Sex on Summer Sabbatical

A Total-E-Bound Publication

www.total-e-bound.com

Sex on Summer Sabbatical

ISBN # 978-1-78184-383-3

©Copyright Stacey Lynn Rhodes 2013

Cover Art by Posh Gosh ©Copyright June 2013

Edited by Rebecca Douglas

Total-E-Bound Publishing

This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Total-E-Bound Publishing.

Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Total-E-Bound Publishing. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.

The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.

Published in 2013 by Total-E-Bound Publishing, Think Tank, Ruston Way, Lincoln, LN6 7FL, United Kingdom.

Warning:

This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has a
heat rating
of
Total-e-burning
and a
sexometer
of
2.

This story contains 88 pages, additionally there is also a
free excerpt
at the end of the book containing 5 pages.

Seasoned Women

SEX ON SUMMER SABBATICAL

Stacey Lynn Rhodes

Book one in the Seasoned Women series

Who knew it would be so hard to get a twenty-something man to have sex?

Forced by her employer to take a three-month sabbatical, workaholic Tori Warren makes a checklist of things to accomplish that will make the time off worthwhile.

Get into the best shape of her life. Have the most fun of her life. Oh, and have the best sex of her life with a no-strings holiday affair.

Sexy young Adam Cross comes into her life at just the right time. A physical trainer with a loving-life personality, he should work nicely in helping her meet all three goals. He’d be especially perfect for the best sex. Now if he would only just cooperate…

Adam learns of her calculating plans involving him soon after beginning to date Tori. But by then he’s realised he wants much more than to be the means to an end for her. If he can only hold out until the end of the summer, maybe he’ll have time to convince her that the best sex comes
with
strings…

Dedication

For all my fabulous forty-something female friends and family.

Trademarks Acknowledgement

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

Cal Bears: University of California, Berkley

007: Ian Fleming

Depo-Provera: Pfizer, Inc.

Sea-Bands: Sea-Band, Ltd

Dramamine: Prestige Brands, Inc.

ABC Store: ABC Stores, Inc.

Chapter One

“Ohhh
.”

Tori couldn’t stifle a moan as the almost-pain of exerting muscles that seldom got used kicked in. It’d been a long time. Too long.

Panting slightly, she enjoyed the stretch as perspiration beaded across her glowing skin. She strained towards the pleasure she felt hovering just beyond reach.

Almost there.
Almost there…

C’mon, endorphins.

Oh no. Side stitch.

And a cramp.

Shit.

Tori limped to an abrupt halt, pressing her hands to the sharp ache in her lower abdomen while scoping out a relatively clean spot on the kerb to collapse on. Using one hand to frantically massage her spasming calf, Tori had to use some of her very limited breath to laugh out loud at her dilemma as the humour of the situation struck her. So much for a brilliant start on her goals.

“I was going to offer you some help, but it sounds like you’re doing okay now.”

The deep voice must belong to the person wearing the running shoes in front of her, but for the life of her, Tori couldn’t look up just then, concentrating on her inexpert massage while trying to breathe through the pain in her side.

“Oh, no. Not okay. But I had a feeling this would happen. It was going too well, know what I mean? First time I’ve run in years.”

A warm, sympathetic chuckle. “Well, you were looking good, right up until you seized up.”

“I’ll bet that was pretty comical to watch. Ah, ah!” The cramp in her leg spiked painfully in spite of her efforts. Why the hell had she thought she could start exercising again? All at once she felt every year of her age. Oh to be a teen again, when she could run without any effort at all.

“Here, you have to flex it. No, don’t point!” Strong hands forced her foot back towards her body as her rescuer knelt before her like Cinderella’s prince. “Deep breaths, really deep. Fill your belly. That’ll help your stitch.”

“How’d you know I had a stitch in my side?” Tori panted, curled up in as close to a ball as she could get with one leg stuck out in front of her.

“I could tell by the way you suddenly grabbed your stomach like you’d been shot. Now don’t pant, breathe deep.” The steady voice was soothing, but demanded compliance.

Abandoning the short blows vaguely reminiscent of those she’d seen in movie birthing rooms, Tori obeyed, inhaling until she felt dizzy then letting the air whoosh out. Those hands had displaced hers on her calf, and she felt a moment of panic trying to remember whether she’d shaved her legs that morning. She winced at the thought of stubbly legs then realised that her side stitch was almost gone and the cramp was easing.

