Fangs But No Fangs

CHAPTER 22

"Where are we going?" Jolee asked later, watching the all-night pharmacy pass them by.

"I have to go to Super Biggie Bargain Mart."

She frowned, trying to imagine Christian shopping at the discount retail chain.

"What do you need there?" She'd be willing to bet he wouldn't even buy his underwear there. If he wore underwear. She glanced at his lap. "I thought we were just getting condoms."

"I also need some food… and other things," he said, sounding rather evasive.

Food and other things? And here she was only thinking about tasting him— and other things. Disappointment tugged at her insides. At work, she could have sworn they were both desperate to get each other alone. Both of them had found excuses to touch one another, a brush of arms as they made drinks. A hand on a back as they passed. Twice he'd even pinned her against the shelves along the back of the bar as he reached over her for a bottle of liquor. Liquors she didn't even think he actually used.

And now he wanted to shop.

She made a frustrated sound low in her throat.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She knew she didn't sound very convincing, but darn it, she was hot and bothered!

The store's parking lot was surprisingly crowded given the time of night. Christian pulled into a space and shut off the engine.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

She nodded. She'd been better than okay all night. In fact, the whole night had been great, which was surprising given the visit from Vance. She was amazed how easily Christian had made things better.

She supposed she could wait a little longer to make love with this man. She was being impatient and greedy. After all, she knew he had less food in his house than she did. He did need to shop.

"Yes," she assured him. "I'm just anxious to get you alone."

He smiled, a sexy little curl of his lips. "I'm anxious, too. This will be quick."

She hoped so.

When they got into the store, they headed right to the food section. They wandered the aisles, Christian stopping here and there to pick up some food item and frown as though he'd never seen it before in his life.

"Have you had these? Pop-Tarts?" He gave her a questioning look as if they were something completely new to him.

"Sure," she said.

Who hadn't had Pop-Tarts? Of course she was talking about someone who probably had caviar for breakfast before he moved here. She picked up a box of cereal bars, scanning the box dispassionately, then putting it back. She strolled a little farther down the aisle, and she noticed Christian grabbed the box she'd been looking at and tossed it in his cart. He hesitated, then grabbed another and tossed that in, too.

"Is there anything you'd like?" he asked finally. He looked miserable, as though shopping was just too much for him. She understood that feeling.

"Condoms," she stated.

He smiled, shaking his head. "You have a one-track mind."

Didn't she know it.

After an eternity in the food aisles and a cart loaded high with every sort of fare, they finally made it to the pharmacy aisles.

But instead of going straight to the contraceptives, he turned down the shampoo and soap aisle. She crossed her arms and watched as he lifted practically every bottle, reading the description, then debating. Finally, he chose a pink shampoo with flowers on the bottle. He also added some pink conditioner and a bottle of lavender-colored body wash. He also added some peach-colored lotion.

What on earth? But she didn't question his peculiar choices in toiletries, because he'd finally turned to the aisle with the condoms. He frowned at the row of boxes hanging from metal hooks. Apparently he was as confused by the condoms as he had been by prepackaged food. Of course, the condom confusion made a bit more sense. He'd said he hadn't had sex for a long time.

"Do you have a favorite?" he finally asked.

"No," she said, then smiled slightly. "But even if I did, it wouldn't matter, because you've only got one choice, big boy."

She pulled a box labeled «Maximum» off the hook and handed it to him.

"A superior size for the superior man." He raised an eyebrow, looking extremely arrogant.

God, even his smugness made her hot.

He grabbed a few more boxes, adding them to the growing pile of stuff.

Jolee took two of them. "I'll buy these."

"No," he said, attempting to take them back.

She held them over her head, acting as if he couldn't reach them. Rather ridiculous given he was several inches taller than she was. But he didn't grab them. Instead he crossed his arms over his chest, regarding her with an amused grin.

"It's only fair," she said. "I'm using them, too."

Finally he nodded. "Okay, but only because I know you will argue until you're breathless. And I have better plans to make you breathless."

"Thank God, because I'm pretty much ready to jump you right here in aisle eleven."

Christian appeared a bit surprised by her announcement, but then another smug smile turned up his lips. "Well, you only have to wait a little longer, then you may jump me as much as you like."

Her knees trembled like jelly at that promise. Lord, she wanted him.

But she had to get her legs under control as Mr. Super Shopper now headed over to the furniture department to look at nightstands. She lingered behind, wondering if he was really as attracted as she was. Because frankly, any furniture outside of a bed held no interest for her.

She strolled around the store until she ended up in the women's clothing department. A red polka dot skirt caught her attention, and she pulled it off the rack to admire the satiny material. Putting it back, she flipped through the other garments. She stopped here and there to take something off the rack to look at it closer. A blue flowered skirt with a swishy hemline. A lavender one with little white and gray geometric shapes. She even found several tops that would look great with them.

"Find anything you like?"

She looked up from the sundress she was holding. She held the simply cut, black with multicolored polka dot dress against herself, striking her version of a fashion pose. She laughed.

"One day." She sighed. "Once the bar takes off."

He nodded, and she joined him as they approached the checkout.

"Damn it," he muttered, feeling the pockets of his dark gray pants. "I forgot my wallet in my car. I think it's in my glove box."

"Do you want me to go look?" she asked when he just stood there looking confounded.

"Would you mind?"

"Of course not." Although she had no idea when he would have put his wallet in the glove box. She'd driven his car to work, and had the keys, so the vehicle was locked when he got to the restaurant. And she hadn't seen him put it in there after they left the restaurant last night. But he seemed pretty sure.

