Bliss (6 page)

He stroked her cheek, then drew her in for another kiss. She melted against him, her lips moving on his with a hunger that matched his own. Then she eased away.

“Good-bye.” She grabbed the handle of her bag, turned around, and strode away without a backward glance.

He watched his perfect woman walk calmly out of his life.

“Good-bye, Kara Spencer from White Haven.”

He grinned. Luggage tags were wonderful things.

Kara tossed her bag into the cab and slumped back in the seat as the cabbie pulled onto the road. She stared out at the snowy landscape, glistening in the sunlight, and sighed.

She’d never see J.M. again. Had she made the right decision? Her fists clenched in her lap. Damn it, she couldn’t go second-guessing herself now. Sure, the sex had been great, but she barely knew the guy. It had only been a one-night thing. The fact that he’d managed to throw her emotions into a state of chaos after a simple, ordinary fling just went to show that cutting and running was the smartest way to go. And if Kara was anything, she was a smart, independent woman.

The cab pulled up in front of the hotel. She paid the driver and went inside. Twenty minutes later, she clicked open the door to her room on the seventeenth floor. After unpacking and relaxing for a bit, she decided she should go down and register for the conference. She grabbed her shoulder bag and headed out the door.

A woman wearing a dove-gray skirt made of fine wool and a matching silk blouse walked along the hall in front of her. Her short, wavy, dark blond hair bounced softly as she walked. They both turned the corner toward the elevator and the other lady pushed the call button. She glanced at Kara and smiled. The color of the blouse set off the woman’s blue-gray eyes quite nicely.

“Hi.” The stranger smiled at Kara. “You here for the conference?”

The elevator doors whooshed open and they both stepped inside.

“That’s right. I’m just going to register.”

“Me, too.” She stuck out her hand. “My name’s Grace.”

Kara shook Grace’s hand. “I really wanted to register yesterday, but our flight couldn’t get in because of the weather. I just got in a couple of hours ago.”

“I just got in today, too. With the weather so bad yesterday, I just postponed my flight.”

“Good move.”

The doors opened at the lobby and Kara followed Grace from the elevator. Kara glanced around for a sign listing the events going on in the hotel. Grace spotted it at the same time as Kara.

“Looks like we’re up two levels,” Kara said. They walked toward the escalator and traveled up, then approached a table with a big sign saying REGISTRATION FOR SSC.

SSC. Sensational Sex Conference. Kara leaned toward Grace. “I guess they didn’t want a big sign stating this was a sex conference. They’d probably get all kinds of guys propositioning the women at the table.”

Grace laughed. “You’re probably right. You know, they’re having a Sex-a-la-Gala show here at the same time, so there could be some confusion.”

“I hadn’t heard that. Why would they do that?”

Sex-a-la-Gala was an adult trade show that took place in several cities across different weeks over the winter.

“For the vendors. Many of the workshops at the SSC will talk about how to use sex toys to help enhance your sex life, so they thought it would be a good match. That way the attendees here will have a place they can go and see what’s available firsthand. Especially being away from their home environment, where they might feel more uncomfortable shopping for intimate devices.”

“You sound like a health practitioner.”

Grace smiled. “That I am.”

The person in front of them in line moved forward and Grace and Kara took a step up. Now they were at the front of the line.

“Hey, would you like to grab dinner after this?” Grace asked.

“That would be great.” Kara smiled. She’d been dreading attending a conference alone, but she’d only just arrived and had already made a friend. Things were looking pretty good.

“A friend of mine is supposed to be joining me, but I haven’t heard from him yet. That okay with you?”

“Sure. The more the merrier.”

One of the women at the registration table waved them forward. She took their names, marked them off on her list, then handed them each a name tag in a clear plastic sleeve on a red lanyard and a tote bag.

“The schedule’s inside there, along with a few goodies. Breakfast is at eight tomorrow morning in the Lotus Room, just around the corner and to the right.” The woman pointed down the corridor.

“Thanks.” Kara turned and walked beside Grace as they moved away from the line toward the escalator. She glanced down at her bag. “I’m almost afraid to see what ‘goodies’ she was referring to.”

Grace laughed as she peered inside. “I’m sure there’s nothing too . . . Oh!”

