Page 37 of Stolen Kisses
Noah grimaced. “Only if we can agree to pretend it’s not for people we know.”
Krista smiled softly. “Deal.”
—
Krista awoke to Noah poking her in the side. She twisted around to avoid another poke, then moaned at the stiffness that had settled into her body as she curled in the seat and leaned against the passenger door and window.
“Wake up, Sleeping Beauty. We’ve arrived at Sugar and Spicy.”
Krista blinked away the tiredness and focused on the little store. The name was written in large red block print above the door. The window held mannequins dressed in skimpy clothing.
Noah reached over and pressed the release on her seat belt. “Let’s do this.”
Krista slid her feet back into her shoes that she’d kicked off before falling asleep and stepped out. Noah opened the storefront door and let her enter first. She’d never been inside a store like this—no way was she telling Noah that, though. She looked around as Noah stepped up beside her.
“Did, uh, the person-who-shall-not-be-named mention what kind of items she wanted?” he asked.
Krista grinned at him. “Just something sexy that will knock Jack’s socks off.”
Noah acted as if she’d thrown egg at his face. His eyes squinted and his mouth soured. “No names, remember.”
“Can I help you two find what you’re looking for?” A woman dressed neatly in a blouse and navy pants approached them. Her hair was pulled back on the sides and she looked like she belonged in a store that sold fine jewelry instead of sex toys and lingerie.
“Hi. We don’t exactly know what we’re looking for,” Krista told her.
The woman nodded. “Well, what do you two like to do together?”
Krista opened her mouth and a series of dumbfounded sounds stumbled over her lips. She’d told Grace that she wouldn’t be embarrassed to come to a store like this one, but that was because she wasn’t shopping for herself. “No. Um…We’re not…Um…”
Noah bumped along Krista’s arm. She looked over, hoping he’d save her.
“We’re new at these kinds of things. What would you suggest?”
Krista swallowed and started coughing now.
“It’s okay. No need to be embarrassed, sweetheart,” Noah told her. “Right?” he asked the woman.
Krista bordered between embarrassment and irritation, which Noah seemed to find hilarious.
“Exactly. This is my job. You wouldn’t believe some of the things I see. If I were you two, new to toys and such, I’d start over here.” The woman started walking ahead of them.
Krista took the moment to land a hard punch to Noah’s upper arm.
“Ow,” he whispered. “This is fun. We might learn something.”
“We?” she said. “I thought you already knew everything.”
“I never said that.” Noah looked over, his gaze lingering on hers until she couldn’t breathe for a totally different reason.Stop that, Krista. Just friends, remember?She was moving on from her childhood crush. Who knows? Maybe this time next year, she’d be the one getting married. Not to Chandler Dale. He was a great guy, overlooking some flaws, but he wasn’therguy. He didn’t make her heart skip in her chest or visions of white dresses and rings dance in her head. He was just a nice guy. Someone she’d like to have as a friend.
The woman stopped in front of a display labeledWILDEST FANTASIES. There were handcuffs, whips, blindfolds, and other items that Krista couldn’t begin to know what they were for.
“These are for exploring any fantasies you two might have.” She looked at them expectantly. “Have you done any fantasy or role-playing sex?”
Krista felt like she’d fallen into another dimension. She talked candidly with Grace and Abby about sex, but never this candidly. What had she gotten herself into?
“I don’t know. Do you have fantasies, sweetheart?” Noah turned to Krista.
She was going to take her time when she killed him.
