Shameless. Tori Carrington

word for a connection that would only involve sex.

      “I have a date for the matinee in twenty minutes.”

      Nina instantly relaxed. “It’s not like you to make plans on our lunch day.”

      “I didn’t.” She smiled wickedly. “But since it looks like things are well in order here—” she spared the two men another glance “—very well in order, I’m going to give you the space you need to make your decision and go check out the new usher at the cinema. I hear his wife died last year. So that makes him prime mattress-boogie material.”

      Nina gave an exaggerated eye roll. “Do you ever think of anything other than sex?”

      Her grandmother shrugged into her coat and smoothed down the front, appearing to give the question some consideration. “No, I don’t. And seeing as at my age there aren’t too many opportunities, I have to take full advantage of those that do come my way.” She waggled a finger at her. “And it’s nice to see that you’re finally beginning to follow in your grandmother’s footsteps.”

      5

      “I’M NOT going to discuss this with you,” Kevin said emphatically.

      Gauge considered his friend who leaned against the cashier’s counter. He’d been aware of Nina and her grandmother’s attention on them ever since the women had sat down to eat their lunch.

      “Then what are you doing here?” he asked.

      What was he doing here? Simple. He wanted all this highly suggestive talk to end. Now. It had gotten to the point where he couldn’t sleep, could barely eat, and fifty-nine minutes of every hour were spent fantasizing about what it might be like to claim Nina for one sweet night.

      “I’m here to appeal to your better judgment to stop this. Right now.”

      Gauge pushed off the table. “Come on, Kev, you know you’ve wanted Nina since the first moment you laid eyes on her. Here’s your chance to have her. In a completely anonymous way.”

      “That’s the part I don’t like. If I…have her, as you put it, I want her with eyes wide open. Not shut.”

      “Well, then, I guess that means you’ll never have her.”

      “What in the hell does that mean?”

      “What do you think it means? You’re the one walking around here with a constant hard-on, yet for the past three years you haven’t had the guts to ask Nina out to a movie, much less to bed. That doesn’t bode well for any future possibilities, Kevin, old boy.”

      Kevin felt like punching his friend. “Yes, I admit I may be attracted to Nina. But sleeping with her isn’t even a remote possibility. There’s more at stake here than my libido.”

      “Which makes the anonymous part all the more appealing. Because it puts the V in viability.” He pointed at Kevin. “Think about it. You finally get to experience what both of us have been dying to taste…all without worry of the future of the business or our friendship because she won’t know who she spent the time with. For all she knows, it could be a complete stranger. Some guy I came across at the bar.”

      “Don’t you dare….”

      “I didn’t say I would.”

      “And what about you?” Kevin asked him. “Why don’t you offer yourself as candidate?”

      Gauge seemed to consider this. “I would, but…”

      “But what?” Kevin waited impatiently.

      Gauge grinned. “But I know you’d never forgive me.”

      “You’re damn right about that.” Kevin paced back and forth and then back again. “I can’t believe we’re even discussing this.”

      “So let’s stop discussing it and make a plan.”

      “Not in a million years.”

      “What are you so afraid of, Kevin? That you won’t be attracted to another woman if you sleep with Nina? May I remind you that your sex life is about exciting as a rerun of The Brady Bunch. You haven’t been out on a date for more than a year—”

      “Stay out of my sex life.”

      “I’d be happy to. If there were a sex life to stay out of.” Gauge cursed. “Come on, man, what do you have to lose? The way I see it, you’d be doing Nina a favor. And us. Lord knows the last thing anyone wants is for her to hook up with another loser we’ll have hanging around the place for months until she comes to her senses again.”

      Kevin shook his head. “I can’t.”

      “Fine, then. If that’s the way you want it, I’ll find someone else to take care of business.”

      “Yourself?”

      Gauge shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not. What do you care? Nina doesn’t.”

      NINA WIPED the last corner of the counters and then leaned against it. The kitchen was a study in old-world charm and modern convenience, with thick wooden counters and hulking stainless-steel appliances. She shifted her watch from the inside of her wrist. Past ten.

      She draped the wet cloth to dry, picked up her cup of decaffeinated latte and then stepped from the room, pushing open the door as she went.

      The store was unusually quiet. Right about now she would normally hear the guys chuckling or talking wherever they’d decided to gather to unwind after a long day. But she heard nothing as she walked from the café into the music center and then into the empty bookstore. The front doors were locked and the Closed sign had been turned out.

      Neither Kevin nor Gauge could be found anywhere.

      Huh.

      She took a long pull from the latte, wondering where they’d gotten to.

      Actually, this was the third time in as many nights that this had happened. Ever since the night their conversation had turned toward all things suggestive. She felt slighted, missing the company of her friends.

      It wasn’t like them to leave without saying goodnight at least. It had become a ritual for them, a way to let the others know that no one was tending to the till in their area as well as a common courtesy. But neither of them had said anything to her.

      Strange….

      She stepped over to the gas fireplace, still blazing. She stared into the blue-green flames and sipped slowly from her cup. Probably she should just go upstairs, feed Ernie, and climb into bed with a good book after a long, hot shower. Only she didn’t feel like leaving the shop just yet. Instead she turned toward the overstuffed couch, her favorite seat in the place, and sank down into the generous cushions.

      Immediately she caught sight of a scarlet envelope in the middle of the table.

      Nina’s heart thrummed thickly. She leaned forward, tightly gripping her mug as she looked at the envelope. Her name had been printed neatly on the outside, leaving no doubt who it was for.

      She looked around, trying to see if anyone was about, looking for her response.

      There was no one.

      Hands trembling slightly, she put her cup down and reached for the envelope, fumbling with it slightly before finally holding it in both palms and staring down at it.

      It was still a good ten days before Valentine’s Day, so she knew it had nothing to do with the holiday set aside especially for lovers. She ran her fingertip over the carefully written letters. She had little doubt that Kevin had penned it. She smiled, imagining the two men arguing over the envelope. She could see Gauge saying that they didn’t have to write her name, that she would know who it was for, and Kevin debating that in a situation of this gravity, they shouldn’t risk someone else mistakenly assuming the envelope was for them.

      Both would have been right.

      Nina