“Um. Okay. Thanks. Have a good night.”
“You too, honey. Though unless you pony up for next-day delivery, you’ll have to wait five to seven business days before you have a good night.”
Curiosity got the better of her. As soon as she heard the outer door close, she turned to her computer, launched Explorer and typed “the bunny” into her search engine. Within minutes she found herself in a new and heretofore unexplored world of vibrating elastomer personal toys. Fascinated, she clicked on various styles, reading the product descriptions, the specs, and customer reviews. She had to admit all the sizes, colors, and…mercy…the capabilities of the darn thing intrigued her, and frankly, turned her on, but the idea of stimulating herself to orgasm without the benefit of Tyler’s lips, hands, and a few other essential parts seemed hollow—like getting an A on a book report by skimming the CliffsNotes instead of reading the book.
If the user reviews could be believed, scores of satisfied customers disagreed. One particularly enthusiastic review had her slouched in her chair, fanning her cheeks.
“Must be a helluva website to put that look on your face, Doc.”
Ellie nearly fell out of her chair. She jerked upright and saw Tyler standing in her doorway, looking tall and tanned and entirely too cool. She grabbed a pen and pulled a chart from the stack on her desk. “Jesus. You scared me.”
“Sorry. I wasn’t trying to sneak up on you. Guess you were too engrossed in…” Before she could stop him, he rounded her desk and peered at her computer screen. “Ah, well. This explains things. Making up a personal shopping list for our field trip this evening?”
“No. I was merely doing some research.” Though she strived for dignity, heat flooded her face. Stupid to be embarrassed. Tyler already knew about her plan to master at least five sexual tactics designed to bring a man to his knees. But for whatever reason, it unnerved her to be caught indulging her curiosity about something not on their curriculum, and not centered on pleasing a partner.
“Uh-huh.” He relaxed against her desk, facing her, and stared pointedly at her chest, where her nipples were on high alert. “Looks to me like you were enjoying your research.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and lied. “It’s a little cool in here, that’s all.” The room felt hot—surface-of-the-sun hot.
Tyler laughed and pulled her to her feet. “Maybe we should crank up the heat a little?” Then he lowered his head and brushed his lips slowly, purposefully over hers. Her eyelids drifted down, and things definitely warmed up. Her breasts melted against the solid wall of his chest. Her stomach fluttered against his carved-from-granite abs. He slid his hand down her spine, pressing their lower bodies together until a moan vibrated in the back of her throat.
Tyler groaned and said something she didn’t catch, and then pulled away. She curled her hand around his neck and went onto her tiptoes in hot pursuit, but came up empty.
“Huh?” She forced her eyes open and stared at him.
He rested his hands on her shoulders, brought his forehead to hers, and gave her a slow, lazy smile. “We get any hotter, and I’m thinking our shopping trip won’t happen.”
She blinked. The shopping trip. How could she have forgotten? “Of course.” She straightened and ran an unsteady hand over her skinny black skirt. “We should get going.”
Tyler stepped aside and let her precede him. “That’s what I figured.”
“I’ll drive,” she said, struggling for some small measure of control. As usual, Tyler had fogged her brain the minute he’d aimed his devastating smile at her.
It had to stop. This wasn’t supposed to be about what she liked, or what drove her headlong into mindless pleasure—something he managed to explore with breathtaking results every single time she tried to complete her carefully planned lessons. The sensual vortex he sucked her into stirred up her hormones, but also, and more worrisome, her emotions. Maybe he wasn’t doing it intentionally, but all the seduction he directed her way threatened her focus. Her goal wasn’t to lose herself in Tyler Longfoot.
Absolutely not. What would be stupider than falling for Bluelick’s resident playboy? She needed his help perfecting the techniques she’d use to woo Roger. All she had to do was stick to her plan.
Frustrated with herself, Ellie turned and glanced at Tyler, who was now giving her an odd look.
She forced a casual laugh. “I’m sorry. Did you say something?”
He smiled back. “I said, ‘Whatever you want,’ Doc.”
Chapter Ten
Tyler had a hard time keeping up his end of the conversation, what with his life flashing before his eyes. Ellie steered them down Highway 68 toward Lexington, nearly giving him whiplash as she streaked in and out of traffic. Good thing she lived and worked in the same town, because Ellie on the open highway was an accident waiting to happen.
“Look,” she sighed. “There’s the Browning farm. I’ve always loved that place.”
“I’m trying to buy it.” The words spilled out of his mouth like a deathbed confession as she weaved between two S
UVs.
“For real? Like, fix it up and live there?”
He closed his eyes and nodded. “Fix it up and sell it.”
“I can’t wait to see the finished product. When do you start?”