Male Review (11 page)

“Hey, Maggie Riley, as I live and breathe, is that you hiding over there?”

Just when she thought life couldn’t get any worse, apparently it had. She would know that voice anywhere, and he was the last man on earth she wanted to see right now. Maybe if she kept hiding he would go away.

A warm body wrapped itself around her, pinning her against the bar. A sharp tug on her hair followed the intimate embrace.

“Go away!”

“Oh, now is that any way to be treating the new boss man?”

Meg lifted her head and turned her face toward the male currently pressed against her. “Fuck off. You are not serious?”

She shoved him off and glared at Laura. “Tell me he’s kidding and this is some horrible nightmare.”

“I never knew you wanted to dream about me. I’m flattered.”

Meg shot him a fierce look and he chuckled.

“Laura?”

“Michael’s the new bar manager.”

Even when she thought life had thrown all it could at her, it seemed there was more to come. Meg grabbed her handbag and marched toward the door.

Laura followed behind. “Meg. What’s the big deal? He was out of work and we need someone to manage the bar. Besides, we owe him seeing as you got him arrested.”

Meg turned and grabbed Laura by the front of her stupid tube top, not giving a shit that it caused both of her silicone enhanced boobs to flop free of the stretchy material. “I didn’t get him arrested; you did, with your dumb
Male Order
idea. The same as you got me arrested. My guess is this bar is as doomed to disaster, and I don’t intend to be here when the cops show up this time, and I don’t intend to work with the Irish octopus.”

Letting her go, Meg shoved the front door open.

“Meg, you can’t go. Who’s going to supervise Maud?”

With a defiant toss of her head Meg yelled, “Let Michael handle her. She’d love that.”

“Maud? Maggie, what the fuck does Maud have to do with it?”

Laura tugged up her tube top, stowing the twins. “She’s part owner.”

As the door swung shut, Meg could hear him begging not to be left alone with Maud. A giggle escaped her. Apparently, Laura had failed to mention Maud came as part of the deal. They deserved each other.

Chapter Twenty-One

Meg had just climbed out of the car when her phone began to bellow out some God-awful eighties melody. She had meant to change it to something else, but time was always running away with her. After rummaging around a bit she finally pulled the vibrating phone free, hit the button to accept the call, and held it to her ear as she made her way toward the front door of her flat.

“Sam?”

“Hey, sexy. What color undies are you wearing?”

A wave of heat rose up her body. She felt funny in all the best places.

She cupped her hand over the phone and whispered, “I’m only wearing panties, and they’re cream with little mice all over them.”

Laughter filled her ear. “Tell me you haven’t squeezed poor Mickey into those skintight pants you’re supposed to wear for the bar.”

“I might have. Anyway, what about you?”

“I’ll squeeze into your skintight pants any day of the week, given the opportunity.”

Key in the front door, she stopped and leaned her head against the cool glass as a moan escaped her. “How about now? Maud’s at work and Mum went to the bowling club committee meeting. If you’re quick, you could be in and out before anyone’s the wiser.”

His voice sounded deep and husky as he purred down the line, “I’m never quick with you. I like to savor every second. Taste every morsel and plunder your hidden depths. I would never do a quick in and out.”

Meg groaned loudly as a wave of lust overcame her. “God, I miss Ted.”

“Ted? Who the hell is Ted?” Sam sounded puzzled.

“Your Totally Edible Dick.”

“Oh Jesus, Meg. Have you got any idea of the vision that puts in my head and what effect you’re having on me?”

Meg sighed and barely whispered, “I’m hoping you’re imagining me with your cock in my mouth, drawing you deeper, sucking you hard.”

A low moan from the phone resonated through her, making her squirm as moisture pooled between her thighs.

Eyes closed. She held on to the handle for support as her legs had momentarily forgotten how to operate. “Come over. I have a massive hunger that only Ted can satisfy.”

Before Sam answered, the door swung open and Meg tumbled inside, barely managing to stay upright as she bumped into an armchair and deftly scooted around the coffee table. Despondent to find the house occupied, she sank onto the carpet. Maybe her mother had come home to collect something and would be on her way any minute now. However, all hopes of a couple of hours alone with Sam disappeared when her mother put a hand on Meg’s forehead.

