Xan was right. Assuming we found the right formula, people would eat this up. Literally.
And honestly, the idea excited me.
Not just the business potential, but the playful, sensual side of it. I had spent so long feeling like sex was this mysterious, intimidating thing that happened tootherpeople.
Until Bennett, I had never felt safe or interested enough to dive in. He was the first person who’d ever made me feel like sex wasn’t something to be afraid or ashamed of, but something beautiful and fun. Worth exploring. And maybe that was the part that mattered most.
The idea that I could explore this side of myself slowly, safely, with curiosity instead of fear,andthat I could turn that same care into something tangible excited me. It was something other couples could use to experiment and connect. These weren’t just products. They were invitations to intimacy without pressure. To pleasure without shame.
I liked the idea of that: making things that helped people feel closer. Not just to each other, but to themselves, too.
“I’m in,” I said, voice steadier than I expected. “We can make a whole line of bedroom-themed products, and we should brand them with some cute pun like . . . ‘Bee Intimate.’”
Parker nodded enthusiastically. “Bee Intimate. Holy shit, I love it.”
“They would sell like crazy here, too,” Xan offered. “We could do a little display called ‘Spice Up Your Next Read’ or bundle it with the popular erotic romances. People buy gifts for their partners all the time.”
I sat back, head already brimming with possibilities.
Something told me that if Nessa was willing to stock the massage bars and honey dust at Smutty Buddies, June might, too, at Bed of Roses. She was all about curating experiences for her guests. She had already put together honeymoon-themed welcome packages, and nothing said honeymoon like edible honey powder, right?
“This is going to work,” I said slowly.
Xan clapped. “That’s what I like to hear.”
Parker turned to me, eyes bright. “So, which one do you want to tackle first?”
I didn’t need to think about it.Honey dust.It felt bold and fun and, frankly, a little filthy. In the best way, of course. Like the kind of thing that would make people smile when they saw it on a shelf, and then whisper about it to their friends.
“I’ll take the honey dust.”
Parker whooped. Xan high-fived me.
“Then I’m on massage bars,” Parker said.
I nodded, excitement buzzing under my skin like bees waking up in spring. “I’ll talk to June to see if she’s interested in stocking them at Bed of Roses, too. You know, for romantic getaways.”
“Perfect.” Parker pulled out her phone to make notes. “Maybe even a rose one for the Bed of Roses tie-in?”
Xan leaned back, smirking. “You two are about to take over the sexy self-care market. I’m calling it now.”
I laughed, but the possibility settled warm in my chest. This wasn’t just a side project anymore. It was real, tangible.Mine.
And for the first time in a long time, I couldn’t wait to get home and start experimenting. All that was left to do was find a very willing, very sexy test subject.
Bennett
Ihad never been handled like a piece of meat before, but damn, it felt pretty incredible. Especially in Bella’s hands.
I was stretched out flat on her bed, sheets cool against my bare back, hands tucked behind my head like I was on vacation instead of moments away from being used as a human tasting menu. Personally, I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a Saturday night.
“What exactly are you putting on me again?” I asked, eyes focused on the small glass jar in her hand.
Bella twisted the jar between her fingers, eyes sparkling with that perfect mix of mischief and focus I had come to crave. She knelt beside me, curls damp and wild, falling over one shoulder like she was some kind of siren.
“Honey dust,” she said. “Edible body powder made from dehydrated honey. And a bunch of other stuff.”
“And this isn’t going to burn my dick off or anything like that?”