“Does that hurt?”

“No, feels good.”
A little too good
. The man had great hands, and Tori was starting to get some ideas about other kind of exertion he could help her with.

“You winced.”

Great hands
and
observant. Tori started to uncurl herself bit by bit, ready to coil back up at the first sign of pain.

“That’s it, hon. Here, stretch your other leg out for me.” He slid his hand along the back of her uninjured leg, encouraging her to ease it out straight, making her think again about the shaving bit. Yes, she realised with relief—she must be freshly shaved, else she wouldn’t have worn shorts. She knew herself that well at least.

Once in a regular sitting position, she finally got a look at her Good Samaritan, and almost felt herself seize up again.

Guh.

Tori was in the presence of perfection. It was as if all the women in the world had got together and held a summit to design the most gorgeous man possible, then gave him great hands and sent him out to rescue damsels in distress.

Warm hazel eyes set off by irritatingly long lashes smiled encouragingly at her, so close that every blink looked as if it was in slow motion. Ruggedly handsome features, smooth skin, luscious lips—and that was just his face. His short dark hair had a hint of wave to it, settling perfectly in place even while exercising.

He had to be a model. Or he should be. Him on anything would equal sales through the roof.

His muscular arms were revealed by a sleeveless grey T-shirt, which was rather restrained of him—most of the similarly buffed young guys who had passed her running today went shirtless altogether. It was loose enough that Tori couldn’t get an idea of his torso, but she just knew he’d be ripped. Wouldn’t match the rest of him otherwise, and that would be a shame. His running shorts were also on the conservative side compared to what she’d seen, but the legs kneeling between hers were…

Between hers?

Oh mercy. She had a man between her legs. Did
that count?

Nope, gotta be full-on sex to cross it off the list.

Her gaze snapped back up to his, and his helpfully concerned expression hadn’t changed, precisely. But there was a hint of awareness there now that made Tori wish she was ten years younger. Or maybe fifteen.

Because if he was closer to thirty than twenty, she’d eat her running shoes.

He introduced himself, “I’m Adam.”

I’m Eve, wanna bite my apple?

Tori cleared her throat, all too aware of his crouching form well within her most personal space. “Tori. Thanks for the help.”

He smiled broadly. Perfect teeth too. “My pleasure. You know, it’ll help if you walk for a bit. You need to keep moving to really work it out.” He rocked back and stood in one fluid motion, then held his hands down to her.

Conscious of her sweaty palms, she swiped them down the front of her T-shirt before taking his hands. His eyes dropped to watch their path over her abdomen. Or was he staring at her breasts?

Tori couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so close to any man. That was just sad. And the proximity was wreaking havoc with her inner equilibrium. So much so that when she finally got to her feet, she kind of overbalanced and kept going, smacking head first right into the broad chest in front of her.

“Crap! I mean… Oh, just shoot me now,” Tori muttered, trying to simultaneously balance herself, extricate her hands from his and control her libido.
Not
the kind of multi-tasking she was used to…and it showed.

After she finally succeeded in getting her hands free, he brought his up to steady her by the upper arms.

“Got it?”

That was just wrong on so many levels. But Tori knew what he meant. “I’m fine,” she declared. Wow, even really sounded like she meant it.

“Okay, good. Ready to walk?”

He settled her hand in the crook of his arm, for all the world as if he was going to escort her to tea, or down the aisle, and she dug in her heels.

“Uh, just said I’m fine. Don’t want to keep you from your run.” She firmly separated from…him. Hadn’t he told her his name already? Jeez, she just hated how she could never remember people’s names. She swallowed her pride and asked quickly, “What’s your name again?”

The smile that never seemed far from his lips deepened, and she added lickable dimples to his staggering plus column. Too bad he was so freaking young—the only negatory thus far—otherwise he’d be perfect for item two on her Sabbatical Must-Do List—‘
Have smoking hot, no-strings-attached sex
’.

Not just any sex—the best sex of her life.

“Still Adam. And you’re…”

“Running late.” The lie popped out before she could rein it in. And duh, how could she have forgotten that? She was Eve to his Adam.
Eve, Adam. Adam. Adam
. God, she had a bad memory for stuff like that.

“Running late? I was going to say Tori. Is that a pun?”

Huh? Oh yeah—
running…

Tori snickered, appreciating his humour. “No, but you’re right. That is pretty funny. And actually I fibbed. I don’t have anywhere I need to be.”
He must think I’m a complete moron.
“I just don’t want to waste any more of your time.”

