‘Trying to figure out how to put the batteries in this thing.’
‘You don’t have any batteries in it?’
‘I didn’t have time. I only got it this evening on the way home from work, and then I had to cook dinner and…’ Once again, she’d strayed into the mundane and was killing the mood. ‘Sorry.’
‘It’s okay. What’s it like – the vibrator?’
‘Oh, it’s… very life-like, I suppose – except it’s purple.’
‘Purple?’
‘Yeah. There was a choice of purple or pink. Maybe the pink would have been more realistic, though it was hot pink, so not really. Anyway, I didn’t have much time to decide – I had to get home and, besides, there was this creepy guy in the shop and I just wanted to get out of there.’
‘Was that your first time in a sex shop?’
‘Yeah. I’ve looked at stuff online, doing research for the blog, but I’ve never actually gone into a shop before. The assistant was very nice, though. If it hadn’t been for the creepy guy I might have hung around longer.’
‘I hope he wasn’t hassling you.’
‘He was just listening in when she was telling me about the vibrators. Then she turned one of them on to show me!’ Claire had been mortified when she had switched it on to demonstrate and the head had started wiggling around.
‘Maybe we should go to one together some day,’ he said. ‘You could have a proper look around.’
‘Oh, that would be good. Thank you.’
‘No problem. So – where were we?’
‘I was just reading the instructions for putting in the batteries.’
‘Why don’t we leave the vibrator for now? You can play with it later when you’ve got more time. It’s probably best if you get to know it on your own first anyway.’
‘Okay, you’re right. I’ll just use my hand.’ Claire lay down and they began again.
She started to forget herself and get into it, losing some of her self-consciousness as she got more turned on. She began to relax as Luca murmured in her ear, telling her how hard he was and what he wanted to do to her, getting her to touch herself and describing how it felt when he was doing those things to her.
‘Are you close?’ he asked, as her breathing became jagged.
‘Yes,’ she gasped into the phone. ‘So close. I’m?—’
There was a tap on the door, and she froze.
‘Claire?’ Her mother called. ‘I’m just making a cup of tea. Would you like one?’
‘Shit! Hang on,’ she hissed into the phone, before tossing it away from her as if it was scorching hot. She struggled off the bed, grabbing her dressing-gown and pulled it on. Then she opened the door, hoping she didn’t look too flushed. ‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘I was just… waxing my legs.’
‘Sorry to interrupt.’
‘It’s okay. I was just finished.’ Ha! If only…
‘So, cup of tea?’
‘I don’t think?—’
‘Only I didn’t tell you earlier, but I made paradise slices this afternoon – your favourite.’
‘Lovely!’ She smiled, wanting to cry. But she couldn’t say no when her mother had made such an effort to do something nice for her. ‘I just have to put my stuff away, and then I’ll be down.’
‘Right, so. We can have them while we’re watchingCome Dine With Me– I recorded it earlier.’
