Stud Finders Incorporated Page 3

  “Ooh, The How-To of Female Orgasm,” the shop assistant said. “This is a good one. Got some great exercises to try out with your woman. Wish more men would consider their partner’s needs instead of just their own selfish desires.”

  He flicked a glance at her before ducking his head and drumming his fingertips on the laminated surface of the counter as he waited for the assistant to swipe his credit card. The woman wasn’t much older than the kid who’d chosen the book for him. He couldn’t believe this was happening to him.

  Still keeping his head down, he scrawled his name in the appropriate place, shuffling his feet as the woman took an inordinate amount of time to separate his copy of the credit card receipt from the rest. When she handed him the paper carry bag, he grabbed it and got the hell out of there.

  Jake stepped out of the store with a deep sigh. He felt like he’d just gone though some devious form of torture. A man of his age buying books on how to please a woman? He shook his head. How much more pathetic could he get? And why was it so darn important that he find a way to please Madison? Before he could come up with a suitable answer, he was jostled from behind. The paper bag of books almost went flying out of his hand. The crush of people crowding the footpath finally impinged on his consciousness.

  It was the middle of the holiday period. Hot summer skies and sun-gilded stretches of white-sand beaches brought in the tourists. Family groups, guys intent on following the surf small though it was, and girls. Lots of ‘em. All ages, all shapes and sizes, and all dressed in shorts or skimpy dresses, and even skimpier swimsuits. They flocked to the beaches and the many resorts built throughout this area. A pick-up mecca for a lonely fellow.

  Not that he was lonely. And he didn’t need to search out a woman. He had one for the taking. If only he could keep his conscience under control.

  As he walked back to where he’d parked the car, he noted the number of covert female looks angled his way. Some not so covert. It did his ego a world of good. Okay, so he wasn’t too bad in the looks department. Now to prove to himself he could turn a woman on and follow through. Give her all the…whoopty-do she was capable of handling.

  When he reached the car, he slung the bag of books onto the floor in the passenger side, folded his long legs under the dash and gunned the engine, pointing the little convertible toward the beach and the Blue Harbor Retirement Village.

  In no time at all, he was pulling into the driveway just past the Village complex. He cut the motor and sat for a moment, feeling like he’d run the gauntlet. God, he was a fool. A lying fool. He should go inside this minute, ring Madison and tell her there had been a misunderstanding. He wasn’t a paid stud, just a boring family lawyer.

  After that, he’d beg her to go on a regular date with him. Do things the normal way and see where it led. Oh, he’d still like to get hot and heavy beneath the sheets with her, but he’d prefer it to be a natural extension of an adult relationship.

  But he couldn’t. She’d be so embarrassed when she found out the truth, she’d kick his ass and throw him right out of there. He didn’t want that to happen. For some unknown reason, it seemed important he see more of her, and not just to salvage his male pride.

  “Hey, you ever getting out of that car? Thought we were going fishing. High tide’s in half an hour.”

  As his father walked toward the vehicle, Jake grabbed the carry bag and climbed out of the car. Trying for nonchalance, he sauntered over to meet him. “Sorry. Had an errand to run in town.”

  Bart glanced down at the logo on the side of the bag and frowned. “Plenty of books inside if you wanted something to read.”

  “Ah, just some stuff on family law I needed for research.” Jake sidestepped his father and edged toward the front door of the sprawling, low-set beach house. He cringed as he thought of the titles of the books hidden in the bag.

  “You’re on vacation, lad. You need to slow down. Find some lady and—or maybe a woman who likes to forget she’s a lady once in a while—get out and have some fun. Go dancing. Go… Oh, I don’t know. Do something outrageous. That Courtney screwed with your head. Why don’t you go out and have hot rabbity sex with someone you don’t even know?”

  “Dad!” Jake didn’t know whether to laugh or hide his head inside the paper bag that held his books. “Where do you get these sayings? Hot rabbity sex indeed.”

  “Rosa.”

  Bart beamed, seeming much younger than his sixty-five years. Jake shook his head in astonishment. He hadn’t met this Rosa, but she was sure good for his father.

