sweetie.” Carrie grabbed a chocolate brown fleece blanket from the back of the couch.
“Do you teach yoga like our Amie?” Why Aleks was so interested confused her. She was never one to garner the attention of men.
“Yes, and I practice reflexology and aromatherapy.”
“I knew it smelled good in here.” His smirk tickled her insides. The sexual energy radiating off this man was palpable. “So ladies, what are we gossiping about?”
“Nothing you’d be interested in, Turko.” Amie stood, staring at him with a less than amused look on her face.
“Oh, really?”
By the look on Aleks’s mischievous face, Martina couldn’t help but wonder if the men had overheard their conversation.
Aleks seemed the more talkative of the two, but Rob communicated with his eyes. They were fixed right on her.
Goose bumps made their way across her skin. His eyes heated up something inside her, something she thought died a long time ago. Good thing she now had a blanket to cover the evidence.
Carrie took a seat on the coffee-colored couch. Aleks was quick to join her. Martina saw the sparks flying between them despite Aleks’s cool-guy demeanor. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, his free hand messing up her dark strands.
“Aleks! Stop!”
“What are we drinking? It’s making your lips blue, Care Bear.” He ripped the glass out of her hand and took a long swig. His distaste was evident in the sour look on his face. “How do you girls drink this stuff? More importantly, how are you drinking this, Care?”
“It’s not that bad, and no one offered you any.” She stole the glass back.
“This is a girls’ night, Aleks. Time to go. You too, Rob. Out!” Amie hauled Aleks off the couch and herded him toward the entryway.
They were all easy and comfortable with each other. Martina had forgotten what it was like to be close to people.
“What do you think, Rob? What kind of secret girly things are they going to be doing?”
“I don’t know, but I’m definitely interested,” Rob replied. His brown eyes locked with hers.
“Out!” Carrie and Amie yelled in unison.
“Don’t worry. We aren’t staying. Aleks has a hot night planned with a lady who is yet to be determined…” Rob explained.
Martina felt the slump of Carrie’s shoulders from five feet away.
“…and I just need to find some of my meds and I’m going home.”
“I think Mom put them in the bathroom cabinet in the basement.”
“You mean you put them in the bathroom downstairs to make more room for yourself.”
“Either way. They’re downstairs.” She waved him off.
He looked a little sick. Martina always felt a connection to sick people.
“Good night, ladies. Martina–” Aleks eyed her from head to toe. “It was a pleasure. I hope we’ll see you again. Feel free to wear that anytime you visit.” Before turning, he took one last look at Carrie. “Nice work, Care Bear.”
Martina watched Carrie on the couch. Aleks’s interest in her seemed to hurt Carrie deeply. She felt guilty about drawing attention to herself.
Martina had never been the center of attention before, so she was a little taken aback by the obvious stares.
“Now. Where were we?” Amie picked up the various liquor bottles and made a new batch of blue drinks.
“I think I’ve had enough, Amie.” Martina swayed on her feet and after the gut reaction she just had to a stranger she didn’t think more alcohol would be the best idea.
“I’m sure Carrie wouldn’t mind you crashing in the basement so you don’t have to drive home.”
It took a second for Carrie to regroup. “That’s a great idea.” She flew off the couch. “My parents are away for the weekend. Now you don’t have any excuses.” Picking up her needle and extra thread she headed over to the pedestal. “Take that blanket away. We’re almost done, and then you can change.”
“All right.” Martina had been defeated. “Fill up my glass.” She was having too much fun to argue.
Martina needed to kick-start her life. What better way than finding a man to fulfill her sexual needs. Four years of celibacy was taking its toll. She was pathetic. A loser. A virgin again for all intents and purposes. To get her life back on track all she had to do was find a man and convince him to take her on the journey of a lifetime.
Chapter 4
Rob rummaged through the bathroom cabinet searching for his prescription painkillers. The throbbing behind his eyes got worse by the minute. Unfortunately, he hadn’t been quick enough to catch the headache and nip it in the bud.
His training session this afternoon had gone a little long. Long, but necessary. Only two months until the race but the over-exertion took its toll on his fragile head. That was the price in order to do what he loved. And he paid it gladly.
He found what he was looking for and swallowed down the white tablet. The light in the small bathroom had worn out its welcome. His eyelids felt like one-hundred-pound weights obstructing his vision. After smoothing his hand over the wall he finally found what he was looking for and turned off the light.
Stumbling through the dark, he searched for the couch. Maybe if he lay down for a few minutes the meds would have a better chance to kick-in. Driving while unable to keep his eyes open, not the safest idea.
After Aleks escorted him down the basement stairs he’d taken off in search of a woman. Any woman. As long as she was ready, willing, and able she was good enough to sleep with. Poor girl had no idea that he would be gone before the sun came up.
They’d shared many sexual escapades together, but the difference between them was an ocean wide. Aleks was running away from love and commitment, banging any woman with a pulse, trying his best to separate himself from getting hurt. Rob was killing time. He was waiting for the one, the one who would be his forever.
Lying in the darkness, Rob thought back to the woman who had made such a physical impression on him. Long auburn hair, flawless white skin and bright green eyes the color of... Kermit the frog?
The pain made him delirious. He didn’t expect to meet her half-dressed. He had no doubt that his sister had the ability to make any woman sexy wearing her designs but Martina–Martina was the kind of woman who made the design sexy. She was curvy, toned in all the right places. A testament to the benefits of practicing yoga.
She seemed so nonchalant about sexual fantasies. She was willing to find any random guy to get the job done. It seemed like she knew exactly what she wanted, but she was unsure of how to get it. Maybe too shy to ask for it. That’s where he came in. He was willing to set her free, take her to the edge.
There were three parts to her fantasy. She wanted a man to focus on her pleasure, she wanted a threesome, and she wanted to be dominated. He needed a plan. Thoughts of all the naughty ways he could please her infiltrated his brain, but they would have to wait until tomorrow. Just a few minutes’ rest and he would be on his way.
* * * *
The lights from the kitchen illuminated the narrow staircase to the basement. Staring down the steep passage, Martina realized her only way to a comfortable bed was down a staircase that looked like it belonged in a fun house, the carpeted steps doing a little sway from side to side. She cursed. Too many blue concoctions. Too much talk about sex. She was horny as hell with no man in sight and not in the comfort of her own home to take care of her own needs.
She took the first few steps then closed