Hidden Pleasures - Brenda Jackson [17]
Brittany waited while the waiter placed menus in front of them. When the man walked off, she said, “And what if I don’t have any hidden pleasures for anyone to tap into?”
Nikki gave her a somber look. “If you don’t enjoy sex at the hands of a Steele, then I would suggest you get some serious counseling. Although that pervert didn’t succeed in doing anything, I can imagine it was a traumatic experience for you to go through at the time. You were only thirteen.”
Yes, Brittany thought. She’d been only thirteen. Now she understood those looks Mr. Ponder used to give her and why she wasn’t comfortable when she received those kind of looks now from men.
“Do you know what I think, Brit?”
Brittany glanced across the table at Nikki. It was hard to believe they hadn’t seen each other in over twelve years. That special bond they’d always had seemed to just fall into place. Nikki had been there to help her through some rough times in her life and when Nikki had moved away, she had truly lost her best friend. There hadn’t been anyone she could talk to, share her innermost fears and secrets with. She had felt truly alone.
“No, what do you think?” she asked.
“Of course it needs to be your decision, but in a way you can practically kill two birds with one stone. If you accept Galen Steele’s offer, not only will you get your mother’s house free and clear, but you’ll also find out if your dislike of sex is something you need to explore professionally. But I have a feeling Galen Steele will unlock all the hidden pleasures locked away inside you. It takes a man with an experienced touch to do that, and I hear that’s what Galen Steele has.”
Brittany shook her head, not convinced the suggested approach was the right one. “I don’t know, Nikki. The couple of guys I slept with before…I could only do it because I liked them, although I never fancied myself in love with them. I’m not sure I can have casual sex with anyone just for the sake of sex. Besides, I’m not all that certain I even like Galen Steele. Both times when our paths crossed he didn’t impress me as someone with good manners.”
Nikki threw her head back and laughed. “Manners are the last thing you’ll think about when the big ‘O’ strikes. And trust me, Brit, you won’t be doing it just for the sake of doing it. You’ll be doing it for pleasure, and there’s plenty of pleasure out there waiting for you. I think you just need the right man and I’m totally convinced Galen Steele is that man. Think about it.”
Brittany nodded. She certainly had strong motivation for doing so—her house was at stake. However, like she’d told Nikki, she wasn’t sure if she could engage in casual sex and enjoy it. Then again, she’d done it a couple of times with guys she was involved with at the time and hadn’t enjoyed it, either.
She picked up her menu and eyed her friend over the top. “All right. I’ll think about it.”
Eli Steele glared at the man sitting on the opposite side of his desk. He’d often wondered about his oldest brother’s mental state and this was one of those times. “Let me get this straight, Galen. You rushed me to fax that damn loan approval letter to you yesterday so that you could bid on some house you really don’t want? A house you are now signing over to some woman you really don’t know?”
Galen nodded slowly. “Yes, that sounds about right to me. You have a problem with any of it?” Eli was son number three and there was barely a two-year difference in their ages. It amused Galen how their father had kept their mother barefoot and pregnant for six years straight. She’d given birth to a son each year. They’d grown up close, and they still were, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t rattle each other’s cages at times. He often wondered how his mother had handled living in a house filled with so much testosterone.
“No, I don’t have a problem