Protection Page 3

  But how did they conduct the tests?

  Her mind jumped into overdrive as she visualized a typical condom trial. A man and woman naked on a huge bed while a man dressed in a white coat stood with a clipboard, snapping out pertinent questions and ticking off the questions in his survey. How did the latex feel? Did it fit to the penis? Was it too thick? Too thin? Was it big enough to catch semen? Did it stand up to vigorous thrusts? Is there significant loss of sensation?

  A tight band constricted Alice’s chest, affecting her breathing. She furtively tugged at the underwire of her bra while a wave of heat engulfed her body. She squirmed, warmth growing in her nether regions because of her sexual thoughts. Alice bit into her bottom lip. She had questions, but nerves and uncertainty made her hesitate. A sharp inhalation did nothing to steady her trepidation. This was stupid. She had a vested interest in this condom company and had every right to ask questions.

  “Um, how do you conduct trials?”

  “We ask for volunteers, dear.” The elderly lady in the seat next to her stopped her knitting to lean over and pat her on the hand. “Thankfully, our team of volunteers likes sex.”

  “That’s after using our special machines for the initial tests,” an elderly gent added.

  “Oh.” Alice bit her lip again. None of the elderly board members appeared embarrassed while nerves caused her stomach to twist enough for all of them. It was that man’s fault. He made her thoughts veer to naughty and forget her problems with Steven. Her gaze speared to him and clung.

  James Bates.

  His husky voice and handsomeness had spilled into her dreams last night. She could barely look him in the face after she recalled her nakedness, wantonly sliding her well-endowed chest across his face. Begging for it. Begging for him. Tension gathered low in her belly as she recalled the exquisite sensation of his mouth closing over her nipple. He’d drawn her tip deep into his mouth and sucked hard until a corresponding tug echoed in her…

  Pussy. Huh, she might as well think bluntly since she’d dreamed in Technicolor with no holds barred. He’d stripped off his jeans and white cotton shirt and displayed tanned muscles. Smooth skin. A huge erection. Alice groaned and imagined his cock sliding deep into her body. Or at least she tried since she remembered only the barest mechanics and sensations.

  She shifted on her chair and sighed, her feminine flesh pulsing. It had been so long since that one foray into sex. Maybe it was time to explore again?

  “Are you all right, dear? You look flushed.” The knitting lady again.

  Alice jerked back to the present to find every one of the six board members staring at her again plus the admin lady, and worst of all, the manager James Bates. He sported a grin, almost as if he knew what she’d fantasized about and relived only seconds ago.

  Oh my. Steven was right. Her morals had fallen by the wayside. She was a wicked woman and was going to hell.

  Realizing she had yet to answer, Alice blurted, “Fine. I’m…ah…focused on the business.” And how. If she concentrated on sex and condoms any harder, she’d self-combust. An X-rated version of Alice in Wonderland. Who’d have guessed?

  “How’s the security?” Richard Morgan asked. “Have we had any more breaches since we installed security cameras on the roof?”

  “The alarm wasn’t tripped, but we’ve had problems on the production line. Missing supplies, and Scott, the floor manager, discovered someone had changed the settings on the packing machine. Most of the boxes packed this week went out one condom short. We only discovered this after they’d left the warehouse. We’ve had to recall them.”

  “More money off the bottom line,” Sam Glengarry muttered, fingering his chin in a thoughtful manner. “Not good.”

  “We’ll have to set up covert cameras on the floor.” Richard frowned. “I didn’t want to do that.”

  “We’ll do what we have to,” Katarina stated. “Besides, I want to buy a red coupe with my next payout. Can’t do that if we don’t have profits.”

  “Red?” Ben asked. “I’d get a black one. I heard on the radio today that the most desired car color in Britain is black.”

  “Humph,” Katarina said. “It’s a bugger to keep clean. Fingerprints all over the paintwork. There’s nothing worse.”

  “Can we get back to condoms?” James demanded with a trace of impatience.

