversary.”

“Congratulations.” Jana surveyed the feminine bridal set. “May I make a suggestion?”

“Oh, please do.” Meg followed up her agreement with an effusive nod.

“Every woman deserves to feel special and beautiful on her wedding night, and the peignoir will look great on you. Additionally…” Jana grabbed the leopard-print ensemble Taylor had been drooling over. “This one, because every man deserves some sexy eye candy on his honeymoon.”

Meg’s eyes nearly bugged from their sockets. “Really? I—I’m not sure I can pull of something so…so…”

Jana leaned close to the girl’s ear. “Trust me, you can. And he’s going to freakin’ love it.”

They both glanced toward the silent Taylor and discovered him ogling the outrageous getup with lusty appreciation. Meg giggled. “Okay, I’ll take both.”

Less than five minutes later Jana escorted the couple to the front entrance and waved them off with best wishes for a happy marriage and lots of happy, kinky sex. Chuckling, she let the door close behind her. “Ten to one they bust out the catwoman getup before the honeymoon.”

Remembering her side-railed task from earlier, she returned to the box of DVDs and strode toward the aisle where the selection of flicks were stocked. While she shelved the new shipment that’d come in, she passed the time coming up with her own infinitely better version of X-rated movie titles. Her favorites so far were Riding Miss Daisy and Sisterhood of the Traveling Strap-on. She eyed the final video in her hand, scanning the blurb description and the trio of pictures with strategically placed smiley faces hiding the explicit parts. “Hmm, I’m dubbing you Snow White and the Seven Horny Cock Dwarves. Yeah, has a nice ring to it. Although, I doubt they’ll have that ride at the Magic Kingdom any time soon.”

She took a closer inspection of the orgy scene in the center frame of the box. The actress looked like she was having a helluva good time. In Jana’s case, she’d have a hard job of it figuring out what to do with that many dicks. More than five seemed like overkill. Hell, she felt greedy for lusting after two.

Her thoughts veered to yesterday, and the spectacular orgasms Nick had given her. What would it be like being on the receiving end of that much pleasure with him and Kevin? Thrilling as the fantasy of Kevin watching her and Nick making love was, she longed most of all to be with them both. Not just physically, but in a real relationship. What Lacey had with Bram and Ry—it was exactly what Jana dreamed of having with Kevin and Nick. So much so, the wanting of it ached in her soul.

Settling the DVD in place, she stooped and grabbed the empty UPS box. Woody’s laugh rang out again, announcing the arrival of more customers. Damn, the store was really hopping today. “Apparently ’tis the season to be kinky.”

Wedging the cardboard container under her arm, she strolled around the corner of the aisle and spotted Nick. In addition to the hot, sexy flush that tore through her, an inner giggle attacked her as the connection with his name and the holiday season registered. She’d never be able to look at him again without picturing a Santa hat and a sack of presents slung over his broad shoulder. She surveyed the crisp white shirt beneath his jacket before following the lines of his impeccably tailored charcoal dress slacks. Her attention hovered on the nicely sized bulge behind his fly. Saint Nick had a very impressive package, for damn sure. She knew that firsthand.

Nick’s face lit up the moment he glanced in her direction. “Hey, beautiful.”

Grinning like a dope, she crossed the room and offered him a hug. His strong arms around her felt wonderful, and the spicy masculine scent wafting from him made her long to rip his clothes off and lick every yummy inch of him. She snuggled closer. “Here to take me to lunch again, followed by a show?”

The subtropic flare of heat in his eyes made her * tingle in anticipation—until he shook his head. “Sorry, I can’t. I have a meeting in an hour on the other side of town. Place called Victoria’s Sexy Secrets.” He waggled his brows. “God, I love my job.”

She snorted. “I bet. And Victoria’s Sexy Secrets? That’s both cheesy and a blatant rip-off.” She gave a mock pout. “Why the hell didn’t I think of it first?”

He massaged her nape lightly. “But then you wouldn’t be Wicked Jana, and I happen to prefer her so much more.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Is that what you call me behind my back?”

