5

Sara:

OMG Ian. Speaking of full-body blushing. ??

Great. The next time I see him, all I’ll be thinking about is HIM thinking about THAT.

Operator 69:

I’ve got news for you, gorgeous.

99% of the men who take one look at you are probably thinking that.

Sara:

Wow. And on that note…

I’d better get to bed before you talk me into another sexting session.

Contrary to what you believe, I need my beauty sleep. ??

Operator 69:

All right, fine. I’ll have to settle for giving you another mission.

Sara:

I’m almost afraid to ask.

Operator 69:

Don’t worry, this one’s easy.

You’ll need to wear panties tomorrow. Something sexy.

Sara:

Okay. Then what?

Operator 69:

Wear them until you get to the coffee shop, then take them off.

Sara:

At my table???

Operator 69:

You can remove them in the bathroom if you want.

Then I want you to hide them somewhere public.

And it has to be a place where they’re likely to be found by someone later that day.

Sara:

What? Like where?

Operator 69:

You’re smart and imaginative. You’ll find somewhere… ??

Just as long as you know that someone will find them later.

Sara:

No offense, but it sounds kind of easy in comparison to what I did today.

Operator 69:

It might be. But it might also be harder than you think.

Plus, the fun of this challenge comes AFTER you do the deed. ??

Sara:

Okay if you say so. I’ll do it.

Operator 69:

Good girl. Now get some rest.

I’ll be busy during the day, but I’ll be waiting to hear from you tomorrow night.

Sara:

Can’t wait.

Operator 69:

Sweet dreams, sexy.

Sara:

Goodnight, Ian. ??

SIX

My lacypink thong is balled up in my hand when I return to my seat in the coffee shop the next morning. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and try to reassure myself that no one in the café knows what I’m clutching under the table.

“May I sit here?”

I nearly jump out of my skin until I realize it’s just Will. “Jesus, you startled me.”

He offers me a wry grin. “Sorry, I seem to be making a habit of that with you.”

“It’s not your fault. I’ve been…distracted lately.”

“If I promise not to distract you too much, can I sit with you? The place is packed today.”

He’s right, there isn’t a single table open. “Of course,” I say. “It’s a free coffee shop, after all. Well, thecoffeeisn’t free, obviously, but— Oh, you know what I mean.”

Will chuckles as he slides into the booth opposite me and quickly sets up his laptop. Then he holds out his hand. “We never properly met. I’m Will Ferris.”

I start to raise mine but realize at the last second that I’m still clutching my thong in my right hand. Panicking, I don’t do the logical thing of switching it over. Instead, I do an awkward left-handed shake before pulling away and tucking it back under the table to help conceal my contraband. Will issues me a questioning arch of his brow, so I try to distract him from my weirdness with inane conversation.

“Do you get a lot of Ferris Bueller jokes, coming from Chicago?”

“Not as many as you’d think,” he says with a grin. “How’d you know I’m from Chicago?”

I shrug. “The other day you wore a Blackhawks shirt and today you have a White Sox hat on. Since you only recently started coming here, I figured there’s a good chance you might be a new transplant in the area.”

“You’re right, I moved to Portland about a month ago. Either you’re always freakishly observant, or I should be very flattered.”

“It’s the former,” I reply quickly.

“Think I’ll go with the latter.”

“Suit yourself.”

He leans in with his arms folded on the table. “You know, this is twice now that you’ve avoided giving me your name.”

I arch a challenging brow. “Why do you want to know my name?”

Will tosses the challenge right back with an arched brow of his own. “Why do younotwant me to know your name?”

Lifting my mug, I take a sip to hide the grin tugging at the corners of my mouth. Then I decide there’s no harm in introducing myself. “It’s Sara. Sara St. Claire.”

He relaxes back in his seat with a satisfied smile. “See, that wasn’t so hard. You have a beautiful name, Sara St. Claire.”

“Thank you.”

“A beautiful name for a beautiful woman.”

Okay,” I say, rolling my eyes. “That’s enough of that.”

“Enough of what?”

“Did your frat brothers dare you to hit on an older woman or something? If you plan on inviting me to a party to win some kind of bet or hazing initiation, you can forget about it.”

“I’m not sure if I should be more offended that you assume I’m in a frat, or that I’d do something as callous as hit on a woman for a dare.”

Shit, I misread the situation. “I…I thought you were flirting with me. I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’m totally flirting with you.”

Laughing, I shake my head. This man is too charming for his own good. No, wait. He’s too charming for my own good. “How old are you, anyway?”

“I’m twenty-five.”

I wince. “Jesus, you’re just a baby.”

Will leans on his elbows across the table, and speaks in a low, deep timbre. “I think you can tell by looking at me, Sara, that there’s not a damn thing babyish about me. Let me take you out, and I’ll prove it.”