  Joseph Craig nodded, even though his mind was clearly on bonuses. “That’s rough. Too much money invested in the X-100. We must sort out our security problems before the public gets wind of the trouble. Can’t have the consumers’ confidence in the integrity of Fancy Free’s products dented.”

  Everyone around the table nodded. The board moved on in discussions.

  Rita Jamieson, the admin lady, produced a life-sized penis made of fiberglass from a padlocked wooden box, placed it on the table and rolled on a teal green condom with purple dots.

  Harriet Te Whare glanced up from her lime green and canary yellow knitting. “I’m not sure about the color selections.”

  “Rubbish,” Ben Kumar stated. “Purple is the new black. I suppose we could have black dots since that color is so popular on cars.”

  “We’ll have several colors,” James said. “A matching palette. These are just two examples.”

  “I’m more worried about the design.” Joseph Craig accepted the model from Rita and surveyed it from all angles. “And I’m still not sure about these dots. What have the people in the trials said about comfort?”

  “The raised dots are fine. Do you have another one there, Rita?”

  Rita rolled a condom on a second penis model and handed it to James.

  He ran his fingers over the dots. “I’ve used it myself. See the way they move when I touch them? It’s like a mini massage when it’s in use.”

  “But they’re much bigger than our regular raised dots model,” Joseph argued. “We need to use extra latex in the design because the dots are larger.”

  “No. We have the right amount of latex. Pretend my hand is the woman’s vagina. See how the dots fan outward like tiny brushes?”

  Alice gaped, her eyes wide as he showed the rest of the board how the new condom functioned. His fist acted as the woman’s vagina while he used his other hand to thrust and demonstrate how the raised dots worked. They didn’t bat an eyelid but paid close attention and asked intelligent questions. Alice leapt from one revelation to another and learned more about the theory of sex and the practical application of condoms during the day than she’d soaked up in all her twenty-five years.

  But she made it through the day—just—despite the heat controls of her body jamming on hot and fiery. Her mind drifted in the gutter with her consciousness of James Bates. Big and male, his crotch seemed level with her face for a good deal of the meeting as he stood to demonstrate various things for the board members. She had never been so aware of her body. Her nipples were more tender than normal, brushing with exquisite friction against her sturdy cotton bra. She’d never think about condoms and sex in the same way again. Never.

  By the end of the day, Alice needed a drink. Too bad if Steven didn’t approve of women and alcohol. Besides he’d given up all rights when he’d walked away yesterday. He wasn’t there to see, and in this day of firsts spent in the Sloan rabbit hole, what did a few more steps on the wild side matter?

  Chapter Three

  Instead of returning home to the bed and breakfast on Griffin Street, Alice turned right onto the main street of Sloan and marched through the front doors of The Thirsty Cricket pub before her courage deserted her. Outside, darkness started to fall since they’d worked until seven. Her stomach rumbled in a plaintive protest. Food. She’d have dinner here along with a drink to calm her ruffled nerves.

  She bowled up to the bar and waited for the barman to finish serving a customer. She stared at the array of bottles and ignored the drunken chat-up lines from the table of men over to her right.

  Elvis sang about being someone’s teddy bear. His husky voice poured fr
om the loud speakers and wrapped around her like a comforting cloak. Her first visit to a real pub rather than a café, and one without Steven.

  A day of firsts turning into a night of firsts. The sense she’d strayed into a rabbit hole with a parallel universe heightened.

  “Gin and tonic please.” Alice climbed onto a barstool and handed the man a ten-dollar note when he placed the drink on a cardboard coaster in front of her. After a sniff of her drink, she took a cautious sip. It tasted clean and crisp with a hint of lemon. Very refreshing. It cooled her parched mouth, and when she rolled the glass against her cheek, it acted like an ice pack, a diffuser for the heat in her face. She took another sip then another until only ice cubes remained. She set the glass down and replayed her extraordinary day.

  Condoms.

  The flush in her cheeks returned as she recalled James asking her opinion of the X-100.

  “Like another?” The barman straightened from stocking the small chiller behind the bar.