“You called me the Sex Chef.”

“Which I still think has huge marketing potential.” She poked him in the chest to emphasize her point. “But back to Victoria and her sexy secrets. You do realize this means you’re stiffing me for the competition.”

“You know you’re the only one who gets me stiff.”

“And you call me the naughty one. Which makes me wonder how in the world you ever passed for a saint.” She caught his arched eyebrow and shrugged. “You know…St. Nick?”

“Ah, baby. If there’s one thing I’m not, it’s a saint.” The sinful glint in his dark irises backed up his statement. But it wasn’t until he coaxed her chin up with his finger and slid his mouth over hers that the full impact of his boast came into play. Her lips parted on a weak moan. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Nick deepened the kiss, the exploring glide of his tongue along hers making her shiver. Her nipples tightened into hard, aching points. She began to slide her arms around Nick’s shoulders, but he stepped back, his breath ragged and his eyes blazing. “Desperately as I want to bend you over the counter and bury myself inside you, I don’t think Victoria will appreciate me being late to our appointment.”

“I’m really not liking Victoria right now.”

He bent and kissed her scrunched forehead. “I’m going to make this up to you. I promise.”

The intense smokiness in his gaze stirred hot shivers through her. Without uttering another word, he pivoted and strode toward the exit. She stared dumbly at his retreating form, her knees refusing to lose their wobble as he jumped into his car and rode off. She pressed her fingers to her lips, the residual fire of their kiss still potent there. It was a fierce burden on her sanity to court this crazy three-sided love affair of hers. God knows, her heart was already tangled into a mass of conflicting knots.

Giving her bottom lip one last brush of her fingertip, she turned and walked toward the register. Her feet rooted in place when she spied the beautifully wrapped box resting on the counter. Frowning, she stepped forward and freed the card tucked beneath the red metallic bow. She used her nail to slice through the gold seal and flipped the envelope open. She recognized the card as one of the ones Nick purchased in the artisan gallery yesterday. Well, that explained who the present was from. Looks like St. Nick did visit her this year.

“If it’s a lump of coal, I’m going to be so disappointed.” Snickering, she opened the card and eyed Nick’s bold, masculine handwriting.

Wear this and meet me tonight at ten thirty. I’ll have your real Christmas present waiting and ready. Beneath that cryptic note, he’d scrawled an address, presumably where they were to meet.

“Okay, St. Nick. You definitely win the award for being most mysterious.” Intrigued, she set the card to the side and picked up the book-sized rectangular package. Holding it to her ear, she shook it lightly. No sound. Whatever it was, it’d been sealed up like Fort Knox. Thank God she could open it now. No way would she have been able to resist temptation.

Trying her best to be methodical and savor the anticipation, she worked her way through the tape. For cripes’ sake, did he use an entire dispenser? Probably so, knowing his sheer evilness. Giving up the pretense of patience, she ripped the remaining foil paper free, revealing a black velvet box. She popped the lid open and removed the endless layers of cotton padding. Snuggled at the base of the box was a multilayered chain and what looked suspiciously like nipple rings.

Her brows arching, she freed the dainty hoops from the ties holding them in place and held them up to the light. “Yeah, definitely nipple rings.” She didn’t own any—till now—but she did stock a few in the store. Certainly none as well crafted and beautiful as these. Setting the pair aside, she moved on to the other piece of body jewelry in the box. Her attention fell on the little gold butterfly attached to one of the chains. The edge of her nail bumped one of the tiny antennae, and the trinket began buzzing like crazy. “Holy shit balls. It’s a vibrator.”

Without warning, Nick’s earlier boast ghosted through her mind. If there’s one thing I’m not, it’s a saint.

She fingered the chain draped over her hand before giving in and activating the vibrating butterfly again. Her p-ssy automatically grew wet. Pavlov had nothing on that part of her anatomy.

“All right, Naughty Nick, what the hell do you have up your sleeve?”