Adam turned and smoothly took her arm again, urging her into motion by his side. That one point of contact radiated happy tingles straight to every erogenous zone she possessed. She shivered.

“Why would you think you’re wasting my time, Ms…?”

Caught off guard by the question, Tori automatically filled in the implied blank. “Warren. Tori Warren.” Tori shot Alex an admiring glance. “That was pretty slick. Distract me with sex and cryptic questions and get the info you’re looking for. Very double-oh-seven of you.”

His eyebrows had shot upwards when she’d said ‘sex’. A bit satisfied she’d managed to surprise him, she finally relented and walked willingly at his side.

“Sorry, but you must realise you’re a disgustingly hot guy.”

His hand dropped from her elbow. Mourning the loss of contact, Tori was still amused when Adam cleared his throat and a flush crept up his neck.
Oops.
The connection between her brain and her mouth had never had much of a time lag for editing purposes. Which was why she spent most of her time buried in the bowels of research facilities instead of interacting with real, live people.

“Sorry again. They don’t let me out much.”

“Is that why you were running? Did you pull off an escape?”

Laughter bubbled up and she went with it, feeling fantastic as she let it loose. By now her heart rate had come back down to normal, and they were almost at the intersection of the street by the java shop she loved.

The hell with running for today. “Do you want to grab a coffee or something?” she invited impulsively, trying not to care either way about his response.

“Sure.” The low tone of his voice was still doing its nasty stirring thing way down inside, and she repressed an insane and reckless urge to suggest bypassing the coffee shop in favour of her condo.

Tori forcibly reminded herself of her list. The three major things that would make this forced sabbatical worthwhile. She’d vowed everything she did for the next three months would further one of the three goals she’d set for herself—get into the best shape of her life before it was too late, have a no-strings ‘holiday’ affair and the best sex of her life and do new things and have fun, treating this like a vacation at home.

Numbers. Hypotheses. Hard facts. Data. Goals. She always did well with those. Anything unplanned was hard for her to deal with. She had definitely not counted on meeting such a great guy, who seemed to have some sort of interest in her, when she’d decided to start exercising again today. But she couldn’t just ignore her luck. Time to find out just how young was young. If he really was closer to thirty than twenty, she’d go for it. Early twenties, she’d pat him on his darling head and send him safely on his way.

“How old are you?”

He didn’t even look surprised at the question as he continued to meet her gaze. Oh, to have that kind of self-confidence. “Twenty-five,” he answered.

He just had to split the difference and make this difficult.

Figures. Oh well, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

* * * *

Adam watched Tori return from the counter with the drinks she had insisted upon paying for. She was already enchantingly kooky—he couldn’t wait to see what happened when the extra shot and all the sugar kicked in.

A bit of pink tongue was caught firmly between her lips as she manoeuvred amongst the tables with a set look of concentration on her face. There was something sweet and stunningly sexy about her, and her outspoken quirkiness had him hooked.

Adam had been running on autopilot when he’d seen her cramp up and without hesitation had gone to her rescue. His background as a trainer and sports physiologist, and years of working with the public, had made it easy to peg her as a novice runner who had probably just plunged right into her workout without warming up, something he would have to help her avoid in the future.

He pondered that startling thought for a moment. Yes, he acknowledged, he wanted to see more of Tori.

A
lot
more.

Her question earlier about his age had Adam revising her own upwards a bit. Women in their twenties or even early thirties wouldn’t be concerned with that sort of detail, at least not from the get-go. So he figured her to be at around her mid-thirties, although she hardly looked it. She had an innocent, slightly absent look about her he guessed would have many casual observers dismissing her as a young airhead. But Adam could sense the offbeat, random questions were most likely a sign of a very active mind at work.

She made it safely back to Adam and set the drinks down on the low table with a relieved smile. “Great table, thanks for snagging it.”

The best part was that it was a loveseat all the way in the back of the café, which afforded them some privacy. She sat squarely in the middle of her cushion, and Adam let his leg loll over into neutral territory, prompting a raised eyebrow.

“So what do you do when you’re not out running?” he asked lightly. He was surprised at the scowl his question caused. A cute little line deepened between her eyebrows. “What’s wrong?”

Tori sighed. “Oh, nothing. My career is just a sore spot with me right now.”