Chapter 19

Part Two: The Story Ends

Barefoot and wearing shorts and a tank top, Alix Townsend stood in her driveway giving her friends one last hug and watching them head for their cars. Each pulled a weekender suitcase and toting a little pink bag[V16] with the logo Toys-4-Us. She waved as one by one the cars backed out into the street and pulled away. The weekend had definitely been a resounding success. However the catalog from the sex toys company had found its way into her mailbox, it had been the impetus for a long overdue girls' weekend with her closest friends. It was also an opportunity to celebrate the birthday of Petra Harbor, her closest friend. What better celebration than a sex toys party?

So Petra, ballsy and brassy, had been the willing center of attention for the party and the recipient of the "special" hostess gift package, a selection of toys and lubricants, birthday girl's choice. Gianna Romero, representative for Toys-4-Us had been a great sales rep, making the whole event hilarious as she talked about her company's products and told funny little stories with each one. Gianna herself was a walking ad for sex toys, with her exotic Mediterranean looks and sharp sense of humor, putting everyone at ease. Of course the many bottles of chocolate wine they'd killed had a little something to do with it.

Now Petra, the impetus for the whole weekend, was the last one left.

"Alix, you outdid yourself," she said, giving her a hug. "Best birthday ever."

"At least the most unusual," Alix laughed. "Anyway, if it hadn't been for you, the whole thing might never have happened."

"You were due for some fun," Petra told her. "Jesus, Alix, you were getting to be a real stick-in-the-mud. I can't even remember the last time you went out on a date."

Alix snorted. "With who? The men I meet are all uptight assholes so full of themselves, all they want is a sounding board for their bragging and someone to give them a performance rating."

"Maybe you should try not dating lawyers," Petra pointed out.

"Yeah? Where would I find one? They're the only kind of men I meet. Except for clients, which I don't touch with a ten-foot pole."

"Well, you bought all those nifty little toys this weekend. I hope you don't plan to use them all by yourself."

Alix laughed. "Maybe I'll put an ad in the paper. 'Wanted: one very hot male into kinky sex and toys.'"

"Let me know if it works. I might try it myself."

The women hugged again and Petra loaded her suitcase and her own little pink bag into her car, honked as she backed out into the street and headed off on the four hour drive to reach home. Alix hated the fact they lived so far apart, but at least the distance cut down on how much Petra could nag her about her dismal sex life. Most of the time she was reduced to text messages and emails, thank heavens.

Still, she couldn't ignore the fact that Petra was right. It was bad enough she couldn't remember the last time she'd had a real date. Having sex was a thing of the distant past. In her drive to be a top litigation attorney, she'd ignored her personal life for her professional. Now she wondered if she even remembered what the male anatomy looked like or how to have an orgasm with anyone but herself.

Sighing she headed back into the house. Thank goodness most of the debris from the weekend had been cleaned up and even the brunch leftovers had been put away. There was just enough wine in the last bottle for one glassful, so Alix filled her goblet and tossed the bottle in the recycle bin. Carrying her glass, cell phone and her own little pink bag, she opened the sliding glass doors to the patio and collapsed on a padded lounge chair. The weather hadn't yet descended into the hellish heat of summer and a soft breeze blew, enough to keep her comfortable.

She stretched out her bare legs, crossing them at the ankles and lifted her glass to sip at the wine. She wasn't one given to fretting over her body too much. She tried to hold the carbs down and worked out religiously three times a week no matter what her schedule. But if she wished for anything, it was to have legs as long as any of her friends. She always joked she was the runt of the litter and her friends laughed with her. But now she wished the limbs extending from her shorts were long and graceful and sexy rather than short and well-rounded. Like the rest of her body.

You are what you are, kiddo. Be happy with what you've got.

The scent of jasmine and honeysuckle drifted across her nose and she could hear the music of the birds in the trees and she finally began to unwind. Having everyone at her house for three days was exciting, but playing hostess sometimes got a little wearing on the nerves and she was ready for a little breathing room.

Taking a sip of her wine, she set the glass on the concrete next to her, lifted the pink bag into her lap and began to take out the contents. Everyone had made their individual choices in private with Gianna. For Alix, her goodie bag contained two new dildos - one pink, one purple, nipple clips, lotion to stimulate her nipples and clit, a tiny butterfly clit vibrator and just for giggles, a pair of fleece-lined leather handcuffs. Not that she'd ever have a chance to use them, but she could dream, right?

"Those look interesting," a deep voice drawled. "Planning to demonstrate them?"

Startled, Alix jerked at the voice, spilling the toys everywhere and knocking over her wine.

"Damn," she swore and looked over to see her neighbor, Mackenzie "Mack" Taylor, leaning on the fence dividing their yards and grinning at her.

"You didn't answer my question. Should I get a beer and settle down for the show?"

Heat crept up her face and she blushed furiously. Damn it all anyway. Mack Taylor was one very fine specimen of man. Well over six feet tall, his body was lean and hard-muscled, and well on display since at the moment he only wore a pair of cutoffs. Dark hair worn just to his shoulders framed a rough-jawed face and accented the thick lashes that framed hazel eyes. The same dark hair was sprinkled liberally over his chest, arrowing down past his abs and disappearing in the waistband of his shorts.

Her mouth watered at the site of him. She wanted to lick every delicious inch of his exposed skin.

Down, girl. You really do need to get out more.

She also wanted to run into the house and hide. Of all people to see my new playthings. She and Mack had been neighbors for two years, but they'd never done more than chat over the fence or in the driveway. There was definitely some chemistry between them, but nothing either of them had ever indicated a desire to act on.

They were each busy with their own lives. She knew he was single and worked for the DEA, many times on an undercover assignment. Sometimes he'd be gone for weeks at a time. And she was always busy with one high profile client or another. Her big secret was that he had a starring role in some of her over-the-top fantasies and each time she saw him it became harder and harder to remain casual.

Like now.

Especially with his interest in her bag of toys. Not that she wouldn't like a chance to try them out with him.