Cupcakes and Kisses (Hot in Magnolia Book 1)

Melvina hadn’t been this horny since college, and maybe not even then. On the drive home, Riley’s sports car hugged the road and a mild vibration of the bumpy areas sent small pulses of excitement through her. Melvina didn’t know what was wrong. It was like her body was on some super-sensitive sexual high. The seam of her jeans against her center combined with the smell of Riley’s fresh cologne was almost enough to bring her to climax in the soft leather bucket seat.

Melvina had never tried drugs besides the prescription kind Mona doled out to her when she had severe back pain or migraines. Mona had gone a little too far by giving her a Xanax at the party…. Could Mona have given her a hit of ecstasy or some other sexually stimulating drug? As if on cue, Melvina’s phone rang with the familiar song she associated with Mona. Melvina tried to ignore it, but the video chat prompt wouldn’t stop ringing.

“Aren’t you gonna answer it? It could be your friend.”

Melvina cringed. “That’s exactly why I am not answering it.”

Riley laughed. “Well as long as she knows you have a ride.”

Melvina tried to stave off the shiver that made its way up her spine as her nipples tightened.

Misjudging her reaction for cold, Riley adjusted the temperature in the car, then turned on her seat heater. As if she wasn’t hot enough already. Maybe this was the hormonal push she had been warned about before menopause. Wasn’t it widely known that women in their forties were at their sexual peak? How messed up was that? She’d been celibate for so long she’d probably regrown her hymen and now she was itching to get into bed with not one, but two very hot men. Not together, of course, but now that the thought occurred to her, she again imagined being sandwiched between them. Not in the sexy-hot, “I want to be naughty” way, but in the, “I wonder who puts what where?” People talked about threesomes like they were so erotic, but she somehow imagined an awkward scenario of the three of them naked, staring at each other. Melvina tried to shake the thought from her head as Riley pulled into her drive and got out to open the door for her.

Finding her manners, she asked, “Would you like to come in for a drink? All I have is sweet tea, some beer I keep for my brother when he’s around and a bottle of wine Mona gave me last Christmas.

“I would love a cold beer. I don’t want to drink up your Christmas present. I’ll have to remember to bring some champagne with me next time.”

“Oh, Mona wouldn’t care. I like most wine or champagne, but I can’t afford the fancy stuff you buy— yet.” Melvina held one finger up and smiled as they climbed the porch and she opened the door. “I’ll be famous like you one day, Riley Nash, just you wait and see. That Hot Buns Competition might just give me the leg up I’ve been looking for.”

His tone turned to interest, “Oh really, and which leg would that be—left or right? He glanced down at her legs and stepped closer to her.

Oh Lordy, if he touches me, I’ll probably orgasm right here.

Melvina chuckled, stepping away. She led the way to the kitchen and pulled out a Shiner Bock for Riley. She passed him the bottle and the opener she kept in a drawer by the fridge. “I love Pop, but I really want to make my own way. I want to open a small bakery. Bake in the morning and close every day by four or five in the afternoon. Then, I might actually have a normal schedule and a life.”

Riley leaned against the opposite counter. “The restaurant business is something you marry. When I’m away too long, everything goes south except for my cost. That goes through the roof. And, because we serve alcohol, it’s a major task to keep inventory from walking out the door. If you weren’t working at Pop’s, I would love for you to come work with me. I could really use someone with your organizational skills, and the baked goods would be all yours. You could choose what you want to make and how it should be made.”

Melvina’s eyes landed on the package on her counter. Eli must have brought it in. Maybe it was the gift Mona had mentioned. Melvina went to her office alcove between the kitchen and living room to grab the scissors from the cup filled with pens. When she came back, Humphrey was at Riley’s feet getting his ears rubbed.

“Who’s this?”

“Humphrey. He’s my main man. Leo’s around here too. Be careful. His claws are sharp.”

Riley tilted his head. “I’d be jealous, but I love dogs.”

Melvina’s heart melted a little more.

“What do you say? Come work for me at Braised?”

“That’s a sweet offer, literally.” She smiled at him as she sliced through the tape and opened the box. Seeing the colorful string, she pulled it out of the box before realizing exactly what Mona had sent. The cupless bra, thong, and garter belt were a network of silk ribbons and lace with elastic sewn inside. She felt her mouth drop as she gaped at the Fredericks of Hollywood tags that dangled from the three pieces of string. The tags were actually bigger than the sum total of lingerie.

Melvina was speechless, but Riley wasn’t. He chuckled, “Not what you were expecting?” He moved toward her, putting his finger through the thong, removing it from her fingers as he looked down at her. “Well, I kinda like it.” His humor faded, and his eyes were lit with something she could only define as desire.