  “Very inventive, my Rosa,” Bart said as he turned toward the Retirement Village. “Best thing I ever did when I made her manager of the Village. Would never have met her if I hadn’t employed her. Anyway, enough of this.” He spun toward the house. “The tide will have turned before we get out there. Come on, let’s get at ‘em.”

  Jake followed his father inside. “Just let me put these books away and get changed and I’ll be right with you.” A thought crossed his mind. “Why rabbity sex?”

  Bart grinned. “You ever watched rabbits? They never stop.”

  Jake chuckled as he walked up the hallway toward the guest suite.

  “Hey, did you find the stud on that renovation job like I asked you to?” Bart called out after him.

  “Oh, yeah, Dad, I found the stud.” And maybe a whole lot more.

  CHAPTER 4

  Jake sighed, long and loud. His father had gone to visit an old mate before going on to dinner with his Rosa. In fact, he’d said not to expect him home at all tonight. Terrific. His dear old dad was getting more action than he was.

  Feeling vaguely dissatisfied with life, he sat down in front of the television and switched over to a documentary he’d wanted to watch. Then he sighed, flicked off the set and fiddled with the latest whodunit sitting on the coffee table. After a few minutes he tossed the book on the floor and pushed himself to his feet, pacing over to look out the full-length window facing the night sea. He was restless, couldn’t settle to anything. A pizza with everything from the local take-away joint had satisfied his physical appetite, but not the sexual hunger rampaging through his bloodstream.

  All because of a leggy blond who had handed him every man’s fantasy on the proverbial platter. He should feel like a low-life heel for taking her at her word—and he did—but overriding that was a level of excitement he hadn’t experienced in a long while. Maybe Courtney was right. Their relationship had run its course and had become nothing more than convenience. Habit. Because if he’d loved her, he wouldn’t be lusting after another woman so soon.

  God, he couldn’t believe how fickle he was. He’d been shattered when Courtney had split up with him. Now here he was, a few months after the break-up, and all he could think about was Madison. It wasn’t just the thought of going to bed with her. All right, so that was a part of it, but he wanted more. He wanted to get to know her, inside and out. Wanted to discover what made her happy, what she liked and disliked.

  Most of all, he needed to discover why a woman who’d been married for ten years could be so sexually ignorant. On the outside, she looked like a sophisticated woman, yet he got the feeling it was all just a cover for some deep insecurities. That ex-husband of hers must have been a total idiot. Not once in ten years?

  She had a lot of time to make up and if he wanted to help her, maybe he needed to dip into those books he’d bought today.

  He strode into the bedroom, upended the books onto the bed and pulled out the one the young girl had selected for him. The How-To of Female Orgasm. How apropos. He didn’t have time to read the whole thing; he’d promised Madison he’d ring before the day was done and it was already late. For the moment, he just flicked through the text, stopping here and there to browse.

  Women who masturbate usually have fewer problems experiencing an orgasm with a male partner. “Bloody hell, I can’t just ask her outright if she masturbates.”

  He turned to another section in the book and started to read out
loud. “Sexual Satisfaction: Point 1—The brain is the most important sex organ. So talk; you want to stimulate sexual thoughts. Well, I knew that,” he spluttered as he scanned the next line.

  “Point 2—Build the tension. Okay, I can do that. Point 3—Make certain she has an orgasm.” Jake snorted in derision. “That’s why I’m reading the damn book.” He tossed it from him, his conscience digging at him. “This is ridiculous. I’m going to ring Madison and tell her the truth.”

  As her mother walked in the front door of the cottage, Madison’s eyes widened. Holy heck, what was she up to now? Okay, so she was tiny enough, and slim enough, to wear all the teenage fashions, but this was over the top.

  The tight mini-skirt barely covered her upper thighs. Shiny metallic black, she’d teamed it with black fishnet stockings. Her upper body was clad—only just—in a brief halter-top. She’d applied her make-up with a heavy hand, the lipstick a bright slash of red, and teased her dyed blonde hair so it stood out from her head like a rat’s nest.

