His brows flew up. “Really?”
“Really. Just don’t throw up your peanut butter sandwich.”
“I never throw up. Rock-solid digestion. A little off-kilter upstairs, but rock-solid below the neck,” he teased as he flipped into a headstand and proceeded to balance there with ease.
Amazingly, it did seem to calm him down almost immediately.
“So what I’m saying, Bella,” he continued, “is that I don’t want to make ‘okay’ products that sell well. I want to make amazing products that sell fantastically and enhance people’s lives.”
“Do you really think a flavored condom or edible underwear can change someone’s life?” Bella asked. “I’m not trying to be mean, I promise, but—”
“How many of your lovers have made love to your pussy with their mouth like I did today on a regular basis?”
“Um, well…you’re the first.” Bella knew she was blushing like mad.
“See! A lot of men don’t like the taste, or are too lazy or something. I don’t know what the problem is, but I think it is a problem. The studies I’ve conducted show that women are more likely to report being dissatisfied with the quality of the sex in their marriage than men. Men bitch about the quantity, but women want quality. They want to come and come often, and I think they deserve to. I’m telling you, I know that a truly delicious edible lube, something that made a man’s mouth water, could really make a difference.”
His passion was contagious, even if she still wasn’t sold on the idea that sex toys could save the world, or even a marriage.
“You could also try experimenting with natural circulation enhancers,” Bella said. “Like the peppermint oil in the fudge today, there are other ingredients that would increase blood flow to the um…desired areas.”
“That’s brilliant! I knew you were brilliant. Can I write that down?”
“I’ll write it down for you.” Bella fetched a pen and paper from her desk near the bed where the covers still looked deliciously rumpled.
Could he be right? Could something so silly, so ridiculous, really make a difference in people’s lives? She’d certainly enjoyed herself today, but she hadn’t needed anything but Heath. The peppermint fudge was fun, but unnecessary.
But maybe he was right, maybe other people were different, maybe they needed a little help learning how amazing it could be to intimately taste the people they loved.
“If I agreed to work with you…” Bella trailed off as her eyes settled once more on the bed, images of Heath naked and propped up on her pillows flashing through her mind.
“Yes?” Heath flipped right side up and crossed to where she stood, his hand smoothing down her arm as his face lit up like he was getting his Christmas presents a day early.
“If I did, and I mean if, could you guarantee that no one would know?”
“Absolutely,” he said without a second’s hesitation.
“We’d have a nondisclosure agreement, or something?”
“Whatever you need, I’ll pay your lawyer fees.”
“Because I meant what I said before,” she said, setting the pen and paper on the bedside table. “I know that sex isn’t ‘dirty’ per se, but making sex toys and making candy for kids aren’t things that go together, at least in my mind. And some day, I hope to be able to go back to my real work.”
“Of course.” He took her hands in his, squeezing her fingers with excitement.
“Because I really love it, Heath,” she said, gazing up into his flashing eyes. “I love making kids happy and those days when I visited our candy stores around the Kingdom were the best days of my life. I know it’s sill
y, but I felt like I was Santa Claus or the Easter bunny. Something bigger and better and sweeter than myself.”
“I don’t think there could be anything sweeter than you.” Heath looked like a man who believed every word he’d just said, making the corny line completely touching.
“You’re biased.” Bella laughed, uncomfortable under his intense gaze but refusing to drop her eyes. “You have a candy fetish, for goodness’ sake. I’m like a dealer to you.”
“I don’t have a candy fetish, I just like licking things off women’s bodies. Is that so wrong?” Heath asked, moving his hand to the back of her neck where his fingers started to tangle in her hair, pulling her closer.
“Just so you know, the fudge is as hard as a rock now.” Bella leaned into his warmth, melting.
“Fuck the fudge.” He lowered his mouth to hers, sending a shock wave of bittersweet excitement through her body.