“Mona said she was sending me something for my garden.” Melvina flushed pink as she realized what she was saying. Riley bit his bottom lip then a chuckle erupted out of him. His nearness robbed her of her breath and the annoying pulse she’d been feeling all night became a throbbing beat.

Do it! Kiss him.

Without hesitating, she snaked an arm around Riley’s neck and pulled his lips down to hers. Her kiss was anything but gentle, and though she caught him by surprise, he quickly joined in, pulling her hard against him and hiking one of her legs up against his thigh. They groped, kissed, sucked and moaned for what felt like a lifetime in heaven. Riley lifted her to the counter as if she didn’t weigh a thing, relieving her of the blouse she was wearing. Melvina worked at releasing the buttons on his shirt as he kissed his way down her neck, touching her breast, then looking for the clasp to her bra.

Melvina managed to get his shirt unbuttoned and groped lower to find him hard and ready beneath the denim he wore. Riley stood, pulling back from her hand. “We have to slow down,” he rasped in a gravelly voice. “At this rate, I won’t make it any distance and I want this to last. I’ve waited too long.”

Melvina didn’t want to mince words, but they had only known each other a few short weeks at best. “Too long? We just met.”

His voice was a soft whisper as he spread her legs and settled between them, wrapping his arms around her lower back to pull her close. “Do you want me to stop?” His erection was pressing against the sweet throb beneath the warm fabric of her jeans and she was sure he could feel her answer. Melvina was devoid of speech. She shook her head no, and his lips came down hard, sucking at her bottom lip, then moving lower. His teeth grazed the bottom of her throat and her head lolled back in uninhibited desire. She knew she was only moments from cresting a wave of pleasure. He hadn’t even taken off her pants and she was going to go without him.

As if sensing that taking their time wasn’t an option, Riley slid her jeans down and removed her strappy sandals before pulling them all the way off. Stepping back, his eyes met hers and he bent over to tug off his boots. Staring at her with desire, he released the buttons on his jeans. Sliding them down, Riley kicked them to the side and came to her, naked and hard.

As they kissed and caressed, entangling their limbs, Riley’s hand slipped beneath the thin fabric of silk separating him from her woman’s apex. Melvina lost herself in the first wave of pleasure without much warning to Riley or herself. She couldn’t suppress the loud cry that escaped her lips, telling anyone within a hundred yards of her front door that Riley had just found her g-spot.

Melvina clasped tight to his shoulders with both hands and suddenly became aware that her teeth were buried there, too. “Oops, sorry,” she said sheepishly.

Riley didn’t miss a beat. With a soft chuckle, he cradled her in his arms and started walking down the hall that led to her bedroom. “Which room is yours?”

She pointed to the last door and said a prayer of thanks that it was mostly straightened, and that yesterday was clean sheet day.

“I don’t know if I should be flattered or scared. I’m not sure I can keep up with you if that’s just the beginning of your performance,” he chided softly. The springs gave way on the old mattress of the antique bed as he laid her down and climbed on top of her. Pleasure surged through her once more as she absorbed the heat of his weight. She tried to catch her breath to explain.

“I haven’t—I mean, it’s been a long time.” She heard the rustling of a foil wrapper and then watched Riley as he bit the corner of the package. She thanked heaven that one of them was prepared, and silently chastised herself for what if. Would she have done something stupid in the heat of the moment? She’d never experienced passion like this before. He’d ignited a fire in her that she never knew she possessed.

He entered her with a single, slow thrust that had her hands gripping his back hard. Even with the slow tempo, she could tell he was trying to pace them both. It was only moments before she felt the tidal wave of another orgasm washing over her. He tightened up and stopped moving, shushing her as he tried to slow down. Melvina couldn’t stop the persistent pleasure. She bucked against him for all she was worth, and he groaned and sped up again. They both climaxed together this time.

They lay spent for a few moments, the weight of Riley’s body over hers like a warm, heavy quilt. His heart beat strongly against her chest while his cock continued to pulse inside her. She waited for the throb of her pulse to recede, but it picked up the beat of his organ, and she began to move her hips gently against him, reawakening his member.

“Only for you, sweet lady,” he breathed in her ear as he began to move inside her again. “Maybe this time we can slow down and enjoy the scenery.” His eyes were lit with desire, and he studied her features as he held himself above her. “You are simply and simultaneously the most beautiful and sexiest woman I have ever been with.”

Melvina felt her cheeks heat at his appraisal of her wanton behavior. She could have told him that she had never been so sexual with anyone and had never had the number or intensity of orgasms she was having with him now, but it would have been impossible to speak when she could barely breathe through the moaning. His fingers caressed her skin and his lips glided over the curves of her body, traveling down to the juncture of her thighs, tasting all that she had to offer, bringing her to climax again. It was when he lay spent next to her and she still felt the throbbing desire to be taken again that she silently cursed.