I can feel myself blushing. Untucking my hair from behind my ears to hide my pink cheeks, I say, “Will, I’m thirty-six.”

“And?”

“And…there are dozens of girls who aren’t a whole decade older for you to take out.”

He smirks. “I know how to pick up girls, Sara. If I wanted a vapid twenty-something, I’d hit up a club or Tinder. What I want is a woman of substance. A woman like you.”

His gaze never wavers from me, it’s unsettling and exciting all at once. “You don’t know whether I’m a woman of substance.”

“I have pretty good instincts, but I suppose that’s a fair point. All the more reason to let me get to know you and see if my suspicions are right.”

“Why?” I press. “So we can start dating? Become a couple? Come on, Will. We might be compatible in…certain ways, but I’ve dated younger guys before and it always ends badly.”

“Tell me more about these ‘certain ways’ we might be compatible,” he says.

“You’re completely ignoring the ‘ends badly’ part.”

Will shrugs and gives me a wink. “I’m an optimist. Sue me.”

“It’s starting to feel like taking legal action is the only way I’ll be able to shake you.”

He flashes that devastatingly handsome smile and I think I might actually go weak in the knees despite my seated position. “You might be right. Now, back to the compatible parts.”

I expel a sigh of frustration. “I just mean the parts of a relationship that aren’t necessarily affected by an age difference.”

“Like sex.”

“Shh! Oh my God,” I whisper through nervous laughter as I turn my face toward the wall to avoid any looks he invited.

Will chuckles, too. “Take it easy, no one’s listening. Look,” he encourages. “Everyone’s wearing headphones around us.” I slowly peek through the curtain of my hair and breathe a sigh of relief to find not a single patron paying us any mind. “See, we’re totally in the clear.”

I do my best to glare at him, but I don’t think it comes off nearly as threatening as I intend because he’s grinning from ear to ear. “You’re lucky. How the hell did we end up talking about sex, anyway? You should get started on your homework.”

He shakes his head. “So many assumptions. I’m not in college, Sara.”

Shit, he’s right. Idokeep making assumptions about him. “Okay, then. So what is it you work on when you’re here?”

“There are lots of things I could be doing. Graphic design, for instance.”

“Oh, you’re a graphic designer? That’s cool.”

“No. I said Icouldbe a graphic designer. I could also be a website designer. Or a journalist, an online instructor, a software engineer…”

I arch a brow. “But you’re not any of those things either, are you?”

“Now you’re catching on.”

Rolling my eyes, I ask, “Are you going to actually tell me or just keep listing every remote career in existence for funsies?”

Will leans forward like he’s about to tell me a secret. “I’ll tell you everything you want to know if you agree to go to dinner with me.”

Mimicking his actions, I lean forward to give him my answer. “Then I guess you’ll just have to remain a mystery.”

“So stubborn,” he says with a tskand sits back again. “That’s okay, I’m a patient man. I’ll give you time to think about it.”

Will winks at me and finally turns his focus to his laptop. Unsure whether or not I’m thankful for the reprieve, I do the same and attempt to concentrate on my editing project. Seconds later, my phone vibrates on the table. As soon as I see the contact name, I snatch it up with my only available hand.

Operator 69:

Hey, babygirl. Thinking about you…

Sara:

Hi! Thought you couldn’t text until tonight.

Operator 69:

Taking a quick break, couldn’t resist.

Still wearing your panties?

Blushing, I glance at Will to make sure he’s not watching me.

Sara:

No, but I still have to hide them.

“Hey, Sara, I have an idea.”

I choke back my startled squeak and almost drop my phone when Will speaks just as Ian’s next text comes through.

Operator 69:

Make it someplace good ??

Knowing I’m blushing like crazy, I keep my head down when I clear my throat and respond. “What’s that?”

Will leans in close and holds my gaze, desire darkening his eyes. “I get your hesitation about going on a date with me. So how about we start with what you’re comfortable getting from me, and we’ll see where things go from there.”

I arch a brow. “And what is it exactly that you think I’m comfortable getting from you?”

“Pleasure, Sara. Hours and hours of pleasure. Stamina is one of the benefits of my age.”

A nervous chuckle escapes me, but I roll my eyes at the end to disguise it as amusement.

“Roll your eyes all you want, but I think you’re attracted to me, and I’m sure as fuck attracted to you. Have been from the very first day I saw you.”

“You…have?”

“Hell yes. You’re the sexiest woman I’ve ever laid eyes on, and I promise I can give you a night you won’t forget. What do you say, Sara St. Claire?”

I’m stunned for several seconds before gathering my wits about me again. “Will, I—”

I’m interrupted by the trill of his phone ringing. He glances at the screen and curses under his breath. “I’m sorry, I have to take this. Think about what I said. I’ll be right back.”