  Alice considered it for seconds before nodding. The second drink slid down as easily as the first. Steven would have kittens if he saw her at a bar. Not that he had a say how she spent her time. He’d given up that right when he’d walked away without a backward glance the previous day. Alice scowled about his pompous, conservative attitude, and fifteen minutes later, she ordered a third gin and tonic along with a whiskey. The amber color looked pretty but the strong, peaty scent gave her pause. Cautiously, she sniffed it again, screwing up courage to try the drink.

  Time to try new things and experience sin.

  No place for hesitation.

  Alice tipped back her head and swallowed a healthy mouthful. It burned all the way down her throat with a blaze that spread through her belly. A harsh gasp of shock escaped and her eyes watered. Fire water indeed.

  “Hello, are you on your own? Mind if I join you?”

  Her head whipped around and her mouth fell open for long seconds before she realized she was gaping in an unattractive manner. Her teeth clicked together with an audible clunk.

  James. Mr. James Dangerous AKA Hottie.

  Alice’s eyes widened even as she struggled for breath. Potent stuff that whiskey. Her heart pounded in an erratic manner. After experiencing the same irregular thud for most of the day, she should have become used to it. She hadn’t, and each time the sensation created more havoc, especially when an infuriating internal shimmy accompanied the thud-thud-thud.

  This man drove her to distraction.

  She couldn’t even indulge in the sinful pastime of drinking without his intrusion. Maybe she should rip open her suit jacket, her blouse and heavy-duty bra and offer him her body.

  She groaned as the idea registered. As if she’d have the guts to offer herself to Mr. Hottie. Alice glared at the remains of the whiskey on the bar in front of her. What was she doing here?

  Steven was right. She wasn’t cut out to inherit a condom company.

  “You had enough fun at my…my expense to…day.” She formed her words carefully. Funny how much energy it took to talk. “What do…do you th-ink of the X-100, Ms. Beasley?”

  He had the effrontery to grin. “You’re in the condom business now. You need to get used to our discussions.”

  “Are they always so…so frank?” Alice avoided his gaze. The wretch looked so pretty she squirmed with the urge to touch. And his sexy dimple…

  She’d have to deal with him if she wanted her inheritance. She was in this for the money, she reminded herself. Yeah, she admitted it. Six months. She could handle six months but only if she kept her distance from this disconcerting man.

  James shrugged and gestured at the bartender for a beer. “It’s a serious business. All the board members have invested money and want to make the best decisions for the company.” He watched her until she felt as naked as a bug under a microscope, his mouth curved in an infuriating grin.

  “It’s not my fault this is all new. Anyone would find the frank discussions cause for embarrassment.”

  His eyes narrowed. “How new?”

  A pregnant pause highlighted the question. Alice gnawed her bottom lip and winced at the tenderness while she considered how to answer.

  “I’m an almost virgin.” The words burst from her, and horrified, she picked up her glass and slurped down the remnants of whiskey. It didn’t taste much better the second time and a burn seared her soft palate. She coughed and spluttered.

  “Go easy. You’ll choke if you’re not careful. Here, have some beer. It will soothe your throat.”

  Alice accepted the glass of beer and chugged it down. “That tastes good.”

  “I’ll get another one,” he said, his tone wry when she lifted his glass to her mouth again. “How the hell can you be an almost virgin? You either are or you aren’t.”

  Horrified, she gawked at him. Oh my goodness. She’d confessed an inner secret.

  James gestured at the barman and ordered another beer before turning back to her with a grin that lit his blue eyes and made her want to test the dimple in his cheek. “So what’s the answer?”

  “I refuse to tell.” Why would she bare her soul to him? He was a stranger. A sexy stranger, who if rumor could be believed—as per this morning’s paper—had a parade of beautiful, leggy women strutting through his bedroom. Alice glanced at her cloth-covered knees with a rueful sigh. No way did she qualify in the leg department.

  James Bates wasn’t the right man for someone wanting security. She had to ignore his pretty face and sexy smile. His tempting muscles and cute dimple.