Damn it, Mona, what did you give me?

The infamous Mona ring woke Melvina at just after eight. She sprang up with a start, sending the cat fleeing from the bed. Riley moaned, clasping onto her so she couldn’t slide away from him. Not thinking, she quickly answered the phone with a swipe of her finger before The Black Eyed Peas song could blare from the device again.

“Mona,” she whispered. “I can’t talk right now.”

“Are you in bed with him? Which one? Trish told Ali, who told—?”

“Shh!” Melvina looked over her shoulder, then back at the phone. “I’ll meet you at Bubbles for lunch.”

Mona’s lips made a goldfish oh. “Just tilt the phone so I can see!”

“I’m hanging up now,” Melvina whispered. It was then that Riley sat up and looked at the phone over her shoulder.

Mona squealed with delight. “I knew it!”

After hitting the end button, Melvina tossed the phone to the foot of the bed and flounced back on the pillows, putting her hands over her face.

Riley chuckled. “What’s that all about?”

Melvina couldn’t look him in the eye. Last night had been a dream, but this was the cold light of day and her mascara was probably smeared. No telling what he would think seeing her naked in the daylight. “It’s only that everybody in town will know by noon that you slept here.”

“And that’s a problem, why?” His rich voice was like a soft caress as his hand stroked her hair. When she finally looked up at him, he was on one elbow gazing down at her with a smile.

“Because I don’t like everyone knowing my business, and this town is horrible for gossip.” She let out a sigh.

“Why would your best friend gossip about you?”

“Mona can’t help herself. It’s not like she wants to hurt me. It’s just that she can’t keep a secret from my brother, and then Eli will talk to Pop and then Pop will tell anyone who’ll listen how his daughter is dating the fancy chef who owns Braised.” She shook her head in despair.

“Sounds harmless to me. I mean, it is a small town and that’s what small towns are known for, right?” He ran a finger over her cheek, lower to her neck, then down to her hands clutching the sheet. “Are we dating each other?”

His question sent another quick rush of heat to her cheeks. “We haven’t even been on any dates.” She flung up her hands.

I’m a floozie! I just slept with a man I’ve never even dated.

“Now that’s not true. I took you to my garden and even introduced you to my family.” He wiggled the sheets from her grasp and tugged them lower, bringing his lips down to hers. He squashed any further protest as he moved on top of her, kissing away all her fears about who was saying what to whom or what she looked like in the morning light.

Riley Nash, you look delicious!

Her keys jangled between her fingers as she walked into Bubbles. Riley had dropped her off in the parking lot where she’d left Pop’s van the night before. She would call Mac today and see if they were done with her car.

Mona sat in what had become their usual booth and Melvina was wondering if this was going to be their one and only meeting place. Mona’s brightly painted fuchsia lips were tilted up at the corners in a cat-that-caught-the canary smile before Melvina sat down.

Melvina shook her head. “Don’t act like you know anything, Mona, because unless you have a camera hidden in my bedroom, you don’t.”

“Now that’s a thought, since my best friend has excluded telling me anything juicy about her apparently flourishing love life.” Mona pulled the olives off her martini stick and popped them in her mouth. Today her lashes had grown triple in length and were twice as thick.

“Mona, did you put on false lashes to meet me for lunch?”

“No, I went to a lash studio and they put them on, and I didn’t do it for you. Jorden’s ex is in town with their kids. I just know that little slut is trying to get him back.”

“Ouch. What makes you think that?”

Mona looked sullen for a moment, peering up over her martini glass. Her lavender irises looked sad beneath her Betty Boop lashes. “He cancelled our date last night because he said he wanted to take his kids for pizza. Eli told me this morning that he was there at the café with the kids and his ex.”

“Well that doesn’t mean she wants him back. It just means she brought the kids to meet their dad for dinner.” Melvina ordered a diet soda when the waitress arrived and nodded for Mona to go on.

“I asked Eli which side of the booth she sat on and he said it was Jorden’s side. I haven’t asked him about it yet.”

“And if you know what’s best, you won’t. You just met Jorden, for heaven’s sake. Don’t scare him off the first chance you get.” Melvina sat back in the booth assessing the room while Mona drained the last of her martini.

“I know, I know. It’s just so hard. I really like Jorden. He’s been my dream since high school and now he’s mine. I don’t want to share.”

“Well he’s got kids, so you’re gonna have to share.” Melvina patted her friend’s hand from across the table. “I know this is hard for you, but trust me, smothering him won’t help. Just let him have time with his kids. It’s the right thing to do.”

Mona nodded and motioned for the waitress to bring her another martini. “You’re changing the subject. Tell me about you and Riley.” The smile was back on Mona’s face.

Melvina told her Riley drove her home and she’d invited him in for a drink. “Hey! That reminds me. Where were you when I texted you for a ride?”