Maybe he had put it in there when he got to the bar. He must have a second set of keys.

She started toward the exit when Christian called to her. She turned, giving him a questioning look. He pointed at the boxes of condoms still in her hand.

She handed them to him, and he tossed them into the cart.

"I'm paying for those," she reminded him.

"I know," he assured her. "Oh, maybe look for my wallet under the seat. I know it's in the car somewhere."

She strode to the automatic doors at the front of the store. He seemed awfully confused tonight. She'd have to make sure he ate some of his massive quantities of food once they got back to the trailer. His blood sugar must be out of whack.

Christian watched Jolee leave, then hurried back to the women's clothing. He quickly found each item she'd looked at, her cinnamon scent stronger on the ones she touched the longest. He didn't understand the sizing, but he could guess which ones would fit her. He piled them on the cart, and headed to the checkout farthest away from where she'd reenter the store. Fortunately, he got a cashier who didn't have much to say and scanned quickly. He threw the four boxes of condoms on top of the clothes.

By the time Jolee returned, the clothes and condoms were bagged and placed under some of the other items.

"I couldn't find it," she told him, flashing an embarrassed look between the cashier and the already bagged items in the cart.

"Oh," he said, trying not to smile at his own lame lie. "I found it."

She frowned. "Where?"

"It was in my pocket. I don't know how I missed it."

She gave him a worried look, but didn't comment. After following him around the store, watching him stare bewilderedly at everything, she probably thought he was a lunatic. But it was in part her fault. She hadn't given him any help. She didn't comment that any food was her favorite.

And he didn't even know what one did with cuisine like Hot Pockets and Sugar Smacks. They sounded like mildly offensive endearments rather than food. And the toiletries. He was clueless what a woman would want. If he were in Paris or Milan, he would go to one of the exclusive shops and feel confident he was buying her something nice.

The cashier scanned the pink shampoo. But with a name like "Salon Simulators," which promised to reproduce the results of the most expensive European salon, on any hair type, well, he had his doubts.

But he also knew that Jolee wouldn't be comfortable with expensive gifts. Not yet. One day maybe, but she was too proud, too determined to survive on her own to take anything too expensive from him.

"Your total is $476.86," the woman said, a slightly raised eyebrow the only indication that the total surprised her.

He handed her a credit card.

"When you decide to shop, you really shop," Jolee murmured.

"All necessary," he told her.

Jolee nodded, although she watched his card go through with a rather bemused expression. He signed his name, took his receipt, and pushed the mounded cart toward the exit. Now the tricky part, convincing Jolee to accept the gifts.

"Shouldn't we bring all this stuff to your place?" Jolee said as he parked in front of her trailer.

"Well, I thought I'd keep some of the groceries over here. If that's okay."

She smiled broadly as though she was very pleased by the idea. Maybe it wouldn't be too hard to get her to accept the items after all. They began to carry in the many bags, placing them in a cluster on her kitchen floor.

"What do you want to leave here?" she asked, picking up two of the bags and setting them on the sideboard. Christian didn't answer. Instead he came up behind her, bracing his hands on either side of her, pinning her between himself and the counter. He nuzzled her neck, pressing kisses down her nape toward her shoulder.

She tilted her head forward, giving him better access.

"I've been dying to do that all night," he said, licking the delicate skin just below her ear.

She shivered. "You could have fooled me, Mr. Shopaholic."

He nipped the crook of her shoulder playfully. "Feeling neglected?"

"Maybe a little."

"Well, we can't have that."

He slipped his hands under her T-shirt, caressing her stomach on the way up to her breasts. Her nipples were already distended, poking greedily against his palms. He caught them between his thumbs and forefingers, gently squeezing them through the satiny material of her bra.

She whimpered, turning in his arms. Her mouth found his, and they kissed with all the passion they'd kept restrained for so many long hours. Her hands knotted in his hair as he kissed down over her neck and chest. His fingers found the button of her jeans, then the zipper. He kissed her bared belly just above her panties.

She whimpered, wriggling under his touch. He could smell the spiciness of her arousal and couldn't stop himself from leaning in to breathe deeply. Peeling down both her jeans and panties, he bared her from the waist down. His mouth watered at the sight of her dark auburn curls against her pale thighs. Again he was amazed at how his desire for this woman was even stronger than the hunger. And definitely more uncontrollable.

Even as he told himself to slow down, he spread her legs apart. Her sex parted, too, as if offering him invitation inside. He groaned, his cock pulsating at the sight. But he remained focused, covering her with his mouth, his tongue delving inside her heated folds.

She cried out, clutching the counter for support. He seized her hips, holding her steady as he tasted her. Nothing had ever been so delicious, so pleasing. Not even quenching his hunger. The hunger no longer controlled him. Only his passion for Jolee mattered. Only his arousal demanded to be satisfied.

He licked her clitoris, the tight little nubbin quivering under his tongue. He continued massaging her with slow sweeps, each one nudging her closer to release. Her small little moans grew louder, more frantic. Then he tasted her release. Honey on his tongue. So satisfying. So humbling.

After the last ripple of her climax, he rose, smiling at what a gorgeous sight she made. Her legs were still spread as she leaned heavily on the counter. He'd like to take her just like that. Hard, up against the cupboards. But not this time, this time he wanted to watch her face as he entered her. He wanted to focus on every nuance of her body wrapped around him.

His cock jerked, urging him to do just that.