  She shook herself and almost fell off her barstool. James slipped his arm around her waist, and she shrugged him off. She had a boyfriend.

  Steven.

  She drummed the fingers of her right hand on the bar. Steven had refused to speak to her when she’d rung him at midday. They’d dated for over a year and had so much in common, but she couldn’t believe his tantrum and now his sulky attitude. She wanted—needed—a partnership. Someone to rely on and a man who held the same values as her. A secure future with no financial hiccups. A partner who stood at her side—no matter what happened.

  She picked up one of her glasses, peered at the dregs and placed it back on the bar. The gin and tonic looked more promising. Steven had failed her, and it hurt. No, his lack of support irked her.

  James brushed her arm as he shifted on his barstool and every one of her senses went on high alert, diverted from her Steven problem. She smelled his citrus and spice aftershave and heard each one of his deep even breaths. A heavy sigh drifted past her lips as her gaze zapped back to study his sexy mouth and his sparkly blue eyes…

  He was so pretty.

  Oh boy. Eyes front. There was something wrong with her. Every inch of her skin tingled and her mind drifted to sex with alarming ease. She consoled herself with the fact that anything sexual rated as work-related. That helped with her guilt except she kept fantasizing about sex with James. Close and very personal sex.

  Somewhere, somehow during the day, she’d shoved Steven aside and replaced him with Mr. Hottie. Her actions reminded her of a desperate woman. Heck, she was a wanton woman, a little voice in her head whispered.

  Alice straightened and wobbled on her barstool. Her shoulder and the outward curve of her breast brushed James’ arm before she grabbed the bar and righted herself. The friction between their bodies set off a series of pleasurable explosions inside her. Despite one audible pant, she attempted calm and cool. Okay, that had never happened when Steven touched her.

  Alice gulped and risked a glance at James. Warmth and heat radiated from his expression, and she wanted to bask in the masculine attention. Then she noticed the twinkle in his blue eyes and indignation surfaced.

  “You’re laughing at me.” Alice drained the last of her gin and tonic and set the glass on the bar with a distinct clunk.

  “No, I’m not,” he said. “What you see is admiration. Not every woman would take work at a condom company in her stride.”

  “Oh
.” Alice peered closer but his eyes moved across his face. All three of them. She winced as her head whirled. With a shocked gasp, she screwed her eyes shut before opening them again.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Did you know you have three eyes?” Alice blinked. “All blue like the sky. And two noses. What on earth do you do with two noses? What do you do when you have a cold? How do you know which one to blow first?”

  James placed his arm around her shoulders. “Your parents named you well,” he murmured, a chuckle underlying his words. “You’re very curious.”

  “Will you come back to the bed and breakfast with me?”

  “Sure, I’ll walk you home. Make sure you get there safely.”

  Alice attempted to focus on his middle eye. “No, I mean I’m tired of wondering what the fuss is about. I want to learn the mysteries of sex.”

  James spluttered before he looked back at her. “That’s a bad idea.”

  She puckered her lips into a pout, a seductive one, she hoped. It was difficult to concentrate with that number of eyes scrutinizing her. She had an argument ready to refute him. “An owner of a condom company should know how to work the apparatus.” She nodded and regretted it since the movement doubled the number of eyes. “There’s something wrong with your face. It keeps sprouting eyes. You’ve got six.”

  His mouth twitched. “Do you drink often?”

  “Waz that got to do with eyes?”

  “Absolutely nothing,” he agreed. “Are you ready to go home now?”

  Alice checked her drinks. No whiskey left. No gin left. But the glasses. Ye gods. They had gone forth and multiplied. There were four of the blighters. She shuddered, the unpleasant gulp of the whiskey still a recent memory. “Finished.”

  “Let’s get you home then.” James jumped off his barstool and waited at her side.

  When Alice attempted to emulate his feat, she teetered, toppling sideways and ending up with her nose pressed into a muscular chest.

  “You smell of lemon but you’re not prickly like a tree.” She pulled away to study him. “I’m sure you’ll feel nice against my naked skin.”