Chapter Five

“What is it?” Kara asked.

Grace stopped as she pulled out a little cellophane package and held it on her palm. Whatever was inside was silver and about two inches long.

“It’s a small bullet vibrator.”

Kara opened her tote bag and pulled out an identical device. She’d just been joking when she’d made that remark. “Well, I certainly won’t be lonely tonight.”

“Oh, I’m sure you can do better than that little thing.” Grace nudged Kara’s arm. “In fact, my friend Jeremy is pretty sexy and”—she grinned broadly—“he’s a Tantra master. I could put in a good word for you.”

Ah, damn. Tantra again. In fact, Jeremy Smith was the name of the author she was supposed to interview.

“Is his last name Smith?”

“Yes. Do you know him?”

“No,” Kara said, “but I’m supposed to interview him for the magazine I work for.”

“Really? Well, that’s exciting. This will give you a chance to talk with him casually. That’s a good thing, right?”

“Sure.”

Except that the last thing Kara wanted was to spend any more time than necessary talking with a Tantra expert.

J.M. took the tote bag the woman behind the table handed him, thanked her, then turned to leave. As he walked past the line, he saw a familiar face, his old friend Quinn, who stood chatting to a young woman a few yards away.

“Quinn.” J.M. walked toward him.

His tall, sandy-haired friend glanced up and smiled. He held out his hand and J.M. shook it, then Quinn pulled him into a bear hug.

“Emma, this is Jeremy Smith, an old friend of mine.”

J.M. always went by his full name at conferences like this because he was usually speaking and promoting his books. His friends understood that.

“Nice to meet you,” the pretty blonde said. She shook his hand. “You’re doing a workshop on Tantra tomorrow.”

“That’s right.” Was his workshop that popular?

“Emma is the conference coordinator, so a good person to get to know,” Quinn said.

Trust Quinn to find the most influential person around. And attractive, too.

“I’ll leave you two to catch up.” Emma smiled at Quinn. “So, lunch tomorrow?”

Quinn smiled his devilish knock-the-ladies-dead smile. “I’m looking forward to it.”

When she turned and walked away, Quinn made no attempt to hide his frank admiration for the gentle sway of her behind.

“So how many dates have you made already?” J.M. asked.

“Oh, just the one. But the night is still young.” Quinn slapped J.M.’s back, then settled his arm over his shoulder and propelled them toward the escalators. “So . . . dinner? I heard there’s a great little pub just around the corner that serves a fabulous prime rib.”

“I already made plans with a friend of mine.”

“Man or woman?”

J.M. smiled. “Woman, but as I said, she’s a friend.”

“Okay, then. Invite her along.”

They stepped onto the down escalator. J.M. tugged his cell phone from his pocket and typed in a text message to Grace’s number. “What’s the name of the place?”

“It’s called the Waterford Pub. Two blocks east.”

Ran into a friend. Mind if he joins us for dinner? Heading to the Waterford Pub.—J.M.
About fifteen minutes later, J.M. walked along the street, snow crunching under his boots as a blustery wind chilled his face.

“It’s just another block,” Quinn said.

Finally, they entered the dimly lit pub, hung up their coats on coat hooks at the end of a row of wooden booths, and sat down.

“Two of the house draft,” Quinn said to the waitress when she appeared.

A few minutes later, she brought two tall mugs of cold, foamy beer and set them on the oak table. Quinn took a deep sip and smiled at J.M.

“That hit the spot.”

J.M. sipped his beer. He hadn’t seen Quinn in about three years when they’d attended a seminar together on Kama Sutra, but they kept in touch a little over e-mail.

“So how’s it going with that interesting romantic arrangement you had going on?” Quinn asked.

J.M. didn’t tell a lot of people about Hanna and Grey and him—most wouldn’t understand—but Quinn was different.

“Well, it’s essentially over.”

Quinn’s eyebrows arched upward. “She booted you out?”

“No—”

“
He
booted you out?”

J.M. chuckled. “Nothing like that. They decided to have a baby—”

“I thought the guy couldn’t. That’s why they’d had problems before.”

“Grey can’t have kids, that’s true, but they decided to adopt.”

“Ah, and you thought you’d be in the way.”

“I think they need time to bond as a family.”

“Hogwash.”