  Surely her mother didn’t plan on going out looking like that? There was nothing really wrong with the over-all picture but it was a bit…tarty. Hmm, a bit of diplomacy was needed to let her know, without any hurt to her feelings. “Ah, Mom, you wearing a bra with that?”

  Rosa grinned and ran her hand down over the abbreviated top. “Of course not. It would destroy the image.”

  “What image would that be?”

  “I want to look like an easy lay so I can get picked up. Reckon this will do it?”

  Now Madison was worried. Had her parent lost it? Maybe dementia had set in. Before she could figure out what to do, her mother laughed.

  “Oh, stop with the worried looks, baby girl.” She pranced on impossibly high heels into the living room. “It’s only dress-up. Bart is meeting me in the car park at the Civic Centre in town at eight o’clock. I’m going to be draped over the hood of the car in one of those sexy poses. You know, like this.”

  She leaned back against the lounge chair, hips angled, breasts thrust so far forward they were in danger of escaping the skimpy top. Lifting her chin, she plastered a smile on her face and fluttered her lashes. Madison burst into laughter at the picture her mother presented.

  Rosa straightened up, and hands on hips, sashayed across the room. “So, as I was saying, Bart is going to pick me up. After that, we’ll go to a sleazy motel and have hot rabbity sex all night long.”

  “Too much information, Mom.”

  “Oh, don’t be a prude, Madison. Bart and I have been together for quite a while now. It’s a way of keeping our sex life interesting.”

  Madison couldn’t help it, although she knew her mother meant no harm. There was an immediate crack in her heart at being called a prude and all the old insecurities started to seep through. Another one of Clifton’s complaints. She turned away and blinked back the tears forming in her eyes.

  “Oh, baby girl, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean that.” Rosa tottered over and reached up to wrap her arms around her. “Honey, I wouldn’t hurt you for the world.”

  Madison dropped a kiss on the top of her mother’s head. Then she spluttered, “Mom, you must have a can of hairspray on this. It tastes disgusting.”

  Rosa stepped back and looked up at her. “I really am sorry, Madison.”

  “Not your problem. I just need to grow a thicker skin. I don’t want you to have to censor everything you say.”

  “That’s all it is—a saying. You have to get to the point where you can reject the image Clifton pushed you into. You’re none of those things. You got to feel it deep down inside you.” She patted at her chest for emphasis. “Tell yourself you’re a vibrant, sexy woman and you’ll begin to believe it. So say after me, ‘I’m a vibrant, sexy woman with a lot to offer the right man.’ Come on, say it.”

  “I’m a vibrant, sexy woman with a lot to offer the right man,” Madison repeated on cue. “I promise, I’ll say it every day.”

  “Don’t just say it. Believe it.” Rosa grabbed her handbag off the lounge chair. “So did your stud call?”

  “He turned up here yesterday afternoon.”

  “And?”

  She grinned at the avid look on her mother’s face. “And you did good. He’s…he’s a…Stud. With a capital S. He’s going to call me tonight, if he doesn’t back out, of course.”

  Rosa fished around in her over-sized handbag. “I bought you a present. If you’re going to jump this guy’s bones, you need to feel confident about yourself. And what better way than knowing you’re wearing the sexiest underwear you could find. Well, I found it, but it amounts to the same thing. Anyway, you know what I mean.”

  “Mom, you’re a ditzy blond at times, but know what the frightening part is? I actually understand what you’re trying to say.” Madison chuckled as she took the package.

  Before she could unwrap her gift, Rosa slung her handbag over her shoulder and reached up to pat her on the cheek. “Have to go, baby girl, or I’ll be late for the performance. Can’t wait to see what Bart chooses to wear. He’s supposed to look like a john on the prowl.”

  She made her way to the front door. “Hmm, wonder what a john looks like anyway,” she said as she waved a distracted goodbye.

  Madison hoped her mother never changed. She loved her just as she was, quirky behavior and all. Gift in hand, she wandered into the bedroom. She should get something on the go for dinner, but it was too hot to eat. Maybe she’d just have some fruit later. After she checked out her present.

