Page 36 of Until Joy

“You take your time, Doll.” Of course, if she did, I wouldn’t be able to walk out of here without the entire restaurant realizing I had a hard-on.

After three more excruciating bites, her eyes lit up. “I’ve got it, well, I’ve narrowed it down. It’s molasses or honey! I’m going to have to experiment with each one.” She reached out and grabbed my hand. “Will you let me experiment on you?”

I looked down at her hand and then up into her excited gaze. “Doll, you can experiment on me to your heart’s content.”

I watched her cheeks turn the same rosy pink as her body-hugging dress. She tried to draw back her hand, but I caught it before she could.

“Y-y-you know what I meant.”

I turned her hand over and stroked my thumb across the rapid pulse at her wrist, then smiled. “It’s okay, Joy. I knew what you meant.”

She blew out a breath that sent a strand of blonde hair flying from her face. “Good. That’s good,” she said with a relieved grin.

“But I’d absolutely love it if you would experiment on me in other ways. Maybe even tonight… at my house.”

The way her eyes widened, I could tell she understood my meaning. I waited with bated breath to see what her reaction would be. It didn’t take long. Her lashes fluttered down. Then she looked up at me. She gave me the same sultry, sensuous smile she had been reserving for the mousse. “That sounds absolutely wonderful.”

Damn, if I thought I was ready to get her alone before, hearing her say those words in that sexy tone had me about ready to throw my credit card at the waiter the next time he walked by, and hauling her ass out of her. Somehow, I refrained and reached for my wallet. I pulled out my card and placed it on the edge of the table like a gentleman, praying the waiter would take it fast.

By the time we were out the door, I had to work hard not to throw Joy over my shoulder and carry her to my truck. Her silver heels were out of this world, but she wasn’t walking nearly fast enough as far as I was concerned.

We’d made it partway to the parking lot when a woman called out Joy’s name.

“Joy, what are you doing down here?”

It was Kayan, shouting from halfway down the block. She was with her man, Z. She was all tricked out, and I’d bet my bottom dollar she was out for a night of clubbing.

Joy waved but didn’t yell back an answer. Instead, she looked up at me and tugged at my hand, making it clear she wanted to go to Kayan, not to my truck. I was putty in her hands.

Literally.

We walked their way, and Kayan bounced toward us.

“This is great luck,” Kayan enthused as she caught Joy up in a hug. “You’ve got to come with us. We’re meeting everybody over at Louey’s. It’s karaoke night. It’s going to be a blast.”

I looked at Z and saw that his look of pain matched mine.

“I don’t know, Kayan. It’s going to be too loud to really talk to one another,” Joy protested.

“What it’s going to be is fun. That’s one syllable. Three letters. F-U-N. Fun! Come on, Joy, you’ll love it.”

Before I knew it, Kayan had her arm linked with Joy’s and was pulling her down the street.

“Fuck,” I muttered.

“My thought exactly.” Z nodded. “But at least Evan, Wes, and Harlen will be there.”

“They will?”

“Yep.”

“Well, then it won’t be a total bust.”

“Plus, get three shots of tequila in Kayan, and my night is made.” Z grinned. “But any more than that, and the window closes.”

I watched Joy as she and Kayan walked ahead of us. The way her heels made her ass sway was killing me. “I don’t know Joy’s window yet.”

“You don’t? I’m surprised. You’re moving kind of slow.”