J.M.’s eyebrows rose. “I beg your pardon?”

Quinn leaned across the table and locked him in a visual grip. “I said hogwash. Having you around won’t affect a baby. In fact, I bet they’d love extra help around the house to take care of the little one . . . or help with meals or laundry and all that stuff.” Quinn pointed a finger at J.M. “If you’re not in that relationship, it’s because you don’t want to be.”

Kara took a sip of her wine as Grace placed her order for the daily special, which was a salad with mandarin oranges followed by fillet of sole almandine. Kara ordered the goat cheese chicken wrap with a side salad.

“I’m surprised I haven’t heard from Jeremy yet. Do you know what time it is?” Grace asked.

“No, I don’t have a watch.”

Grace pulled her cell phone out of her purse and flipped it open.

“I missed a text. Probably Jeremy.” She tapped at the phone. “Darn. He’s at another restaurant with a friend and asked me to join him.”

“Oh, that’s okay,” Kara said. “We can cancel our orders and just pay for our drinks. Don’t worry about me.”

“Of course not. I’ll just tell him we’ll make it another day. He’ll probably want to catch up with his friend anyway.” Grace tapped at her phone. “Unfortunately, that means you won’t get a chance to talk to him before your interview after all.” She closed her phone and put it back in her purse. “I could arrange to get you both together for dinner tomorrow.”

“That’ll be too late. I interview him tomorrow after his workshop.”

“Oh, that’s too bad.” Grace smiled. “I could ask him and his friend to join us for drinks later. I really think the two of you might hit it off. Then you won’t be left in your room with just that little vibrator for company.”

“Grace, that’s really nice of you, but I’m not really interested in getting to know someone who teaches . . . I don’t know . . . airy-fairy sexual techniques.”

“Really? You shouldn’t knock it unless you’ve tried it.” She leaned in and lowered her voice. “And word on the street is that Jeremy is the best.”

I’m sure J.M. could give this guy a run for his money.

As sorrow sliced through her at the thought she’d never see him again, she realized she’d done the only sensible thing by ending it quickly and cleanly.

“If you’re not interested in Tantra, why are you interviewing Jeremy?” asked Grace.

“My editor set up the interview. I . . . write a column on sex for
Urban Woman
magazine.” At the nagging tension about her job, her stomach coiled into a knot.

Grace sipped her wine and watched Kara.

“Obviously, you’re not happy about that.”

“Not really. Not just because she gave me an assignment I’m not thrilled with—that’s part of the job—but because . . . I’m afraid she thinks my column is getting stale. There are a lot of people who would love to have a column in this magazine. People with amazing writing credits . . . , with great ideas.”

“But sex sells. And you’re good at what you do, right?”

“Uh . . . sure. I guess.”

“Well, there’s your problem right there. You need to believe in yourself.”

J.M. returned Quinn’s stare.

“Well, it’s true I didn’t want to be the outsider. The third wheel.”

Quinn nodded. “You want a woman of your own. I can understand that.”

“And what about you?” J.M. asked. “What are you up to these days?”

“Actually, I was hoping to pick your brain for a project I’m doing.”

J.M.’s brow furrowed. “And what is that?”

“I’m writing another book.
Kama Sutra for Three.
”

“You’re kidding? Hasn’t that been done?”

“No.” He thudded his hand on the table in emphasis. “I was surprised, too. There are all kinds of Kama Sutra books out there, from versions for two men to Kama Sutra for cats, but nothing for threesomes.”

“Leave it to you to find a niche market like that.”

“You bet. And the research is bound to be a blast. If you can hook me up in a threesome, I’d be eternally grateful.”

“There is this one woman, actually—Hanna’s sister. She’s here at the conference.”

He definitely got the idea Grace would like to try a threesome, and he thought she and Quinn would hit it off, but they’d need to find a third. He definitely would not get involved . . . not with Grace. She was almost like his own sister now.

“Great. Can you set us up?”

“I’ll introduce you, but don’t assume she’ll want to jump into it. I just think she might be interested. And you’ll need to work out the other guy.”

“What? You don’t want to jump into the sack with your ex-girlfriend’s sister?”

“Uh . . . no.”

Quinn chuckled. “Too bad. It would have made it so much easier.”