  She perched on the side of the bed and peeled back the fancy wrapping paper. First she lifted out the book laying, cover down, on top. She turned it over and chuckled. 101 Sexual Positions. Should make interesting reading. Next she pulled out the bra and panties hidden beneath.

  Panties? Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. They were nothing more than a thong with a tiny triangle of sheer black fabric in front. The bra wasn’t much better. This didn’t even look big enough to confine someone half her size.

  Lingerie had been included in her shopping trip when she’d set out to change her image. No more plain cotton briefs or bras that looked like neck-to-knee jobs. Instead, lots of satins and laces. But nothing like this. Her mother was outrageous. She couldn’t wear this.

  Why not? The question burned inside her brain. Yeah, why not? This was the new Madison Paxton. “I’m a vibrant, sexy woman,” she whispered.

  Not giving herself time to think, she cast off her clothes and stepped into the thong. It fit her like a dream, the straps high on her hips. It left nothing to the imagination, but it sure was sexy.

  She slipped on the bra. It was just as see-through as the panties, the cups under-wired to lift her breasts and show them off to best advantage. The lace edge only just covered her nipples. “Blimey, one deep breath and it would all be over.” Madison laughed at her turn of phrase. One deep breath and they would certainly be over—over the top.

  Hands on hips, she posed in front of the full-length mirror. Her eyebrows rose. “Hey, I don’t look half bad.” She ran her hands across the sheer fabric of the bra and slid them down her body. “Yeah, not bad at all.”

  She had a sudden mental image of posing like this for Jake. She’d waited all day for him to ring. Part of her hoped he wouldn’t; she winced at the idea of hiring a stud to teach her about sex. Then there was that other part of her, the part that went all squishy at the thought of getting hot and heavy with Jake. And that’s what was so strange. Sex with Clifton had never been enjoyable, more a duty. Yet here she was, in full fantasy about sliding between the sheets with a total stranger. A hot, sexy stranger with a body that made her go weak at the knees when she thought of it.

  Clifton was a weed, no muscle to speak of. All pale skin and attitude. One of those men who believed the male was the boss in the household and the bedroom. Sex for him had been nothing more than an exercise in self-gratification, and to heck with the woman’s satisfaction.

  Two minutes of pumping, with him in the domina
nt position. No foreplay, no stimulation of her breasts or anywhere else for that matter. Nothing. Just shove it in, do the deed, and get outta there. When he’d finished, he’d immediately shower, as if the very act of making love was dirty. The one and only time he’d caught her trying to learn to pleasure herself, he’d made her feel dirty.

  After she’d devoured myriad books on the subject, and had some rather furtive conversations with her single friends, she knew there was so much more to it than that. Clifton just hadn’t been interested enough to make certain she’d enjoyed it.

  Now, Jake. There was a man. Her mind created an image of the two of them in her king-size bed. Sweaty muscles—and one look at his skin-tight tee shirt yesterday told her he had lots of those—heavy breathing, pounding pulses. All the things her girlfriends talked about and her women’s magazines expounded upon.

  A shiver caught her unawares. Goosebumps walked up and down her arms and the breath snagged in her throat. She ran her hands over her breasts, surprised to find her nipples hard and throbbing. She may not have been any good in the bedroom as far as Clifton was concerned, but there was no doubt her mind was a powerful sexual aid. Maybe there was hope for her yet.

  All this was academic if Jake didn’t contact her. Tying herself up in knots over something that might never happen was ridiculous. It was time to take a dip in the pool to cool off.

  The phone rang mere seconds after she’d removed the bra and tossed it on the bed. An image of her mother, dressed in her tarty costume, being arrested for solicitation, jumped into her mind. Or, worse, being attacked because she’d rejected someone who thought she was a streetwalker. She scrambled across the bed on hands and knees to grab for the phone on the bedside table. “Hello.” Her voice shook as much as her hand did.

  “Hello, Madison. It’s Jake here. Are you all right? You sound panicked.”

  Madison pressed a hand to her chest, trying to still the mad thump of her heart. “No, no, I’m fine. I thought it might be about my mother. She… Never mind, you wouldn’t understand.”