Mona giggled. “I was sitting in the back of the parking lot. I saw Riley talking to you, so I decided to listen to the rest of my audio book. It was at the sex scene part, and I couldn’t stop the Audible app.” Mona wiggled in her seat for emphasis.

“You sneaky little bitch!” Melvina exclaimed in the way that only a close friend could. “You hung me out to dry.”

Mona’s eyebrows raised as she stage-whispered, loudly, “You mean I hung you out to get laid! How was the Viagra?”

Melvina sat up straighter in her seat. “You mean that wasn’t naproxen?”

Mona shook her head, letting out a tirade of giggles as she fell sideways in the booth.

“You roofied me with Viagra? I knew there was something else in that Pez dispenser. I can’t believe you would do that to your best friend! What if I had had a heart attack or some other fatal side effect?”

Mona waved a hand as she tried to quit laughing. “Oh Melvina, no one has ever died of a hard-on. Besides, I didn’t do it on purpose. It was Jorden’s, though trust me, he doesn’t need it. We were foolin’ around the other night and he left one on my coffee table next to the bottle of Aleve I had there. I thought it was an Aleve, so I scooped it up and put it in the Pez. I swear to God I didn’t know until Jorden asked me on the phone last night to put it on my nightstand for later.”

Mona leaned closer. “So how was it? Is it the same for women as it is for men?

“Shelby Dixon told me that Audrey told her that she took some of her husband’s and that she looked like she had a small penis. All she could do was rub herself all over the place like a cat in heat. The boys at the garage told Eli that Audrey’s husband couldn’t walk straight for a week.”

Melvina tried to be angry, but it was no use with Mona. She was a lost cause when it came to her Pez dispenser, gossip, and romance. The image of Audrey Harrington rubbing herself like a cat on her portly husband, the chief of police, was enough to make Melvina throw in the towel. It was something she hadn’t needed to know but would probably never forget.

“Well, it’s not like I needed help to be hot for Riley, it was just a little more intense than I was used to. I’ll let you off the hook this time. But Mona,” Melvina paused to make sure she had her friend’s attention. “Please never offer me pharmaceutical assistance ever again.”

“Did you get the package in time?”

“Yes! I can’t believe you, Mona. You said it was gardening tools, so I opened it right there in front of Riley.”

Mona trilled with laughter, collapsing back into the booth, fanning herself. “I never said gardening tools. I said tools to tend your garden. Well, did you put them on for the occasion?”

Melvina shushed Mona as she waved the waitress over and ordered a martini for herself. Their discussion was causing beads of sweat to form on her brow. “No, I didn’t. Humphry was running around with the garter belt in his mouth this morning. I’m sure to find it in my actual garden this weekend.” Melvina couldn’t help but join Mona as the laughter escalated. “Hush, Mona, before they cut us off! Why ever did you buy me lingerie?”

“Because it was a buy-one-get-one-free sale, and I thought you needed some help getting things started. All you ever wear is Spanks and granny panties.”

Melvina snorted, then straightened. “Well, don’t do it again. Humphrey has enough toys.”

Mona pursed her lips and quirked a brow, “Don’t look now, but Miss Stick Up Her Butt is making a bee-line for our table.”

Melvina couldn’t help but look. Celia looked like the lead baton thrower in the Magnolia High School marching band.

“Melvina Banks! How dare you sic that tax auditor on me?” Celia huffed with her hands on her hips.

Melvina was floored. “Whatever are you talking about Celia? I dropped the papers off with your secretary. Stan ran all the figures again, organized and scanned in every receipt.”

Celia’s voice rose above the late-lunch crowd. “That’s exactly what I’m talking about! You sold me out. Telling the IRS that half of the receipts were my personal expenditures.”

“Celia, I did no such thing. I went through the same form we filed for the year. Those spa receipts and shopping excursions were not included in the original batch, and that’s why the figures we gave you didn’t match what you filed. You added those numbers in yourself. You can’t blame me for this.” Melvina stood, pulling two bills out of her purse and setting them on the table for Mona to pay the tab. “Sorry, Mona, I gotta go. I’m late for my date.”

Celia turned pink with anger. “Date? You can’t leave right now. We need to figure this out.”

Melvina shook her head and took a last sip of her diet soda. “No Celia, YOU need to figure this out and leave the Blossoms out of this. The Magnolia Blossoms are a charitable organization to help the community, not to stage your house or buy a new wardrobe.” Melvina had had enough and wasn’t taking Celia’s flack anymore. Making her way to the door, she heard Mona’s bright cheery voice call out to her. “Say hello to Riley when you go to Braised. He is such a doll.”

Melvina didn’t have to turn around to know that Celia was probably having a cow. Damn that Mona. She giggled.