“Are you ill?”

Before Meg had a chance to say any more to Sam, her mother took the phone. “Sorry, whoever you are. Meg’s not feeling well and has to lie down now.”

With a neat flick of the wrist she snapped Meg’s phone shut and tossed it on the sofa.

“Now come along and sit somewhere more appropriate. Where are you hurt, dear?”

Meg let her mother drag her into the kitchen, and then force her into a chair. “Nothing hurts.” Not true, she had a deep ache her mother would never understand so what would be the point of mentioning it.

Her mother tipped Meg’s head up and was pulling the bottom of her eyelids down as if there would be some hidden sign of a fatal disease shown there. Maybe she had the words
dying of sex deprivation
tattooed inside her eyelids.

“Why were you groaning?”

Meg moved her head out of her mother’s grasp. “Frustration.”

“About?”

Meg opened her mouth to speak, but hadn’t even formulated an answer. Not that she needed to supply one. Her mother had only stopped long enough to take a breath.

“You know what you need? A holiday, and then when we come back you can find a nice steady job and a nice steady boy to date who will take care of you. You’re not getting any younger, and whilst puppy fat is attractive in a teenager, and forgivable in a twenty something, the big three-oh is looming, and with the amount of ice cream you eat you’ll be the size of a house in no time at all. No man wants to marry a heifer, not even one who displays her wares for all the world to see.”

Her mother tugged off the navy blue cardigan she wore and draped it over Meg’s shoulders. “Do cover up, dear, before you catch a chill. It’s just as well that nice young Samuel has moved out or you would be giving him the wrong idea. You mustn’t lead men on; they can’t be held responsible for their urges.”

“Why are you here?”

Her mother pinned her with a fierce glare. “You know why. I don’t think we need to discuss the circumstances again.”

“No, I meant why aren’t you at your bowling club?”

“I resigned. They were besmirching your father’s good name.”

Meg frowned. “They were what?”

“Molly Cartwright was spreading rumors. She claimed her Billy was at our house last night playing poker, smoking cigars, and drinking scotch with your father. He might not be worried about your future if this whole sordid court case goes ahead, but he would never do anything so low class and disgusting on my solid, fully imported English Oak dining table with matching royal blue, velvet upholstered chairs. It’s a wonder she didn’t say he was using my best china for an ashtray.”

There might just be a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Her mother may have left her dad, and he may have told her some things she didn’t want to hear, but she clearly still had faith in him. Of course, if she ever found out Billy was telling the truth, the chink in her armor would probably disappear and Meg would be stuck with her forever. That was a fate too horrible to contemplate. Meg needed to warn her dad about the gossip mongering and get him to put a stop to it. Her mother might get over her husband calling her frigid, but she would never forgive having her best china sullied.

Her mother got to her feet. “I’ll make you some warm milk, and then you can go and lie down. I’m sure all the stress of the court case and the need to prove your innocence is weighing on your mind.” She patted Meg’s cheek. “Don’t worry, dear. Tomorrow I plan to get you a good lawyer, and then we’ll go shopping to buy you some new clothes at my favorite boutique. Some nice blouses and longer skirts with flat shoes would look wonderful on you, and I think you might want to lose that flighty hairstyle. Something more mature will help to convince the judge you’re not the sort of girl to hire men out for … that.”

Meg got to her feet and tossed the cardigan on the table. With every fiber of her being she wanted to tell her mother some home truths. Like the fact she
was
the type of girl to hire men out for sex because sex was amazing, but falling out with her was not part of the long game, as her dad called it. However, if she was to hold her tongue, she needed to find solitude and she only knew of one place guaranteed to give her peace and quiet.

“I need a shower.”

Meg stopped long enough to pick up her ringing phone, and then headed toward the bathroom, her mother followed.

“Where’s Maud?”

“Last I heard, she was out shopping for supplies for the new bar with Laura’s boyfriend, Chad.”

“Is he trustworthy? Does he know how to handle old ladies?”

Meg stepped inside the bathroom and grinned. “He knows how to handle all the ladies. He’s a male stripper.”

