SoloPlay by Miranda Baker Page B

pressed against his chest, made his balls throb.
    His apology died on his lips.
    The obnoxious sound of a throat clearing made him realize they were blocking the hostess stand. Mark tucked his arm around Alisa and turned to guide her toward the door.
    She stopped suddenly, gazing at the man behind them. “Eric?” She frowned.
    The throat clearer, a banker type, looked stunned. “Alisa? I didn’t recognize you.” The guy eyed her up and down, like he was trying to remember her naked, and Mark thought about crushing him. “You look different.”
    She smiled, but Mark had a feeling she was leaving fingernail dents in his side. “Really? Not so frigid anymore? Maybe I should thank you for dumping me.”
    The banker reared back like she’d slugged him. His eyes went wide and his mouth gaped. Then his gaze sharpened and his teeth snapped shut. He turned to Mark. “I didn’t catch your name.”
    “Mark Winters,” he supplied, letting a hint of laughter leak into his words. “Um, nice to meet you. Let’s go, darling.” He turned Alisa away from the hostess stand.
    “Give my regards to your wife,” she said over her shoulder.
    Eric growled, “We’re separating.”
    “Shocking,” she retorted sweetly.
    “Ouch,” Mark said as he swept her out the door.
    She took a deep breath. “I didn’t know he was married when I dated him.”
    “You don’t have to explain,” he assured her. “But remind me to stay on your good side.”
    “That’s up to you, buddy.” Her laugh was low. She rested her back against his Lexus and gazed up at him, blue eyes darkening. He wanted to see them turn midnight again, wanted it suddenly, powerfully. It was all he could do not to cover her body with his and take her in the parking lot. Of course he would take her home. Hadn’t he already discovered that he couldn’t say no to her?
    “Let’s go.” Mark took her hand. It was smaller than his and a perfect fit.

Chapter Nine
    Alisa watched Mark’s fingers restlessly trace the seam in the seat of his car. The sight of his hand, plucking and caressing the leather, put her on the edge of her seat. His fingers were wide-tipped, blunt and strong-looking. His other hand was graceful and sure on the wheel. Exhilaration coursed through her body, a quick rush of adrenaline.
    Anxiety rolled in right behind it.
    Seeing Eric had reminded her of what a disaster sex with him had been. What if the easy part had been asking Mark to take her home and the hard part would come later, when she couldn’t have an orgasm? What if he fumbled around like Eric, unable to find her clit, rubbing ceaselessly, too fast, too slow, wrong place entirely, while she lay there, silent, arousal waning while Mark played Christopher Columbus, washed up on the wrong continent entirely?
    She wasn’t going to let that happen tonight, she reminded herself. This was research. Pure research. Crystal’s tutoring and hours spent pleasuring herself had helped her map her body. She would force herself to tell him what to do. Fate had delivered her a perfect partner, and she was determined to make the most of him. He must have some knowledge of women, for God’s sake—he had the market cornered on good looks and hot sex toys. It was possible that he might be good in bed.
    And she wanted him.
    In fact, she was heating up just thinking about what would happen when they got to her apartment. A sharp zing of pleasure made her gasp.
    “Hey!” Alisa gave him an affronted glare.
    “Sorry,” Mark said, not looking at all sorry. “I still have the remote and you looked like you were a million miles away. Penny for your thoughts. Or do you want me to zap you again?”
    “Maybe you should wear BodyVibe and see how it feels.”
    “Nope. It wasn’t designed with men in mind. We’re simple folks. We don’t need all that gear to get off.”
    “And women do?”
    “Sometimes. You girls are complicated.”
    Thinking about what he might know about women made her breath catch in her