“Oh, I know you, then.” I hug him to me once more. “What am I going to do with you?”

“Feed me?”

“Dude, you missed that train. But I’m sure I can find you some scraps. Rhys will be around.”

“I’ll be nice.”

“Yeah, and alligators might fly out of my ass.”

“Ouch.”

***

I think I’m going to die from sexual frustration. I wonder if anyone has actually died from being too horny? I should Google it.

I smirk and pull a sheet of fresh cookies out of the oven.

It’s been two days since Rhys gave me the best orgasm of my life.

Like, of my freaking life.

And I figured for sure that he’d be in my bed Monday night to seal the deal.

And he was in my bed. But all he did was hold me all night. Oh, there was kissing and heavy petting, and it was very, very nice to be held and shown affection.

But there was no sex.

And then yesterday went to hell in a handbasket.

If it could go wrong, it did. The newly repaired dishwasher leaked water all over my kitchen. Two sets of guests showed up on the same day, but one of them was supposed to come on Tuesday of next week. They messed up the dates, but that meant that I had to call around and find them a bed for the night because I’m booked solid.

Because I’m stubborn and refuse to put anyone in Rhys’s room.

And lost business for next week.

Then, at the evening wine time, a guest ate a cookie that had coconut in it and had a violent allergic reaction, needing a call to 911, and a trip to the hospital because he forgot to bring his EpiPen with him, not to mention he forgot to inform me of any special dietary needs.

So by the time I fell into bed with Rhys last night, I was so exhausted that I was asleep before my head hit the pillow, and had to get up before him this morning.

“I’m never getting laid again,” I grumble to myself and push a fresh pan of cookies into the oven.

“We’re here to make sure that isn’t true.”

I whirl to find Van, Charly and Kate grinning from ear to ear, standing just inside my kitchen.

“How long have you been there?”

“Long enough to hear you bitch about coconut and not getting laid.”

I nod. “That about covers it.”

“Well,” Charly says with a smile and lifts a bag from her shop. “We are here to make sure that sad travesty doesn’t happen.”

“What do you mean?”

“Rhys called me, and he wanted to surprise you,” Kate says and claps her hands.

“So we are going to help you get ready, and then the three of us are going to man the fort for the next twenty-four hours.” Savannah pulls the cookies out of the oven, turns it off, and takes my hand to lead me upstairs.

“But I have to work.”

“We’re working for you,” Charly says.

“But you guys have to work.”

“Jesus, is she slow?” Kate shakes her head. “We took the rest of today and tomorrow off so you can too, and so you can go have fun.”

“Fun.” I follow my sisters into my bedroom, sit on the bed where directed, and frown at the three women. “I don’t have time for fun.”

“Yes, you do.” Savannah takes the bag from Charly and pulls the contents out. “Now, Charly brought you some gorgeous new wedges. I’m totally jealous over these shoes.”

“You’re welcome,” Charly adds as she emerges from my closet with my smallest suitcase and about seven outfits draped over her arm.

The shoes are seriously pretty; black patent-leather with a peep-toe.

It’s too bad I haven’t had time to paint my toenails.

“So, we’re not allowed to tell you where you’re going,” Kate begins as she and Charly sort through my tops. “But we can say that you’re going out for dinner tonight, so you should wear something flirty and pretty.”

I’m getting better at flirty.

“And tomorrow is more casual.” Van grins as she finds some black lacy underwear in my drawer. With the tags still on them. “Who are you saving these for?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. They probably don’t even fit anymore.”

“Yes they do,” Charly says and passes them to me. “Go put them on while we pick out your outfit.”

“You guys got really bossy.” I march into the bathroom, leave the door open, and strip down to try the underwear on.

“Come on, let us have fun.” Van calls from the other room “We never got to help you get ready for special dates before.”

“You were at college, or married and off having lives of your own,” I call out calmly as I shimmy into the pretty underwear, then smile when it fits perfectly.

“Oh, those are divine,” Kate says with a sigh as I walk out of the bathroom. “I have a weakness for pretty underwear.”

“Rhys will love it,” Charly agrees with a nod. “But I think the wedges are better suited for tomorrow. For tonight, you need fuck-me heels.”

“Do I own fuck-me heels?”

Charly looks stricken as she dives back in my closet, then reemerges a few moments later with a sexy pair of black heels that I forgot I even owned.

“These are awesome,” Charly says with a satisfied grin. “And perfect for tonight. And I might borrow them later this week.”

“Your feet are bigger than mine,” I remind her.

“Have I taught you nothing?” Charly asks with her hands on her hips. “Beauty is pain, Gabby.”

“So, why do you think you’re never getting laid again?” Van asks as she approves a black dress that hits me mid-thigh, with white chevron stripes. “Rhys obviously likes you.”