She barely contained a snort of laughter at her mother’s high-pitched squeal. Maybe she would be so upset at the thought of a man of ill repute leading Maud astray that she would go and rescue her. If she met Chad she might even start to realize Meg was not in danger of being seen as a fallen woman because the world had moved on since the nineteen twenties. There might even still be hope for some alone time with Sam.

Meg flipped her phone open as she slipped the bolt on the bathroom door home.

“Hey.”

“Is it safe?”

“If you’re asking whether my mum is about to rip the phone off me and give you an ear full, then you can relax, you’re safe.”

“Where are you? You sound a bit distant.”

Meg slid her back down the door and sat on the floor. “I guess we’re both scared of her. She wants to give me a makeover. How pathetic am I? I’m a grown woman hiding in my own bathroom to avoid talking to my mother.”

Sam chuckled. “Not pathetic, sensible. No offense intended, but she scares the pants off me.”

“Hmm, now that’s a trick I would love to perfect.”

“You don’t need to scare me to get my pants off.”

Meg sighed. “God, I miss you already. Where are you?”

“In the staff changing room at work. I’ve got a class in half an hour, but if you’re free later you could come and pick me up and give me a lift home. My bike’s in the shop.”

“What’s in it for me?”

“Anything you can manage.”

Meg moaned softly at the thought of a few stolen moments alone somewhere between the gym and his parents’ house.

“I left you a present before I moved out.”

“What?”

“It’s close by. See if you can find it.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Sam checked he’d turned the lock on the door before making himself comfortable, lying on the padded bench designed to be used for injured patrons. He hoped to God no one broke or pulled anything for the next twenty minutes.

“Meg. Are you still there?”

“Uh hum.”

“Found my gift yet?”

“It’s not in the vanity cupboard. Where do I need to look?”

“Open the shower door.”

He heard the glass slide. A squeal had him holding the phone away from his ear.

“Oh, one of those new massaging showerheads. I’ll think of you every time I use it. I wish you’d come over and wash my dirty bits right now.” Her voice sounded airy and breathless, setting a pulse off deep in his abdomen that made his shorts a lot more restrictive. If he kept them on for too much longer he would lose the use of the part of him Meg loved to kiss the most. The thought of her mouth wrapped around his cock made him moan into the phone.

“Sam?”

“I wish I could, baby.” He eased his shorts down over his hard, throbbing erection to ease the pressure. “You’ve got no idea how much, but I’m stuck here. That’s not to say we can’t have a good time. Do you want to play a while?”

She sighed loudly. “Just give me a minute.”

“Meg?” His dick started to deflate at the thought she might turn him down. She’d come a long way the last few weeks, but he needed to remember she still had some deep seated issues about her own sexuality and the family curse of either being too horny or not horny enough.

“Sorry, what were you saying? Mum was just telling me how irresponsible I am for leaving Maud with a male stripper and that she had called a cab and was going to rescue her. Apparently, as soon as I’ve had a shower I better be on my way to collect them.”

Sam chuckled. “Not sure Maud is the one who needs saving.”

Meg cleared her throat. “Sam?”

“What?”

“What did you say before my mother interrupted?”

Sam closed his eyes and took a deep breath to slow his pounding heart. He hoped to God she would say yes and wouldn’t get all hung up about his suggestion.

“I asked if you want to play.”

“What game did you have in mind? Snakes and ladders?”

He chuckled. “Is your mum gone?”

“Yes. I’m all alone.”

“Why don’t you go slip into something more comfortable, lie in my bed, and call me right back.”

* * * *

Meg sighed as he hung up. What did he have in mind? Not that it mattered, she was happy to comply, to a point. After opening the bathroom door she checked the coast was clear, and then made her way to Sam’s room. Even though she was alone, she felt safer behind a door that locked. Maybe Sam guessed, which would be why he wanted her in his room. He’d only just put the bolt on the door so that Maud couldn’t sneak into his room when he was in there. The house was like Grand Central Station, and who knew when someone else would show up unannounced. Uncle Wilf might be in need of a bed. She shuddered at the thought. The old goat had the hots for her mother. Her mother of all people, the woman least likely to put out.