Sex Drive by Susan Lyons Read Free Book Online

about to ask when his lips quirked up at one corner and he said, “Sweetie? You called me sweetie?”
    “You called me sugar.”
    “It popped into my mind. Because you’re so sweet, and all,” he teased. “So, d’you call all your guys sweetie?”
    “No.” I’d called Jeffrey “dear” occasionally, but mostly used his name. I wasn’t the endearment type. I gave Day a saccharine smile. “Only you, sweetie.”
    He laughed. “I like you, you know that?”
    “I’d kind of hoped so.” I paused a beat. “Since we’re engaged and all.”
    “Speaking of which.” He lifted his flute, which had an inch of champagne in the bottom. “Shouldn’t we have a toast to our upcoming…”
    I raised mine, too. “Nuptials?”
    Slowly, eyes gleaming, Day shook his head. “Not what I had in mind.” He clicked his glass gently against mine, then lifted it and drained the contents in one swallow.
    “So I’m supposed to drink a toast to whatever you had in mind?” All the same, hand trembling as I lifted the glass, I did it. It wasn’t a promise I’d have sex with him, only a promise to…What?
    To play his game, which I had to admit I was enjoying even though it made me nervous. Not to mention aroused. He’d banished my headache, made me forget about work, and also, I suddenly realized, made me forget to phone my sister Jenna.
    Now I seized on the excuse to distance myself a little, to let some of the sexual tension dissipate. “Oh, gosh, I need to make a call.” Jenna should be home by now. Alone? Yesterday she’d said she had broken up with the surfer guy she’d followed to Santa Cruz. She hadn’t sounded heartbroken, but that was no surprise. For Jenna, relationships were about having fun while they lasted, not about the long term.
    “Go ahead.” Day gestured to the onboard phone, then lay back, eyes closed.
    I took a moment to admire the length of his legs, the press of firm thighs against worn denim, the bulge at his groin that had receded since Carmen’s arrival but was still impressive. His forearms rested on the arms of his seat, firm and tanned, sprinkled with black hair. My fingers itched to touch his arm. Among other bodily parts.
    I dialed my sister’s number and waited. After several rings, I was readying myself to leave another voice mail, when I heard her voice, breathless. “’Lo?”
    “Hello, Jenna, it’s Theresa.” I curled sideways in my seat, away from Day. Not only for the illusion of privacy, but to avoid the distraction offered by his hunky body.
    “Hey, sis. Call display didn’t show your name.”
    “I’m on the plane. Did I wake you?”
    “Nope. Just got in. There was a beach party. So, you’re on your way home?”
    “Didn’t you get my e-mail? I said I’d get a flight Sunday night.”
    “Is this Sunday?”
    “I think it’s Saturday night there.” The time differences did get confusing, even for efficient me. As for Jenna, she’d so rarely held a regular job, the days of the week held little significance to her. Nor did keeping track of time. Or keeping track of much of anything. How paradoxical that she’d chosen to participate in a count-the-falcons survey.
    “How about you?” I asked. “When are you heading to Vancouver?”
    “Still working on it.”
    “Jenna, you’re the one who picks up at a moment’s notice and heads off in a new direction. What’s the big issue about leaving Santa Cruz? Did you get back together with what’s his name?”
    “Surfer-dude Carlos? No, we’re history. But wow, the surfing is fabulous right now. I’m getting really good.”
    “And improving your surfing skills is more important than your sister’s wedding?”
    Day snickered and I turned to glare at him, but his eyes were still closed.
    “That’s not what I said.”
    “Okay, Jenna. Anyhow, if you’re tied up, I’ll do the wedding on my own. I mean, with Kat’s help,” I amended quickly.
    “Yeah, right. You hate it when we try to help. All you can do is