The Sex Solution

“So what were you saying about us having a—”

“I’ve really got to go,” he cut in, his expression abruptly closing as if he’d just remembered something vitally important. He stuffed the condoms into her bag and pushed to his feet.

Madeline gathered up the last of her stuff and stood. Had she heard him wrong? “But what about that diet cola?”

“Can’t stomach the stuff myself. Too much aftertaste.”

“You can have a float and I’ll have the diet cola.”

“I’d love to, darlin’, but I’ve got a sick horse waiting.” He retrieved a written prescription from his pocket. “The vet says I need some of Ben’s liniment.” He handed the sack to her. “Here you go. Nice to see you again, Maddie.”

“It’s Madeline. No one really calls me Maddie anymore.”

Surprise flashed in his eyes again as he watched her for a few fast, furious heartbeats. “Madeline,” he finally repeated, a frown on his face, as if the name left a bad taste in his mouth. “Take care.” And then he strode toward the pharmacy counter, leaving her to wonder what had just happened.

First off, he’d actually noticed her and—ring!

Her thoughts were dissolved by the shrill sound of her cell phone. Madeline tore her attention from Austin’s delectable backside and turned to her oversize purse.

“I’m walking out the door right now,” she told a frantic Janice when she finally managed to answer.

She swallowed a sudden thirst for diet cola, gathered up her purchases and headed out to her black Mustang waiting at the curb. The phone rang again as she climbed behind the wheel.

“Girl, we need ice,” Janice quipped.

“Ice,” Madeline said, and stabbed the off button.

She was barely able to ignore the urge to kill the power completely. She was irritated, not irresponsible. She knew Duane, her lab assistant, might need her.

A wave of anxiety went through her as she thought of the young man. She turned on the car, flicked the air conditioner on high and quickly punched in the familiar number.

Duane was a maverick—fresh and creative, and not much for following rules. That’s what made him so brilliant. He wasn’t afraid to try new things. To take chances. Unfortunately, fearlessness equaled carelessness sometimes.

Madeline stifled a nervous flutter. She’d taken time off before, albeit only a few days, and her lab had still been standing when she’d returned. Of course, her desk had been a little charred around the edges after Duane had ignored the no-food rule and chowed down on a chili dog while mixing up a new acidic skin peel just inches away. Unfortunately, the chili had contained several spices that, when mixed with some of the acid compounds, proved combustible.

“Are you okay?” she demanded when he picked up the phone after the tenth ring.

“I’m not even eating chili today. But, man oh man, I could use a good cup of coffee. And a peanut-butter sandwich.”

She did a mental evaluation of the ingredients of both, and tried to pinpoint any contrary elements. Nothing. Still, she wasn’t taking any chances. “Eat in the break room.”

“Don’t I always?”

“Actually—” she started.

He rushed on. “I’ve turned over a new leaf. I’m a new man. Walking around without eyebrows for six months will do that to a guy.”

She thought about arguing the point, particularly since she’d found an empty coffee cup stuffed under the counter where she kept the petri dishes. But Duane was the type who had to learn on his own.

“Have you finished the trial tests for the new lotion?”

“Finished number five today. It’s good to go.”

“We need six before we make that determination.”

“I’ve had the same outcome for five. It’s not going to change. Trust me.”

“Did I tell you that I found a tattoo shop that does permanent eyebrows? Two hundred stabs of the needle and you won’t have to worry about growing yours back.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll do another test. What about you? Have you decided what we’re going to do to spice up this stuff? How about a flavored lotion?”

“That’s already been done.”

“We could do unusual flavors. Coffee. Peanut butter. Mmm.”

“We want to remind women of their sensuality, not what they had for lunch.”

“What about scented lotions?”

“That’s already been done.”

“We could do unusual scents.”

“If you say coffee and peanut butter, I’m firing you.”

“Hey, everybody loves the smell of a good cup of coffee, and peanut butter’s the universal bread spread.”

“Just finish the preliminary tests on the basic compound and feed the data into the computer. I’ll plug in later and review everything.”

“So what’s the zinger then?”

“I’m working on it.”

“I hope so. I’m getting claustrophobic in this tiny lab. I need some space. My own desk. My very own coffeemaker—”

“Did I hear slurping?”

“That was my stomach grumbling. All this talk has me hungry. And thirsty.”

“Keep it in the lunchroom.”

“Don’t I always?”

Madeline hit the off button, dropped the phone into her purse and glanced up in time to see Austin Jericho stroll out of Skeeter’s. He crossed the street, his strides long and sure, and climbed into his pickup truck.

She still couldn’t believe it. Austin Jericho had actually noticed her. And he’d remembered her. And he’d been attracted to her.

Madeline smiled. Maybe being home wouldn’t be all that bad, after all.