Page 46 of Sweet Love at Bayside
He shrugged. “Sorry. I thought I was being discreet.” He leaned in with a mischievous look in his eyes and said, “But I do love when my girl gets flustered.”
Desiree swatted him playfully, earning a hearty laugh, but inside she was swooning over their racy relationship. “You’re abeast. Go do your work.”
He gave her a chaste kiss, and she watched him walk away.
“You realize that’s my brother’s backside you’re ogling,” Mira teased.
“Oh gosh, sorry.” She carried Cosmos into the gallery and grabbed his leash from beside the door, hooking it to his collar. “Come on in and look around.”
“I’m glad you and Rick found each other,” Mira said as she looked around the shop. “I’ve never seen him this happy. Maybe you can get him to realize he needs to behere, and not in DC.”
Desiree’s stomach lurched, thinking about how short a time they had left together. He said he was there for another month when they’d met, and it had been almost two weeks. A couple more weeks would never be enough. She’d known exactly what she was getting into with Rick. Asummerromance. But she hadn’t realized she could lose her heart so quickly.
“But I’m leaving, too,” she said wistfully.
“Well, that’s easy to fix. We’ll just have to start convincing you to stay.” Serena peered into the back room. “Whatisthis?Desiree! You didn’t tell us you had a porn shop.”
“What?” Mira followed her into the back room.
If they’d have come in a week ago, Desiree might have shriveled up with embarrassment, but now she’d handled, talked about, and sold everything for inappropriate fun. Embarrassment had no place in this salesgirl’s life.Except when it comes to Rick’s whispered promises.As much as she loved his dirty talk, when they weren’t in the heat of the moment, she still blushed a red streak.
“It’s my mother’s ‘personal exploration shop,’notmine. I’m just the salesgirl. I swear, if my teacher friends saw me now, they’d think I was a whole different person. Back home I spend my days talking to little people and keeping my thoughts and language as pure as I can.” She picked up a bottle of lubricant. “Then I come here, thinking my mother is dying, and learn all aboutthisand adult toys. I sold five of these today.Five.I didn’t think people really used it that much.”
“Just think of how much wider your vocabulary is now.” Serena picked up a bottle of lube. “Now, boys and girls, this is called alubricant. Can you saylubricant? Oh, what’s it for, you ask? Well, after being around sticky fingers all day, Miss Cleary likes to get a different type of sticky—”
“Geez!” Desiree snatched the bottle out of Serena’s hand. “You sound like my friend Emery.”
“You have a dirty-minded best friend, too?” Mira eyed her bestie. “Serena has worn off on me, so watch out. Emery might wear off on you.”
She didn’t need to know it wasRick, not Emery, who had unlocked her inner sexy girl.
Mira held up a pair of edible underwear. “I’ll be back later for these.”
“Why stop there?” Serena held up a whip. “Turn it up a notch. You can’t get this stuff anywhere around here. I think the closest place is P-town. We were going to brainstorm about marketing. Do you have time now? You could corner the market on this stuffsoeasily.”
“I’ve been so busy since we set out the signs and flyers, I think we’ll be okay. At least for now.” Desiree heard voices in the gallery and went to investigate.
Cosmos barked at a young couple who was looking around with confused expressions. Desiree picked up Cosmos. “Hi. Can I help you find something?”
The couple shared a secret smile, and the guy handed her a flyer. “We got this at the Earth House. Is this the right place?” The Earth House was an eclectic record and clothing shop a few miles away.
Desiree quickly scanned the flyer.Best sex shop around!It went on to list a few of their products, and the address. Swallowing her shock at the changes her sister had made to the flyers, she said, “It sure is,” and waved toward the open door, catching sight of Mira and Serena inspecting a box.
Violet’s motorcycle roared into the driveway, and Desiree carried Cosmos outside. Violet climbed off her bike and took off her helmet, carrying it under one arm as she sauntered across the driveway.
“Have a fun afternoon?” Desiree set Cosmos on the ground.
Violet bent to pet Cosmos. “Actually, yes. It’s been a long time since I’ve wanted to get to know a place. I hit some of the shops in Brewster, and went down to Breakwater Beach.”
Desiree swallowed her complaint about Violet blowing off their schedule. Violet was a wanderer, like their mother. For her to want to get to know the area said something, and it felt like progress.
Serena and Mira came outside giggling.
“Do you get to test the products?” Serena asked.
“No!”Can I? Do I want to? Oh my gosh. I think I might!
Violet smirked. “That right there is the look of someone who wants to break the rules.”
